Air Hockey Tables: A Buyers Guide Table Hockey Games

What is an air hockey table?


Air hockey is a great pastime for many and a serious hobby for a few but there are some misconceptions out there about what exactly constitutes an air hockey table.

There are three main types of hockey-style gaming tables:

- Air hockey table: This consists of a perforated playing surface with an air blower underneath that creates a cushion of air to assist the pucks movement across the surface. This is probably the most common type of hockey table game.

- Tabletop Hockey: Table top hockey is the same as air hockey table but with the legs. It is meant for placement atop an existing table, floor, or any stable surface. The advantage of this type of game is that it offers greater portabillity than traditional tables. Indeed, they are perfect for small spaces such as dorm rooms and bedrooms.

- Rod and Bubble Hockey: This type of gaming table consists of control rods protruding from both ends of the gaming table with a plastic transparent dome across the top. The dome is so that the puck doesn't leave the game during the speed and ferocity of play. The rods provide a solid whollop to so it is rare to see a rod-based game without the plastic bubble dome atop.

That said, there are several things to consider when choosing your own recreational hockey gaming table.


Price:
Price varies greatly but one thing is for sure: you get what you pay for. If you spend $20 on the 24-inch tabletop hockey game you are likely to throw this away after a year or two of use. If you have the money and are a super fan, then the sky is the limit. There are excellent, high-quality gaming tables out there with tremendous features such as electronic scoring with sounds, lighting and whisper quiet operation.


Size (in length):
As with price, there are great variations is size available to the consumer. 2 feet is the standard measure for cheaper, compact tabletop models and can be ubiquitous at many toy shops and big box retailers. These appeal to many because they are simple, cheap, fun and small enough to be put away when not in use.

The 2-4 foot range is also usually the domain of tabletop air hockey and tabletop bubble and rod hockey. This size provides enough of a competitive serious feel without breaking the bank in terms of cost and still allows the user to put it away in most storage spaces after play.

4-8 feet is the domain of enthusiasts and professionals. Commercial and competition air hockey tables are in this category and few individuals would spend the kind of money it costs and space it consumes to have this in their homes. But if you are an enthusiast or a budding professional, these sizes are for you.


Power - Battery or Plug-in:

This is an important factor that weighs in to the cost of a unit. Smaller units often come with battery-powered air fans. Often it can take up to 8 AA batteries to power. This can get expensive fast and you may wind up spending more on batteries than the unit itslef. One way around this is to use rechargeable batteries. While this may present a higher upfront cost, in the end it will be more economical. One advantage battery-powered units have is that they are ultra-portable. You can't take a plug in unit camping!

Larger units, or even nicer smaller units, will have a plug. This is almost always preferred. Direct, reliable power when you need it and that you don't have to worry about.

Now that you have a good idea of what to look for when purchasing your next air hockey table you can make an informed decision as a consumer and that gives you the power!

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Keywords: air hockey tables, air hockey rules, air hockey scorecards

By: PattyG

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