Home Editorial Designer Or Professional: Which Table Tennis Table Should You Go For?

7 mins read

Designer Or Professional: Which Table Tennis Table Should You Go For?

April 20, 2021

Now that you’re well-versed with table tennis tables, perhaps you want a statement piece rather than a full-sized professional table. This is where buying a designer table is great not only because brands usually take the liberty to create interesting pieces, but for the fact that they are usually multi-functional and can be repurposed as a dining or conference table when not in use, which makes them great statement pieces in homes, residential areas, and even offices. However, you should always keep in mind that your purchase decision should align with your use case and requirements.

To help you figure out what’s right for you, here is a list of our top four brands and some of their best models for designer and professional-spec table tennis tables:

Table of Contents

Designer Types

Best suited for clients with a discerning eye for aesthetics, designer tables are best for practicality and functionality without compromising aesthetics. As they aren’t tournament legal, brands usually come up with their own iconic designs and hidden storage compartments to keep all your table tennis components. Often, these tables are multipurpose in nature, where it’s furniture like surface is often perfect for use as a dining table or a meeting table.

To make the best use out of them, designer tables are generally better for discerning home entertainment spaces or as a general statement piece as they are designed to be both eye-catching but elegant.

RS Barcelona

Known for their simplistic yet thoughtful designs, RS Barcelona is an advocate of what they dub ‘Intense Living’ – Living life with play, practicality and quality.. This certainly shows in their work, where each detail is simple yet full of intention; every design feature of an RS Barcelona product is there for a reason, while never looking out of place in the modern home no matter where you place it.

The You & Me Ping Pong Table Series:

The use of iroko wood and a steel chassis makes the outdoor variant both practical and weatherproof even under rain or shine. Lightweight, practical, and elegant. What’s there not to love?

The You & Me is RS Barcelona’s best selling product, and has won numerous design awards. Despite boasting a full size Table Tennis playfield, the You & Me is an incredibly elegant product that will not find itself out of place in a well furnished home or an office.

The You & Me is available in several finishes, including the White, Black, Walnut or Oak. It’s also available in a multitude of sizes to fit smaller spaces, and in two trims – Outdoor or Indoor. Whether you decide to opt for an Outdoor or Indoor model, both models comes with a waterproof top that makes the table universally practical as a general purpose or dining table at home. Finally, the Y&M features a magnetic hatch that stores bats and balls out of sight when not in use.

With it’s diversity in fun, practicality, materials and aesthetics – It’s easy to see why the You & Me is the choice of designers and architects around the world.

District Eight

Based humbly in Vietnam, District Eight is a promising new brand that has incorporated post-colonial industrial building designs into their lifestyle products to create something both modern and unique to them.

D8 Conference Ping Pong Table:

By refurbishing parts from actual post-colonial bridges and buildings in Vietnam, the D8 Ping Pong Table is reminiscent of the industrial era with a modern touch.

District Eight designs are known for their use of industrial materials followed by modern designs, which is what District Eight’s table tennis table encompasses. With a practical and high-quality industrial aesthetic, each D8 Ping Pong Table is handcrafted and features a pedestal cast iron base and solid oak tabletop surface to provide you with an interactive and functional experience. The D8 Ping Pong Table’s simplicity and practicality also mean it’s a great choice for office set-ups looking to provide break time incentives to workers and colleagues alike.

Professional Types

In terms of playability, nothing will ever beat a proper competition-grade table tennis table. While they’re usually marked with a hefty price tag compared to most other choices, you can be guaranteed quality that will last you a lifetime for as long as it’s maintained well.

Most professional tables are usually all business and no-frills, so their appearance is quite standard to meet strict IFFT regulations. However, these tables are usually the best for low-maintenance environments (such as schools and shared public facilities) so don’t be too daunted by the price tag as you’re paying for quality.

Kettler

A renowned German brand when it comes to home furniture and sports equipment, Kettler can usually be found on the international market as they are best known for their quality standards in sports and ITTF-approved table tennis tables in particular. Kettler also has an official line of table tennis tables under the Atlanta series that they still manufacture and sell to this day—the same design of table tennis tables they had officially provided for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Kettler Indoor 10:

Specially designed for optimal indoor play, the Kettler Indoor 10 is both space-saving and heavy-duty for recreational and competition usage. For intermediate and more experienced players, the foldable table also provides you with solo training options—just fold the table in half and you’re ready to go! The additional square tube structures provide additional stability and are paired with a 22mm specially coated playfield to maintain the regulated ITTF ‘true bounce’ needed for tournament play.

JOOLA

Focusing on the production of table tennis tables and accessories, JOOLA debuted in the Olympics around the same time as Kettler and currently dominate the table tennis scene in America. While JOOLA does provide a few of its own designer options, they are still best known for their competition-grade tables. Supplying table tennis tables for three Olympic venues over the past few decades, JOOLA is certainly the best brand to look at if you’re interested in investing in a table tennis table that will last you a lifetime.

Joola World Cup 25s ITTF Approved:

One of the most popular Joola table in the Joola range, the JOOLA World Cup 25S has been fully optimised over the decades for the ultimate competitive playing experience. With a specially processed polyester coating that allows for an even bounce throughout, the JOOLA World Cup 25s is a great choice for competitive or training environments where heavy-duty equipment is required. It is completely foldable and which allows for playback training. Lastly, this ITTF approved table comes with heavy duty wheels that allows for easy moving and storage when not in use.

We hope this quick guide has given you some insight on the different styles and types of Table Tennis table available in the market. If you’re unsure what might suit you, why not drop us a call and get professional advise from our product advisors?

Otherwise, do check out our range of table tennis tables here.

Space Guide: Table Tennis

How do you fit one into your own home? Table tennis tables are one of our largest items, with a full-sized table tennis table typically measuring around 2.73m x 1.53m (9ft x 5ft). That’s around the size of a 9ft table. Calculating The Area Required The official tournament space requirement for a table tennis table is 14m x 7m (46ft x 23ft). This is considered an extravagant amount of space that renders it almost impractical for home users. However, if you're interested in playing casual table tennis at home, the minimum space recommended is 6.76m x 3.83m (22.1ft x 12.5ft). In fact, why not opt for one of our smart foldable tables? They make it really convenient to own a proper table tennis table if that's what you're looking for. Or if you want the added convenience of it being multifunctional, you can also take a look at the You & Me Ping Pong Table by RS Barcelona. P.S. The Men's Cave team has tested the measurements mentioned above, so we guarantee they're legit! If you're interested in seeing how our other products will fit in your home, please remember to check out our Space Guide series! #BuildYourMen'sCave

3 mins read

July 25, 2021

Table Tennis: How To Know Your Tables

While Table Tennis tables come primarily in one size—don't bother with the mini ones—there are a fair bit of differences when it comes to the details; 16/18/22mm boards, MDF vs Resin, etc. Our expert team is here today to write a quick guide on what to look out for when buying a table tennis table. The thickness of the tabletop & why it matters The first thing to look out for is the tabletop thickness. This is the key factor that determines the bounce quality of the ball. The thickness of table tops can start at 10mm for a basic table, and goes to 22mm for a tournament table. As a general rule of thumb, the thicker the tabletop, the better the bounce which will lead to faster and more satisfying gameplay. Outdoor tables, however, operate on a different platform. Instead of MDF, Resin is used to provide waterproofing and thickness typically comes in between 3.5mm - 7.0mm. Once again, the thicker the tabletop, the better. Our recommendation? 22mm is designed for professional/ training users and is recommended for schools or people looking for the best experience. 19mm, however, is what we consider to be a really good thickness for the majority of users. Frame & Chassis If you're a table tennis player, then you would know that the table does get a certain amount of wear and tear from the constant knocking and brushing during games. This is where the frame & chassis comes into play. Look at the thickness and design of the frame. Users with higher usage should be looking at a more solid frame, which is typically comprising of thicker square section steel with additional reinforcements around the tabletop. Despite that, casual users will find round section tables to be mostly sufficient. Our recommendation? Don't make your decision purely from the type of support frame. Take a good look at how the frame is designed, especially if it's flimsy or made with very thin steel. These are all factors we look at when appraising a table tennis table. Compare the features By now you would have covered two of the most important factors in gauging the quality of a table tennis table, and if a particular table is well built or worth the money you're paying for it. The last thing to do, however, is to compare the finer features between the tables. Some important features that good tables should have include: • Ball & bat storage • Playback facility • Ease of foldability • Ball dispenser • Adjustable net - Height & tension • UV coated tabletop Our recommendations? These are some very important features to look out for in your table, and so make sure that you compare tables on the basis of these features as well. Adjustable net, as well as playback facilities, are two of the most important ones that we will recommend. Final Word If you have reached this part of the guide, then congratulations as you're now on your way to being a discerning buyer of a good table tennis table. We hope this guide will prove to be useful for you and do let us know if you need advice or opinions on a particular table! We also recommend looking at the rest of our guides if you're interested in learning more about the best game tables for you!

4 mins read

July 25, 2021

What Does The Millennial Workforce Really Want?

Every office has its own culture and identity. Some office spaces are well-suited to encourage collaboration and inclusivity, while others (especially in larger companies) tend to foster individual production and focus. As millennials currently make up a growing percentage of the workforce—representing around 50% of corporate jobs—recent studies have shown that following the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, millennials are keen to ditch office life in favour of working from home. This is because they feel physical office environments can make it hard for office workers to decompress and relax when necessary, affecting their productivity and quality of work for a company in the long run. As such, it has become important for employers to incorporate office break rooms in physical offices to redefine the traditional office for their millennial employees, focusing on creating office spaces that will cultivate efficient and productive workers who can work independently or collaboratively as needed. Disconnecting: The Office Problem For Millennials With the rise of technology and our equally fast, quick lifestyle, many millennials are forced to lead sedimentary lifestyles that can be detrimental to their health in the long term. The millennial generation has been identified as the most socially connected group ever; 85% check their social media accounts within 15 minutes after waking up. It was even discovered that one out of four millennials check their social media accounts before they go to sleep. This phenomenon is only made worse by office environments that emphasize constant communication and collaboration. Something that has not changed even after the post-pandemic shift to work-from-home. While this may seem like a great idea for team building and creativity at first glance, it's actually proven that such a lifestyle breeds distraction, stress, and deteriorating mental health. Technology's increasing accessibility creates the demand for workers to be constantly connected or available on-demand, making it harder for employees to detach from their work beyond physical locations or set hours. As a result, office break rooms must now accommodate this shift, creating multipurpose spaces where employees can take a break from their desks both physically and mentally as needed. [caption id="attachment_10704" align="aligncenter" width="843"] A Customised Bonzini Babyfoot Table in Spotify Singapore's Office.[/caption] Making An Office Break Room Extraordinary It is clear that office break rooms are not just about providing a place to eat anymore. In fact, office break rooms are quickly becoming office centres for collaboration, productivity, and even play as more office workers turn to the gig economy. There are many ways that to approach building an office break room. For example, you can use a casual office space layout with simple game tables to help foster impromptu "breakout sessions" when teams might need a creative push to jumpstart their next big project while promoting the use of creative outlets for problem-solving for more effective results. Other office break room spaces have been transformed into comfortable gaming areas where employees can use their breaks in a fun way through video games and other activities. Of course, how you build your office's break room depends on the needs of each company’s employees and the office space allocated. [caption id="attachment_10698" align="aligncenter" width="897"] Is it a conference table or a ping pong table? Regardless of what you might think, the You & Me Ping Pong Table fits right at home in any office or play environment.[/caption] Use Multipurpose Game Tables As Your Entry Point If you have doubts over what investments to make to your office's break room, our recommendation is to start with multipurpose game tables that can instantly change any space into work or play/relaxation space, depending on your needs. For starters, we recommend purchasing durable and easy-to-maintain multipurpose gaming tables for corporate spaces like the You & Me Ping Pong Table or the RS#3 Foosball Table range that caters to both indoor and outdoor environments. You can also look into and get inspired with lifestyle brands like RS Barcelona, a great brand for any company looking into practical and quality multipurpose game tables that fit well in any modern office space. [caption id="attachment_10699" align="aligncenter" width="516"] Values in gender equality - an essential theme today - can even be portrayed in a football table like the RS#3 by RS Barcelona, further accentuating the company's stand in matters.[/caption] Final Words It is obvious that these office break rooms have become an important office space for companies to invest in. Essentially multipurpose spaces that encourage creativity, innovation, and growth among millennial employees, we believe that a little bit goes a long way in creating a more sustainable working environment and keeping a healthy working culture for the decades to come. There's no better time to start investing in your company's future through your employees than now. If you're interested in starting building your own corporate break room or any other recreational space, you can email or message us on our official WhatsApp to make a booking. Our team provides free consultation and showroom tours that will allow you to test out the products for yourself.

4 mins read

September 7, 2021

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Designer Or Professional: Which Table Tennis Table Should You Go For?