Best Air Hockey Table Review: The Best Pick And Buyer’s Guide
Chances are, you’ve played air hockey a few times in your life, maybe more. After all, almost everyone has enjoyed this fun “sport.”
Just in case you need a little refresher course, this is the game where you and your opponent stand at opposite ends of a special table, each trying to know the puck into the other person’s goal.
Air hockey may be a super fun arcade game, but did you know that it can also be an at-home game? That’s right; you can have the fun of air hockey at home. All you have to do is choose the right air hockey table.
Fortunately, finding the best air hockey table is easy, especially if you know what to look for in a table.
Arcade Style Air Hockey Tables
As you start your quest for the best air hockey tables, you will undoubtedly notice that there are tons of different options to choose from. With so many choices, you may find the shopping process a bit overwhelming. However, just take a deep breath.
Super Strike Air Hockey
The main thing to know is that your best bet, in terms of quality and durability, is to go with a true arcade style table. These are the best air hockey tables not only for their longevity but also for their air-blowing motors, which help the puck glide along more smoothly, and their additional features, like electronic scoring.
Of course, you can go with a more basic model if you like or even a smaller tabletop model if you’re limited on space, but an arcade-style model is the superior choice if you have the money and the room for it in your home.
What to Look for in Air Hockey Side Walls
As you read air hockey table reviews and do your shopping, pay attention to what people have to say about the side walls of the table. Or, better yet, check these side walls out for yourself. They matter a lot when it comes to how the table will perform and how long it will last.
See, when you play air hockey, the puck, which is going to be going fast, is often going to slam into and bounce off of the sidewall. Obviously, then, you want a sidewall that is strong, tough, and thick and that can take this repeated “beating” without caving in or losing its ability to “bounce” the puck back into the playing field.
So, while side walls and their strength isn’t the only thing that matters, it should be a big factor in choosing the right air hockey table.
The Truth About Buying Used vs Buying New
You’ve probably already noticed that there’s a lot to think about when shopping for an air hockey table. Outside of features, structure, and size, though, the biggest decision you’ll have to make is about whether you want to buy your air hockey table used or new.
Obviously, new tables are nice in that you’ll be the very first user, and they likely have many more years ahead of them than a used table. With that said, though, if you need to save money, there is nothing wrong with going with a used table.
Any table you buy from an arcade or other public establishment is probably going to have a lot more wear and require more maintenance than one you get from a private seller, so keep that in mind as you shop.
Also remember that, often, when you buy used, you don’t get any kind of warranty or guarantee the way you might with a new table, so that’s a risk you have to be willing to take.
Ultimately, you are the only one who can decide whether a used or a new table is right for you. Just know that there is nothing wrong with buying used as long as you do so carefully and with a lot of thought.
Look for the Markers Quality Construction
Whether you go with a new or used air hockey table and no matter the size you select, be sure you choose a table that is well constructed. This quality matters more than anything else.
A nicely constructed table is going to have visible, strong joints securely held together with industrial level screws. It will also have levelers and solid, sturdy legs that never wobble.
Even if you have to crouch down on the floor and feel the legs of potential hockey table purchases, do it. Nothing is more important than ensuring you get a table that is well-constructed. It is the main thing that matters in determining how long your table will last.
As long as you think about these factors, you should have no problem choosing the right air hockey table to match your wants and needs.