The Best Air Hockey Tables

Of course, making your way over into an actual arcade isn’t as easy as it sounds nowadays. That’s precisely why families have taken to furnishing their own homes with the beloved piece of arcade culture. If you’re in the market for a classic gaming system, here are a few air hockey options we think you should check out.

Buying Guide for Air Hockey Tables

Why buy an air hockey table?

Having an air hockey table is great for game nights and other special occasions with friends and relatives. It’s a safe and family-friendly accessory that brings you and your loved ones together. With an air hockey table, you can satisfy your inner child without having to drive all the way to the arcade to play. Plus, an air hockey table will likely make yours “the fun house” among your kid’s friend group.

What should you look for in air hockey tables?

• Surface Glide: The key to any great air hockey system is how well it will keep your puck sliding and gliding across the surface and not stuck in place at half court. Efficiency here is based on the strength of a table’s central air distribution system, which emits thin streams of air throughout the entirety of an air hockey table’s surface. Consider options that feature a reliable amount of power, whether its motor features a standard 12-volt or a premium 120-volt capability.
• Durability: Another worthwhile consideration to make is how well your air hockey table can hold up over time. Lean on it the wrong way or deliver one too many slap shots across the surface, and you may wish you hadn’t. Of course, that’s why it’s important to consider an option that features sturdy construction throughout its frame (e.g., solid wood or PVC framework, reinforced legs, etc.).
• Space Efficiency: Finally, if you have space in your home or game room to afford a full-sized, arcade-like air hockey table, then you should duel as you please. However, users looking for an easier and more affordable way to play should consider options more geared toward family use than professional settings. Your ideal air hockey table should bring the fun no matter how much space it occupies in your home, but it’s a heck of a lot easier to enjoy when you can still walk in and out of the gaming room without sucking in your stomach.

Should you invest in a premium air hockey table?

It depends on how often you plan to use your air hockey table. If you’re an avid air hockey player or have kids that love to have friends over to play, the premium features will likely be worth it. Also think about the overall experience. Some of the more high-end air hockey tables come with several unique features, such as LED displays, electronic scoreboards, and dual motors to establish continuous airflow. Generally, the more money you pay, the greater the performance of the air hockey table.

Our Picks for the Best Air Hockey Tables

Pros: This air hockey table is made of durable materials, has LED lighting, and features consistent airflow across its glossy playing surface, thanks to a dual motor. The intuitive electronic scoring system also makes it much easier to determine who’s winning and who’s losing. It even plays music while you play.

Cons: This is among the most expensive air hockey tables on the market. It’s also a bit large, so make sure you have the room to spare for it.

Bottom Line: A mammoth of a gaming system, this air hockey is a great option on par with the likes of professional air hockey tables seen in arcade halls. In other words, you bring the arcade to your home with this model. You, your friends, and your family members of all ages will have a ton of fun together!

 

Pros: This air hockey arcade game finds a home on a tabletop, and while it comes in a slightly smaller package, it still packs a wallop of family fun. Providing the strength of a full-sized option, this table utilizes an AC-12V motor to create a frictionless and uncannily arcade-like playing surface without emitting too much noise either. Its space-saving design makes it easily portable for enjoyment in various places.

Cons: This design is certainly more suitable for those that don’t have the space for a standard air hockey table. If you have the space and money to spare, you should consider purchasing a full-sized table since it’ll function better than this option. You’ll also have to make sure you use a table that’s large enough to support it.

Bottom Line: Can’t afford the space that a full-sized air hockey table demands? Try out this Sport Squad Air Hockey Table that’s ideal for those lacking the space in their homes for a permanent air hockey table. You can install this on most tabletops and play; you can even take it with you while tailgating at a football game.

 

Pros: This is an air hockey table that was specifically designed with children in mind. It’s shorter than the average model, so your little ones won’t constantly be stretching for a puck just out of reach. Parents can tell you how destructive (intentionally or otherwise) kids can be, so an air hockey table’s construction should consist of multiple durable facets, like its hard-wearing engineered wood frame and reinforced end supports that are rounded, not squared, to prevent injury while playing or simply walking by. Also included are legs levelers to reach an ideal height between players and an extra puck and striker should yours ever go missing.

Cons: Although this air hockey table comes with the essential accessories and features, some of the more high-end options offer a better overall experience. For example, it lacks some of the unique interactive features, such as pucks that light up and in-game sound effects. The electric scoreboard is also on the smaller side.

Bottom Line: Your kids will love this durable air hockey table. They can fully immerse themselves in a fun, competitive experience. You can easily spend hours playing air hockey and not even notice the time passing by. Bond with your family and friends over this reliable air hockey table with great features.

 

Pros: With four immensely popular arcade games, including air hockey, this gaming table allows users to switch over to billiards, table tennis, or foosball quickly and efficiently. It’s already less expensive than a regular, full-sized air hockey table, and the four-in-one games give you a better bang for your buck and keep young kids entertained for that much longer; they’re less likely to grow bored of this table because air hockey is their only option. The size is also ideal for kids and fits easily onto tabletops or countertops. Alternatively, since this gaming table does have sturdy legs, unlike many tabletop models, your kids can also sit on the floor and play with it if they prefer.

Cons: This gaming table is only 32 inches long with smaller than average pucks and strikers for hockey, so it’s not really sized as well for adults. Also note that it isn’t LED-equipped or in possession of other more advanced electronic features of a full-sized air hockey table, like an automatic scoreboard or sound effects.

Bottom Line: For the family seeking a little bit more out of their gaming system, this multi-game table offers plenty of entertainment outside of air hockey, from billiards to launch football to table tennis. This is the ultimate arcade accessory for your home, and it takes only a few minutes to switch from one game to another.

 

Pros: Air hockey tables are often colorful, sometimes garish, and thus often tucked away in game rooms or playrooms since they stick out like a sore thumb in most other rooms. This full-sized model can easily pass for a regular table and blend in with other furniture, thanks to its aesthetically pleasing, rustic wooden finish. It also has excellent structural support and durability, as it’s made from real wood with metal K-shaped legs rather than plastic. And it has the sort of features you’d expect from such a premium air hockey table, including an automatic, electronic scoreboard on either end, in-game sound effects, and a built-in control panel. As a bonus, this air hockey table runs on batteries (not included) rather than a power cord, so you don’t have to worry about placing it within reach of a power outlet—you can stick it in any spot.

Cons: Premium products tend to come with a premium price tag, and this air hockey table is no exception. Full-sized hockey tables are fairly expensive purchases in the first place, and this one is even more expensive than those. The pucks are also fairly lightweight; they’re prone to flipping over or even flying off the table in a way that most air hockey discs don’t.

Bottom Line: This is among the most exciting and aesthetically pleasing air hockey tables that you will find. This air hockey table allows you to take your rivalry with other family members to the next level and compete against each other with greater intensity without interrupting or looking out of place in your home’s design style.

Final Thoughts

An air hockey table is a fabulous investment for your game room. You can have hours of fun and excitement with your friends and family members, which will ultimately bring you closer together. When searching for an air hockey table, think about how you plan to use it, your needs, and the number of people in your household to get the right model for you.