Speaking of competitive tables, they are designed to be used in tournaments or to replicate the competitive air hockey experience as closely as possible. These tables are always eight feet long, as this provides enough room to make the game a little more unpredictable than it would be on a smaller table.
One of the more popular types of air hockey table that you will find available is the casual air hockey table. These tables are designed to emulate the typical air hockey experience at a more affordable price than much of the competition. While they may be smaller than competitive models, they offer air hockey to those who can’t afford a one thousand dollar table.
There are several types of air hockey tables that you can find for sale, and they all have their pros and cons. The beauty of having access to so many different kinds of tables is that everyone can find one which suits their particular needs. The right kind of table can significantly improve your air hockey experience.
Moving on to smaller tables, compact air hockey tables tend to be the cheapest options available on the market. They are often designed for children, but there is nothing stopping adults from using them for a little bit of enjoyment too. Since they often have smaller pucks and strikers, particularly large adults may find it a bit difficult to play on compact air hockey tables.
The model we will be reviewing today is a compact air hockey table. More specifically, it is a tabletop air hockey table. These models lack legs and are meant to be placed on a table, as you may have guessed from the name. We will be taking a look at some of the characteristics which are relevant to an excellent air hockey table before we get to our review, however.
Score-Keeping Method
When it comes to keeping track of the score, the ever reliable combination of pen and paper always works, but it can get a little cumbersome. Almost every modern air hockey table comes included with some method to keep track of your score. Regardless of the method, it is always a valuable inclusion.
The first option and the more common one is a traditional abacus-style score tracker. This has the benefit of reliability, but the player must remember to adjust it after every score. More advanced models come included with an automatic digital score tracker, which tallies up goals as they enter the slots.
Portability
Something which is integral to tabletop air hockey tables and compact air hockey tables, in general, is a good measure of portability. This ensures that you will be able to place your air hockey table wherever you please and you won’t have to worry about enlisting the help of friends to help you move it around.
A reasonable level of portability also ensures that you will be able to store your air hockey table wherever you please. A reasonable degree of portability will usually mean that your air hockey table is neither too heavy nor too large to store in a more confined space.
The Product
Specifications:
- Table features padded legs to ensure that your chosen surface is not damaged
- Comes included with two manual score trackers
- Features a puck return system for faster gameplay
- Features a quick assembly process and an easy setup
- Includes a pair of mallets and pucks
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Overview
The HX40 is a compact, tabletop air hockey table that is designed to be used most comfortably by children. However, it is also an excellent choice for adults who would like something small and affordable. It comes included with a few basic features, but nothing fancy, which helps keep the price down.
Results
There are a few aspects that we liked about this model of compact air hockey table. While the blower is as powerful as you would expect from a model this small, the dead zones are barely noticeable. This consistency is due to the plentiful holes which are drilled into the playing surface.
The inclusion of a quick puck return system is somewhat common amongst modern air hockey tables, but it is not always guaranteed with models this affordable. Thankfully, the system operates smoothly and keeps the game going at a quick pace. The same can be said for the two manual score-keepers.
One feature which ensures that this tabletop air hockey table stands out is the inclusion of rubber padding on the bottom of the legs. Other models require you to place a towel or some other form of padding underneath the air hockey table to ensure that your floor or dinner table doesn’t end up getting scratched.
What Others Say
We have also looked through customer reviews and testimonials so we can get a better idea of the long-term quality of this product. Customers were impressed by the lack of dead zones, as these smaller tables tend to have a few of them. The ease of setup was also highly praised by most customers.
There was also some criticism, but most of it was not directed at the product itself. Customers reported having difficulty dealing with customer service, which can be a problem on the off chance that you receive a malfunctioning product. The included strikers were also criticized for a relative lack of durability.
Conclusion
If you want a tabletop air hockey table that is more efficient than most models in its price range, you should be a huge fan of this model from Sport Squad. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to leave them down in the comments, and we will try our hardest to get back to you.
