New vs Used Foosball Tables: What to Buy?

New vs used foosball tables: What to Buy? How do you decide?    

The cost of a high-end new foosball table can be very scary.

Tournament foosball tables can cost up to $2000. There are a ton of tables in the $500-$1000 range and then there are all kinds of unique and even custom tables above and beyond the tournament style tables.

You can find a foosball table for any budget and any space.

You want a good table but you’re not ready to lay down that kind of cash yet? Maybe you just want one to have fun that won’t break after a party or when the boys play a few times. Or you have an Adirondack cabin themed game room and want the perfect foosball table for the corner?

There are certainly some decent affordable new tables in the $200-400 price range but the the real professional players say they are junk.

They are not necessarily junk.

Are they tournament tables? No, but can you play some decent foosball on them, for sure.

Are they going to last as long as a T3000 Tornado? Probably not.

How can you trust buying a used one and do you have time to spend waiting for one to post in my area? How do you go about it finding one and transporting it? Let alone knowing what you are getting?

All good questions.

Some self-inspection is required to be an educated consumer. That sounds so corny but it’s true! To get the right foosball table requires illumination. The path to the dark side is quick and easy young Skywalker….Sorry, just an old Star Wars junkie…to the point!

Here are the main questions that need to be answered:

Man cave, rec room? Break room at the office? Garage, basement? Family room? Attic? Outside even? What are the living conditions for your table? Is it high humidity? Low? Natural light versus mostly dark? Dusty? Large temperature variations? These are all considerations, after all, you want a comfortable space.

Is it primarily for the kids or the adults? Or is it a starter to see if we really like it and then we’ll get a better one later? Do your kids punish their stuff?

Is it going in the barroom for the big guys or just for the little guys? Are you having the rugby team over for beers? Are you looking to polish your game to try and play in tournaments or competitively?

Will it get pretty heavy use or is it more of a novelty decorator piece? Are the kids going to play it a lot? Do the neighborhood kids hang out at your house? Entertaining every Sunday with an NFL ticket? Or Game Day crowds? Do you only entertain in that room occasionally? Or is your place THE place? Or do you want it to be?

Flooring, walls, lighting? No walls? Sunshine?!! Is it a stamped concrete patio? Family room in a timber frame house with vaulted ceiling? Next to the patio bar but not too close to the pool? Does the table have to be perfect? Flawlessly matching your room? Maybe you are a little flexible here? There are so many different styles and colors to choose from!!

What is your budget? Are you looking to spend light and step up later? Trying to get the best you can to start and stay with it? Are you into spending time and not money on a project? DIY fix up? Not afraid of a project? Assembly required? And how much assembly? Are you able to spend some time searching and waiting for the right table to come online close to you or you under the gun for time? Can you transport a big used one?

If you see the exact style table in your mind that you want, then you probably need to go new. But maybe design your room to the table you get?

There are so many unique tables to choose from, the right one is there for you. There are even places that custom design tables!! If you don’t have the ability to pick a used table up or don’t have the time and /or patience to spend waiting for a good used table to appear then go new. Budget constraints also may force you to go new although you may be able to get a better-used table for decent money. You can get starter tables pretty cheap but they are light and although not disposable, know what you are getting. There can be a lot of assembly required in these tables. There are a lot of pieces and they have to ship the packages as flat as possible. Some new tables come nearly fully assembled as well.  

If you have gone through the criteria and have some flexibility, then a used table may be right for you. Especially if you are looking for a tournament style table to practice on. Want a cool Tornado but don’t mind if it has been played some? Want a coin-op to complete the game room? Multiplayer table for the game room to change the vibe from your pinball tables? Used might be the way to go. Buying a used one may take a little time. It depends on your area and how much activity online there is for sure. Get as many photos as you can. The better heavier tables obviously will last the longest. Look for signs of wear and use. Ask lots of questions of the poster. Be prepared to do some repairs and some cleaning. You never know where a table was or stored.

Final Thoughts

In order to choose whether to buy a new or used foosball table the consumer needs to decide the how’s, why’s and where’s for the table and then choose what will work best for them. There are pros and cons for purchasing new or used and either can be the best foosball table for you!  You can check out some of our recommendations here. But there are tons of tables to look at out there. If you are looking for used start with Craigslist and go from there. Hope this helps. Good luck in your search.