Joola Ping Pong Table Review

Last Updated on December 26, 2020 by Single Dad In Diego

My youngest son wanted a ping pong table for Christmas. My first stop of course was Amazon. I needed something that was reliable and would last. I did not need a top-of-the-line table for a six-year-old. After some research, I decided on a Joola ping pong table. I now know more than enough about it to write this Joola ping pong table review.

So what is this Joola ping pong table review going to cover? In many ways, finding the right table is only the beginning. From there you need to buy it at a price you can afford. You then have to get it to your home. Then you need to build it and set it up. From there, the playing of the game is the easy part. The only other challenge will be how easy it is to use over time. It also helps to know how good the construction is. This will help in knowing how long the table will last over time.

In looking for a table, the sheer number available was overwhelming. My thought was “how different can they be?” A ping pong table is a long table with a small net! I am not a ping pong expert. So I am writing this as a parent who got a table for their kids. If you want to know the ins and outs of the finer points of ping pong equipment…you are in the wrong spot. What I can tell you about are all the steps I went through from hearing the request to my kids playing ping pong. 

Joola Ping Pong Table Review

I started on the Amazon site with the simple search query “ping pong table“. You can see from the link how many choices you have. I will admit I did not read a lot of reviews of the more expensive models. I was looking for cheap and reliable. Easy to set up was going to be a bonus.

I settled on the Joola 13mm. The reason of course was that this was the cheapest model of the four offered in this line. This model had 94% 5-star reviews. I found a winner!!

When you look at the choices, you can see that the tables get “beefier” as you move up. Since I knew we were not going to be having any pro tourneys at my home anytime soon, the cheapest model seemed fine, especially with the good reviews.

You may note that there is an option for “expert assembly”. Here is what Amazon offers with expert assembly:

  • Assembly of 1 customer-supplied table tennis table
  • Product should be in the room where it is to be assembled before provider arrives. Moving product after assembly is not included
  • Cleanup work area. Take packaging to customer’s bins unless customer declines
  • Products requiring additional work may result in an updated estimate from provider

I did NOT go this route.

Putting the table together was a snap. The table comes in three parts, the two halves of the table and the net. It is important to note that the two halves are separate. You never end up with a one-piece table. You push the two parts together, you attach the net and you play. So assembly was nothing more than mounting the wheel struts on each half of the table.

Joola Ping Pong Table Review

One very important note as part of this Joola ping pong table review-you do not need to pay someone for this job! What may be a challenge is what you do with the box upon receipt. It weighs over 150 lbs!! Unless you plan on setting it up on your front porch or driveway (or wherever delivery is) you need to think ahead. How are you getting this heavy box from the delivery spot to where you want the table? Notice that the “expert assembly” assumes YOU will move it to that spot.

The Delivery

Ok, so it is Amazon. The delivery was piece of cake. The upside of a box this size and weight is obvious. If you live somewhere that packages get stolen, you most likely won’t have that happen with this beast.

Amazon dropped it by my front door. Easy enough but now the hard part. Not only is the box heavy it is an odd shape. Tall and skinny with not much to grab onto. I was able to wrangle it into my garage myself but it is more a two-person job.

The real challenge was getting it where I was going to set it up. I live in a two-story house. Delivery was at the top level but I was going to use it on the lower level. Hmmmmmm.

My Joola ping pong table review solution was to load it on my hand truck and wheel it down the side of my house. If you are going to take this down some stairs, PLAN WAY AHEAD. It is heavy and hard to hold and trying to turn corners on a staircase may pose a real challenge. Even with two people on this job, it is still going to be tricky.

The Setup

Unlike the delivery, setup requires only about 15 minutes and is a piece of cake. Lay the two table halves down and attach the wheel struts with the included brackets. What little hardware there is is very well marked. All you need is a couple of wrenches for the nuts and bolts (not included!).

Joola Ping Pong Table Review

Once setup is complete, wheeling the two halves around is simple, even on a pretty thick carpet. The net attaches with two sturdy clamps making install and removal simple.

One mistake I missed: this table does not include and paddles or balls! So I made a quick run to the sporting goods store on Christmas Eve to remedy that problem.

The Gameplay

It’s ping pong-how hard can it be?? As I said if you are looking for a technical breakdown of gameplay for this model look elsewhere. My kids love it. 

Joola Ping Pong Table Review

You can fold up one side so they can practice hitting into the proverbial “wall”. I have tried to show my kids how to do this but it is a little too heavy and cumbersome for 6 and 7-year olds. For an adult, it is a breeze. Everything about the table feels well built. With so few parts, there is not much that can break or go wrong.

The Real Point of the Joola Ping Pong Table Review: Is It Worth It?

Usually, when I write a review like this I try to balance the bad and the good. There is not much “bad” to find here. The box and table are heavy. Getting it where you want it may be a challenge.

The upside this that this is a reasonably priced ping pong table. It is easy to set up, easy to use, and your kids will love it. It sure seems as though the build is of high quality. There is no reason to believe it will not last quite a while.

For the low price and ease of setup, this Joola ping pong table is a winner in my book!