After going through endless reviews to find the right table for my basement, I'm convinced that this was a great choice.Air hockey was the big draw, but I also wanted a casual pool table that would be decent quality and not just a throw-away extra.Both have satisfied my expectations and we've had a lot of fun after only having this table for a month.The details are below for those who want them.
Build quality actually seems pretty good for the price.All of the main pieces are thick particle board with a black veneer.Everything was pre-drilled and most (though not all) of the holes lined up perfectly.The instructions were also very good.Like a previous reviewer stated, most of the connectors are bolts, but I was able to find a socket that would fit the nuts from my socket-wrench set (I forget the size, but it was metric rather than English).I did need to use an extender to get to many connections.That being said, the included wrench actually worked pretty well by itself, so well that my 6 year-old daughter was able to tighten many of the nuts without aid.When the table turns, it turns very easily with corner locks that clamp strongly.My only complaint is that there is a lot of friction when locking the table in place.I've already scraped some of the veneer off of one of the corner locks with only a few turns of the table.
The air hockey plays really well.Air flow is pretty strong, and the puck hovers nicely over the table, moving really fast when hit.We've had some problems with puck stability (especially when I hit it), so beware of placing any fragile objects in the vicinity.I was surprised that the table came with four mallets and four pucks, so four people can play at a time.Also, in contrast to the Amazon description, the table does not have electronic scoring.That was actually something that I was look for, but to tell the truth, the sliding score keepers on each side of the table are pretty good and provide an opportunity for some good smack-talking and score flaunting.To play the table, you will likely need an extension cord to get it working, but only a cheap two pronged one.
The pool table is just OK.There is a lot of friction on the felt, so the balls don't tend to drift too far, usually only getting one wall bounce off a good break.The pockets are just wood cavities in the table, so I do wonder if they will eventually cause the air hockey table underneath to warp in spots, but I doubt that there will be enough force to really cause a problem.I didn't have any drift or pocket sink problems that another reviewer has noted.The table comes with everything you need, including two playable cues, a good set of balls, triangle rack, and two chalks.I would have liked to have a cue rack mounted on the table, though.
Now, for the hard details.This thing is really, I mean really, heavy.That caused problems from delivery through build for us.First, when delivered by ABF (from Amazon), it was just delivered by one guy with a hand truck.Do not expect it to get anywhere near where you want it.Mine was delivered to my driveway on a crate with a knowing grin from the guy that I was up a creek.There is no way to reasonably lift the box, no matter how many people you have, if you want to get it through any normal door or down a stairway.When I opened the box, everything was packed fairly well, and we were able to move most of the pieces down to the basement without too much problem.The air hockey table was fairly easy to move with two people, but the pool table was a whole other story.Two very strong people probably could have lifted it, but I mean football strong.I was fortunate to have four people around who were willing to lift and move the table on level ground and up a few steps, but we slid it down the basement stairs rather than hold it.
After building it, you then have to turn the thing over.I would have loved some guidance in how to do that without breaking the legs.I kind of feel like we were lucky to get it turned over without any problems, but maybe the legs are really strong enough.I did put some pillows under them to try and distribute the weight a bit.
Once upright, the table moves pretty easily with two people.
The 2-in-one table is a blast for the kids and us adults. :)I had to deal with the seller on this purchase and they were a joy to work with. What can I say? It arrives ready to put together, comes together with ease, and is the center piece of my basement; everyone who sees it wants one.
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Overall, this is a nice table.The air hockey works well.The pool table is nice enough for a combination flip table. A note regarding the Amazon product description this table does NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC HOCKEY SCORING.Amazon says it does.Assembly was easy but tedious.While the parts lined up nicely and are accurately predrilled, you can't use a socket wrench (or any wrench) on the bolts since the chinese bolt heads do not conform to any particular socket/wrench size, metric or SAE.I resorted to adjustable wrench and vise grips as necessary.
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Depending on your needs this could be an OK item to purchase, and I'll try to explain in more detail below.I got a good deal on it through another website so I feel like I got a very good price.The item arrived via freight and the truck driver took it via pallet jack into my garage.From there, I brought it down to my basement piece by piece, since the box weighs somewhere in the vicinity of 350 lbs.The hockey table and pool table are separate pieces.My wife and I were able to carry the hockey piece down but I needed another strong friend to help with the pool table piece, as it must weight close to 200 lbs.Once I got everything down, the overall assembly took me about 4-5 hours mostly by myself.The design is pretty good and the particle board is pretty strong.However, some of the veneer started peeling off immediately like it wasn't glued correctly in the first place.I expect more to come off over time.The holes matched up pretty well for drilling of screws and bolts but the lines of the table don't look perfect when it's all put together.Probably just something I'll notice and no one else.The table is very sturdy and rotating between air hockey and pool is very easy and smooth.
HOCKEY TABLE One of the first things I noticed was the hockey table seems to bow down in the middle a little, but it doesn't affect play.One part of the end rail on one side is pretty dead, but again it doesn't affect play very much.Also, one of the goal openings has a lip which prevents the puck from going in at times.That is very irritating and I'll have to sand it down.Otherwise, the puck moves well and the length of the table is good.I would say the air hockey, despites some issues, is pretty good.Just wish it was about 4" wider for pool.
POOL TABLE Here's where the real disappointment lies.If you are looking to play a meaningful game of pool forget it.The length is ok but it needs several more inches of width.The rails are very dead, you get one bounce off and that's about it.Worst of all, mine has drift toward the pockets on each side (not a leveling issue).Therefore, if you strike the cue ball at lower speeds it will veer off a little, especially when it's within 10 inches of the rails.For kids who haven't played much pool it's probably fine.
Overall it depends on your expectations.If you're looking for something to keep the kids occupied for under $800 it's probably worth it, since you'd have to pay $1500 for a good pool table.If I had it to do over again, I would spend $500 on a good air hockey table and get a ping pong top.I suppose whenever you buy a combo table you sacrifice quality for flexibility.So far, my kids have enjoyed it.
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Renting rooms in my house the last six months has helped me tell what amenities make the most difference in keeping my roommates (i.e. my customers) happy. This table, with the right accessories, has been huge. When I moved I talked to a salesman at a pool hall that deals in Olhausen tables and he said people have trouble getting rid of cheap tables like these. How cheap is it? I saw an air hockey table at a thrift store, nothing special, for $500 and they don't deliver. Speaking of which, this thing weights about 450lbs in the (single) box they deliver it in! And while most shippers will put an item like this in your garage if your driveway is short and level, they have the right per their shipping contract to literally leave it at the base of your driveway and, well, drive away. It's so annoying when people give negative reviews based on the 'facts of life' with freight shipping.
After four months or so of fairly extensive use it looks like some of the black vinyl/plastic covering over the particle board will have to be glued down eventually. The table comes with levelers and even though mine is in a garage that slopes toward the street slightly with some small squares of plywood and a carpenters level it's now exactly level, which is a big deal for billiards. You'll want to replace the billiard cues, or at least have some better ones available for serious games, and also triangle pucks are a lot of fun to play with. Maybe a nine-ball rack, a set of swirl balls, and Aramith makes a fluorescent tubing/balls set for billiards where I had enough tubing left over to accent the rails on the air hockey side.
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Hours of fun!This toy is very durable and has survived many hours of rough action and prentend play.
