If you are on the lookout for a good value but durable table tennis table you might have come across the Stiga Advantage Table Tennis Table sold on Amazon.com for $374.74.
In this post, I will be reviewing the Stiga Advantage Table Tennis Table, weighing up the pros and cons of buying one and making a few other suggestions. It is my hope that after reading this, you will find it much easier to decide whether this table is right for you.
Before we get into the review, I recommend you check out my popular article, The Best Table Tennis Tables, for a comprehensive look at everything you should consider before buying a table tennis table.
Contents
Stiga Advantage Review
In this review, we will be looking at the following factors…
- Features
- Price
- Customer Satisfaction
- Recommendations
1. Features
The Stiga Advantage Table Tennis Table features a 5/8 inch (16mm) thick playing surface (top), adjustable feet with rubber levelers to protect your floors from scratches and it comes in two halves for table mobility. It has a playback feature (meaning you can put half of the table up to hit against – if you want to). And it can also be stored away very compact.
The table itself is sturdy and with Stiga’s table top finishing process it’s smooth to the touch. With the easy storage and consistent playing surface, everything is looking good so far.
16mm Table Top
The only weakness of this table is the thickness of the playing surface. 16mm is on the thinner side of tables and as such you can expect the ball to be a little slow and lack some of the height of bounce you would see on a thicker table.
I talk a lot more about the importance of table thickness in my comprehensive article The Best Table Tennis Tables but, in short, competition tables are 25mm thick and you really need a table to be 19mm thick in order to get a “decent” bounce.
If you are just looking for a table to use for a bit of fun, recreational table tennis, and maybe a bit of training here and there, then getting the Stiga Advantage Table Tennis Table would be a good choice. However, if you are used to playing on “proper” tables, or planning on learning how to play table tennis at a club or perhaps playing competitively, then a 16mm table might not meet your standards.
Top-Notch Undercarriage
The 3-inch lockable casters on this table help it stand out. With their size being larger than normal – wheeling the table around for setup and storage is a breeze.
This, coupled with the zero gravity balance technology, allows the table to be assembled and put away in 10 minutes. When you lock the chassis the table feels like it is made of one solid piece, which could fool some people because it is actually held together by a clasp on the net line.
This table, by all means, is a solid choice for you. The robust construction, weighing in close to 180 lbs, and surface finish like Stiga’s high-end designs is nothing to joke about. The zero gravity balance makes it feel weightless when assembling or getting ready to pack away and we feel is a great feature of this table.
Professional Net
One of the things that really bugs us about a lot of table tennis tables is when you pay decent money for a table and then they provide you with a useless net!
Fortunately, Stiga haven’t cheaped out on the net and provide a professional-spec heavyweight clamp net and post set with the Advantage table. A net of this quality would probably cost you $30-40 on its own and we are really pleased to see it included in the package.
For more information on nets, check out Ben’s blog post The Best Table Tennis Nets.
2. Price
At just $374.74, the Stiga Advantage Table Tennis Table is surely the best quality value table on the market. Made by one of the most reputable brands in the table tennis world, you know you will get what you pay for.
The only downside we can think of is the table top thickness. Despite Stiga labeling the table as “competition-ready”, 16mm is not enough if you are looking to buy a table for competition use. Don’t expect the Stiga Advantage Table Tennis Table to feel exactly like a $1,000 professional table, but at its price, it is one we would definitely recommend.
3. Customer Satisfaction
Customer reviews on Amazon have been tip top. Here are some of them…
“The table is very high quality. The hardware is well engineered and strong – the legs fold out smoothly and lock into place easily. My friends and I love the table.”
“I think this table is going to build some great memories with family and friends! Highly recommended!”
“Great table. My wife and I are ping pong amateurs for sure. We play on vacation, at friends’ houses, and whenever we get a chance. This is an awesome table and way nicer than we anticipated.”
If you are looking for a great quality table to use with family and friends you certainly won’t be disappointed!
4. Recommendations
Is this the right table for you?
If you are simply looking for a decent, good value table…
Buy the Stiga Advantage! It’s not a professional-standard table but it is the best you’ll find for under $400. We recommend this table over all of the other value options available.
If you need a table that is truly “competition-ready”…
You’ll need to invest in a table with at least a 22mm playing surface – and that is going to be a fair bit more expensive.
Our favourite 22mm table, at a reasonable price, is the Butterfly Match 22 Rollaway. For roughly $850 you can buy a high-performance table from the leading brand in table tennis. That’s twice the price of the basic Stiga Advantage, though.
Not sure if this table is the right one for you? No problem! You can check out all of our other table tennis table reviews here.
