Whether you are looking for ways to kill boredom while at home or introduce the younger ones into the pool game and are short on space for a full-sized pool table, a mini billiard table comes in handy.

However, picking the right mini pool table can be such a hassle for many who have little to no industry exposure.

There are various sizes, shapes, and colors to choose from, depending on your preferences.

In today’s article, we’ll be uncovering some of the best mini billiard tables we found to be of quality while keeping the budget to the minimum.

Without wasting any time, let’s jump straight into this mini pool table review and discover which is the best and why.

Our Top Picks For The Best Mini Billiard Tables

• Mini Tabletop Pool Set by Hey! Play!
• Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden Mini Table Top Pool (Billiards) 
• Mainstreet Classics 20-Inch Tabletop Miniature Billiard/Pool Game Set
• Ideal Rack'Em Tabletop Pool
• Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden 20" Mini Table Top NEON Pool (Billiards)

Best Overall: Mini Tabletop Pool Set by Hey! Play!

The table comes equipped with a triangle rack, stick chalk, two cues, and 16 in 1 pool balls.

The Mini Tabletop Pool Set by Hey Play Is without a doubt the best mini billiard table that not only saves on space but also easy to move around the house in case you need a location change during gameplay with the boys.

The mini tabletop pool provides you with the best experience during gameplay, similar to a full-sized pool table while observing portability.

Coming in at  5.34 pounds of weight, the kids can easily set the tabletop pool set up; hence no need to worry whether they’ll get it right or not. It’s relatively easy to set up.

Additionally, it’s the most budget-friendly mini-sized tabletop pool table with a lot to offer compared to its counterparts.

We can't stress enough how well the manufacturers set up this table to resemble the original one.

What We Liked

• Relatively small and portable making it easy to change locations depending on your liking
• Easy to set up even for complete beginners
• Comes equipped with the most necessary accessories
• Suitable for both adults and children due to its sturdy yet small design
• A realistic design resembling the real full-sized pool table
• Budget-friendly compared to the other mini-sized billiard tables.
  
  

What We Didn’t Like

• We honestly found nothing upsetting about this particular mini pool table.
  
  

Runner-Up: Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden Mini Table Top Pool (Billiards)

In second place is Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden Mini Table Top Pool that is suitable for all ages. Both children and adults can enjoy it.

The table itself is 20 inches in length and can be set up in any place provided you are comfortable during movement.

This mini pool table set also comes with 15 colored balls, one cue ball, one brush, two pool sticks, two cubes of chalk & a racking triangle.

Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden Mini Table Top Pool weighs only 5.44 pounds and is quite steep in the pocket, priced at $34.99 compared with the Mini Tabletop Pool Set by Hey Play, which is priced at $19.99.

But hey! This mini pool table does not fall behind in delivering the best experience in terms of gameplay.

If you are looking for a lightweight yet easy to move mini pool table, then the Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden Mini Table Top Pool is a great choice.

What We Liked

• Quickly moved around due to its portable and lightweight design.
• No assembly required; pull it out and start playing!
• Comes equipped with the most necessary accessories
• Suitable for children above six years together with adults
• Small in design yet realistic in gameplay
  
  

What We Didn’t Like

• The balls are a bit too small.
• Steep pricing as compared to what the table has to offer
• Not suitable for children under the age of three
  
  

Alternative: Mainstreet Classics 20-Inch Tabletop Miniature Billiard/Pool Game Set

Pool enthusiasts looking for a mini pool table set that comes with the actual sized pool table ball have no other choice but to pick this Mainstreet Classics 20-Inch Tabletop Miniature Billiard/Pool Game Set that’s both lightweight and inexpensive.

This 20-inch mini tabletop billiard is suitable for the people in places with no real full-sized pool tables but looking for an almost similar experience while playing around with the balls on the table and weighs 6 pounds.

The tabletop is quite portable, and any lover of the game will appreciate the manufacturer's effort in ensuring the game stays as realistic as possible.

It comes with two billiard cues, a set of billiard balls, a triangle, a table brush, and a pool table chalk.

The Mainstreet Classics 20-Inch Tabletop Miniature Billiard/Pool Game Set is not suitable for kids due to the balls' size but perfect for the adults looking to replicate a real pool's experience table home while saving on space.

What We Liked

• Portable and lightweight in design
• Realistic in design
• Comes with full-sized pool table balls
• Comes equipped with the most necessary accessories
  
  

What We Didn’t Like

• Not suitable for the younger ones due to the sizes of the balls
• The ball bounces from the sides on some occasions.
• Some users complained of the uneven bottom of the tabletop billiard.
  
  

Alternative: Ideal Rack'Em Tabletop Pool

Pool is one of the most played games worldwide as a way of passing time, and therefore, if you’ve got no time visiting the pub for a game or two, then an excellent mini billiard table is ideal for your endeavors.

The Ideal Rack'Em Tabletop Pool is one of the lightest mini pool tables you can find in the market right now, weighing a pound.

This mini pool table comes already assembled hence easy to set up. You pull it out and begin playing!

The Ideal Rack'Em Tabletop Pool comes with 15 balls (approximately an inch in diameter), a racking triangle, an instruction sheet, a brush, and billiard chalk.

Using a system of internal rails to return the balls, the mini pool table is best for tutoring kids and introducing them to the world of pool gaming.

However, children under the age of three are not recommended to be left alone while handling them due to their small size, making it easier to swallow.

The tabletop spots a green surface and is 20 inches long in size.

What We Liked

• Plug and play; get it out of the box and begin playing.
• Realistic pool table design
• Lightweight and easily movable
• Comes equipped with the most necessary accessories
  
  

What We Didn’t Like

• The green fabric is fitted loosely.
• Materials used to seem a bit cheaper and not sleek.
• Tailored towards children mostly and not every age set
  
  

Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden 20" Mini Table Top NEON Pool (Billiards)

At 20 inches long, the Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden 20" Mini Table Top NEON Pool (Billiards) is small yet challenging for kids and adults alike compared to the other mini pool table tops on this list.

The neon blue color theme makes this tabletop unique, with a black finishing at the top, unlike the other mini pool tables that often spot the green color.

The Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden 20" Mini Table Top NEON Pool is the perfect way to introduce kids into pool if you are looking for something that comes with a 20 Inch Black Felted Table, neon accents, 15 Colored Balls, 1 Cue Ball, 1 Brush, 2 Pool Sticks, 2 Cubes of Chalk & a racking triangle.

The tabletop is small enough to store away yet big enough to give you an almost full gaming experience of a full-sized pool table.

It also weighs 5.55 pounds and is recommended to pool enthusiasts of all ages as long as they are above five years of age.

The stylish neon finishing on this mini pool table will pique your kids’ interest in the game and worth the try.

What We Liked

• Lightweight in design
• Stylish and sleek looking design
• Comes equipped with the most necessary accessories
• Easy to set up during gameplay
  
  

What We Didn’t Like

• Poor quality cues
• Pockets are a bit smaller.
  
  

What Should You Look Out for When Purchasing a Mini Pool Table?

Whether you play pool as a way of passing time or as a professional, there are things to look out for when purchasing that mini pool table if you expect to have a tremendous and almost similar experience to the real deal.

Owning the full-sized pool table can be a bit expensive for many, especially if you’ve got limited space to enjoy this fantastic game.

A quality mini billiard table is a worthy investment, and therefore, here are some of the things you should look out for before making that purchase;

Size of the Table

Mini pool tables come in different sizes.

If you’re staying in an area with limited space such that you cannot afford to take in a 40-inch folding pool table, then a tabletop such as the Mini Tabletop Pool Set by Hey Play could be an excellent choice for you.

However, if you want a realistic and almost similar experience of playing on the full-sized pool table, the larger the table, the greater the experience.

It’s a matter of preference, and everyone has theirs.

Small pool tables are ideal if your sole purpose is to save on space and teach the younger one's ways around a pool table while minimizing expenditure.

Price of the Table

Are you willing to spend $19 or stretch yourself to spend an extra $34 on a mini billiard table?

The best answer to this question depends on your financial status and willingness to see value in the table you'll be buying.

We might tell you that according to this best mini billiard review, the Mini Tabletop Pool Set by Hey Play is the best of the best mini pool tabletop at that price.

However, you might be willing to spend $34.95 on Matty's Toy Stop Deluxe Wooden 20" Mini Table Top NEON Pool due to its unique and breathtaking design.

In most cases, the table’s size goes hand in hand with the pool table’s pricing.

Folding tables that are usually larger than the mini pool tables cost around $100 to $500, which is way above the usual cost of a mini table that will cost you somewhere between $19 and $35.

Performance and Style of the Table

Under no circumstance should you expect the mini billiard table to give you the full experience of the full-sized pool table and act as its replacement.

Mini pool tables are mostly used by the kids and, on some occasions, by adults to kill time.

The quality of balls, cues, and banks vary from table to table, and again, everything comes down to someone’s preference.

Whether you’d prefer small balls or larger ones, your options are unlimited.

When looking at what design you’d prefer to enjoy your games on, most of these miniature pool table sets maintain the classic pool table design while others try and add more styling to the finishing to make the table stand out from the rest.

Material Used in Constructing the Table

Most mini pool tables are made from medium-density fibreboard material, while others might try and use metallic finishing to make the tabletop look more stylish and appealing.

Cheaper tables will use cheap materials while the expensive ones will use, you guessed it right, expensive, and quality materials.

But this is not always the case.

While some mini tables will use nets to return the balls, others use a rail system, making it easier for them to be tossed back.

The mini pool table’s durability is important because no one wants to be spending too much time dealing with repairs all the time.

Why not spend time separating durable mini pool tables from the non-durable ones to save yourself all the hassle?

Accessories that Come with the Table

In most cases, mini tables will come with a set of balls, a racking triangle, two pool sticks, chalks, and sometimes, a brush.

Watch out what accessories come with your desired mini tabletop you intend to purchase and whether your budget will be well spent on that particular table without missing anything important required during game time.

Mini billiard tables FAQ

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about mini billiard tables and their most appropriate solutions.

What is the smallest size pool table?

The smallest size pool table is 7ft in length. However, the American one is still larger than the British one.

Pool tables come in different sizes.

Therefore, you need to be aware of your current room dimensions and available free space to ensure that your movements will be seamless without too many obstructions for any of the players.

In most cases, small-sized pool tables are used at home, unlike their larger counterparts that are typically spotted at entertainment joints such as the bar or during tournaments carried out by professional pool players.

How big is a mini pool table?

Mini pool tables come in different sizes ranging from 20 inches to 40 inches in length.

On the flip side, folding mini tables start at 40 inches upwards as they are a bit larger than the standard mini tabletops.

If you live in an apartment with limited space for a full-sized pool table or a folding mini table, a small 20-inch mini pool table would be ideal for you.

You would be utilizing the available space without feeling too much pressure to make more space.

Mini pool tables can be played outside during family gatherings or inside your living space as a way to kill time.

What is the difference between a billiards table and a pool table?

Billiard and pool are the same game, with different technicalities setting them apart.

However, the most significant difference between the two is the table used to play each game.

To put this into perspective, here are a few things that set the two apart;

In simple terms,  pool is a version of billiard played on a table with “Pockets.”

In the U.S, pool is just a common name used to refer to all the cue sports, while in European countries, billiard is the common name used to refer to all the cue sports.

Why are pool tables green?

In the 13th century, billiards was initially played outdoors, similar to croquet on the lawn before being taken indoors during the 14th century.

The game started gaining massive popularity during the 17th century in England and several parts of Europe.

During this time, it was decided that the cloth in use would remain green in color to make it look like the game was still being played on the grass just like before.

Even today, the tradition remains with a few exceptions, such as blue clothing spotted on different professional televised tournaments.

However, it was difficult for viewers to follow the ball while watching via a Tv set when a green table was used.

This was a common problem during the 1970s due to the Tv sets' low picture quality.

Even though today's Tv sets can air great pictures with a green table during pool tournaments, the championships have stuck with the blue table as it symbolizes national championships ever since its inception during the first US open pocket billiard championships.

Maintaining the Felt

The felt is the top cloth on the pool table. Cleaning this part of the table will enhance your game for sure.

Some manufacturers will give you a free brush when purchasing a mini pool table, but some won’t. Using a detergent that’s not harsh on the clothing, scrub gently, remove unwanted particles from the table such as dust.

Some vacuums will do the job; however, you need to be careful not to overdo the process and damage the clothing.

After a thorough cleaning, cover the table to give it some time to dry before on resuming gaming.

Conclusion

To wrap things up, if you are a pool enthusiast and are looking for ways to kill boredom while enjoying your favorite sport but can’t, especially now during a pandemic that limits public gatherings, a mini pool table or billiards might be what you are just looking for.

It’s a sure way to keep yourself busy while enjoying your favorite sport in ways similar to the ones you are traditionally used to.

You will be able to kill some free time and improve your gameplay or get to spend more time with kids while showing them what goes around a pool table without necessarily taking them out to clubs to enjoy the game.

The best mini pool table will only be determined by the purpose of getting the pool table and those that had doubts about a particular mini pool table, I hope that your doubts have now been cleared through this article as you now should make a clear decision on what table to get for yourself.