A poker table is one common objection that people have when asked why they’re not playing the game. Many people have the notion that you should play poker on an elegant, professional-looking table, covered with casino-grade felt. It may be accurate, but many options allow you to play poker without spending as much as casinos do, such as a poker table top.
The best poker table top for all occasions is the Giantex Octagon Table Top. It fits almost any table that you can think of, and it doesn’t cost a fortune. You can also try PEXMOR Mat Layout, Giantex Non-Slip Table Top, GAMELAND Mat Layout, or Smartxchoices Poker Bundle to upgrade your poker games.
All of these table tops have their pros and cons, but we’ll discuss all of them in great detail to help you find what’s perfect for you. We’ll also provide you with a cheat sheet that you can use when choosing between these table tops. Stick around to learn more about all of these and be sure that you’re ready to impress your friends on your next poker game!
In a hurry? Check the Amazon list:
Image | Title | Check Price |
---|---|---|
Top | PEXMOR 71'' x 36'' Professional Poker Mat, 8 Player Portable Rubber Poker Table Top Layout w/Carrying Bag to Play Cards, Poker Games, Blackjack, Casino | Check on Amazon |
Top Top | Giantex 48" Folding Poker Table Top Green Octagon 8 Player Four Fold Folding Poker Table Top & Carrying Case (Dark Green) | Check on Amazon |
Top | Giantex 8 Player Poker Table Top, 80''x36'' Folding Poker Table Top w/Storage Bag, Chip Tray and Tea Coaster, Idea for Home and Outdoor with Friends (Green) | Check on Amazon |
Top | GAMELAND 70" x 35" Portable Oval Sure Stick Rubber Foam Poker Table Top Layout Poker Mat (Black) | Check on Amazon |
Top | Smartxchoices 48" Poker Table Top + 500 Poker Chip Set Bundle Folding 8 Player Table Topper with Cup Holders Dice Style Casino Poker Chips w/Aluminum Case for Texas Holdem Blackjack Gambling | Check on Amazon |
Do you have space left in your house or apartment and want something more premium than just a table top? Then these best tables for home poker games for every budget are a great option.
How to Choose the Best Table Top
Before anything else, here’s a disclaimer: you don’t need a poker table top just to play poker. It can add pizzazz to your games, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you need one.
Poker table tops have become a popular alternative for many poker enthusiasts because it offers a cheap solution to having a surface where you can play poker. You don’t have to build a table, but you’ll still have everything that you need when playing with your friends.
A table top is an accessory that you can put on top of any table instead of using a real poker table. Most are foldable, while others come in the form of a table mat that you can roll up for quick storage. The shapes, sizes, and prices also vary, making it difficult for anyone to pick the best poker table top for them.
So before we start talking about the options that you can choose from, let’s talk about the factors that you need to consider when looking for one.
Frequency of Playing Poker
The choice between having a dedicated, professional poker table and a table top depends on the frequency of your games. If you’re playing with friends once a week, a table top is a perfect solution for you. You don’t have to invest a lot of money to have a surface where you can play, and it’s easier for you to store when not in use.
However, if you have regular poker nights with friends, having a professional poker table might be a better option. It will provide you with an elegant space to play with friends, and it replicates the experience that you’ll get when playing in a cardroom.
Number of Regular Players
Table tops come in different sizes and can accommodate a varying number of players. You can get one with enough space for four players, while the biggest that you can get can accommodate up to 10! It would be best if you set a max number of players that you want on a table to make the task easier for you.
Even if you’re not sure with the number of players, make a “guesstimate.” It’s easy to think that you can just go ahead and buy the most massive table top, but it can significantly affect the price. So before you start looking for a table top, be sure that you know how many players will use it.
Quality You Want for the Poker Table
Table tops will allow you to turn any table into a poker space instantly. However, it’s not always the perfect solution for everyone. If you’re looking for a surface that can replicate the look and feel that you’d get from a casino, you won’t find a table top that can provide the same quality.
Even the best table top you can use for your poker games will only use a suited poker cloth. It has the same feel as what cardrooms use for their tables, but it’s not good enough to be considered a casino-grade poker table.
Your Budget for the Table Top
The last, and probably the most significant factor that you have to consider is your budget for the poker table. A $200 table top can never compete with the look and feel that a $3,000 poker table can deliver. If you’re only using the table for casual poker games, then having a professional table might not be the most practical option.
The budget that you have allotted for the table top has so much impact that it’ll affect the other three factors.
To give you an idea, the most common price range for poker table tops is between $50 and $150. If you’re going to build a professional poker table, that amount is only enough to buy a high quality felt for the table.
If instead, you would like to build your own poker table, then we have a list of best poker felts for any price range.
Professional Poker Table vs. Table Top
Besides your budget, the other factors that will tell you whether you need a real poker table are your personal preference and space available.
If you have limited space for playing poker, then a table top is a better option for you. Professional tables are solid furniture that needs dedicated space and constant maintenance. If you don’t have a dedicated room for playing poker, you should use a table top instead.
If you prefer something better, and something that can replicate the look and feel you’ll get from casinos, you need to hire someone who can build a poker table for you. Once you have it, you can refer to the best felt options for a poker table to find the finishing options you can use.
Assuming that you’re like most poker players who only play with friends on weekends, a table top will serve you well. It doesn’t take a lot of space, it’s easy to use, and you don’t have to spend a fortune just to have a decent surface where you can play.
Top Pick: Giantex Octagon Folding Table Top
When we review products, we pick the best in a category that we think most people want to have. In this case, we chose a poker table top that can accommodate a sensible number of players, without veering into the “hefty price tag section” and without compromising the build quality and functionality.
Giantex Octagon Folding Table Top is our top pick because it can accommodate up to 8 players, which is enough for most poker games. It has eight separate cup holders and chip trays to keep all the players cozy. However, the biggest reason it’s on the top of our list is that the materials will add pizzazz to your poker games!
Why Would It Be Great for You?
It does an excellent job of checking all the boxes in terms of the features that most people want for a poker table top: portability, look and feel, space for everyone, durability, functionality, and, most of all, affordability!
It measures 48 inches (122 cm) across, but even if you put it on top of a smaller table, it has a stable underside that can support the chips. Giantex used a padded table felt, adding more protection for the table and making it more durable for long-term use. It’ll be quite challenging to find another poker table top with everything you might need for a game with friends.
Pros of Giantex Octagon Folding Table Top
- Each spot has a cup holder and chip tray to make enough room for cards.
- Perfect for all occasions with its carry bag and foldable design.
- Soft surface for elegant look and feel with thick table board for stability.
- Large enough to accommodate up to 8 players.
If this is your first time buying a poker table top, you can never go wrong with Giantex Octagon Folding Table Top. It has everything that you need and is a perfect addition to poker games, anytime, anywhere!
Budget-Friendly Pick: PEXMOR Mat Table Top Layout
If you already have a table that you can use for poker and don’t really want the fancy cup holders and chip trays, PEXMOR Mat Table Top Layout is our recommended option. It’s a poker mat that you can put on top of a long table, creating a surface where you can play poker. The best thing about it is the smart compromises that PEXMOR made to provide you with an affordable option for poker games.
Why Would It Be Great for You?
If you’re one of the people who believe you can play decent poker games even without the flashy features, PEXMOR Mat Table Top Layout is an excellent option! It only has a non-slip underside, and poker felt layout with a division for each player on the surface. It’s the bare essentials that you need for a poker game, and, in return, you pay four times less the price of other poker table tops!
Pros of PEXMOR Mat Table Top Layout
- It only has the bare essentials on what you need for a decent poker game.
- Four times cheaper than other poker table tops in the market.
- Non-slip underside with a soft surface for cards to slide.
- Large enough to accommodate up to 8 players.
Poker doesn’t have to be fancy, but it has some essentials that you need, and that’s what PEXMOR Mat Table Top Layout delivers. If you’re looking for something that’ll provide you with a surface you can use for poker, then this is the one that you should have!
Budget & Space-Friendly: Smartxchoices Table Top
One problem when playing poker is space—that’s why you’re looking for a table top, right? Smartxchoices Table Top delivers more than that because it creates a surface for poker without taking up too much space, and, at the same time, gives you the fancy features you want without the hefty price tag. In fact, it costs at least half the price of what you’d typically spend on a poker table top!
Why Would It Be Great for You?
You might have noticed that it looks the same as Giantex Octagon Folding Table Top at half the price, but it’s not really a bargain. The materials are different, and you’ll see the difference when you put them side by side. However, it doesn’t make the Smartxchoices Table Top the lesser of the two because it helps you save money and still get the same layout!
It measures 48 inches (122 cm) with the same cup holders and chip trays. It can also accommodate up to 8 players, and provide all of them with the same surface that you’d get from more expensive table tops. The underside is where the difference lies because it’s a bit flimsy. However, if you have a table that can support its size, it’s probably the best that you can use for your poker games!
Pros of Smartxchoices Table Top
- Perfect if you have the table that can support its size.
- Perfect for all occasions with its carry bag and foldable design.
- An elegant surface that allows cards to slide with ease.
- Large enough to accommodate up to 8 players.
If you already have a round table that can serve as additional support for this table top, nothing can beat the Smartxchoices Table Top in terms of the functionality, elegance, and durability in its price range. If you’re on a tight budget, then it’s something that you might want to consider!
Best for 8 Players: Giantex Non-Slip Table Top
Octagon table tops are the norm for poker table alternatives, but there’s one huge drawback to it—the space it has for each player may be too small. If you’re looking for something a bit more comfortable, Giantex Non-Slip Table Top is a perfect choice for you. It can accommodate up to 8 players, but each of them gets more space to move around.
It measures 80 x 36 inches (2.03 x 0.91 meters), which is enough for every player to sit next to each other without getting too crowded. It also has cup holders and chip trays, similar to its smaller brother. The materials used for it are the same as the octagon table top, except for the lack of the underside support. So you need to have a table of the same size to support its padded felt.
Why Would It Be Great for You?
It’s a perfect table top for any occasion because you can put it on top of any flat surface to start playing. When push comes to shove, you can just put it on the floor, and it’ll still serve as an excellent surface for you to play.
Another reason why it’s the perfect table top for many people is its price. For a price similar to other table tops, you’re getting an adequate playing space comparable to professional poker tables. If you already have an ordinary table that you can use for your games, it’s the cheapest option that you have to recreate the experience that you’d get from a cardroom.
Pros of Giantex Non-Slip Table Top
- Non-slip underside to keep your table top in place.
- Thicker and softer than poker mats, but more portable than most table tops.
- Comfortably accommodate up to 8 players.
- Free carry bag to bring it anywhere and on any occasion.
Octagon-shaped table tops are great—they can create a surface where eight people can play without requiring a lot of space. However, if you’re looking for something that can make the players feel more comfortable, Giantex Non-Slip Table Top is the perfect table top you can use for any occasion.
Best for 10 Players: PEXMOR Large Oval Table Top
If you’re looking for a table top that can accommodate more than eight players, you should consider PEXMOR Large Oval Table Top. It has the same playing area as Giantex Non-Slip Table Top, but it has a cup holder for ten players! It has enough space for so many people that if you have more players than it can accommodate, you’ll have no choice but to start a tournament!
It measures 79 x 36 inches (2 x 0.91 meters), which is only 12-inch shorter than a normal-sized poker table! That’s the closest that you can get to professional poker games at home at a price that’s cheaper than most table tops! It even comes with an outer “racetrack” railing that adds more depth to your games.
Why Would It Be Great for You?
If you’re on a tight budget, you’re getting more than eight players regularly, and you have a table that you can use to support its size, PEXMOR Large Oval Table Top is an excellent option for you. It doesn’t require a lot of space in your room, and you can bring it anywhere. You can even use it on any surface with its padded felt.
It doesn’t have a thick underside that can support the surface, so you’ll need to put it on top of something that can accommodate its size. If you already have a piece of furniture that you can use, this table top is the closest thing you can have to professional poker games without spending a fortune.
Pros of PEXMOR Large Oval Table Top
- Soft surface that allows cards to slide across with ease.
- Cup trays to keep all of your players comfortable.
- Large enough to accommodate ten players.
- Closest representation of an actual poker table.
If you’re getting more than eight players regularly, it’s probably time to consider having an actual poker table. However, if you think it’s a bit overkill for casual games, you can still have one without breaking the bank. Check out PEXMOR Large Oval Table Top and see what it can do to take your poker games to a whole new level.
Multi-Occasion Pick: GAMELAND Oval Poker Mat Layout
Flexibility is something that makes table tops less appealing for many people. Most of the options in the market have a predetermined number of players who can join the game. GAMELAND Oval Poker Mat Layout did something that no other poker table top did: provide players with so much flexibility that they don’t have to worry about their players.
If you only have four players and use a table for 8, that would seem quite awkward, right? This poker mat gets rid of any division, marker, or trays that tells each player where they should sit.
Players can sit anywhere, and you can have as many players as you want. Of course, GAMELAND Oval Poker Mat is not as fancy as other table tops, but it’s the one that provides the most flexibility.
Why Would It Be Great for You?
GAMELAND Oval Poker Mat doesn’t have a solid, stable underside; it only uses a non-slip rubber to keep it in place while on the table. So it’s a great option if you already have a table with enough space for 70.9 x 35.5 inches (1.8 x 0.9 meters). Once you have that, you’re all set! You don’t have to worry about the number of players that you’re getting, and you can distribute the space equally for each player.
If you’re uncertain about the number of players participating and want to have something that you can bring on any occasion, this poker mat is an excellent choice! It’s not trying to be too many things at the same time. Instead, it only focuses on one: to provide you with a space that you can use to play poker and replicate the look and feel you’d get from a cardroom.
Pros of GAMELAND Oval Poker Mat
- Non-slip rubber underside to keep it in place when on the table.
- Carry bag that adds to its portability.
- Versatility to accommodate any number of players.
- Affordable but durable enough to last for years.
GAMELAND Oval Poker Mat isn’t the perfect choice for everyone, but it’s excellent for enthusiasts looking for something that can provide them with better flexibility. If you already have everything in place for poker nights, but you’re not sure with the number of players you’re getting, this poker mat is something that you should check out!
Best 500-Chip Bundle: Smartxchoices Poker Bundle
Poker table and chips—these are two things that complete the poker experience for anyone. The Smartxchoices Poker Bundle makes the buying process easy for you by combining Smartxchoices’ most popular table top and a 500-chip set! This bundle gives you everything that you need for an 8-player poker game without going through the complexities of looking for them.
The table top is a 48-inch (122 cm) octagon-shaped surface with a thick board for better stability and a non-slip underside rubber grip to keep it in place. It also has plastic cup holders and chip trays to keep everyone at the table comfortable. The poker chip set provides you with everything that you need to play: two decks of cards, five dice, buttons for blinds and the dealer, and 500 unmarked chips!
Why Would It Be Great for You?
If you have yet to invest anything for your poker games, you can save a lot with this bundle deal. It effectively cuts the time you need to look for poker accessories in half. It’s also an excellent option if you’re planning to have regular poker nights with friends, and you have less than eight regular players.
The quality of the poker table top and the chip set isn’t the best. There are better brands that you can choose from, especially if you’re going to look for them separately. However, we picked the Smartxchoices Poker Bundle over other options because it has the perfect balance for everything that we’re looking for—it’s not too expensive and not too cheap that you’ll get flimsy, low-quality materials.
Pros of Smartxchoices Poker Bundle
- Complete poker set for first-time buyers.
- Mid-range quality at an affordable price.
- Table top and chips can accommodate up to 8 players.
- High portability with its carry bag and aluminum case.
Decent poker accessories aren’t easy to find, and most of them aren’t cheap, especially if you’re purchasing these accessories separately.
We’re not suggesting that you should buy a bundle instead, but if you’re looking for the fastest way to get your poker nights rolling, then the Smartxchoices Poker Bundle is your best option.
Conclusion
Taking your poker games to the next level doesn’t mean that you need an actual poker table. Purchasing or building one isn’t ideal for those who are only playing casually because of its price and the space required for it. That’s why poker table tops became a popular option for many enthusiasts.
However, picking the best poker table top for your games isn’t easy. You need to consider the number of regular players you’re getting, the space available for your games, and the look and feel that you want the players to get. After going through these factors, the process will be much easier for you because our list will provide you with the best that you can buy!