I had been introduced to ping pong in my sophomore year in the school by my friend. And there I got to know how about the real fun about sports. When I joined him in the evening when peeps gathered at his place to play table tennis, all I could notice was everyone there was a pro and wondered how I can save myself from the embarrassment.

I loved the game but it was my first hands-on experience with the play. I did well they said but I wanted more. It seemed something like beginners luck. And that day I decided to welcome a ping pong table at my home. And when I thought of buying it, there was a bazillion of ping pong tables in the market and I didn't know what to choose.

Keeping qualities of a ping-pong table aside for a while, there are certain factors you need to consider to make your choice the right one. The choices better or worse, so no choice is right or wrong, it's always about what befits your requirement. And I researched enough for this.

So, if you have made the decision of buying a ping-pong table for recreation, then before buying, you need to answer the following questions:-

Do you want it inside or outside your house?

You need to check how much space you have in your house to set a ping pong table. This will help you to decide whether you need an indoor or an outdoor table. Outdoor tables come with special qualities which make it weatherproof and durable and also, these are quite flexible to use as they can be used both indoors or outdoors whereas an indoor table is not so flexible. Hence, it important to decide beforehand, whether you want an indoor or an outdoor ping pong table.

What is your actual purpose of buying it?

If you are buying a table just for recreation purpose, then you may compromise a bit with the quality and buy a 'recreational-level' ping pong table. But, when you are buying the table for some serious practice for a tournament or for such professional purpose, then you cannot compromise with quality. So, buy a table which serves your purpose.

Permanent set up, packing or strolling type?

Before going for shopping, you need to decide, whether you want a foldable table so that you can pack and store it up whenever you want, or a table of strolling type to move it according to your space requirements or if you are okay with having a permanent setup for your ping pong table. Getting a foldable table might be good for you if you want to buy it for recreation purpose, so you can set up your table whenever and wherever you want. But if you want it for professional purpose and would be using it frequently, then a permanent set up would be a better choice. Hence, choose your option according to your purpose.

After making your choices, it is the time to buy your ideal table. So, here is what you should look for when buying a ping-pong table:-

Table thickness

this is one of the most important factors that one should consider before buying the table. The thickness of the table determines the bounce that the table will give to the ball. For a tournament, tables having a thickness of 1-inch is used and hence, serious players might need a table with the same thickness for proper practice. Others can buy a table having somewhat less thickness that might be cheaper.

Tabletop

check what the table is made up of. If you are buying a table for outdoor purpose, then avoid the tables which have a wooden surface as they can easily wear out. Look for those having aluminum surfaces which also have a good performance. Apart from the material, check the leveling of the table top. Observe the table top by keeping your eye at every corner of the table. This way you can find out if the table has any bends or not or if the leveling is proper or not.

Table Leg

strong legs are important for better performance. Your table might have to bear your harsh games for years thereafter, and for that, it needs strength which it will get from its legs. So, ensure that the table legs are strong enough to give a good support to the table. Also, you need to keep in mind the surface n which you are going to set up your table. If the floor is not leveled, then you can look forward to buying a table having leg levelers. Using the levelers, you can easily increase or decrease the height of the table and level your table accordingly.

Net

you may get an option for detachable nets or fixed nets. If you want to set your table permanently, then a fixed net can be a good option. But if you need to store your table and do not want to use it daily, then fixed nets can make it problematic for you to store it as the table might cover a lot of space. In such a situation, you might need to go for detachable nets.

Assembly

Lastly, check if assembling the table is easy or not. If you are buying a foldable table, then you should be able to assemble it easily and within less time. Hasslefree, easy and less time-consuming table should be your priority than the price of the table. Time is priceless!

These were the factors you need to keep in your mind while purchasing the ping pong table. The best ping pong table in the market is the one which meets your requirement with optimum cost and the quality.