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Looking for thebest air hockey table options on the market?You've come to the right place. In this guide you'll get the top picks and real advice from a true air hockey enthusiast.
Expect to learn the following...
- The different tiers of air hockey tables (and our best ones of the category).
- What makes a good air hockey table in the first place.
- The pros and cons of all our top picks.
Let's begin!
2022 Update: Not much has changed in the air hockey market since we wrote this original article. For most people, it's probably ideal to go with the Fat Cat Pockey 3 in 1 table since it's reasonable in price and can fit in the home. It's also casually competitive so super fun to play on. If you're more serious, you'll want to check out our professional arcade quality picks below.
Best Air Hockey Table Review Comparison Chart
In case you don't have time to read the entire guide, we've taken the liberty of creating a summary chart. Click any of the links to check out the tables for yourself or keep reading for the entire guide.
Table Name | Table Caliber | Why We Picked It |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Arcade Quality - Best Choice for the Money | Smaller, but more generally more affordable competitive table with bare-bones features. |
Professional Arcade Quality | An excellent compromise from the Gold Flare Home Elite. The same quality table with no black light or side LED lighting. | |
Professional Arcade Quality | Built to last with everything an air hockey player could want including black lighting and side LED lighting. | |
For Kids | Low commitment table that you can play with on many surfaces. | |
| For Kids | Bigger sized kids table that also comes with foosball, ping pong, and billiards. |
For Kids | A solid and sturdy kids table that's well built and balanced. | |
For Kids | Good starter table that can be moved into storage quite easily. | |
| Casually Competitive | Slightly smaller alternative to the MD Titan, but also comes with billiards and ping pong. |
| Casually Competitive | Meant for players who still want to play a solid game, but aren't willing to invest in competitive level equipment. |
Video Guide
Use These Links to Navigate this Guide >>
Best Air Hockey Table Review Comparison Chart
Video Guide
How Much is an Air Hockey Table?
The Features That Count
Competitor-Grade Features
Sizing
Multigame Tops
Electronic Scoreboard
Folding Legs
Lighting
Air Blower and Pucks
The Best Professional Level Tables
1. The Gold Flare Home Elite
2. The Tournament Pro Plus
The Best Casually Competitive Tables
The Best Tables for Kids
Tabletop Air Hockey
Any Questions?
How Much is an Air Hockey Table?
The price for an air hockey table ranges pretty drastically depending on the quality that you're looking for. Although these prices aren't set in stone, here's about what you should expect as you shop around:
Competitive Table: Around $2,000 - $7,000
Casually Competitive Table:Around $500 - $1000
Small and Kids Tables:Around $20 - $ 200
We don't recommend you pay more than the high-end of each listed price range when you're looking for that style of table.
The Features That Count
In this section, we'll talk about what sets apart the top notch air hockey tables from the good ones. We'll also talk about some of the features you can expect to find in the less competitive tables and discuss why their merit in certain applications.
Read Also: 10 Best Mini Air Hockey Tables for Kids – Have You Seen #4?
Competitor-Grade Features
All of the tables we're recommending for the more serious players are designed specifically for competitive air hockey play. This means these tableswill already have the key features that are most important for high-level play.
Key Competitor Features
- Ability to handle super high speeds without the puck slowing or bouncing off of the table.
- Adequate air flow to support USAA sanctioned pucks.
- Rails that deliver adequate and accurate bounce so shots can be properly set up.
- Electronic scoring so you don't have to keep track of points.
- Face-off / center line circles that are designed for competitive play and USAA approved.
- Surface that won't scratch or wear easily and will last a long time.
Read Also: Finding the Best Air Hockey Puck to Buy
These tables also aren't going to have many of the "added value" functions such as folding legs or multi-game capabilities.
However, there's still room for bells and whistles. If you're in the market for the best of the best, here's the extra functionality you can consider investing in:
Bonus Competitor Features
- Overhead lighting and score keeping.
- Black and white lighting for "cosmic" play where puck glows in the dark.
- Curved goal construction which offers additional player comfort.
Now, none of those features are essential to having a competitive air hockey table, but getting them is what separates the best from the very best.
Sizing
Size is perhaps the most critical feature of an air hockey table because if it can't fit in your home or office, then you can't play! If you haven't already measured the space you're thinking about putting it in, now is a great time to do so.
So you know what to expect, we create these sizing guidelines:
Sizing Guidelines
Competitive Play Sizes: The best tables will be at least 85" long by 45" wide. The larger tournament style tables can go up to 99" long by 55" wide.
Casual Play Sizes:Casual sizes are a bit smaller, but still allow you to get a decent paced game going. We recommend something that's at least 80" long by 40" wide, but they can also go up to around 90" long and 48" wide.
Sizes for Kids: Kids tables will start at around 40" long, but can go up to around 55". Others will be somewhere in the middle.
Multigame Tops
Unless you're a really competitive player, getting a table which can be used for various games isn't a bad idea. If you're not totally committed to air hockey or just want to switch things up for your family and guests, then you have the option of getting tables that can include one or more of these other games:
- Ping Pong or Table Tennis
- Pool or Billiards
- Foosball
Granted, the first two games are going to be more common and practical because it just relies on switching out the surface. Tables with the foosball option tend to be a bit smaller and geared towards kids.
Read Also: Best Air Hockey Ping Pong Table Combos
Electronic Scoreboard
If you've ever played air hockey in an arcade, then odds are you weren't manually keeping score. To make sure that you put in more quarters, the machine was likely keeping score and would stop the game once someone had won.
Air hockey, when played seriously, can get really intense. If you're going to be engaging in any kind of competitive play, an electronic scoreboard is a must. You want to be in the moment and fully engaged. Keeping track of numbers can be distracting at best. At worst, trying to do math and play air hockey can cause you to lose or get an extra goal scored on you.
Folding Legs
Folding legs aren't going to be on any of the top tier air hockey tables, but in the event that you have a storage issue, they are definitely something to consider. For example, if you're putting your table in a room where you'll also be doing other things, then moving it simply isn't going to be practical.
You'll mostly find tables with folding legs on the ones geared towards children. The 48" MD Sports unit pictured above is a great example.
Lighting
While it's not a necessity, the right lighting can really add to the air hockey experience. If you've ever played in an arcade, you may have seen some of the overhead lighting configurations (as pictured below). The proper lighting allows you to get a clear view of what's going on if the lighting in the room isn't fully adequate.
Top Lighting on the Gold Pro Elite picture via BarStoreUSA.com
If you're playing in a basement, garage, or place where lighting isn't deal, investing in a table that has this feature is a great idea.
Air Blower and Pucks
One of the thing that separates professional-style air hockey tables from more casual ones is the air flow. Naturally, the competitive tables that we've chosen are going to have airflow that's ideal for playing with USAA sanctioned pucks (Lexan-red, Lexan-yellow, and Dynamo-green). Without the proper air flow, such competitive pucks are going to be too heavy and play will be hindered.
The way that these professionals hit the puck requires it to be heavy and supported by a solid air blower.
Although you can certainly try out different pucks for less-competitive tables, we recommend sticking with the pucks from the manufacturer of that specific table. They're likely to give you the best game-play as they're optimized for that specific table's air blower.
Now, let's start talking about some tables!
The Best Professional Level Tables
If you want to play air hockey at a high level, then look no further than the tables from Gold Standard Games.
These tables are designed for the highest level of play by the highest caliber players. They were created by two-time world champion Mark Robbins. Many of their tables are sanctioned by the USAA for tournament play.
Luckily, they have many different models to choose from and have made the attempt to accommodate those players who have a smaller budget.
To make their products easy to understand, we've created this chart which shows their different table configurations. As you might imagine, you get what you pay for, so it's up to you to decide which features are important and which ones aren't.
Table Name | Sizing | Weight | Feature List | USAA Sanctioned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tournament Ice | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼”W x 31”H | 412 lbs | Manual Scoring. Rounded Goals. | Yes |
Tournament Pro Plus | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼”W x 72”H | 432 lbs | Electronic Overhead Scoring. White lighting. Rounded Goals | Yes |
Tournament Pro | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼” W x 31”H | 412 lbs | Side Mounted Electronic Scoring. Rounded Goals | Yes |
Tournament Pro Elite | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼” W x 31”H | 458 lbs | Electronic overhead scoring. Black and White Lighting. Rounded Goals. | Yes |
Home Pro | 85 ½” x 45 ½” x 31”H | 220 lbs | Side Mounted Electronic Scoring. | No |
Gold Flare Home | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼”W x 31”H | 413 lbs | Side Mounted Electronic Scoring. Side LED Lighting. | Yes |
Gold Flare Home Elite | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼”W x 31”H | 459 lbs | Rounded Goals. Overhead Electronic Scoring. Black and White Lighting. Side LED Lighting. | Yes |
Gold Flare Home Plus | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼”W x 31”H | 433 lbs | Electronic Scoring. Overhead White Lighting. Side LED Lighting. | Yes |
Gold Pro | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼”W x 31”H | 412 lbs | Side Mounted Electronic Scoring. | Yes |
Gold Pro Elite | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼”W x 31”H | 458 lbs | Rounded Goals. Overhead Electronic Scoring. Black and White Lighting. | Yes |
Gold Pro Plus | 99 ½” L x 51 ¼”W x 31”H | 432 lbs | Rounded Goals. Overhead Electronic Scoring. Overhead White Lighting | Yes |
To make things even simpler, we've narrowed down their tables to three models which we felt were the top picks:
1. The Gold Flare Home Elite
This table is the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the top of the line...
You get the idea.
Aside from looking super cool, this is the table that has literally everything you could ever want. Most importantly, the table is sized and designed for tournament and competitive play.
This means that the blower, the side rails, the goal ends, and the surface of the table are all designed for playing the game at the highest level possible, ensuring that each player can get maximum speed and accuracy.
Now, let's be clear, all of the tables made by Gold Standard Games have those features. The Gold Flare Home Elite is also maxed out on bells and whistles. It's literally the same as a coin-operated model, except you don't have to constantly throw in your hard earned quarters!
It comes with:
- The full size overhead lighting with black and white light capabilities.
- Overhead scoring beautifully displayed on the lights.
- Graphics just like you'd find in the arcade and LED lights on the side.
- A fully sized tournament table which assembles at 99 1/2" x 51 1/2" x 31"
- 1 year limited warranty
Just so you get a better idea, here's some photos of some features in action:
The "cosmic mode" or black light feature on some of the Gold Standard Games Tables picture from BarStoreUSA.com
You probably wouldn't want to use the black light feature if you were playing for money, but it adds a level of fun that can't be matched. If you've ever been midnight bowling, then you know what we're talking about. Because we grew up in the 90's there's a special place in our hearts for all things glow in the dark. Blame it on nostalgia, but it's pretty darn awesome!
Durable and comfort-minded goal picture from BarStoreUSA.com
If you've ever played air hockey on a table without one of these ergonomic goal ends then you know that it can be slightly uncomfortable. We won't get too deep into proper techniques here, but if you watch any high-level game, the players are constantly leaning on their side of the table. Without a rounded and ergonomic goal design, it can get uncomfortable if you're playing game after game.
The video below better illustrates the "lean" that we're referencing here:
If you're planning on using your table a lot, then this isn't a feature that you want to skimp out on.
Finally, the LED side-lighting feature is the icing in the cake.
TheLED lights in action on the Gold Flare Home Elite picture from BarStoreUSA.com
It's an awesome compliment to the black light. Combine all this with a disco light and a good group of friends and it feels like being a teenager again.
2. The Tournament Pro Plus
In the event that the Gold Flare Home Elite is out of your budget, then the Tournament Pro Plus is an excellent compromise.
While it doesn't have everything that the Gold Flare Home Elite has, it does tick all the boxes for competitive play. While it's lacking the full-sized overhead black/white lighting, the arcade-style colors, and the side LED lighting it still has everything that's important. This includes:
- Overhead lighting so players can clearly see the table.
- Rounded goal construction for maximum comfort and ergonomics.
- Electronic overhead scoring so players don't have to manually keep track.
3. The Home Pro Elite
The Home Pro air hockey table combines affordability with function.
As you can see, it looks very similar to the others, it's just missing the ergonomic rounded goals as well as the overhead scoring and lighting. It still has an electronic side-mounted scoreboard and excellent air flow and professional-style rails for excellent bankability.
It's also a bit smaller than the other tables on the list, measuring in at 85 ½ x 45 ½ x 31"H. It's still a large table, though and the size difference isn't likely to be a big deal unless you're a true air hockey connoisseur. On the flip side, it may be the compromise you have to make to fit a small room.
The Best Casually Competitive Tables
If you still want to have a fast-paced game, but find that the Gold Standard Games tables are out of your price range, then there's still some options. There are several middle of the road tables that we'd recommend for people who want to still play a casual game, but don't want to get a flimsy table or one designed strictly for kids.
Granted, they aren't going to be deliver the same professional-feel as the top-tier options, but they are an excellent compromise.
Casually Competitive Summary Table
Table Name & Size | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
MD Sports Titan 7.5 Ft Air Hockey Table
| Nearly the same size as a tournament table with lots of bells and whistles. Sound effects, scoring, and arch light make it super fun. | You can only play air hockey with it, no options for other games. |
Fat Cat Pokey 3-in-1 Table | Comes with three different games: air hockey, table tennis, and pool. Also includes the accessories to play every single one. | Isn't as big as the Titan. Also has no lighting, no sound effects, and a manual scoring system. |
4. MD Sports Titan 7.5 Ft Air Hockey Table
The MD Sports Titan is great because it's a large table with lots of bells and whistles. The dimensions are almost as the tournament models discussed earlier, measuring in at 89 x 48 x 32 inches.
As an added bonus it's got electronic scoring, an arch-light over the middle, sound effects, and LED lights along the inner side of the table.
While we can't guarantee the same level of play as our top three choices, this is still a great choice for adults who want to play casually, but still have a high paced game.
Fat Cat Pokey 3-in-1 Table (Air Hockey, Ping Pong, Billiards)
The Fat Cat Pokey 3-in-1 multi-game table is a bet less competitive for air hockey than the MD Titan. The overall dimensions of the table are 80 L x 44 W x 32 H inches. This is smaller than the MD Sports Titan by quite a bit which will detract a little bit from how the table plays.
On the upside, you don't only get an air hockey table. By simply turning it over, the table goes from air hockey to billiards. If you feel like you want to play ping pong, it also comes with a top that can be placed right on the table.
It also comes with the accessories needed for all of the different games. This includes:
- 4 pushers and 4 pucks for air hockey.
- 2 pool sticks, a triangle, 2 sets of chalk, and a billiards brush for pool.
- 2 ping pong paddles and balls with a complete net.
If you're not fully committed to taking on air hockey as a recreational activity and want to get the best of everything, this would be the table to go for.
Bottom Line
The MD Sports Titan a nicely sized table for moderately competitive play. It’s our first choice if you can’t afford one of the tournament style ones or just don’t want something super serious. If you’re getting a table on a whim or as a gift for someone who doesn’t really play much, this is a good starter table.
If you don’t know if air hockey is going to be your thing, then it might be worth trading table size for versatility and going for the Fat Cat Multigame Table
The Best Tables for Kids
For Kids Summary Table
Table Name & Size | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
Harvil 4 Foot Air Hockey Table for Kids
| Nearly the same size as a tournament table with lots of bells and whistles. Sound effects, scoring, and arch light make it super fun. | You can only play air hockey with it, no options for other games. |
MD Sports Foldable 48" Air Hockey Table (48 x 24 x 30 inches) | Comes with three different games: air hockey, table tennis, and pool. Also includes the accessories to play every single one. | Isn't as big as the Titan. Also has no lighting, no sound effects, and a manual scoring system. |
Funmall 4-in-1 Foldable Table (48 x 24 x 30 inches) | Comes with three different games: air hockey, table tennis, and pool. Also includes the accessories to play every single one. | Comes with three different games: air hockey, table tennis, and pool. Also includes the accessories to play every single one. |
5. Harvil 4 Foot Air Hockey Table for Kids
We would consider this table to be sort of like training wheels for the up and coming air hockey enthusiast. This table is going to be ideal for younger children, probably around ages 5-10. By the time they reach their early teenage years, they're like to outgrow the small size.
The table measures in at 48" x 24" x 31". This means it's about half the size of the other tables that we've recommended. It comes with the following key features:
- Electronic or manual scoring options.
- Legs with levers to keep it sturdy and balanced.
- 90-Day Warranty.
6. MD Sports Foldable 48" Air Hockey Table
This 48" table gives kids an adequately sized table to play on while still having the portability of a table top unit.
When fully assembled, this product measures 48" x 24" x 30". This is the same size as the Harvil, but without as much assembly or commitment. Once the legs are folded, the height goes all the way down to 4.75 inches! Since it weighs only 36.3 lbs, you can easily fold it to the side and store it in a closet or lean it up against a wall temporarily.
7. Funmall 4-in-1 Foldable Table
Although it's roughly the same size as the others, this multi-purpose table comes with four other games including: billiards, ping pong, foosball, and air hockey. Just like the Fat Cat Pokey, it also comes included with everything you need for all four games:
- Billiard balls, 2 sticks, triangle, brush and chalk
- Two foosball balls, 18 players, and 8 bars
- Two pucks and two strikers for air hockey
- Two rackets, two balls, and a net for table tennis
The problem is that when it comes to air hockey, it doesn't have any air supply. Although it might be fun for the kids to knock around a bit, it's not going to be as smooth and seamless as the other tables.
As a plus side though, this unit is also easy to store. The legs fold, albeit not as easily as the MD Sports model, but you can still store it away if you have to.
Read Also: Best Foosball Air Hockey Tables
Bottom Line
If the child in question loves air hockey, then we recommend going with the Harvil 4Ft TableGiven that the legs have levelers and an overall more sturdy build, it’s going to provide a much more fluid experience. However, if there’s a chance that the kid in question might get bored after a week, than the MD Sports Foldable Table is great as it gives you the option of moving it quickly into storage. Since they’re both the same size and neither are meant for high-level play, it’s a toss up.
TheFunmall 4-in-1 Tableis also a good choice and a bigger size than the other two. However, if you want something that won’t be outgrown then perhaps one of our Casual But Competitive Table Picks might be better.
Tabletop Air Hockey
Tabletop Air Hockey tables are naturally the smallest and least serious of the bunch, but also tend to come with the smallest investment and the greatest amount of flexibility. Whether your kids are playing outside, in the living room, or in the kitchen, you can move the air hockey table to their location.
Tip: Just be careful about scratching any expensive tables you have around the house.
8. Playcraft Sport 40-inch Table
This table measures in at 40 x 8 x 20 inches and is perfect for kids. It doesn't come with any sort of fancy scoring system, just a marker along the goals that you slide to count the points. It does have a fan and thus requires an outlet, so that may be something to keep in mind.
This table is just for fun and extremely casual play. If you have kids that are older want really want to start slamming the puck around, then you're going to want to pick one of the bigger tables. Once kids want to get super competitive, the puck is likely to end up flying around. We don't recommend getting this one for anyone over 8 or 9 years old.
9. Harvil 40-inch Tabletop
There's not much difference between this and the Playcraft, but we decided to add it to the list purely for aesthetics.
The Playcraft design is kind of bland, so we figured that kids might appreciate having a more stylish table to show off to their friends.
Either way, the same things apply that we said about the Playcraft. Careful of your tables, be mindful that it needs to be plugged in, and know that the kid will outgrow it.
Read Also: Best 4 Player Air Hockey Tables (Quad)
Bottom Line
These tabletop models aren’t necessarily things you’re going to be using for the long term. Kids are going to get a lot of fun out of them while they’re young, but after some time, they are likely to end up in the trash bin. They make a great surprise, but just know that they aren’t much more than glorified toys.
For the sake of looking cool, we’d pick theHarvil.
Any Questions?
We know, it's a lot of information to take in and picking the right air hockey table can be difficult and stressful. The good news is that we're here to help.
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below. This will give us an opportunity to help you out as well as other readers who may be wondering about the same thing.
Finally, if you've got an air hockey table that you highly recommend, you can leave that below as well so we can investigate it further.
