Air Hockey Table Buyers' Guide
The trademark 'ping' sound of the puck. Finding the best angles to surprise your opponent. The moment where you score an.. own goal.
When we think of air hockey, we're imagining fast-paced competition, thrilling surprises and camaraderie - quite the timeless game we've all come to love. Regardless of whether you're a competitive or casual player, or a bar owner, you'd want to choose the right air hockey table for your purposes.
It's actually pretty straightforward - there are just two questions to ask:
- Do I need it for home or commercial use?
- What size is a standard air hockey table, and how much space do I need?
Home Air Hockey Table vs Commercial Air Hockey Table - What's the Difference?
Aimed at residences, home air hockey tables are compact, offer simpler construction and features compared to commercial ones, which are larger, more hardy, and have embellishments like coin-mech and scorers.
We explain below in more detail these differences that affect the widely different price tags and performances.
Construction
Frame
Commercial air hockey tables are usually built from a solid wood frame, often with a stainless steel play surface and solid steel rails. These are heavier and more durable to withstand rough play for a long time.
Conversely, home air hockey tables have lightweight frames and made of lighter MDF wood. You'll want an easily-portable set if you intend to move it around.
Playfield and Fans
Commercial air hockey tables usually come with metal playfields that are extremely resistant to damage. They are fitted with well-engineered, powerful fan motors designed to create plenty of uplift and offer consistent airflow over long hours, with few dead spots.
On the other hand, the playfields for home air hockey tables are usually made of wood or plastic, with a vinyl cover that is smooth for the puck to easily glide across. In comparison, they use basic, reasonably powerful fans, although some modern tables use a centrifugal fan similar to their commercial counterparts.
Features: Coin Op, Scorers, and Effects
Commercial spaces usually require air hockey tables with coin-operated options to charge for play. Here, they are fitted with coin mechs that accept coin payments in exchange for game credits.
Many of them also feature automatic electronic scoring, where a goal is detected and automatically added to the tally of the scoring player. Typically via an arched overhead score display, it is often combined with flashing lights, sound effects, and even goal announcements - much like an actual ice hockey game!
On the other hand, while home air hockey table models may not offer electronic scoring and coin-mech, some have the advantage of being convertible multi-game tables for non-stop home entertainment.
For example, the Atlanta Multi-Game Table switches into a pool table with a swivel axis, while the Pro Air Hockey Table - with its completely flat, aluminum frame - allows a table top to be placed on it to convert to a table tennis table within seconds.
In summary, home tables are suited for, well, homes. Not only are they much lighter, you can move them around in your house easily. They’re also much cheaper, sometimes even 15 - 25% the price of a commercial-grade one.
Standard Air Hockey Table Size and Space Needed
What is the Standard Air Hockey Table Size?
Air hockey tables come in a range of sizes - the standard Air Hockey Table size used for professional tournaments and commercial spaces like arcades are 8 x 4 feet.
Alternatively, 7 x 3.5 feet long tables are compact and a suitable size for homes. If you intend for doubles play, it's worth selecting a larger one as well. 
How much Space do I need for an Air Hockey Table?
To move around and return shots with ease, each player should have at least one metre between the table edge
The great thing about air hockey tables? Unlike pool tables, they can be placed lengthways against a wall, and don't require much frontal leeway to return the puck, which means you can easily squeeze it into smaller spaces.
Summary
Asking yourself what the i) purpose and ii) available space you have are two key questions when buying an air hockey table. These affect the type of construction (e.g durability of frame, fans and playing field), features and size you'll need.
There many options available to place one in your commercial, living or work space. Check out our air hockey table collection to find the right combination for your purposes!
