Foosball Table Buying Guide

Mama Boucher always said, “Foosball? Buncha overgrown monsters man-handlin’ each other… ‘Member when dat man wanted you to play foosball, Bobby?” (The Waterboy). I don’t know how that movie quote is relevant to this buying guide in the slightest, but it does mention foosball. But, I digress.

Let’s go over the kind of foosball tables that are available to you.

Tabletop. If you lack the space in your recreation room for a traditional foosball table, a tabletop foosball table is a pretty good idea. Like the name suggests, the tabletop foosball table goes on top of an existing table. The width and length of the table can be significantly smaller than a regular foosball table, or can be the same. A tabletop foosball table definitely isn’t equal to a professional foosball table, but it’s not a bad idea for space-constricted rec rooms.

Professional Traditional Foosball Table. A traditional foosball table is usually around 36-40 inches tall, which is the right height for average people. It’s considerably sturdier than tabletop foosball tables, and plays much smoother than a tabletop foosball table does. Professional foosball tables cost a lot more than tabletop foosball tables, but they’re definitely a better choice for the serious foosball player.

What You Need to Consider Before You Buy

You could go to the local Target and pick up their $99 foosball table special, or you could arm yourself with the information necessary to purchase the right foosball table to complete your rec room.

Cost. First of all, you need to decide how much money you can really sink into a foosball table. If spending $1500 or more is no problem, then you will probably be looking for professional foosball tables. If, of course, you don’t have much money to spend but really want a foosball table, then you might just find what you’re looking for at Target.

Space. If you don’t plan on making your foosball table the centerpiece of your rec room, you might be limited in terms of what size foosball table you can buy. Before buying or even considering a table, do some measurements of where you plan on putting the table at. Allow for 5 feet of space from the table to the wall on all corners, as you don’t want the wall to interfere with your play.

Style. Some foosball tables fold up so that they can be put away while not in use, while others do not. If you want to fold up your table to save space whenever you’re not using it, then you’ll want to look specifically for tables that fold up. It is important to note, however, that most professional style foosball tables do not fold up.

Levelness. If your floor is even the slightest bit off level, it’s going to severely effect any foosball games that are played. However, even if your floor is level, if the foosball table’s legs are not, the table will still tilt. Always check your floor’s levelness, as well as the foosball table’s legs before you buy a table.

3-Man or 1-Man Goalie System. Does it really matter whether your foosball table is 3-man or 1-man goalie system? Well, yes, it actually does. All professional foosball leagues make use of the 3-man goalie system, while most recreational leagues use the 1-man goalie system. The question is, which is a better fit for your rec room? Well, if you’re going with a professional look and feel for your room, then a 3-man goalie system is right. If you don’t really have a preference, though, you’d probably be just as happy with the 1-man system.