Air hockey is one of the most enjoyable tabletop games you can ever come across. The game usually comes with all the necessary equipment. However, with time your original accessories like the pucks might get damaged, therefore, requiring you to get new ones.
If the warranty period of your air hockey tabletop has elapsed, you’ll have no choice but to head to the market for a new set. Sometimes, the ones that you already have can’t slide smoothly on the table surface and you need them replaced.
So where exactly can you get the best air hockey pucks? What should you look out for in the pucks? To help you avoid the cheap air hockey pucks that aren’t durable, here is a complete guide on what you need to do. Take your time and read along.
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Things to Look For in Air Hockey Pucks Before Buying
The pucks are spherically shaped air hockey gaming accessories that are hit by a striker to score goals in the opponent’s goal. The pucks are available in different forms and each one that you come across will serve your interests. It is for this reason that you need to pay close attention to whatever you are about to buy.
If you buy a wrong puck, it will either ricochet or not glide on the table’s surface for being too heavy or too light respectively. To help you minimize this kind of frustration, here’s a complete guide on things you need to look at.
- Weight and Size
As you already know, air hockey table games are available in different sizes. While some are big, others are quite small and generally recommended for kids. You can never interchange their pucks and enjoy the game still. For this reason, it is very important to consider both the weight and size of the puck before buying.
It is always advisable to buy a similar puck brand to the original one that the table came with. In case you fail to get the same one, here are some tips you can use. By the way, you need to know the dimensions of your air hockey game table for easier identification of pucks that can be used on it.
That being said, if you have the 4-foot tables and below, then a puck with a diameter of 1 4/5” and a weight not exceeding 9 grams will be so ideal. For 5 to 6 feet tables, pucks weighing up to 30 grams and diameters of 2 ½ inches are the best ones.
On the other hand, tables exceeding 7 feet require pucks that are 42 grams in weight and of 3 1/4 inches in diameter. These are just recommendations but you need to check your table’s manual to be certain with what the manufacturer says about best puck for it.
The biggest mistake you can ever do is buying a puck that is either too light/small or too heavy/big for your air hockey table.
- Material and Construction
An ideal air hockey puck should be made from polycarbonate resin which is usually available in different versions. There should be a plastic tape layer at the puck’s top for easy differentiation of the top from the bottom. Besides, the puck can also be made from Capron material since it has similar characteristics as polycarbonate. However, Capron has low tensile strength.
Nylon can also be used in place of the above two materials due to its flexibility and lightweight nature. The material used goes hand-in-hand with the construction. Even if the best material is used but the construction poorly is done, you won’t enjoy using the puck.
The base of the puck should be flat while the round edge should be slightly elevated from the flat base. The plastic material shouldn’t be a recycled one. A puck made from a virgin material doesn’t bend or bulge as its construction is so solid.
- Quality and Safety
The material from which the air hockey puck has been made from should be free from toxic chemicals. It is usually quite difficult to tell if the puck has a toxic substance but by simply checking on the granularity of the puck by slightly scratching the top surface using your nail.
The top-quality puck’s color shouldn’t peel and be scratch-proof. This should be an indicator that whatever you are about to buy is safe for your usage. USAA certification also means that the puck has met all the requirements for it to be considered a professional-level air hockey table game accessory.
Professional-level pucks are Lexan-red or Lexan-yellow or Dynamic-Green in color. That alone is enough to make you know that the puck is top-quality.
Reviews of the Best Air Hockey Puck Reviews in 2019
Here are the top 7 air hockey pucks for on the market today
Brybelly One dozen Large 3 1/4 inch Red Air Hockey Pucks
The 3.25-inch diameter puck from Berybelly is a good replacement for your damaged or lost original one. The pucks are sold in a set of 12 at a relatively affordable price. They are in fact more than enough for your gaming; meaning you’ll store the rest for your usage at later dates.
The pucks are red in color and made from high-quality and virgin plastic. Each has a weight of 11.7 ounces plus dimensions of 6.5 by 3.25 by 1.8 inches. They are recommended for professional full-sized air hockey table games.
They aren’t noisy and can be used even from the comfort of your home, precisely the game room. A great pick this is for any air hockey game enthusiast. The only issue is that they sometimes have chips.
Pros
- Made from good quality plastic
- Pretty in appearance
- Inexpensive
- Glide nicely
- Meant for full-size tables
- Heavy enough
Cons
- Have chips
Super Z Outlet Home Air Hockey Red Replacement 2.5″ Pucks (4 Pack )
The Super Z Outlet air hockey pucks are bright, durable and replaceable. These well-constructed pucks are what you need to keep your kids away from video games while they are home. The brightness in their colors makes them easy to be seen against tables of other colors.
Their diameters are 2.5 inches and are, therefore, perfect for arcade style tables. Additionally, they can be used in bars that have billiards. These relatively cheap pucks are available in sets of 4. They are usually accompanied with accessories such as air hockey strikers/handles, popularly known as pushers.
Due to its small diameter size, the pucks are perfect for use on mini air hockey tabletops. Each puck weighs about 13 grams which is neither too light nor too heavy to be used. The pucks can be used by kids who are more than 4 years old. Adults too can use them by the way.
Each puck measures 4.5 by 3.1 by 0.9 inches. These pucks are also red in color like their predecessors above. However, most customers have always complained that these pucks are not very ideal for adults.
Pros
- Heavier than flimsy models
- Well-priced
- Very smooth with great sliding capability
- Versatile
- Very bright and visible
- Durable
Cons
- Not perfect for adults
Dynamo Air Hockey Pucks Set – Includes 2 Airhockey Pucks
For a long time now, Dynamo has been a leading manufacturer of air hockey pucks. The green 2.5-inch puck that we are about to talk about now is another great product under their name. This recreational puck has been built to precision.
The products, which are usually sold in pairs, are made from high-density virgin plastic to make them heavier, but just to the recommended levels. You should, therefore, first ensure that your table has a powerful blower that is capable of lifting the puck up.
The pucks are available in different diameter sizes, beginning 2.5 inches to 3.25 inches, so you can choose a size the fits so well with your tabletop game. If you come across the fluorescent green pucks, know that you’ll get high speed but a cost; they are louder. The white ones, on the other hand, are slower but quieter.
Pros
- Well-built and stable
- Perfect weight
- Nice appearance
- Made from high-quality material
- Great velocity
Cons
- A bit pricey
Qtimal Home Standard Air Hockey Pucks
Here is an unbeatable deal of a lifetime from Qtimal. The pucks that come with this purchase are of two sizes. There are 4 pucks each weighing 7 grams with diameters of 2.5 inches as well as 2 big pucks of 2.95 inches in diameter and a weight of 20 grams each. This gives you more than sufficient options to choose from. The small ones are for kids while the bigger ones are meant for adults.
The package also comes with paddles of 3.78 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches in height. These are actually recommended standard sizes for most air hockey games. The pucks are made from high-quality ABS which makes them hard but not brittle at the same time.
The pucks’ bottom areas are very thick and they won’t easily tear up. The gliding action of the puck is also great which ends up protecting your table’s top surface as well. The accompanying paddles are ergonomically designed for comfortable gaming action. The red pucks and pushers also come with a drawstring back for proper storage.
Pros
- Available in two sizes
- Inexpensive
- Well-built
- Comes with other accessories
- Smooth gliding
Cons
- The plastic material isn’t durable
Jollylife 2.85-Inch Air Hockey Pucks
Jollylife pucks are made from high-impact plastic that make them resistant to tear and hence durable. The pucks are available in sets of four with each one’s diameter being 2.85 inches. Also accompanying these pucks are 2 air hockey pushers that are black in color, though the felts on their bottoms are dark green. The pushers have dimensions of 3.7 inches by 2.4 inches in width and height.
The pushers together with the pucks are designed for home use. Being that the products’ packaging isn’t fancy in any way, its overall price is relatively low. Who really doesn’t want to save money, especially on less important things like packaging?
The pucks are red in color making them really visible during gaming. This is another high-quality option which you can try out as well. However, most users complain that this brand of air hockey puck is too light for professional sized table games.
Pros
- Lightweight and perfect for small tables
- Inexpensive
- Well-packaged though not fancy
- Quick delivery
- Comes with pushers
Cons
- Too light for professional-sized table games
Super Z Outlet 2.5-Inch Air Hockey Pucks and Paddles
This package comes as a set of 4 pucks and 2 sliders. They are certainly what any air hockey player would look for in case the original ones are lost. These pucks are known for their durability as a result of the sturdy red and original plastic from which they are made.
The felts at the striker’s bottoms offer easy and fast gliding technique which results in protection of the table game’s playing surface. The pucks are lightweight, each weighing 13 grams, with diameters of 2.5 inches. They are also 0.25 inches tall.
The paddles that accompany the pucks measure 3.75 inches by 2.5 inches in diameter and height respectively. The pucks and paddles are red in color. Additionally, they are ergonomically designed for comfort during gaming.
Pros
- Solid
- Pretty
- Smooth Sliding
- Easy to control
- Well-priced
Cons
- Too light and often fly off the table
Jollylife 2.85-Inch Set of 2 Red Air Hockey Pushers and 4 Red Pucks
Here is another great option from Jolly life. They are available in fours with diameters of 2.85 inches. They are great for home table games but can as well be used in bars with billiards. These pucks are accompanied with 2 red pushers that have green felts on the bottom. The pushers are 3.7 inches wide and 2.4 inches high.
Made from high impact plastics, these pucks surely last longer. They are inexpensive, which is brought about as a result of the less fancy packaging of the accessories. The other good thing about this product is that it comes with pushers to make your work quite easier. It has also been made using high impact plastic which makes it quite strong and durable.
The only thing that may make you sad regarding this product is how light it is to the point that it can easily fly off on most of those standard sized tables.
Pros
- Cheap
- Made from high impact plastics
- Bright color which is visible
- Comes with pushers
- Lightweight
Cons
- Too light and do fly off on standard-sized tables
Conclusion
As you already know, getting a new set of pucks that are similar to your original ones isn’t very easy. You really need to pay a lot of attention to issues like weight, size, material, quality and construction among others so as to get what befits your table game.
That being said, what is the best air hockey puck currently in the market? None of the above-reviewed products beats Brybelly 3.25-Inch Air Hockey Pucks. They are affordable and meant for standard-sized table games. They come in a dozen meaning they’ll serve you for a long time.
The remaining six products are also great in their own ways. You can consider any one of them that catches your attention. Have you enjoyed reading this great piece? Do you have any question still about this topic? Talk to us.
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