What are the things you do and don’t need when you’re looking at 5ft air hockey tables? Before you answer that question, the first thing to determine is if the 5ft table is going to be what you want in the first place. Tables come in lengths from 4ft to 8ft, so why does the 5ft one look to be an obvious choice?
If you don’t have plans for practicing for the air hockey national championship, you probably don’t need an 8ft table in the first place. The 4ft table is a bit short for grownups, but the extra foot makes a big difference. With everything considered, 5ft Air Hockey Tables make good low cost choices that will supply plenty of enjoyment for everyone.
Looking at 5ft air hockey tables then, what are the various bells and whistles that you do or don’t need? Not all tables offer the same features, so you might choose a table based on what it has or omits.
Electronic Scoring
If you are afraid that your opponent is going to cheat you or you find that the cumbersome task of manual score keeping detracts from the game, electronic scoring might be worth something to you, but is it really worth paying money for? It might be if you get one of the tables that do not have a physical hole for the puck to slide into.
Some tables work completely off contact against the rail. If the puck hits the side rail where the goal would be (if there was a slot), the electronic scoreboard tallies a point for the applicable player.
The game doesn’t have to stop until the puck is retrieved because it never left the table. This is a case where you must have electronic scoring or you never know what is happening.
You might want to stay away from this kind of table if you prefer the game the way it was originally designed. The traditional sound of the puck going in the hole is part of the enjoyment of the game for many people.
Folding Legs or Table
If you have floor space where your 5ft air hockey tables can stay sitting when you aren’t using it, you might not want to consider the type of table that has folding legs. These tend to become a little shaky over time as you fold and unfold them. The design of the legs is not the best on these models.
One manufacturer makes a table that will unlock and turn vertically so the table can slide over against the wall. That is a little better situation than the folding legs, but shifting the table around and locking and unlocking just wears harder on the parts. Each time you shift the table around, you stand a chance of getting it out of level, too.
Large Size Motor
It goes without saying that the motor is the heart of the air hockey table. If the only difference between two tables is the size of the blower motor, always go with the larger one even if it costs a little more.
As a footnote regarding motor size, it is much more convenient to have a 110 AC motor than a 220 because you may not be able to find a place to plug the 220 into depending on the location of your air hockey table.
