We've always liked table tennis, in the vague way you like something you rarely get to do. Then a few years ago we went away as a family to one of those expensive, smartly marketed hotels aimed squarely at families. It didn't quite deliver. The pool was a bit rubbish, the service was insanely slow, and the whole thing felt like a lot of money for not much.
The one part that actually worked was the play barn, tucked away with a couple of ping pong tables in it. Our youngest had to stand on a box to reach over the table, but we all had a proper go, and came home talking about the ping pong more than anything else from the trip. When we had a bit of spare money not long after, we bought one for the garden.
Why an outdoor table, not just any table
We went for a Cornilleau 200X Sport, built specifically to live outside, with a weatherproofed top, a folding frame for storage, and wheels so it can actually be moved rather than just dragged. It arrived with one foot missing from the box, which wasn't a great start, but Cornilleau sent a replacement quickly and it's not something we've thought about since.
The wheels and folding frame, three years in, no rust or seizing
What it's actually been like, three years in
It goes through phases. Some months it barely gets touched, other times it comes out most evenings, especially after dinner or whenever friends are round. Nobody plays by proper rules, we're not a massively competitive family, and instead just do a round robin: first to five points wins, the loser sits out, and the next person steps up. It's quick enough that everyone stays involved rather than standing around waiting.
It's easy enough for one person to fold down and move around on their own, which matters more than it sounds when you're the one putting it away at the end of the evening.
It still goes into the garage for winter regardless, and despite everything it's held up well: no rust, no fading, no warping, and the wheels still run smoothly. It started out at the front of the house, behind a tall fence that gave it a sheltered spot, but we moved it into the back garden this summer and it's had noticeably more use since.
The one thing worth knowing before buying
We agonise for months over buying something like this, then aren't always brilliant at looking after it once it's here. That's true of more than just the table, if we're honest. It's been rained on plenty over the years because the cover doesn't go on nearly as often as it ought to.
Was it worth it?
Yes, without hesitation. The table itself was £499.99, plus £34.99 for a cover, so just under £560 including delivery. For three years of after-dinner games, friends dropping in, and a genuinely happy holiday memory turned into a permanent fixture, that's held up as good value.
The next chapter
This is the one piece we're not simply moving with us. The new garden is smaller and sits on a slope, not ideal for ping pong. We're hoping to do some work to carve out a spot for it eventually, but in the meantime some good friends with more storage and a bigger garden are going to look after it for us and see how they get on with having a table of their own.
Still worth keeping?
- Durability
- Excellent. Three years outside, rained on more than it should have been, still no rust, fading, or warping, and the wheels run fine.
- Design
- No-nonsense outdoor build. Folds flat, wheels away, does its job without fuss.
- Would we buy it again?
- Yes, no hesitation.
- Best for
- A bit of everything, from proper family games to casual after-dinner rounds with friends.
