Best Crokinole Boards (Reviewed)
We spent over 15 hours playing and testing out 14 Crokinole boards. And after a lot of deliberation, we have narrowed down the list to the best five across different segments.
Here are our top picks.
Best High End
Red Tournament Board Crokinole Set
Best Overall
Tournament Size Crokinole Board
Best Inexpensive
Rustik Crokinole DeLuxe 2 Games In 1
Last Updated: 8th Mar, 2023
Crokinole, the name may sound intimidating at first, but let me assure you it's an awesome game! It also happens to be one of the most popular games in Canada (where it originated), and its popularity is fast spreading in America.
For the uninitiated, the game of Crokinole may seem a lot similar to shuffleboard. However, the smaller size, ease of playing, and the challenging aspect of the game is what makes it so popular. The simple rules and intuitive gameplay brings out the competitive spirit and, more often than not, results in a nail-biting finish.
But Crokinole isn't exactly 'new', having been first created in 1876. That said, it's a board game with lasting appeal. The circular board was so named thanks to its resemblance to a biscuit or a doughnut in Ontario, Canada, where the game was made. The game requires players to shoot discs across the board to land them in higher scoring areas, all while trying to knock opponent's pieces away. It can have up to four players, with the group split into two teams.
What's great about Crokinole is that it's perfect for everyone, be it family, friends, or colleagues. It was originally designed as a 5th birthday gift, so even the little ones can get involved and start playing.
Want to pick up a board for your next game night? Here are some of the best Crokinole boards out there that you can get today.
Our Picks for the Best Crokinole Boards
- Red Tournament Board Crokinole Set- Pro Pick
- Tournament Size Crokinole Board By Heritage Products - Best Overall
- Gameland 26.8" Crokinole Tournament - Budget Pick
- Rustik BJR000135 Crokinole DeLuxe 2 Games In 1 - Modern Design
- Crokinole Deluxe 3-In-1 - Supports Multiple Games
1. Red Tournament Board Crokinole Set: Pro Pick
If you're looking for the very best crokinole board on the market, this is it. The board not only plays great but is also something that you can pass down the generations as a family heirloom. Everything is solidly made, so you know that you're buying a high-quality board.
This handcrafted board is made of 1/2'' thick premium maple wood and measures 26-inches in diameter with a 2-inch red color gutter. The board is built as per the specs laid down by National Crokinole Association, and you can use the board to even host tournaments.
The surface of the board is extremely smooth and is finished with a high-quality lacquer allowing you to play those bounce back or ricochet shots with ease.
There's no denying that the crokinole board is good looking, too. As a wooden board with a simple and elegant design, you just can't beat it. In fact, some customers say they're looking into mounting the board on the wall to show it off when it isn't in use.
With the board, you'll get 26 black and natural wood disks - 12 black, 12 white, and one extra of each color. You also get a handy drawstring bag for convenient storage, 100-gram fast crokinole powder to make the surface more lively when required, and an instruction manual along with the purchase. Finally, the product is covered under a 1-year warranty against any manufacturing defects.
Top Features:
- Maple playing board measures 26 inches across
- Full tournament size board
- High-quality maple wood construction
- 1-year warranty
Final Note:
Priced at around $300, it's nowhere cheap, but if you consider the build quality, finish, and overall design, it's a worthwhile investment.
2. Tournament Size Crokinole Board By Heritage Products: Best Overall
This crokinole board covers all the bases if you're looking for a quality board without spending the top dollars. It's well made, tournament size, and offers excellent playability time after time.
This board is very much built to tournament grade with the regulation specifications and markings. The board weighs in at 8lbs and is made of high-quality birch wood. Dark and light woods are used together to create a brilliant contrast that will look great no matter where you place it. There's no denying that the board can be used as a piece of decorative furniture, as well as a gaming board.
The board itself has a very simple and minimal design, just marking out the scoring zones and showing off the classic wood-tone perfectly. If you like a more stripped back style, you're going to love this board. It'll look great even when you're not playing the game with friends and loved ones.
Of course, being tournament sized, this board is perfect for the more competitive amongst you. Measuring 31.3 x 30.9 x 2 inches, you're getting the full crokinole experience whenever you play. If you want to practice on a board that's as good as the competitive ones, then you're going to want this one.
Top Features:
- Comes 24 wooden disks, half plain and half colored black, in a storage pouch
- Full tournament sized board
- Simple wooden design offers a minimalist aesthetic
- Perfect for anyone who wants to play, kids and adults alike
Final note:
This crokinole board gives you everything you need to start playing. Its hard-wearing build will last through so many games, and it looks great too.
3. Gameland 26.8" Crokinole Tournament: Budget Pick
There's no reason why you can't get an excellent crokinole board, even if you're on a budget. The great thing about crokinole is that it's such a simple game, meaning that even the cheaper boards available, offer a considerable amount of value. This board is proof of that.
This board looks a lot like more expensive boards that are available, thanks to the elegant wooden design. The birch plywood ensures that it both looks good and stands up to heavy use. The 22" playing surface is tournament legal and has a smooth, wax-coated surface to ensure optimal play. You'll also see the scoring areas are marked on the board, so you'll see at a glance what you've scored every time you shoot.
What's really interesting about this table is that when you flip it over, there's a full checkers board printed on the back. That makes this board a 2-in-1 model, something that offers you even more value. To play checkers, you just use the crokinole game pieces that are included along. They come in black and white, and you're given a storage pouch to put them in when they're not in use.
Top Features:
- Easily kept in great condition with carnauba wax
- Added checkers board on the back for extra fun
- Scores printed on the board for easy scoring as you play
- Offers everything you want from a crokinole board at a lower price
Final Note:
This board offers serious value for money. You'll get everything you're looking for, including high-quality construction and even extra play value with the checkers board.
4. Rustik BJR000135 Crokinole DeLuxe 2 Games In 1 - Modern Design
Are you looking for an entry-level board? If you've never played crokinole before, you don't want to worry too much about regulation or tournament design. You just want a board that you can have fun with. If that sounds like you, you need to check out this board.
The board measures 27.9 x 1.6 x 27 inches, with the playing field measuring 22 inches across. It's plenty big enough for everyone to have fun with as they play the game. What makes it really interesting is the modern design. It's still a wooden board, but the playing field features a black, white, and red modern design. It looks really striking and will look amazing even when you just leave it out on the coffee table. Individual scoring sections and shooting zones are clearly marked on the board, to help beginner players get the hang of the game.
Turn the board over, and you'll see there's a full checkers board on the back too. This gives you so much value with this board, as you already won't be spending a lot on this one. Having two games included makes it one of the best around right now.
Top Features:
- Modern design includes score markings and a designated shooting zone
- Comes complete with wooden playing pieces
- Full checkers board on the back for extra value
- Made in Canada, the birthplace of crokinole
- Excellent board for first-time players
Final Note:
If you've never played crokinole before, here's your chance to try it out for yourself. This well-priced board comes with everything you need and has a bonus checkers board on the back.
5. Crokinole Deluxe 3 In 1: Supports Multiple Games
We've looked at several boards that offer 2 in 1 play, but if you're looking for the best bang for your bucks, this is the board you need. The board includes a full crokinole board one side, but flip it over, and you'll see there are checkers and backgammon boards for you to enjoy too. This is great as obviously, you're getting three games for the price of one. You'll see that having three games on one board saves you a lot of storage space too. If space for board games is tight, you'll want this.
The crokinole board itself measures 27 inches across, giving you the proper crokinole experience. It's made of wood and looks great, so even if you don't want to store it, you can leave it out as a decoration if you so wish. Being made of solid maple wood, you know you're getting good quality wood that will last you many years to come.
The set comes complete with all the crokinole pieces that can be used for checkers and backgammon too. You'll also get the dice needed for backgammon, so everything you need to start playing is right there in the box.
Top Features:
- Includes instructions in both English and French
- Additionally includes two board games - Checkers & Backgammon and comes with all the pieces to play the games
- Maple wood offers a beautiful looking board
- Perfect for those aged five and upwards
Final Note:
This board really does have it all. No matter what you want to play, it will be here ready for you to enjoy. It's reasonably priced too, so you can get everything all in one package.
Crokinole Board Buyer's Guide
With all this choice available to you, it's hard to know just which board is the right one. Which one makes the most sense to buy? Should you buy a tournament board? What material is the best? It's hard to pick out the board that makes the most sense to you. But don't worry, we have you covered.
Here's what to keep in mind as you find the best crokinole board.
Key Considerations
<Quality Of Materials>
Something that's vital for a good crokinole board is the quality of the board's design. Higher quality boards will use maple wood to create the playing surface. That's because it's more sturdy and durable, allowing play pieces to slide across the board with ease. If a board has maple wood, then you know you're buying a higher quality board.
If you're looking at boards that don't have maple wood in the design or have a vinyl coating, then the smoothness of the surface would degrade over time. However, don't let that put you off. Often, the surfaces are more than good enough and let you play a fun game of crokinole. If you're a beginner, one of these boards is going to be perfect for you.
Pay close attention to how the boards are put together, too. Cheaper boards have wood simply glued together, while the higher end ones will be heavy-duty and put together in order to last. Again, there's nothing wrong with buying a cheaper board if you just want to play for fun. A heavy-duty board though, will last for years.
<Multi Game Options>
As you've seen, many crokinole boards come with extra games on the back of them. It's easy to see why they're included. The crokinole game pieces lend themselves well to other games, and it's so simple to add a board to the back of the unit.
If you're interested in a multi-game board, this is something you must consider. The most common games included are checkers and backgammon. Crokinole pieces work for both, but if you want backgammon, be sure to see if they include the dice for it. If the board doesn't, but you still like it, you can use dice from other games if you so wish.
There are other benefits to multi-game boards, too. They save so much storage space, as you're not trying to store three separate game boxes. Plus, you'll see that they're great for kids. They're all age appropriate for younger kids, and they will have other games to switch to if their attention starts to wane off crokinole.
<Pricing>
The pricing of the board will obviously affect which one you buy. Higher quality boards can go for as much as $500. That seems like a lot, but when you factor in the time put into hand crafting these boards, as well as the materials used, you can see why they run so high.
Of course, a high priced board is very much an investment. Some crokinole players like to invest in furniture-grade boards to keep as both a game board and a décor item. Also, such boards are built so durably that they can withstand years of play, justifying the extra cost.
If you don't want to spend so much on a board though, you don't have to. Lower priced boards go for a lot less, but offer you the same basic experience. These are boards that are perfect for family game nights or simply enjoying with friends. If you want to save some cash on a board, then you can't go wrong with some of the lower-priced ones on our list.
<Tournament Level Boards>
As you've seen, some boards are designed for tournament play. Does this affect you if you just want a game to enjoy at home? Absolutely not. You can buy a regular board and have just as much fun with it. There's no need to buy a tournament standard board if you're just looking to play at home.
If you've been playing crokinole for a while and want to step up your game, then yes, a tournament-level board is for you. They're made to more exacting standards, so you can play with a board that will match up to what the current competitive crokinole players are using right now.
<Looks And Design>
Finally, what do you want your board to look like? This is quite a personal thing, and everyone has different ideas on what they want from a board. When browsing, you'll see that most boards are wooden, so you're limited on the materials used in the design.
However, there are lots of variations on the design itself. Some boards are very minimalist, using markings just to show the scoring zones. Others will add in the scores, or other details to make the board unique. Some will even use different colors on the playing board to create a new design. What do you want from your board?
Let's Wrap Things Up
There's so much choice when it comes to crokinole boards. Who knew there were so many available to you? Or that there were so many variations on the board itself?
Use this guide to help you find the perfect crokinole board for you, and you'll be able to start playing right away.
Here are some other board games worth considering:
