Reddit mentions: The best table tennis equipment

As I understand it, the star ratings on ball are indicative of the QC process that a ball went through in production.

For example (and I'm just making numbers up here), maybe the tolerance for a 1 star 40mm ball is somewhere in the range of 39.5mm to 40.5mm. A 2 star ball might be like 39.8mm to 40.2mm and obviously 3 star should have even tighter tolerances than that.

In reality, I think star rating is one of the least important characteristics when it comes to buying balls, especially when it comes to 3 star balls. The brand (which ultimately affects how the ball plays) is generally most important and, unfortunately, you generally have to see how it plays on the table to really get a good sense of it. Actually, I think it might be cool for companies to sort of sell a sampler pack of different brands that people can buy, but I digress.

Anyways, you have to consider what the balls are being used for. If you're just looking for a simple training ball, then consider quantity over quality and even a 1 or 2 star training ball should be no problem. If you're only really playing matches in the club, then you should prioritize quality over quantity and try to just have a few of the best balls you can afford that you can keep track of.

In my experience, the gold standard for the modern 40+ plastic ball is going to going to be the Nittaku Premium 40+ a.k.a the NP40+. Of course, they usually are pretty expensive, usually ranging from $2.5 to $3+ per ball. However, I have also personally used a few boxes of the later ABS revisions of the D40+(supposedly with Ding Ning on the box as shown here and not Ma Long) and I can say that I am very satisfied with the quality relative to the price. I would say they play at least 80% as good as the NP40+, but they are much more affordable at close to $1/ball.

I have also tried the XSF Seamless 40+ and I found they tended to feel a little heavier on the paddle when I played. I don't like these as much as the D40+ balls, but they're playable. Furthermore, I also tried some of the Butterfly G40+ balls early on and I felt that these were awful. The sound they make on hard contact with the paddle almost makes the ball sound like it's cracked; it bounces funny on the table and, in general, feels thin and unsubstantial for a ball. I would not recommend these.

In terms of training balls, I have had mixed experiences with these Nittaku J-Tops. I first used these at a club in San Francisco and they played really well so I decided to get them for my school club too. The first 2 boxes that we bought were just like the ones that I had used in the club and they played great, although they're not the most durable. However, the last box that we bought through Paddle Palace had the same picture as the ones on TT11 but turned out being these sort of co-branded Paddle Palace balls. These balls played much worse than the first few boxes I had bought so they're probably going to have somewhere else for more training balls later on.

I'm far from a pro, just a enthusiastic amateur who plays semi regularly.

I invested in a outdoor table just recently and am pretty happy with the choice I went with:

https://www.amazon.com/Cornilleau-Crossover-Indoor-Outdoor-Tennis/dp/B01BI669RW/ref=sr_1_1?s=amazon-devices&ie=UTF8&qid=1525192147&sr=8-1&keywords=Cornilleau+250s

I researched a ton and even played on a few (Kettler, Cornilleau, Stiga) at similar price points. The Cornilleau felt the best and I also really like the giant wheels which make it way easier to maneuver around the yard and roll to it's storage position after. It folds open and closed VERY easily as well which means it's not a chore to put it away after every session. Finally it has height adjustments on each leg which make it pretty easy to get it stable on uneven ground. The only real complaint I have about it is that the leg height adjustment involves screwing this plastic foot in/out which can be sort of a pain in the ass sometimes.

The Stiga outdoor table I played on had tiny little wheels which would have been great if I only had to deal with a concrete driveway/garage but I have a gravel driveway and grass lawn to deal with so it was immediately disqualified.

The Kettler I looked at (the same one Costco is selling now) was pretty good in terms of wheels and folding features and what not but the table didn't feel as good in play.

I also bought the cover for the table when in folded position and I'm less happy with that. It's extremely thin and I can see it ripping easily as time goes on. However, we've got a seamstress in the family and I'm going to have them copy it with some more robust fabric once that happens.

May I ask why you want one that folds and is NOT two separate pieces?

Tables that fold in half and share 4 wheels between the weight of the entire table are (on average) taller when folded up and significantly heavier (since you are supporting both table tops) making them much harder to move. Just curious why you would want both of those disadvantages?

If you decide to consider a 2 piece I just purchased this STIGA off Amazon and am extremely pleased with it as a rec table for my house.

It is not a high end table but it bounces well, looks nice, is blue, took me 15 minutes to put together, and comes with squeeze clamps like you asked.

You don't need to spend a grand most likely unless you are used to playing on high end tables and really know what you are talking about... but since you are asking these questions... I would argue the STIGA is probably fine for your house.

Hope you don't take too much offense to my comment. Happy shopping and enjoy whatever you end up getting!

We had this table in college, used it primarily inside but we'd occasionally play outside on nice days that weren't too windy.

Nice material, great bounce, good quality. Slightly larger than regulation size if memory serves me correct. Would recommend this to anyone looking to play in their off time, or looking to take table tennis more seriously.

Should last a lifetime if taken care of.

Hey guys, my wife is starting to play and we were looking for a good beginner paddle to her, she plays penhold and looking in the internet we found this one, does someone know about this paddle? Also, is ok to handle this paddle as a penhold?

Read some good reviews on it but never saw this brand before, or if you have some other suggestion, something with good control would be good as she is starting to learning the basics.

Any tips is appreciated, thank you!

Table

There's nothing wrong with a midrange table. Even really cheap ones will work, but I'd only go that route if you're still testing the waters or you know you're going to replace it. I'll second /u/RussianandGunnin's advice on checking Craiglist.

Robots

I own the Robo-Pong 2040. It's... alright. The Newgy products I've used are perfunctory if not a bit clunky. Upgrading to the 2050 might be a bit better, with the ability to do programmable drills (think Falconberg), but over time my view on robots has become less sanguine. I'm curious if the high(er) tech Chinese robots are really any more useful, but they're cost prohibitive in terms of personal investment.

Robots are alright for helping practice what you've learned, but they aren't teachers. It makes the most sense to put in some robo-practice time once you're sure your form is reasonable. For that you'll need a coach or serious club player who will give you unvarnished feedback.

If practicing by yourself is predominately what your schedule allows for, there are worse things you can do with your time than spend it with a TT robot. Robots have a narrow range of use. Make sure you're ok with that before you burn serious dollars on one.

If you do end up getting one, don't cheap out: buy a gross of robo balls, and a pick up net. Newgy robots come with a few balls, but at a normal rate of fire you'll blow through those. A robot with 20~40 balls makes for an underwhelming experience. You'll spend 10 times more time picking up balls than you will hitting them.

Wow. Powerhouse of a listing. They really got their stuff perfected.

They have good descriptions, pictures, everything.

In the table tennis market, you really can't make different products like I stated above lol.

Looking at the market for: "ping pong set" the competition is pretty fierce.

By the looks of it, there is really no way you can own the entire market, but you could try and steal a slice of the pie.

My advice is to make your product a little different from this big seller, like adding an extra item they don't have.

PERSONALLY, I would add a carrying bag.

(Just make sure the added cost is justified; for a extra bag, I would add only $2-3USD)

You can see here: https://www.amazon.com/JP-WinLook-Ping-Pong-Paddle/dp/B0731VQ7VP/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ping+pong+set&qid=1566182013&s=gateway&sr=8-3

This is a bestselling product in the category (currently OOS atm I think), but it doesn't have the net like you do.

So, if you also add a bag, you can give the customers a different option compared to the big seller, and you will be able to get some market share.

Disclaimer: I have no experience selling in the table tennis market, so I don't know the full economics, take my advice with a grain of salt and make sure the pricing works on your end.

Killerspin is not the generally recommended brand. While they do makes OK tables, their rackets are not very popular.

I've personally used JET800 and am very disappointed by it. I like my $30 setup from aliexpress a lot better.

If you like them and want to buy from them sure, but please note that you can get a professional setup for the price you're about to play to Killerspin.

While you may feel tempted to buy a premade just to get it done, you should probably go custom because you will be getting much better stuff at a cheaper price, and note that if you buy both rubbers and the blade from the same shop they will assemble it for you.

If you don't want to overthink it, here is what this reddit recommends:

(1) If you really insist on buying a premade, check out Palio Master. You'll be getting a premade with a real quality rubber on it.

(2) If you are in the US check Colestt. Any combo on the page is good.

(3) If you are in the US,prefer European brands, and really want to spend some $, check this combo

(4) Otherwise, see other big retailers such as Megaspin or tabletennis11.

Hello,


I was hoping to get some suggestions in purchasing a table. Essentially I'm trying to find one that isn't too cheap, but isn't absurdly expensive. This is mainly for recreational use in the garage with some friends, but I'd still like one that's pretty good. I was taking a look at this one, any other recommendations?


https://www.amazon.com/STIGA-Advantage-Indoor-Table-Tennis/dp/B01JMTDZ5Q/ref=zg_bs_3419501_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JSDQ4YSXWSGXKSDJV3PY

I'm a little confused as to whether it has 2 carbon layers myself, although it states it's an all wood blade if you look at the picture from the amazon site I bought it on, you can see the black layers. If not carbon, what are they? The paddle they sent me also has a mauve/purple sponge on the black rubber and a slightly thinner (guessing 2mm) thick yellow sponge on the slower red rubber side. Not shown or mentioned in the sales blurb.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Palio-Expert-Table-Tennis-Case/dp/B016BQTCFU/ref=pd_ybh_a_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XGJ087KB5DM05YESQF0M

Have you ever played with one? Or maybe you got taken-in like me, by its sales/marketing pitch. I've played over 500hrs with it over the space of around 30mnths, tried many other paddles and I can truthfully say it is definitely not a beginner bat.

Perhaps you can explain to me what the Palio Expert properties are and what it has that makes this bat a slow controllable beginner bat, maybe comparing its weight, number of plies, characteristics of blade ie, types and thickness of its plywood or anything that can be relied upon to make (comparable to a budget fast blade) it one of the slowest blades available.

Same with its CJ8000 rubbers, which incidentally come in 3 different thicknesses I believe, with even more variations of sponge thickness and hardness. Can you tell me with absolute certainty that with these rubbers on that blade, will give a beginner a realistic chance to have good control? because it won't.

I think it's not really the right subreddit for this.

If you'd design a stylish wooden shoe for runners that match their personality, then actual runners probably wouldn't take it seriously.

Just like this example, the idea of your firend doesn't have anything to do with actual tabletennis. Actual players are probably the people who would be least interested in this idea for two reasons:

• You can't play with those (poor rubber, no sponge, probably poor blade) <- these things are important
  
• You aren't allowed to play with those
  
• It has nothing to do with tabletennis
  
  So the target group would be people who play tabletennis in a garage, at a hostel on a stone table or something similar. Which is fine. Those are the places that get people interested in tabletennis most of the time. But advertising among actual players may be a bad idea because they aren't interested in the product. It would be different if you were actually able to play with it. A cheap chinese rubber with a print on it would be a different story, it could be used as a gift or something. Like those.
  
  best of luck to your friend though.

Hello

I found these two from Amazon

300 usd refurbished Joola 15mm table - https://www.amazon.com/JOOLA-REFURBISHED-Inside-Table-Tennis/dp/B07BDWXYKW/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=table+tennis+table&qid=1556433273&s=gateway&sr=8-5

400 usd Stiga 15 mm table (bit out of price range.) - https://www.amazon.com/Advantage-Competition-Ready-Indoor-Tennis-Preassembled/dp/B01JMTDZ5Q/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=table+tennis+table&qid=1556433984&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-3

350 usd Stiga 13 mm table - https://www.amazon.com/Advantage-Competition-Ready-Indoor-Tennis-Preassembled/dp/B01JMTDZ5Q/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=table+tennis+table&qid=1556433984&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-3

Stiga and Joola are reputable table tennis brands so you should be ok.

Be careful when purchasing from Amazon, because I'm seeing a lot of tables that are not full sized.

Edited from a comment I posted some time ago:

https://www.allabouttabletennis.com/table-tennis-table.html

This section is a quick summary of what you should be looking for

>A full-sized table tennis table is 9ft x 5ft (or 274cm x 152.5cm).

This is more for club players so you can get away with thinner tables but regarding table thickness:

>12mm – The cheapest tables. Avoid at all costs! Terrible bounce.

>16mm – Not a great bounce. Only buy if on a tight budget.

>19mm – Ideally the minimum. Will cost you £300.

>22mm – Good bounce. Ideal for clubs. Cheaper than 25mm.

>25mm – Competition standard table. Will cost at least £500.

https://www.allabouttabletennis.com/table-tennis-table.html

You also have the option of checking with Craigslist. When purchasing second hand tables, make sure the table's in playable condition by checking for surface damage, leg stability, playing on it for a bit (to check for consistent bounce), and confirming its specifications.

Do you recommend any cleaner in particular?

Butterfly 8181 Table Tennis Racket Care Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0008G2VAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aBf5yb3CF3DQ2

👆seems to have the best reviews?

This is just a bit above your budget, but it's a very good allround bat that can be used for defensive play:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Palio-Expert-Table-Tennis-Case/dp/B016BQTCFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487089359&sr=8-1&keywords=palio+expert+2

It will be hard to find something better at that price (or less) unless you look for deals on blade/rubber and assemble it yourself.

Buy this rubber and sponge and slap it on any decent sports store (dicks, MC, etc) blade and you've got yourself a trainer blade. This rubber has been used by whole teams as their training rubber. It's not as tacky so in order to create great spin they had the exaggerate their motions. It still has plenty of bite compared to store boughts so I think it's a great transition before a major move towards the next setup. I've used this on my backhand for a while in order to defend and to practice my topspin drives.

It uttely boggles my mind that they still sell.

I could see the point if you were forced to play in a small, twisty labyrinth or something, but almost anything is better for collecting balls. A cheap butterfly net works great, for example. Even a broom and a tipped-over bucket is more efficient...

Maybe send them something via German Amazon? They might like some pretty table tennis balls or a nice big set

Palio Expert 2 is usually cited as one of the better 'premades':

https://www.amazon.ca/Palio-Expert-Table-Tennis-Racket/dp/B016BQTCFU

Cheap and cheerful :)

Yup! I actually found the one I use. I pasted the link below. It has good control so it's good for beginners

Butterfly 501 Table Tennis Racket Set - 1 Professional Ping Pong Paddle - 1 Ping Pong Paddle Case - Gift Box - ITTF Approved https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AECH3SG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Sm7uCb7APD3GA

For someone who plays "seriously", as in willing to join a club, take lessons, enter competitions, etc. you really need a custom setup and will cost at least about $50 per racket + rubbers. For someone who just wants to play casually with friends or in the office something like this and this is totally fine. I saw some rackets that were even cheaper but they weren't inverted rubbers, which is probably the kind you want. You can tell it's inverted because the outside of the rubber is smooth and you can press into it a little bit because of the sponge separating the rubber and the wood.

This is an affordable beginner paddle. I've used all 3 Palio precedes and I think the Master is the best choice. The expert is too slow and the legend is a bit fast for beginners and the rubber is harder than most would like starting out.

Palio Master 2 Table Tennis Racket & Case https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016BR89J4/ref=cm_sw_r_taa_oe9eAbSZPWZQW

Jumping from a very basic paddle like the Killerspin Jet200 to a custom made one probably isn't worth it; especially a custom defensive one which you may not like.

Try out a beginner's setup first like this Palio 2 star racket: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32855593263.html

Same product on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Palio-Expert-Table-Tennis-Racket/dp/B016BQTCFU

All ping pong balls used to be made out of celluloid which is extremely flammable. Now there are plenty of non-celluloid ones out there.

1 example: https://www.amazon.com/Xushaofa-Seamless-Table-Tennis-Balls/dp/B00ZY8GVGA

Edit: These seem also non-celluloid and are also unbranded so even more perfect as diffusers: http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-150pcs-Wholesale-Budget-Plastic-Table-Tennis-Ping-Pong-Balls-Training-Sports-/182528468998

Two really popular, cheap, beginnerish rackets:

• Pailo Expert, $40
  
• Cole's Buster Combo, $40
  
  If you want something a little more premium, although not necessarily better, pick one of these blades:
  
  
• Yakasa Sweeden Extra, $43
  
• Donic Appelgren Allplay, $45
  
  And combine with one of these rubbers:
  
  
• Yasaka Mark V, $38
  
• Butterfly Sriver, $40
  
  Megaspin also has a Sweeden Extra with Mark V combo for $95. Megaspin (and other vendors) will usually have the option to assemble the racket for you if you don't want to build it yourself.

If there was anyway you could stretch to the Palio Expert 2 at $39.95 it would make a huge difference to someone learning the game. It's basically the cheapest "proper" bat available on amazon. Plus the rubbers are incredibly hard wearing so will last for ages and can take a beating.

​

But if it's for a school club I would reach out to some of the well known shops and see if they can cut you a deal/give you some stuff for free. Megaspin might be worth a shot. I'm in the UK, so not much help on that side of things.

Is this a good paddle case?

Guys need suggestion on the case for this...
should I go cheap and buy a regular oblong case?
or should I overkill and buy one of these....

• Killerspin Optima Ping Pong Paddle Carry Case
  
• JOOLA 56731 Table Tennis Tour Case, Blue
  
  
  any suggestion would be helpful...
  
  
  thanks in advance....

https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Table-Tennis-Racket-Care/dp/B0008G2VAS

There are other, cheaper brands of the same stuff.