Side by Side Comparison of: STIGA vs Joola

I decided to splurge on this table instead of going cheap and I was not disappointed. Other takes I've had take forever to put together or feel cheap/fragile, but not this one! Just open the box and you're ready to play. No 4 hour assembly and the tables are solid. It stores nicely and has a good bounce. It's my third table and by far the best.

Fortunately, my brother helped me with this purchase recommending the Stiga over the Joola and we are thrilled with it. We're not competitive players so I don't know enough to talk to competitive play, but for regular adult play in the finished basement for some extra exercise, it's just great. Looks really beautiful, could not be easier to set up or tuck away, and plays with a little give that's nice. Glides beautifully when putting away.Delivery was uneventful. It is heavy but fit down our stairway. I had help getting it into the basement. It comes crated and some neighbors took apart the crate and assembled. They were impressed as to how well it was packaged and how easy it was to assemble. No problems except for one tiny plastic screw that had a broken head but still worked. After the scary things I'd read about delivery of other tables and brands, this was great, no complaints, and love the feel.

Couple of things - the table comes in easy packaging. It's very easy to take apart. It is kind of heavy though so I suggest you have a friend help you set it up. It is not a 1" table so that does show. But, it is more than enough for most rec play. I felt that the table was on the faster side - esp compared to some 1" tables.Just my two cents.

The Stiga table arrived as indicated - though they didn't text as to what time of day they were coming - and they got to our house at 5pm - lucky someone was home - but they did bring the heavy table into my basement via the sliding glass doors - which was nice. Table is heavy - but comes in 2 pieces - two middle aged women moved it and set it up in a flash. We were playing in 15 minutes. It moves on rollers - nicely on the carpeting. We have it with one side down so one person can practice - we love it. Good purchase.

This was ordered for our table tennis club of about 6-8 players. It shipped from San Diego to SW Oregon in 3 days, was delivered exactly when we asked them to bring it and taken off the truck on a pallet. It took about 10 minutes to cut off the cardboard, remove the wood sides, and another 2 minutes to stand the 2 halves up and wheel them into our community center. Three more minutes to unpack the accessories, put the corner protectors in place and unfold the table. The net that was provided is the only thing we didn't like, but we already had our own good quality Stiga net. I removed the four "L" brackets (2 P/H screws each) that their net used, and we use our model, which has a wide clamp head that keeps the halves together well enough to move the table around without coming apart. We absolutely love the performance and quality of the table, it's very solid, has perfect bounce, and the black top makes the ball very easy to see. You can roll it around with the ease of one finger, and it's extremely easy to fold and unfold. We recommend you buy a better $30-$50 net set, but the table itself is of excellent quality and highly recommended by our club!! UPDATE: 3 months later, we still love the table, have had no problems whatsoever and the table has been absolutely perfect for our use. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! UPDATE: 8 months later, it's still perfect, no problems at all. The net we use is the Stiga Premium VM model, as it provides a set-up for professional-style play. We're planning on getting a second one soon. STILL HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

I was worried that setting up a table tennis table would take hours and I kept a whole weekend aside for it. I was most pleasantly surprised. I spent 10 minutes setting this up, including time to rip open the packaging and we were up and playing within 20 minutes of the box being placed in our basement.If you want to have a table set up before a weekend party and you are ordering this as a last minute thing- then go ahead and do it! The table arrived two days earlier than stated in the confirmation email and was in good condition. Instruction for setup could be better, especially how to set up for single player play- but this is a minor quibble.Highly recommended!!

we have played on this table for 2 days now and we love it. the delivery was timely and professional. the instructions for assembly were simple , and the hardware was well labeled and not just in random baggies. we will be using it outside in our yard, so ease of moving the table was important, this table remains in 2 separate halves and moves easily on wheels. we find that the construction and materials of the table are good quality. the balls bounce on the table the same as any other table we have played on. so far, we are happy with this purchase and would recommend it .

than this table is a must.First let me start by mentioning the box the table came in. Taped all the way around with extra Padding it should not get damages in transport (unless your delivery guy drops it out of the back of his truck). There's additional boards surrounding the body of the table to further protect it during shipping. The main box was smaller than I had anticipated it would be yet the box was deceptively heavy. Although the instructions recommend assembly by two people, and a very careful individual could assemble it by themselves.Opening the main box revealed many unmarked cardboard boxes. They are more than packaging however and contain the hardware required to assemble the table as well as the wheels and the net assembly. Be sure to check each box. I was convinced they had forgotten to place a net within the box until I went back for a second look. The quality of each item is very good, much more so than I had anticipated it would be. I had initially purchased an indoor table, it quickly cancelled that order and ordered this table as the barn this table will be kept in is definitely not temperature controlled. This table appears as though it will provide many years of maintenance free play. Additionally I was excited to see that parts are available for this table should the situation ever arise. Setting each half of the table upright was no problem. It did take a few minutes to figure out how to level each half of the table. Also I feel the instructions explaining the installation of the net into the net holder pieces could have been written out or at least the picture could have been enlarged to a larger then several Wallet size photos. Once assembled the table mobility is second to none and could easily be pushed around the room by even a child. Now for the good stuff, the ball bounce is excellent, although initially I was concerned with an outdoor table that the ball would not bounce.All in all a very excellent purchase.

Product arrived on a big truck - on time and undamaged - got to love Prime with no shipping charge. Assembly was incredibly easy. Some complain about the two piece construction, yet the engineering/design of the table is great and its very easy to level. The net assembly rocks, keeps the net in place and with tension.....way better than any other ]s we have had. Easy to move, fold up , fold down. Extremely satisfied with this one. Great job Joola.

So easy to assemble. About 20 Minutes. Quality is very good. Be aware that the only thing that keeps the two separate pieces together are the clamps for the net, but they appear to be holding the table together and even just fine. I was afraid that the outdoor material may look like cheap aluminum but it looks high quality

We ordered this table for our son for Christmas. It was very easy to assemble - about 10-15 minutes with 2 people. We have really been enjoying using the table, it is easy to fold/unfold and wheel in and out of the garage. The table is a lot of fun to play and our whole family has really enjoyed it. On the negative side, the first table arrived bent up in several places. We contacted Amazon for a replacement, and the new (undamaged) one arrived today. We were still able to play with the first one, but were concerned that the bent areas would effect play.

Ordered as a Christmas gift. Delivery was arranged very easily through amazon. On arrival there was a significant cut in the box however the table was very well packed and this did not matter (we inspected package before accepting).Assembly was a dream. Eight bolts and thats it, then attach the clamps and net. 25 minutes because I was in no particular hurry.the two table halves line up nicely and clamp together well. There is a slight sag in the middle where the tables line up (like 2-3mm) and its in the middle only. Seems this is unavoidable as there is no support for the two halves there.Table folds and rolls nicely. Easy to operate.Table is a big hit with the adults and kids. Blue surface is a nice change from our old green table from my youth. Surface plays very well to us amateurs. This will be in the basement during the winter and then get some time outdoors during the summer.Pleased with purchase.

This is my second ping pong table. I chose this one based on the style and ease of set-up. The table comes pre assembled so all you do is kick out the legs and put it together. The net posts hold the two sides together in a very simple and elegant way.The table plays really well. My son and I both noticed more spin on the table compared to our older table. The surface is nice and a little bit more grippy than I have seen on other tables. So spin shot kick and jump off the table. The net is decent with posts for an optional tensioner. I have not tried folding the sides up but I think it would be easy to do.The color of the table is almost a dark grey. So I am debating orange balls for more contrast.

Great table for home play and very good price.

Very sturdy table- easy to set up and easy to fold for storage.

The table arrived but wasn't set up until a few days later - that is when I discovered some issues. The table surface is fairly good, aside from the small oily hand print that won't come off. The sides of the table are pretty scuffed up, and the scuff marks are along the length of the black frame so it couldn't have happened during packing/unpacking (the scuff's would have been perpendicular to the table surface). Also, the net had a tear at at the seam on one end which requires some "tailoring". Setup was quite easy, and the surface plays quite nicely and consistently. 5 stars if it wasn't scuffed, and the net was in better shape!

Good quality table! Easy set up, sturdy enough. Only negative is that the table came missing one of eight plastic screws for mounting the corner protectors...

Very easy to set up

We have had this table for only a few days, but it has worked out really well. I live in as and wanted something that would resist the heat. The surface is ver durable and seems like it will hold up well. It is relatively easy to set up for one person play. It does take longer to set up than 15 minutes. I am pretty handy, but I think it would take a NASCAR pit crew to get it done in 15 minutes. Probably more like 30-45, so not a big deal. Given the sturdiness of the table, it is heavy. Best to have a helper. The bounce is a bit different than a traditional table. Not a bad thing especially for occasional players or young kids. My kids are 6 and 9 and it seems to work well for them.

I like the table a lot. It is very easy to set up, however I did have a few issues with delivery. It took 3 delivery attempts to finally get one that was suitable. I imagine that this is mostly due to the handling along the line somewhere, as the table seems to be very well constructed. Amazon was easy to deal with and their customer service team as well so I appreciate that. Overall, I am giving the 4 stars as I had to order 3 times - The best part of table is how easy it is to set up and be ready to play. I also like the grey and blue colors as it matches our pool. Hopefully this table will provide hours of enjoyment. Thanks Amazon & Joola.

Awesome table!

Really great table. Lots of fun with kids. Very easy to setup. And easy to stand up and play individually. Unfortunately shipping caused slight bend in metal frame which caused slight bump in the playing surface. Hasn't affected play and way too much hassle to ship back. Overall, a really great investment in our basement activities!

Solid table all around. It is an outdoor, so the bounce is different than wood, but I haven't noticed any significant dead spots as others have mentioned. The net so far seems to be taught and looks like it will hold up. The clamps and how the table sits together are a bit weak for my liking, our concrete is slightly uneven for drainage and there isn't much built in for leveling, especially in the middle, but I will likely add my own clamps. What is outstanding for this table is the assembly. With as much as I've assembled in my life, this table was almost completely built. Popped open the legs, bolted on the wheel legs with 2 easy bolts per leg, clamped on the net and was done. 15 minutes at most to playing, if not less. Overall a very solid table and would purchase again.

Only 3 days old, but a hit for the family. Delivery was scheduled a month out for the holiday and driver showed up on time. Assembly was easy and table seems very solid. Kids (11-12) can raise and lower easily and move around. Have it in garage and rolling onto driveway has been easy.

It is defective in the sense that there are two thin streaks of what seems to be glue on one side of the table. At first I thought it was deep scratches, but realized it is raised. Trying to remove it will damage the surface. It was there when we removed it from the cardboard cover. I am very disappointed. Also, there is a small chunk out of the raw edge that connects the two sections...it is on the same half as the glue. I expected it to be perfect, as I had research for quite a while before deciding which table to purchase. I will hesitate to ever order a larger, expensive item through Amazon again.Shanelle Long

The STIGA InstaPlay table is a descent table, however I would caution buying this for the price you have to pay for it. Here are a few pros and cons to help anyone thinking about buying one:PROS:1) The table is 3/4" thick, which makes a difference in the bounce of the ball, excellent.2) The table came essentially put together, a huge plus, especially since I have read about the nightmares of trying to assemble other tables. The only thing needed to be done was putting he table where you wanted it, putting the two halves together, and then putting the net up. Had it up and going in about 5 minutes by myself. So if you're looking for an easy table to assemble, you can't get much easier than this.CONS:1) I can't believe the table I received passed quality control, that is, if they have quality control. The corners of the table were damaged, although these are covered by the plastic corner covers so it's not noticeable, the point is they were damaged.2) The edge along one of the sides was damaged and jagged on top. Although this is along the very edge, it can affect the bounce of the ball when it hits which can give an unfair advantage or disadvantage to the player on that side depending on how the ball bounces.3) The white boundary lines are not straight along the edge of the table on one side (the damaged jagged side). There are also some areas of the white lines that are damaged, not a huge deal, but again for the price I paid for this I expect the table to be top notch condition when I first got it. I gives the appearance of being cheaply made and lack of pride or care by the person(s) who were making it.4) Although the table came with the metal legs assembled, these felt cheaply made and weak. It doesn't feel like the table will be able to stand up to a lot of aggressive play especially at the joints.5) The plastic corner covers are cheap and do not fit snugly over the corners, aesthetically displeasing.The table is only a descent yet good looking table overall. It is just not of the quality one would expect for the price you have to pay for it. It kind of fells like buying a ok quality vehicle, however you're paying luxury price because of the name on the vehicle, not because of how it's made. I feel like I wound up paying more because it is a STIGA table and not another brand. Looking at the table I received, I would expect to have paid about the cost of a $250-300 table from a sporting goods store and not $600.If I recall, the original price was $700 and I got it for $600 plus tax. This table is not worth that price. Again I would say it is only worth $300 based upon seeing other tables that cost between $200-400.If you have the money and want a brand name table, this is an ok table to get. You will, however, not be getting the quality for the amount you pay. But if you're looking for a table that is essentially put together for you and easy to manage, you won't go wrong with this table.I've added just a couple of photos of some of the issues, I could add a ton more, but I think the review and these show a little about what quality you get for the price you pay. Hope this helps when making your decision to buy or try a different one.

Not very sturdy. We have had this table set up in our garage for about 6 months. It has sagged in the middle so much that it isn't really playable anymore. Perhaps it is not meant to stay set up, but it clearly can not support its own weight.

The overall quality of the table is good but not great. The play surface is excellent but the hardware for the legs is moderate. We don't move the table so it's not really and issue for us but the hinge pins and brackets are a little too sloppy to be considered good. The design is quite well thought out, and the material is adequate; if the workmanship were better it would be good.We did have a significant issue with receiving the table. The shipper chosen scheduled delivery well in advance and then did not even attempt to deliver the first 2 times. The first time, they didn't load the table because it wouldn't fit on the vehicle they had scheduled. The second time, they forgot to load it presumably because it was out of process and finally on the third attempt, they discovered that if they took it off the original palette, it fit in their vehicle and was much easier to handle by hand so they actually delivered it. It did arrive it perfect condition.

The table itself is good, and with the way it's pre-assembled setup is very easy. So if setup is a big concern get this table, but the net feels cheap and isn't regulation length. Next time I'll go with something more regulation, even if it is more work to set up.

Easy to assemble but heavier then I thought it would be and takes up more room then I thought for storage.

The balls bounce funny. The net was missingThe playback doesn't work well. I should ask for a refund. But now that I have it, it would be hard to start over with a different table. I will get used to it sooner or later. It would be great if I could get a nice new net.

After we set up the table, we noticed that one side was warped on both corners. After looking closer I noticed dents in the frame on the end. They didn't match up to the legs so I am assuming the frame was damaged during shipping. I decided not to send it back since it is very large and awkward. It still plays well and we are not that fussy. I picked this table since we are mostly playing in the garage in the winter and on our patio in the summer. The table top construction has a very thin aluminum top and bottom with about a 1/4" of high density plastic between the top and bottom sheets. I'm not sure how it will hold up since the table top does not seem that robust.

STIGA please help! Ordered this for family Christmas gift earlier this month. Just got this delivered this afternoon - delivered off of the truck and left on a pallet. Opened the box and yes, there are only 2 pieces for easy assembly. However, when my husband and son opened the box they discovered the bottom piece has a significantly large crack on the top of the playing surface. Not sure how amazon/STIGA will handle return and replacement ASAP? Especially since this one weighs approx. 300 pounds. Hoping to get this resolved promptly as our 3 sons are pretty bummed they can't play over holiday break now.

My biggest complaint is that one side of the table isn't level. I would say the STIGA InstaPlay sacrafices quality for "Instant play." If the price was more like $300 I would give it 4 stars but it's just not worth $600.

I bought this table back in July, it is now December. Overall I like the table but one side of the table top wood is warping. I play ping pong with some really good players and the warp does effect the outcome of the game. The warp is about 3/4" in the center and only one side is warping so it is very noticeable. I would only recommend this table for kids or beginners only. Also we have always kept the table in our front living room away from any elements that would normally cause warping by weather etc. If I were to buy another table I would not buy this brand again. Jeff, San Diego

I got this table 1 month ago, the center is already warped, then I just noticed there is no center support at all. It may due to the high humidity of the first days while I put it in my basement, after I got the dehumidifier, at least it is not getting worse. but that shouldn't cause the warping in such short time still

I used to play table tennis with my dad on a regular basis and for several years played in a local table tennis club. I recently moved to a place where I have room for a table and decided to get one for me and my son to play on. This table caught my eye as it was built by what I thought was a quality company. I've never been more let down! I was immediately disapointed when I opened the box and found the corner to one table was chipped and the entire side rail was bent. Once I got the table set up I was even more disapointed to see how unstable the entire table was. For $600 I expected a lot more and will be returning this table ASAP.

Even though this table appears to be of excellent quality so far, I rate it low because of the company support. The table arrived by truck and was unloaded by fork lift on a wood pallet. It weighed almost 300 pounds as shipped and was packaged very well and had no damage from shipping. However, there was a defect in workmanship on one of the folding legs with the wheels and the part had to be replaced to make the leg secure. When the company was called the individual that I spoke to did not want to listen to what I had to say and only wanted to know the number of the part needed to be replaced. In order to replace the part and install the new part I had to grind a rivet out and use a nut and bolt to replace it. Another nut and bolt could not be removed therefore it had to be cut off and a new nut and bolt used to replace it. I was able to do this but some individuals may not and have to hire someone to do it. The individual that I spoke to on the phone was very adamant that the rivet and bolt and nut could be removed with a phillips screw driver and hammer and used again. If that is true, I must be stupid. I have never seen a rivet that could be reused with any quality or reliability. I will have to say that the replacement part came promptly when ordered, however these parts are mirror images of each other for opposite legs and of course I received the wrong one so I just made do. It just folds in the wrong direction but it does not hurt anything. I would give the table a 4 star rating but company support a Zero.

Table arms are so cheaply made they bent when my kids folded the table. Poor quality! VERY heavy!

The table was ok, paid a lot of money for it, but ended up bent and warped. I would not recommend this table or the stiga table cover.

Purchased in November for a Christmas present and we still can't play a game. It's February and all we have seen have been damaged pieces of wood! We are waiting on our third and final attempt to have an undamaged table delivered. So much for "InstaPlay"...

For the price, the table is bad quality. We had to replace the net right away; the surface of the table stains the ping pong balls, which does not happen to more expensive versions of Stiga tables.

The no assembly feature was great, however after two months of playing maybe 2 or 3 times a week, we noticed our table legs were very loose and wobbly. The entire table feels very unstable. We tried tightening the screws but they are nearly stripped out from the bottom of the table. Not sure if putting the table up and down regularly caused this but our family has decided to replace the table with something else because of safety concerns. Expected more after paying so much for this table.

I personally would give this zero stars if allowed...I received my ping pong table today only to find that there was significant damage to the side of the table. THIS WAS MY THIRD (yes, third) attempt at setting up an appointment to have the table delivered. The shipping company scheduled 2 previous appointments with me where i needed to block off 4 hours of my day only to call me the day of and tell me the table was not in their warehouse. After try #2, I called and they gave no good reason why they would call me to make an appointment without an actual table available for delivery. I am a patient person (so i've been told) so gave them the benefit of the doubt but delivery attempt #3 sealed the deal. The table is packaged up as if they are delivering you bath towels so it's not shocking there would be damage. I am not sure why you would ship a $600 item with no real padding provided. Amazing. I have a note into Fogdog for a full refund but of course I need to set up another appointment with the delivery company they use! I just hope to have this mangled table out of my garage by the new year.I've read good things about the table itself so it's sad to not be able to try it out. Wish I actually had the option of playing on the table. Do yourself a favor and pass completely to avoid this nightmare.Mike

1 star because I can't leave 0. Item arrived badly damaged. Outer corner of the table is bent upward badly. Cannot be fixed. Don't buy online, or risk a damaged table.

Hey Joola,Thanks for NOT INCLUDING a net. That's awesome to find out when you are setting it up for your kids on Christmas Eve.What a joke

came broken also no way to lock the two side together