The Best Outdoor Ping Pong Table To Buy in 2023

Best High End

Kettler Champ 5 Outdoor Ping Pong Table

KETTLER Champ 5.0

Best Mid Range

Joola Nova Pro Plus Outdoor Review

Joola Nova Pro Plus

Best Inexpensive

Stiga XTR Outdoor Table Tennis Table

Stiga XTR Outdoor

Last Updated: 8th Mar, 2023

A quick guide on how to choose an Outdoor Ping Pong Table.

Are you looking to game up your backyard or patio? 

Perhaps you prefer to spend lazy days in your backyard, soaking in the sun and enjoying yourself with family and friends.

Maybe you don't have enough space to fit in an indoor ping pong table

Outdoor Ping Pong Table Reviews

An Outdoor Ping Pong table makes up for a perfect choice, guaranteeing you delightful playtime every time. And the best part is that you don't need to be worried about your table getting battered by nature's elements.

Do you know why? Well, the outdoor tables are explicitly designed to withstand adverse weather conditions and are made out of water-resistant materials.

These tables may not offer similar playability and performance, as the indoor tables (except for the top-end models), but the difference isn't substantial. Ideal for fun, yet competitive friends and family Ping Pong matches.

But with so many options currently available in the market, choosing the best table can be a confusing task. You need to account and compare several features before finalizing.

To save you from the hassle, my team and I have compiled a comprehensive list of top Five Outdoor ping pong tables currently available in the market. We've grouped the recommendations based on price, features, and overall playability.

Take a closer look, compare, and choose the one which meets your criteria.

Best Outdoor Ping Pong Tables - 2020

Product
Top Thickness
Ball Bounce
Our Rating
Price
22mm
Best+
Best of the Best
6mm
Good
Bang for the Buck
6mm
Good
Value Pick
22mm
Best+
#1 Pro Pick
22mm
Best++
#2 Pro Pick

In the next section, you'll find a detailed review of each of the tables we have recommended.

Outdoor Ping Pong Table Reviews

KETTLER Champ 5.0 Outdoor 


Kettler Champ 5 Outdoor Ping Pong Table

Product Highlights:

  • Top Thickness: 22mm
  • 2" Steel Frame Legs with Levelers
  • Four extra-large 5'' lockable wheels
  • Self Opening net posts
  • Playback Position
  • Storage Dimension: 62'' (L) x 36'' (W) x 68'' (H)
  • Weight: 84kg

Pros
+ Pro-quality, excellent price versus performance
+ As good as any competitive indoor table
+ 22mm thick top produces true ball bounce
+ Comes with paddle and ball storage
+ Center-fold design for effortless movement
+ Complimentary two paddles, three balls and a premium cover

Cons
- Bulky

Summary: As evident from the name, the Kettler Champ 5.0, is truly a champion outdoor ping pong table. Designed and engineered in Germany, the attention to the details is quite apparent. This table is ideal for all types of players, be it beginners or competitive players. The table comes fully pre-assembled and features a center fold-and-roll design, which makes moving the table, a ridiculously simple task.

Construction: The tabletop is whooping 22mm thick, which is quite an unheard specification for outdoor tables. The weatherproof tabletop is constructed with waterproof MDF, which is sandwiched between two aluminum composite sheets in an airtight seal. Additionally, the patented Alu-Tech underside safeguards the tabletop against thermal expansion and contraction.

Playability: The tabletop produces excellent and consistent ball bounce, almost similar to a 19mm indoor table. Additionally, the 2.25'' resin apron runs across the edges, preventing the top from warping and provides additional stability to the structure.

Features: The anti-glare matte finish top is painted with a scratch-resistant paint and treated with a UV coat to prevent sun damage. The white linings are directly imprinted on the tabletop using silkscreen stripping technology, offering a perfect finish.

The undercarriage is built with 2'' thick square galvanized steel legs. The legs are synthetic powder coated to prevent rusting and scratches. The outer legs are fitted with height adjustment levelers. Additionally, four dual swiveling wheels make it easy to move and transport the table. The inner wheels come with a locking system that safely secures the table in place.

The weatherproof net is permanently built into the table, offering both height and tension adjustment options. Due to the innovative design, the net posts opens/closes automatically as you open or fold the table. On the safety aspect, the table offers a dual locking mechanism that prevents the table from opening up or closing accidentally. The two storage sections are provided on each side for storing paddles and balls.

Last but not least, the table comes in an 'all-in-one bundle' which includes a free cover, two racquets, and six balls.

To Summarize: The KETTLER Champ 5.0 table is an excellent competitive-grade outdoor table offering exceptional performance, features, and a great overall price.

Joola Nova Pro Plus Outdoor


Joola Nova Pro Plus Outdoor Review

Product Highlights:

  • Top Thickness: 6mm
  • 1.50" Steel Frame Legs with Levelers
  • Eight extra-large 6'' lockable wheels
  • Playback Position
  • Storage Dimension: 60'' (L) x 30'' (W) x 64'' (H)
  • Weight: 69kg

Pros
+ All-weather 6mm thick top
+ Eight extra-large off-road wheels for easy movement
+ Sturdy build quality
+ Above average ball bounce
+ Solo Play

Cons
- None

The Joola Nova Pro plus is our budget pick. This table offers a perfect balance between price and performance. The table is designed to offer excellent gameplay experience and, at the same time, withstand weather elements all-around the year.

Construction: The scratch and warp resistant tabletop is made out of 6mm thick aluminum composite material. The ball bounce is the best among tables in the $500 to $700 range. The light-blue tabletop is coated with anti-glare UV paint, which improves the ball visibility and safeguards the table from sun damage and color fading.

The undercarriage is built out of one-and-a-half-inch thick square galvanized steel tubes that are powder-coated to prevent rusting and scratches. The eight 6'' off-road caster wheels make it easy to move the table around. The inner wheels come with breaks that firmly hold the table in place.

Joola supplies a sturdy screw-type net post along with the table. The net is waterproof and made out of double-woven polyester.

On the safety aspect, the table comes with a standard anti-tilt locking mechanism, which prevents the table from opening/closing up accidentally.

To summarize: The Joola Nova Pro Plus is a well-built table which offers excellent performance without putting a hole in your pocket. 

STIGA XTR Outdoor Table Tennis Table 


Stiga XTR Outdoor Table Tennis Table

Product Highlights:

  • Top Thickness: 6mm
  • 1.25" Steel Frame Legs with Levelers
  • Eight 3'' lockable wheels
  • Self Opening legs with anti-tilt lock
  • Playback Position
  • Storage Dimension: 60'' (L) x 30'' (W) x 64'' (H)
  • Weight: 68kg

Pros
+ Cheap
+ 95% pre-assembled
+ Sturdy Undercarriage (1.25'' thick steel legs)
+ Above average ball bounce

Cons
- The tabletop is slightly glossy
- Smaller wheels

Priced at about $499, the Stiga XTR is an excellent mid-grade table, offering great value at an unbeatable price.

Construction: The table comes with a 6mm thick waterproof aluminum-composite tabletop, which is designed to withstand rust, sun damage, and warping. The top is finished with a ball mark-resistant coating and lined with silkscreen stripping for a smooth finish.

The top produces above-average ball bounce, good enough for a fun-filled game with family members. But if you're looking for a table to play occasional competitive matches, you should consider a different table. Additionally, the top surface is slightly glossy, which may pose some hindrance in tracking the ball during sunny days. However, the glare is not substantial enough to make the surface unplayable.

Frame: The undercarriage is sturdy and built with 1 ½ inch thick galvanized steel frame and is coated with anti-rust powder. The outer four legs are height adjustable, helping you level the table on uneven surfaces. A one-inch thick resin apron wraps around the tabletop for additional stability and rigidity.

On the safety aspect, the table comes with an anti-tilt lock, which prevents unintended opening/closing of the table, and the eight-wheel locks firmly hold the table in place. The table comes with a 72'' long premium exterior-grade net with a tension adjustment option. The net is well-built and designed to endure outdoor wear and tear.

Installation & Storage: The table comes 95% pre-assembled, and the installation is fairly straightforward. The independent two-piece design, along with the eight 3'' wheels, makes it easy to move the table around. When folded up, the two halves nest next to another occupying the space of - 60'' (L) x 30'' (W) x 64'' (H).

To Summarize: Stiga XTR is a perfect outdoor ping pong table for recreational and family-level Ping Pong games. Top-notch quality, excellent performance, and reasonable pricing make the Stiga XTR our top value pick. A no-brainer if you're on a budget!

Cornilleau 500M Crossover


Cornilleau 500M Crossover

Product Highlights:

  • Top Thickness: 7mm
  • 2.50" Steel Frame Legs with Levelers
  • Four extra-large 5'' lockable wheels
  • Self Opening net posts
  • Playback Position
  • Storage Dimension: 60'' (L) x 38'' (W) x 68'' (H)
  • Weight: 72kg

Pros
+ The best outdoor Ping Pong table money can buy
+ Can be used both indoors and outdoors
+ Excellent ball bounce and adherence
+ Easy to transport and move around
+ Additional safety features

Cons
- Cost: But considering the quality and features, the price is vastly justified.

Cornilleau makes the world's best ping pong tables for outdoor usage - Period!

And with the launch of Cornilleau 500M Crossover, they have taken it to the next level. This well-designed table is not only aesthetically pleasing but comes with a host of features that justify the premium price tag.

As the name suggests - it's a crossover table, which means it can be used indoor as well as in an outdoor setting.

Priced at $1650, it is nowhere cheap, but is it worth your money? Well, we think so, and here is why:

Construction: The issue that plagues outdoor tables is the low bounce and poor playability. But that's not the case with this table. The 7mm thick resin laminated tabletop produces true bounce and transmits the spin well, at par with some of the competitive indoor tables. The tabletop is weather-resistant and waterproof, which can withstand the onslaught of mother nature year on year. The paint quality is top-notch, and the thick melamine coating makes the surface scratch resistant.

The patented Mattop reduces the glare by ten times, thus improving the ball visibility and adherence. You can keep the table out in the open for years, and still the table would perform true to its design. This highly speaks about the quality of the product.

Features: The table features a centerfold design, which makes the process of setting up and moving the table a breeze. Instead of the two-independent halves, which is commonly found in the cheaper tables, the Cornilleau 500M folds along the center into one single unit.

The four large, individually lockable wheels make it easier to move the table. The table also comes with two handlebars, which help in lifting the table while moving over small obstacles. The frame is built out of two-and-a-half-inch thick galvanized steel tubes, and each leg is fitted with levelers for height adjustment.

The net is permanently built into the table and folds/opens automatically as the table opens or closes. The polyester net is both height and tension adjustable. On the safety aspect, the table comes with four corner guards and anti-tilt locks. Additionally, the table has built-in storage to store your paddles and balls.

Backed by ten years of warranty, we're confident this table is going to last you many Christmases to come, leaving unforgettable memories to cherish.

To summarize: The Cornilleau 500M Crossover is a pro-quality outdoor table offering best-in-class performance and features. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better ping pong table than this.

Kettler Top Star XL Weatherproof


Kettler Top Star-XL Outdoor Ping Pong Table

Product Highlights:

  • Top Thickness: 22mm
  • 1" Steel Frame Legs with Levelers
  • Four extra-large 5'' lockable wheels
  • Playback Position
  • Storage Dimension: 60'' (L) x 30'' (W) x 64'' (H)
  • Weight: 67kg

Pros
+ Competitive quality 22mm thick tabletop
+ Lightweight yet sturdy
+ Complimentary paddles, ball and cover
+ Centerfold design for easier movement

Cons
- Difficult to assemble

Kettler Top Star XL is lightweight, yet competitive, super easy to set up and offers excellent overall gameplay experience.

But priced at about $799, is it worth the price? Let's find out.

Construction: The table features a single piece fold-and-roll design, which makes it very convenient to move the table from storage to the play position or vice-versa. The highlight of the table is the 22mm thick top, which offers excellent ball bounce and playability.

The topper is made from a waterproof resin-treated MDF, which is sandwiched between the two aluminum sheets forming a vacuum-sealed unit. This makes the top, resistant to warping or bending. The scratch-resistant top is coated with multiple layers of anti-glare paint for better ball visibility.

The undercarriage isn't the strongest aspect of this table, but it does its job reasonably well. The supporting frame is built out of 1-inch-thick steel tubes while the four 5'' wheels make it easy to move. The two of the inner wheels are fitted with breaks, which firmly keeps the table in place during play or storage.

The net posts are both height and tension adjustable and are permanently built into the table. This saves you from the hassle of setting up the net posts before each game. A separate storage section is provided to store paddles and balls, which is definitely a plus.

The Kettler also couples the table with two outdoor halo paddles, one premium cover, and three 3-star balls.

To Summarize: Kettler Top Star XL is the cheapest outdoor table with a 22mm top. The table offers competitive-level ball handling and playability — an excellent choice, by all accounts.

Outdoor Ping Pong Table: Buyer's Guide

There are plenty of ping pong tables available in the market. While some are really good but more often than not, most of the tables are crappy. Like with everything in life, it's crucial to put down your own research while finalizing a table, because no one wants to end up with a substandard product.

While choosing a ping pong table for outdoors, you need to account for a couple of points like - Build qualityTabletop thicknessyour goals, and ultimately your budget.

In the next section, we'll be discussing each of the points in detail.

Without further ado, let's begin!

Outdoor Vs. Indoor Table


There is an old adage - 'The devil lies in the details'.

If you go just by the looks, both indoor and outdoor tables look quite similar. But with closer inspection, you'll realize both the table types are constructed quite differently. The primary difference lies in the tabletop.

Indoor Table

The indoor tables are designed to be used in an indoor setting such as local clubs, offices, or inside a house. The tabletop is made out of MDF or HDF material, which offers excellent bounce and playability.

Outdoor Table

In contrast, Outdoor tables are typically placed outside (lawn, patio, or backyard), directly exposed to sunlight, rain, humidity, wind, and cold. And for this very reason, the tabletop cannot be made out of wood because wood warps under severe weather conditions. Instead of wood, the top is made out of materials like aluminum or weatherproof composite wood.

Additionally, the top surface is painted with a thicker layer of matte finish anti-gloss and scratch-resistant paint. This removes the shine from the surface, which otherwise during sunny days may pose a hindrance in spotting the ball. Also, the scratch-resistant paint safeguards the top from outdoor wear and tear.


Advantage/Disadvantage of Outdoor Tables

While the obvious advantage is that you can play ping pong outdoors all-year-round without worrying about the table getting weathered down by nature. Moreover, the outdoor tables are more durable and last longer than a typical indoor table.

The disadvantage of the outdoor tables is the average playability and performance. The tabletop of outdoor tables is made out of composite materials that offer low ball bounce and spin adherence in comparison to indoor tables. This results in a slower game, making the table suitable for only recreational and casual players. That being said, few high-end outdoor tables offer similar ball bounce as of an indoor table.

Additionally, in an outdoor setting, the wind can play a major spoilsport. A typical table tennis ball weighs ~3gm, which, even with a slight breeze, can change direction or trajectory. To avoid this, place the table next to a wall or where the wind effect is lower.

Alternatively, you can also use windproof balls to minimize the wind effect.

How to Choose the Right Ping Pong Table


Simply put, if you're looking to place the table outdoors like in a patio or a backyard, then you should go for an outdoor table. While, if you're looking to set the table in an indoor setting where the temperature variation isn't huge, then go for an indoor table.

The essential factor to account while deciding the table type is the temperature variation and humidity. If the place is directly exposed to sunlight or experiences a high level of humidity, then it is best to go for an outdoor table.

Cardboard Test: To verify what type of table you should go for, you can conduct a basic cardboard test.

Keep a piece of crisp cardboard where you want to place your Ping Pong table. If, after a week, the cardboard softens and isn't crisp anymore, it means you should go for an outdoor table.

Key Considerations


<Regulation Size>

A regulation or official size table tennis table measures 9'x5'. It's always a good idea to go for a regulation size table. In the future, if you decide to take the sport seriously, the transition won't be huge.

<Space>

As mentioned in the previous section, a regulation size table measures 9'x5'. And you need at least 3' clearance to move backward on each side and 2' of clearance sideways. And that's a Minimum. Attempting to play in a space smaller than this would prohibit you from moving swiftly, and you won't be able to enjoy the game.

<Tabletop Thickness>

The general rule of thumb is – Thicker the table, the better it is.

While choosing a table, look for a thicker tabletop. There are two benefits – firstly, thicker top produces better ball bounce, which improves the overall playing experience. Secondly, tables with a thicker top are sturdier, can withstand a higher degree of abuse and possible wear and tear.

If in the same budget there are two tables, choose the one with the thicker top.

<Paint quality>

In an outdoor setting, the top can take a severe beating, which can lead to poor performance. A good-quality paint job ensures optimal playing surface. Look for a top, finished with anti gloss and scratch-resistant paint. The matte finish ensures clear visibility of the ball during sunny days.

<Wheel Size>

Outdoor tables are placed in a wide range of terrains like a garden, concrete flooring, or uneven flooring. Larger wheels make it easy to move and transport the table. Look for tables with at least 5-inch wheels.

<Levelers>

The flooring of the outdoor surfaces may not always be level. With height adjustment levelers, you can level out the playing surface easily and conveniently.

<Undercarriage>

The undercarriage not only supports the tabletop but also facilitates swift movement and set up of the table. It's best to look for a table with sturdy undercarriage made with at least 1.25" thick steel tubes.

<Safety>

Kids like to run around when outdoors. The sharp corners of the ping pong table may pose a risk of injury. Look for a table with corner guards and an anti-tilt lock, which prevents the tabletop from opening up accidentally during storage.

<Storage Options>

Although not mandatory, some tables come with a storage option to store balls and paddles. This helps in keeping the play space well organized.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q) Can I play competitive matches on Outdoor tables?

Yes, you may! Provided there is no wind disturbance. Some of the top-end outdoor tables offer similar performance as any competitive-level indoor table.

Q) Can I keep the table open throughout the year?

Yes, you may! But it is recommended to fold and cover the table when not in use.

Q) How do I clean and maintain the table?

Wipe the surface clean with a damp cloth regularly. And every once in a while, use a non-abrasive cleaning solution to deep clean the table.

Q) Can I use the outdoor table in an indoor setting?

Yes, but I wouldn't recommend using an indoor table outside.

To Wrap it Up

All the outdoor tables which we've recommended are great. Depending on your requirements and budget, there is something for everyone.

However, one table that stands out as a clear winner is the KETTLER Champ 5.0. This table packs in all the important features in a nifty package. The tabletop is 22mm, which is excellent for competitive as well as recreational play while the undercarriage is super-sturdy. It's a bit pricey but a worthwhile investment considering the top-level playability, build quality, and free paddles.

Backed by a 5-years warranty, this table will last you many years to come - A solid table in all regards.

While choosing an outdoor table, one should always account for future growth - what if you or your kids plan to play table tennis seriously. It is always a good idea to spend a little extra and get a top-level table which offers performance similar to indoor tables.

Help Us Improve

While writing the review, we analyzed the top outdoor ping pong tables in the market. But we may have missed some. If you would like to suggest a table which you've personally tried and tested, we're all ears.

Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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