# Anyone know anything about Foosball tables? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 19, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101 "2014-11-19T20:27:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101/1 "2014-11-19T20:27:27Z")
I want to purchase one as a gift for a family with three kids, all under 10. The prices are all over the place, from $200.00 to well over $1,000.00. I’m looking to spend about $400.00. My concern is whether $400.00 buys enough quality. If it does not, I’ll bag the idea. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101/2 "2014-11-19T20:47:49Z")
I have a 399 table I bought at Sam’s about 12 years ago. It is still very nice. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101/3 "2014-11-19T20:48:50Z")
I friend of mine bought one recently - he got one of the more expensive tables, but got it used, and expects to be able to sell it someday for about what he paid. I think he paid $600 or $700 and it’s very high quality, seems to be commercial-grade. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101/4 "2014-11-19T21:08:50Z")
As long as you get a [Toranado](http://www.foosballsoccer.com/tornado-tables.html), you will be happy. You should be able to find a used one for less than $500. A used Tornado is 10 times better(\*) than a new cheap-o-la table. - ETA: Somewhere between 10 and 100 times, actually. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101/5 "2014-11-20T01:01:08Z")
**Moderator Action** Moving thread from General Questions to the Game room. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101/6 "2014-11-20T13:20:16Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > As long as you get a [Toranado](http://www.foosballsoccer.com/tornado-tables.html), you will be happy. You should be able to find a used one for less than $500. A used Tornado is 10 times better(\*) than a new cheap-o-la table. > > - ETA: Somewhere between 10 and 100 times, actually. I was going to post this, too. Had a side gig for a while servicing coin-ops of all sorts (amazing the contacts one can make when your mom worked for an arcade). Toranados are sturdy and well-built (as any game meant for a street location should be), needed little maintenance, parts were easily available when rarely needed, plentiful-enough on the used market to make older models pretty affordable. I’d take any used coin-op foosball over a new-in-box home unit. Home versions just aren’t sturdy, parts are rarely available, etc. It’s like the difference between home/commercial air hockey and pinball machines if you’re familiar with the differences there. Big issues with buying a used coin-op are shipping weight and costs. The things are beasts, and they’ll be difficult to relocate if you move in the future. But IMO it’s worth it. Now if only I could find a reasonable used coin-op bubble hockey machine. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101/7 "2014-11-20T15:53:21Z")
As has been mentioned, go with a Tornado. I love foosball. I hate anything that isn’t a Tornado. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-anything-about-foosball-tables/705101/9 "2016-05-19T03:04:33Z")
> [@Mellisandra](#): > > I’d go with a [warrior table](http://www.mancavemaster.net/reviews/warrior-professional-foosball-table/) as a family foosball, hands-down. They are sturdy and since you are looking for a kids-save table, they usually come with rod guards that minimize the risk of your kids getting hit in the face when they come too close to the table to watch the game. Do they make a zombie version of that?