best bubble hockey tables

Best Bubble Hockey Tables Reviews: The Definitive Guide

Buying a bubble hockey table can be a bit overwhelming especially if this is your first time.

This guide here will help you understand what to look for in a dome hockey table and also will present you some of the best bubble hockey tables in the market today.

Without further ado, let us get started then.

Things To Consider When Buying Bubble Hockey Tables

Build Quality

The build quality of a bubble hockey table is one of the critical factors to take into consideration.

First off, there is the dome on the table.

Whether you prefer a high or a low-profile dome, it has to be tough enough to withstand numerous clashes with the puck.

What material are the cabinet and legs of the table made from? Have they been treated with a tear and wear-resistant finish? Is the base sturdy?

Bubble hockey tables can be quite pricey. So, make sure you are investing in a table that can handle rigorous play, particularly if it shall be used by children as well.

Playability

Besides the build quality, also consider how easy it is to play on the table. For starters, what material is the playing surface made out of?

A good playing surface should have a silky-smooth look and feel. This way, it can promote faster play, therefore making it easy to pass and shoot.

Additionally, the playing surface should also be highly durable such that it will not crack or warp even when used frequently.

One should consider the playing rods as well. While air hockey tables use pucks, bubble hockey tables rely on rods just like in foosball.

What’s the turning ratio of the rods? Do they allow for smooth movement and improved reaction times?

Size

How much space do you have for your hockey table?

Needless to say, the table you buy should comfortably fit in the area within your man cave or game room.

Keeping in mind, also, that there should be a clearance all around the table to allow players to move about freely while playing.

The weight of the table is also a factor to consider. High-quality tables weigh at least 160 lbs. while mid-range tables weigh about 110 lbs.

Typically, the heavier the table, the more stable it is and so the more likely it is to stand up to aggressive play.

Ease of Assembly

As mentioned, bubble hockey tables can be quite heavy and so assembly might require several hands.

Nevertheless, look into how many different parts there are and how easily these various components come together.

For the sake of stability and durability, there shouldn’t be too many separate parts of the table.

When there are fewer moving parts, then the table is more stable and can easily withstand rough play without falling apart.

When it comes to the dome, it should be easy to remove for those instances when you need to perform routine cleaning and maintenance or even when you need to switch out the players.

For this reason, a hinged dome is often preferred because it reduces the chances of accidentally dropping the glass and breaking it.

Special Features

Some bubble hockey tables come with certain additional features which drastically enhance the players’ gaming experience.

One of these features is the sound system which goes off whenever the puck goes into the net.

In addition to the sound system, other tables have lights which go off when a goal is scored.

These enable the player to celebrate their goal with a bit of pomp just like one would in a real-life game.

An automatic infra-red scoring system also comes in handy in that the game doesn’t have to keep getting interrupted for manual scorekeeping.

Additionally, an electronic scoring system immediately settles any score-related disputes that often arise in the course of a game.

Best Bubble Hockey Tables Reviewed In 2021

1. Carrom Signature Stick Hockey Table

The Carrom Signature bubble hockey table is a well-made table crafted from high-quality materials and featuring quite a number of handy features.

To begin with, this table has is built with Carrom’s highest quality products, and features sturdy legs with chrome support bars that offer better stability and allows for accurate leveling using the chrome-plated leg levelers.

The cabinet of this table is made from heavy gauge materials for durability while the legs are coated with a heavy vinyl for protection against wear and denting.

The dome, on the other hand, is made from shatter-resistant plastic material that can handle the brutal force of flying pucks.

The thick styrene playing surface has custom-coated graphics which simulate a real hockey arena. The solid fiberglass rods have durable rubber handles for maximum grip, and the table’s mechanism allows for quick puck return.

This way, play can resume immediately after a goal, therefore, enhancing a fast game.

This bubble hockey table comes with slide-on cup holders which is quite a nice touch when players want to have a match while enjoying a beer.

There is also a battery-operated scoring unit which conveniently keeps track of the periods and players can reset this unit at any time.

Goals are celebrated with lights and sound, and the scoring unit automatically turns off after about 3 minutes of inactivity. So, if you walk away from the table at the end of the third period, don’t worry about the batteries running out.

When the rods are attached, this Carron hockey table measures 58 x 51 x 33.75 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 159 lbs. It is small enough to fit in tiny spaces yet still dense enough for stability.

Pros
  • Easy to put together
  • Sturdy material
  • Good design
Cons
  • Electronic scoring needs batteries

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2. Carrom Super Stick Hockey Table

The Carrom Super Stick is quite different from the Carrom Signature Stick hockey table in some ways.

Although still a great table on its own, the Carrom Super Stick hockey lacks the chrome plated leg levelers, chrome support bar, and realistically painted players found in the Signature Stick hockey table.

However, both the legs and the cabinet are covered in glossy wear-resistant vinyl which enhances the durability of the table.

While the table is heavy enough not to move about during plays, it is still light enough to be moved with ease during cleaning or vacuuming.

Supposed you knock the table with the vacuum cleaner or any other object, you never have to worry about it denting.

This is because the legs and the cabinet of this table are covered with tough wear-resistant melamine which also prevents denting.

Similar to the Carrom Signature, this hockey table also has a styrene playing surface. This smooth tabletop allows for a fast play, with accurate shots and passes.

Carrom Super Stick Hockey Table

The polished fiberglass rods retain their straightness even after months of rigorous play and all sliding and gear mechanisms have moving clutches.

These clutches are made from self-lubricating plastics which allow for durability as well as preventing binding.

The shatter-resistant dome allows for unobstructed views of the playing field from all angles, and this dome can easily be removed in case one needs to change player of clean the table.

The scoring unit acknowledges each goal with light and sound features, and because of the smooth puck return mechanism, play can resume immediately after each goal.

Assembling this game takes about 30 minutes, and conveniently, there is an instructions manual included. Weighing 140 lbs. and measuring 58 x 47 x 45.25 inches (W x H x D); this table is considerably lighter than the Carrom Signature.

However, it is still pretty sturdy and can withstand rough play.

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3. Shelti Breakout Bubble Hockey Table

The Shelti Breakout Bubble Hockey Table is different from all other tables mentioned in this list in the sense that it has a low-profile dome.

Now, why would anyone invest in a hockey table with a low-profile dome? Well, perhaps you might need to get a table which you can slide under a cabinet when it is not in use.

One other odd feature on this table is the playing rods which are slightly longer than what you would find in most other hockey tables.

However unusual they may seem, these precision-ground tubular rods allow for a dynamic game and give exceptional play performance.
Similar to the Shelti Slapshot, this Shelti Breakout table also has a 2:1 turn ratio on the gearbox.

Therefore, players get to enjoy quick responses for a lively game. The game is further brought to life by the sound system which goes off whenever a goal is scored.

Shelti Breakout Bubble Hockey Table Dome Hockey Table

The players on the rods have steel rod supports in their feet which enable users to apply torque and pressure to the clutch. This way, the users do not have to end up applying pressure on the fitting between the players and the gearbox.

Weighing 240 lbs., this table is quite heavy. However, the good news is that it pretty easy to assemble out-of-the-box so one wouldn’t require many helping hands to get the job done. In fact, setting up this game table takes about 30 minutes or less.

Despite the 4-leg design, this hockey table is still very sturdy, and it will not wobble or topple over even when a match gets too heated.

Better yet, you do not have to worry about manual score keeping in the middle of a heated game. The table comes with an infrared electronic scoring system which is accurate and reliable.

Despite the low-profile dome and the longer player rods, this is still a high-quality arcade-style hockey table befitting a retro gaming room.

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