Sometimes there’s nothing better than sitting back, having a few drinks, and playing a fun game of poker. While you can play poker on just about any surface, the ideal surface to play on is a specially designed poker table.
Poker tables are designed with the game of poker in mind, meaning that they’re equipped with implements that make the playing of the game as simple as possible. These implements include everything from card slots, to chip holders, and more.
Typically possessing felt surfaces, they are designed to keep your cards firmly in place at all times. But with so many quality poker tables on the market today, how do you pick the one that’s best for you? By making use of this guide, that’s how.
ECOTOUGE Poker Game Table w/Stainless Steel Cup Holder for 8 Player w/Leg, Octagon Casino Leisure Table Top Texas Hold'em Poker Table, Green Felt 5.0 out of 5 stars 6 $119.99 $ 119.
Picture | Name | Features | Rating (1-5) | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
10-Player Casino Poker Game Table with Stainless Steel Cup Holders | Quick playing surface Extremely portable Has cup holders | 3 | $$$ | |
Texas Holdem Folding Poker Table For 8 Player Stainless Steel Cup Holders | Very affordable Extremely portable design Comes with cup holders | 3.5 | $ | |
BBO Poker Ultimate Folding Poker Table for 10 Players | Extremely sturdy construction Felt playing surface Equipped with folding legs Very long | 3.5 | $$ | |
IDS Professional Solid Double Base Poker Table 10 Players Dining Top | Very sturdy construction Extremely slick surface Comes with cup holders | 3.5 | $$$$$$ | |
Giantex Foldable 8 Player Poker Table Holdem Folding Poker Play Table | Folds in half Has folding legs Very affordable | 4 | $ | |
Fat Cat Folding Texas Hold 'em Poker/Casino Game Table with Cushioned Rail 10 Players | Folds at its middle Has foldable legs Fast playing surface | 4 | $$ | |
BBO Poker Aces Pro Folding Poker Table for 10 Players, 96-Inch Oval | Has folding legs Quick playing surface Very sturdy Sports cup holders | 4.5 | $$$$$$ | |
Texas Holdem Poker Table, Stainless Cup Holders, Suited Speed Cloth, with Folding Legs | Has folding legs Quick cloth playing surface Comfortable padded edges Equipped with cup holders | 4.5 | $$$ | |
Octagon Poker Table For Texas Holdem, Cards | Has foldable legs Equipped with cup holders Equipped with chip holders | 4.5 | $$$ | |
Barrington Texas Holdem Poker Table for 10 Players with Padded Rails and Cup Holders | Has foldable legs Quick playing surface Equipped with cup holders Accommodates 10 players | 5 | $$$ |
There are poker tables of all different sizes and orientations, giving you a huge selection to choose from. The one you choose has a lot to do with how many people you typically play with. If you play with 4 or more people, you’d be best served by one that’s either round or over 8 feet in length.
Whereas some poker tables are designed to sit in one place at all times, others are designed to be folded up for easy transport. Sedentary tables are typically made out of heavy-duty and attractive wood that will bring a fresh aesthetic to its designed room. Portable tables are typically made out of plastic or metal.
Something you might want to look for in your poker table is cup holders. It’s ideal to keep your drinks off of the table’s felt surface so that it doesn’t become ruined. There are quite a few poker tables with cup holders on the market today.
Though you could certainly just play poker on a typical table, there are certain benefits that you reap from a specially designed poker table. Poker tables are equipped with various implements which make the playing of the game much easier. These implements include card holders, chip holders, and cup holders.
Also, because poker tables possess felt surfaces, they are better equipped to hold your cards firmly in place. Kitchen tables, in contrast, are very slippery when holding playing cards. This can result in undesired card movement during the game.
In essence, there is no better table to play poker on than a poker table. Other types of tables are passable, but won’t really do much to improve overall gameplay.
When it comes to the downsides of a poker table, there really aren’t any. The only truly conceivable downfall would be their costs. High-end poker tables can cost thousands of dollars. Of course, there are also tons of terrific budget poker tables on the market.
If space is a concern, you could opt for a portable, foldable poker table. These tables can be folded up and stored away in the same manner that a card table can be. If you live in a relatively small residence, this type of table would be a great option.
Apart from these two things, there really is no downside to having a poker table. Having a poker table will only enhance your gameplay experience.
The first poker table we’ll review is this one from Brybelly. Measuring in at 84 inches x 42 inches, it possesses a long, skinny shape which will fit easily into most rooms. Available for a fairly standard price, it’s a solid middle of the road table.
It comes equipped with 10 cup holders, allowing you to have drinks while you play. The edges of the table sport a soft, padded material, making it very comfortable to lean on. With a polyester playing surface, it allows cards to be easily slid across it.
This is a portable table, equipped with legs that can fold up flat against it. Because of this, it can be stored away and transported with absolute ease.
All in all, this is a very solid poker table. If you’re seeking out something with excellent portability, and a very fast playing surface, it would be a great option for you. It should, however, be noted that the playing surface has a tendency to bubble up at times.
Cons:
Up next is this table from IDS Home. A budget table, it offers a decent amount in the ways of surface quality and portability.
This table measures in at 73 inches x 35 inches, and can fold up in its middle. In addition, its legs can fold in. Because of this, it can be compactly stored and transported from place to place.
The playing surface on this table is made out of felt, allowing cards to be moved with ease, but preventing them from excess slippage as well. For player comfort, it’s equipped with padded edges. These edges also possess cup holders, allowing players to enjoy drinks around the table.
All in all, this is a good, but not great budget poker table. If you’re looking for something portable and affordable, it’s a decent choice. However, it doesn’t measure up to higher-end models.
Pros:
Next up on our list is this table from BBO. Measuring in at 92 inches x 44 inches, it’s big enough for 10 players. The only true downside to it is its price, which is a great deal more expensive than the other tables on our list.
The playing surface on this table is made out of felt, allowing cards to glide with ease, and making gameplay as simple as possible. Its surface edges are padded so that you can lean against it comfortable. In addition, it’s equipped with stainless steel cup holders.
This is a fairly portable table, possessing foldable legs. However, it’s not capable of folding in half. If you’re looking for something that can be compactly stored into your car’s trunk, you might want to look elsewhere.
Overall, this BBO table is fantastic, but expensive. You can find tables of similar quality at a much lower price.
Cons:
Another very solid, but expensive poker table is this one from IDS. This table measures in at 96 inches x 43 inches x 30 inches, making it big enough for around 10 players.
This table is a little different than the ones reviewed above in that it’s built to sit in one place at all times. It can’t be folded up, meaning that it doesn’t really possess anything in the way of portability.
However, what it lacks in portability, it makes up for in stability and durability. With a PU leather playing surface, it allows cards to move quickly from place to place. For comfort, its edges are equipped with a cushiony foam.
All in all, this is a superb poker table. Its only downside is that it’s definitely on the expensive side. But if you’re looking for a high-quality sedentary poker table, this would be a great choice.
Pros:
A very solid budget poker table is this one from Giantex. This table is available for about half the price of the others on our list, but still offers plenty in the ways of portability and overall durability.
It measures in at 73 inches x 32 inches x 30 inches, making it big enough for around 8 players at a time. This table is very portable, capable of folding in half. It’s also equipped with folding legs, allowing it to be stored away with ease.
With a felt surface and padded edges, it offers terrific card glide as well as above average comfort.
Overall, this Giantex poker table is an average poker table. If you’re just looking for something that will get you by, it would be a great choice for you. It’s not extraordinary in any way, but is sufficient.
Cons:
Up next on our list of top poker tables in this poker table from Fat Cat. This table is big enough for 10 players, and measures in at around 83 inches long.
The playing surface for this table is made out of felt, offering fast, but not excessive card glide. With padded edges, it allows for players to lean comfortably against it. In addition, it’s also equipped with cup holders.
This is a very portable table, capable of folding both at its center and at its legs. It can be stored compactly into your car’s trunk or into the deep recesses of your closets.
Altogether, this is a solid middle of the road poker table. It’s far from the best, but is certainly not the worst either. In fact, it’s just about the epitome of average.
Pros:
Cons
BBO makes our list for the second time; this time with the Poker Aces Pro Folding Poker Table. This large table is on the expensive side, but offers enough in the ways of construction quality and portability to make it worth its price.
It measures in at 96 inches in length, making it large enough for around 10 players. With a vinyl playing surface, it allows for the quick movement of cards. For comfort purposes, its edges are equipped with a padded foam.
While it can’t fold at its middle, this table is equipped with folding legs. These legs allows for a decent amount of storage and transport versatility.
In conclusion, this is a fantastic portable poker table. It may be expensive, but it’s also one of the most sturdy portable poker tables on the market today. It’s unlikely that you’ll regret buying it.
Pros:
If you’re looking for a round poker table, you might very well be interested in this one from Texas Holdem. This table is a little expensive, but provides quite a bit in the way of overall construction quality.
It measures in at 48 inches long, and stands in at 30 inches high. With 8 different sides, it possess padding on its edges so that you can lean against it comfortably.
A cloth playing surface allows cards to move quickly from place to place. There are also 8 stainless steel cup holders equipped within it so that you can enjoy drinks while you play.
Overall, this is a very nice poker table. Equipped with sturdy folding legs, it’s not only very sturdy, but very portable as well.
Cons:
Up next on our list is this one from PokerOutlet. Available in four different colors, it offers decent construction quality and functionality. However, it is a little expensive for the value it provides.
This is a round table with 8 sectored-off sides. Each side is equipped with a cup holder as well as a card holder and a chip holder. These allow you to keep everything organized throughout the game.
Equipped with a felt playing surface, it does a great job of keeping cards locked firmly in place. However, it’s fairly quick as well. You shouldn’t have much trouble getting cards across it.
With foldable legs, this table is fairly portable. It’s not the absolute best portable poker table you’re going to find, but it’s not the worst either.
Pros:
The last poker table we’ll review is this one from Barrington. Available for a middle of the road price, it offers fantastic construction quality and portability capabilities.
Measuring in at 84 inches in length, it’s equipped to accommodate 10 players at a time. Possessing padded edges, it allows players to comfortably lean in up against it.
There is a total of 10 cup holders built into this table, allowing you to enjoy drinks as you play. With a quick felt playing surface, it allows for simple and seamless gameplay at all time. Altogether, this is one of the top poker tables on the market today.
Cons:
After some deliberation, we’ve made our pick for the top poker table on the market today: the Barrington Texas Holdem Poker Table. Equipped for 10 players, this portable table can be folded up and stored away with absolute ease.
In addition to its portability capabilities, it’s also equipped with cup holders, allowing you to enjoy drinks while you play. Available for a middle of the road price, it’s one of the best deals on the market today.
For other cool gadgets to get the crew around and enjoy spending time together, make sure to read this review if you’re a good host and like to enjoy wine the right way.
Related Reviews:
As I write this, WSOP 2018 is in full swing, so I thought this would be a good time to update my recommendations on folding poker table tops for home games.
These new recommendations aren't based simply on my personal opinion, instead they're based on analysis of more than 1,300 opinions from people who have bought or used them - you can read more about that in the Methodology section at the end of this guide.
As an experienced casino and live tournament player myself, I've also provided some advice for those of you who don't have much experience with poker tables.
Having a proper felt table is much better than playing your home games on a regular kitchen table top. Not only do they add a touch of class to the game but cards also slide more predictably across the surface resulting in fewer misdeals.
Size: For octagonal tops the main consideration is how much space it takes up when bagged and stored. Many people use their poker tops on tables which are larger with many people using 48' tops on 60' (5 feet) round tables. They can also be used on square tables. I personally prefer a top that's slightly larger than the table it's sitting on, however you have to be careful not to knock the top and topple everyone's chips when sitting down. Octagonal tops are usually measured from point to point, not side to side. For oval tables the main consideration, other than folded size, is that length is similar to the table it's going on so people at the ends don't have to reach too far, but it doesn't have to be an exact fit.
Playing Surface: All the tops recommended below have a felt playing surface, however some of them are decorated and some aren't. One issue that often arises with cheaper tops that are decorated is that the markings are printed on with inks or dyes that are sometimes sticky. This isn't always an issue for home players, but anyone experienced at dealing on a professional table will get frustrated with the way cards can stick to the paint when sliding across the surface.
Portability: Although most folding tops come with carry bags, the quality of the bags tends to vary a lot. If you're planning on carrying the top around with you, pay special attention to the review analyses below.
Folds: The more folds a top has, the smaller it generally is when stowed away, however the folds can crease over time leading to cards getting caught sometimes leading to misdeals. To minimize the risk of this happening, get one with the least number of folds for its type if folded size isn't a concern for you.
Extras: Some tops come with extras such as cards and chips. Generally these tend to be lower quality cards than I prefer - see my card recommendation below for a better option. Also bundled chips tend to be lower quality plastic ones that are okay for some, but not for players used to the weight and feel of standard clay based chips, after all a good set of chips can cost more than many table tops.
I've organized this table to show the highest rated small, medium, and large size poker table tops in each of the two categories - click on model names for detailed meta reviews further down the page. | ||||
Model | Size | PolyRated* | Sources | Median Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
Octagon Poker Table Tops | ||||
MD Sports ARC046_027M | Small: 46' x 46' | 832 | 15+ | $51 |
HomCom B8-0001 | Medium: 48' x 48' | 880 | 125+ | $55 |
Trademark Poker 10-11652 | Large: 51' x 51' | 842 | 150+ | $95 |
Oval Poker Table Tops | ||||
IDS Home 4-Fold 63' | Small: 63' x 35' | 920 | 10+ | $53 |
Gaintex TY557993 | Medium: 71' x 35' | 900 | 30+ | $48 |
JP Commerce TX3 | Large: 82' x 40' | 826 | 15+ | $120 |
MD Sports ARC046_027M
PolyRated / Sources: 832 / 15+
Median Price / Sources: $51 / 3
Brand: MD Sports
Folded Size: 23.325' W x 23.325' L x 2.5' H
Included Extras: Cards & Chips
Total Weight: 23.1 lb
At only 46' across, this is one of the smallest options currently available. It folds 2 ways making it much smaller than most other options when folded.
It comes with a carry bag and a basic deck of cards. It only includes a 100 piece chip set which is not really enough for 8 players, so if you don't have chips already you'll need to buy some more.
It's made from particle board (MDF) with plastic cup and chip holders.
Positive
Negative
HomCom B8-0001
PolyRated / Sources: 880 / 125+
Median Price / Sources: $55 / 4
Brand: HomCom
Folded Size: 23.75' W x 47.25' L x 1.25' H
Included Extras: None
Total Weight: 22 lb
The HomCom B8-0001 has the highest ratings out of all the octagonal table tops on the market which seems to be due to its value for money in the 48' segment.
It has the most common size for an octagonal poker table top at 48' across. As you can see from the picture on the right, it uses a single fold - this does make it larger when folded than some options, but it also means there is one less join leading to fewer issues over time as it's packed away and taken out time and again for use.
The manufacturer says it's made from solid wood, however 1 reviewer said it's more likely plywood. In addition to the green felt on top, the back is covered with black felt so there's no risk of it scratching your table. The removable chip/cup holders are molded plastic. The carry bag is made from nylon.
Positive
Negative
Trademark Poker 10-11652
PolyRated / Sources: 842 / 150+
Median Price / Sources: $95 / 7
Brand: Trademark Poker
Folded Size: 52' W x 26' L x 3.5' H
Included Extras: None
Total Weight: 30 lb
I mainly play on oval tables, however if I needed to get an octagonal table then after examining so many reviews, this is the one I would get.
The raised padding around the edge means you don't have to worry about cards or chips falling off the edge when sliding across the table, and from personal experience they're much more comfortable when resting your arms on them.
At the time of publication, I'm still waiting on Trademark Poker to confirm what type of wood it's made from, but I can tell you that the padded sides and the bottom surface are made from vinyl. The carry bag is made from nylon.
Positive
Negative
IDS Home 4-Fold 63'
PolyRated / Sources: 920 / 10+
Median Price / Sources: $53 / 3
Brand: IDS Home
Open Size: 63' L x 35' W
Folded Size: 32.3' L x 16.5' W x 3.2' H
Included Extras: None
Total Weight: 21 lb
This top has good ratings but it's usually only bought by people with a small table to put it on - most people opt for one of the larger sizes below.
The manufacture hasn't yet provided me with detailed specifications, but based on user reports it's made with solid feeling wood.
It also comes with a carry bag as you see in the picture.
Positive
Negative
Giantex TY557993
PolyRated / Sources: 900 / 30+
Median Price / Sources: $48 / 3
Brand: Giantex
Open Size: 71' L x 35' W
Folded Size: 18' L x 36' W x 1' H
Included Extras: None
Total Weight: 29 lb although some owners report that it's actually a few pounds heavier than that.
This top is made from MDF wood with a felt top and PVC carry bag using its 4 segmented folding design.
Positive
Negative
JP Commerce TX3
PolyRated / Sources: 826 / 15+
Median Price / Sources: $120 / 5
Brand: JP Commerce
Open Size: 82' L x 40' W
Folded Size: 40' L x 37' W
Included Extras: None
Total Weight: 51 lb
NB: This top does not come with a carry bag.
Despite this top having lower ratings than the 2 smaller options above (possibly due to its higher price tag), this is the option I would choose for myself after having personally read all the reviews for all the options recommended in this guide.
It's built from solid wood and is nice and heavy (51 lb) to ensure it sits firmly on your table. I personally prefer a more weighty table for this reason, after all you spend more time playing on it than you do carrying it around. It also has padded sides which is a big plus for me.
Due to its 3-fold design, it takes up more space when folded than other options, however this also leads to a smoother playing surface with fewer creases.
Positive
Negative
If you're still using basic playing cards then you should get a set of Copag cards. These are the only ones I ever recommend - in my opinion they are superior to all other sets of cards because they don't easily mark or get creased. Not only do they last for years, it's very difficult for a cheat to bend or crease the corners to mark them during play. The first set I bought lasted for over 10 years!
*All of the products recommended above were selected based on their PolyRated scores out of 1000.
These scores were calculated by analyzing reports and reviews by owners and users, assigning a score to each source and then processing those scores algorithmically to produce an overall score that reflects market sentiment about the product.
The analysis included over 1,300 review sources of 18 models from 9 brands: Brybelly, Da Vinci, Giantex, GLD Products, HomCom, IDS Home, JP Commerce, MD Sports and Trademark Poker.
The models with the highest rating in each category for each of the 3 sizes were then selected to be recommended above.