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You must have been on the lookout for buying air hockey pucks for a while, right? Or maybe you just started with your hunt for one. Don’t worry; we have all been there at some point, haven’t we? Well, either way, your search is over now. Luckily you’ve stumbled upon the right article. This extensive guide will tell you all you need to know about air hockey pucks and help you choose the best air hockey pucks suitable for you based on your air hockey table size and your game-stance. There are some things you need to get the know-how of before you can decide about buying the right one. So, let’s jump right into it.
Table of Contents
What is Air Hockey Pucks?
Air Hockey pucks are small round disks made of Lexan polycarbonate resin, which is a thermoplastic. The Pucks are manufactured using this material because of its toughness and resistance to scratches. A lot of thought is put into the pucks’ design and architecture to provide good dynamics in the play and focus on its lightweight property. The most commonly approved pucks come in yellow, red, and green with a thin white tape on the puck’s upside. The air hockey pucks are usually seen in a circle shape but come in other shapes as well.
Apart from a good air hockey table and a suitable blower, an air hockey puck plays a vital role in the game’s turnout. An ideal air puck should glide effortlessly across the table when hit, giving the player a smooth feel. The kind of puck you choose will significantly affect the improvement of your skill level and determine your stance in the play.
Why Air Hockey Pucks Weight & Size Matter?
Moreover, along with the dynamics and type of puck, let’s talk about the air hockey puck’s size and weight.
The significant difference you’ll see between air hockey competitions worldwide is air hockey puck size, which ultimately matters a lot. The right sized puck that is compatible with the dimensions of your table is very important. The size depends upon the strength of your blower and the size of your table. It would help if you were careful in choosing the size as a wrong sized puck can affect yours gamely.
Air hockey puck generally comes as a standard sized puck, a small-sized one, and a large-sized.
The weight of the air hockey paddles and pucks is crucial for excellent gameplay. The puck needs to be just the right weight so that it can glide across the air hockey table without the minimum of a push. If they are too light, they’ll fly across the room, and if they’re too heavy, it’ll be not easy even to move and glide.
Air hockey pucks are available in a range between 6 – 46 grams. The balance between the air hockey pucks and pushers is essential; the puck needs to be compatible with the table size and weight.
How to Choose the Best Air Hockey Pucks
Now It’s time we dive into the question you must have been wondering about. How can you choose the best hockey puck for yourself?. Before we get into the specifications and the features of some of the best air hockey pucks, you need to consider how you can determine which puck is the right one for your set-up and your stance. That means looking at your table dimensions, your level of play, surface smoothness, etc. Let’s get down to details, shall we?
Air Hockey Table Dimensions
The first thing you need to take a look at is your air hockey table dimensions. For choosing the right size and weight of the best air hockey puck, you need to measure the area of your table. To do that, you need to measure your table in terms of feats because that’s the standard measurement used for air hockey tables, and their corresponding pucks are measured in inches.
Once you’ve done that, check the buyer’s guide given below to determine which sized puck best suits your needs. Choosing the right-sized and right weighted puck is crucial if you are on the lookout for fun yet professional games. This is a vital factor because if you buy a puck that isn’t compatible with your table dimensions, then what’s the use of even playing air hockey!
Strength of Blowers
Every air hockey table comes with a different set of blowers, each having an additional strength. Some pucks are relatively lightweight and don’t need powerful blowers, and are swept off the table with not much effort required. Simultaneously, the heavy ones require an excellent blower strength, which can lift off the air hockey puck from the tabletop’s surface. You can determine the power of your blower by doing a test run or even visiting the website of the brand of your tabletop to rightly know the specifications. If your blower isn’t able to lift off the puck, then you should consider looking for a puck that might suit your blower system.
Player Level and Age
The last thing that you need to check before choosing a puck for you is your player level and stance in the game. Are you a player who is just starting in the game? Or are you a professional player who has been playing for a while now? The answer to these questions lies with you, so you need to ask yourself these questions and then choose the best air hockey puck that suits your level.
An air hockey puck that is lightweight yet durable is very important for children since kids don’t have much strength to hit the puck with a lot of force. Simultaneously, adults are more equipped to control a heavy puck than a light one easily.
After you are sure you have considered all the factors mentioned above, let’s move ahead.
Review
We have picked the top six of the best air hockey pucks and pushers set, comparing them with each other. Let’s have a look!
Comparison Table of the Best Air Hockey Pucks
6 Best Air Hockey Pucks Reviews
01- Home Standard Qtimal Air Hockey Paddles and 2 Size Pucks
If you plan to replace your lost or broken air hockey set, this might be the product for you. This Standard Home set includes air hockey pucks and pushers, no need to buy the mallet, and the pucks separately. They are a perfect fit for arcade tables set up in your homes. Surprisingly, they come in two different sizes: a small-sized puck and a large-sized puck—now no need to complain about the pucks being too large or too small. Play with the size of your choice.
Features and Specifications
- Complete set of air hockey pucks and pushers
- 2 sized pucks
- 4 small pucks – 2.5 inches in diameter
- 2 large pucks – 2.95 inches in diameter
- The paddles are 3.78 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches tall
- Made from high-quality ABS
- Hard but not brittle
- Thick striker felt green bottom provides easy gliding movement
- The comfortable grip on strikers
- Perfect for arcade-style tables
A Complete Set
If you have an air hockey table just sitting in your home, then this Qtimal could be an excellent buy for you because it has got all the necessary equipment required for your air hockey game. It includes 6 pucks plus a single set of the mallet. You and your family could have a great time playing with this set on weekends.
Great felt bottom
These strikers come with a great bottom felt, green in color. It allows the puck to glide smoothly across the table, preventing your table from scratches as well.
Comes in different Sizes
A fantastic thing about this set is that it comes with two differently sized pucks. Now you can play with whatever you like and even let your kids play with the smaller pucks.
Summary
This Home Standard Qtimal puck and mallet set could be an excellent purchase for you if you’re looking to get the whole set for your air hockey table that’s been sitting and collecting dust and have a memorable and fun game night with your family.
02- Outlet Home Super Z 2.5″ pucks
These bright red pucks are one of the best air hockey pucks for you and your family for a late-night indoor game. These plastic pucks also work as mini air hockey pucks so the children can have the same kind of fun adults do. A great set indeed if you want to replace your lost or damaged pucks too.
Features and Specifications
- Plastic hockey pucks
- Perfect for indoor air hockey table
- 2.5 inches in diameter
- 13 grams each
- A couple of replacements in case you damage any of the other pucks
- Durable plastic design
- Ideal for small to medium-sized air hockey tables
- The lightness of the pucks improve the speed of the play
- The bright red color increases visibility
- Glide smoothly on the table
Lightweight
The lightweight property of these Super Z pucks allows the air hockey pucks to glide very smoothly across the tabletop’s surface without any extra force required. This feature also makes it easier for children to play with it anytime they want.
Bright red color
The color of these pucks being a bright red one allows for excellent visibility during the game, or when your pucks seem to get lost, they can be easily pointed out.
Perfect for indoor activities
The Super Z pucks are great for indoor air hockey games as they are just the right size for medium to small-sized air hockey tables. They can also be used for mini air hockey tables.
Summary
This Outlet Home table hockey puck set, might be an excellent fit for you if you like a fun indoor night of games with your family. This set not only lets adults but the children are part of the fun too.
03- Pro-Series Hathaway Air Hockey Striker and Puck Set
This Pro-series puck set from Hathaway is designed specifically for professional tournaments and competitive play. With its sturdy design and heavier weight than standard pucks, they require fast action and continuous steady hitting to get the play’s optimal feel. Are you looking for an intense air hockey game with your friend? You’ve got it!
Features and Specifications
- ABS material with the chip-resistant property
- 4-inch strikers
- 3-inch pucks
- Heavier weight
- Sturdy design
- Fast-sliding action due to the green bottom felt
- Great for an intense play
- Doesn’t crack or chip easily when hit hard
- Use for a standard air hockey table
- Maximum comfort due to the ergonomic construction
- Relaxed grip and easy control
Doesn’t crack or chip easily
The sturdy design of these air hockey paddles and pucks allows the puck to be steadily hit without cracking or chipping. The material it’s made out of is specifically different from other pucks as these are designed for intense gameplay.
Intense play
For air hockey enthusiasts looking for intense play, these might be the perfect fit as the name suggests; these Pro-series Hathaway pucks are sturdy enough to withstand hard play. So, you don’t have to worry about them wearing out quickly.
Maximum comfort
The handles of saddles provide maximum comfort, sturdy and confident grip during the gameplay. During an intense game, you don’t have to worry about your hand getting sore due to a hard grip.
Summary
These air hockey pucks and pusher sets are an excellent fit for anyone looking to level up their game because this set will let you enhance your game to a level you hadn’t even thought of yet. Hathaway lives up to its reputation.
04- Air Hockey Dynamo Pucks Set
If you are someone who plays to win, then these dynamo air hockey pucks might be an excellent fit for you. These are the best air hockey pucks for bearing a steady and hard-hitting play along with excellent visibility on high-speed gameplay. If you’re looking to buy these, then make sure you have got a strong blower system in your table to lift these pucks off the table.
Features and Specifications
- Two sizes available: 2 ½ and 3 ½ inches in diameter
- Made of high-density plastic
- Suitable for a table with a strong blower
- Use for standard-sized and commercial air hockey tables.
- Heavier weight than regular pucks
- White pucks are quieter and slower.
- Green pucks are louder and faster.
- Bright green-colored fluorescent light-up air hockey pucks
- Made from high-quality material
- Good for hard-hitting play
Green fluorescent colour
The bright green color of these dynamo pucks provides excellent visibility during the game allowing for easy hitting and scoring tactics. These light up air hockey pucks are fun to play with your family or guests.
Hard-hitting play
These Dynamo air hockey pucks’ heavier weight allows the player to play the game competitively and professionally. These pucks are great if you are fond of a hard-hitting and intense play.
Durable material
These dynamo pucks are made from high-density plastic material, making it reliable and durable for a more extended period. Even after constant intense playing, these pucks don’t wear out easily and live up to their reputation.
Summary
When buying, they make sure they have the dynamo logo on them; else, they might not be genuine dynamo pucks. All in all, these are some excellent quality set of air hockey pucks if you’re on the lookout for competitive play between you and your buddies.
05- One Dozen Brybelly Air Hockey Pucks
Are you tired of losing pucks or have them damaged? Well, no more. With this, One Dozen set of the best air hockey pucks from Brybelly will solve all your problems. These are suitable for indoor as well as outdoor game tables. This puck is perfect for professional players because it’s harder to block and faster than regular pucks.
Features and Specifications
- Bright red color
- 2.5-inches in diameter each
- 12 replacement air hockey pucks
- Good for professional play
- For game-rooms and arcade tables
- Box weight: 6.4 ounces
- Work great with the Plinko board game
- Light-weight
- Made from high-quality plastic
- Barely produce any noise
Faster and hard to block
These Brybelly pucks are proven to be faster than regular pucks available in the market and are harder to block, making the game more competitive and fun. These are great for professional players wanting to make their game more of a challenge.
Buy-in bulk
This is an excellent set for people who want replacement pucks as soon as they lose their current one because let’s be frank, it can get annoying when you lose a puck; you have to go on to buy a new one.
Doesn’t produce much noise
The best thing about these pucks is that they produce the least amount of noise and be fast and provide excellent play dynamics. You can easily play with these in your home-setup and game-rooms as they aren’t very loud to play with.
Summary
If you are looking for a fast and flexible play, then these might be the best air hockey pucks suitable for you. Providing you with competitive play, you can improve your game to a higher level with these professional Brybelly pucks.
06- Dynamo Air Hockey Goalie Mallet Set
Since you’re familiar with the brand Dynamo, you must know the quality of the products they produce. Now that you have selected the best air hockey pucks for yourself, you’ll require a reliable and comfortable mallet set to make your game more professional and enjoyable. This Dynamo mallet set can be the perfect fit to complete your air hockey setup. Let’s see why!
Features and Specifications
- 2 white mallets
- Official and trusted Dynamo brand
- Great felt support
- They are designed explicitly for full-sized tables.
- Can be used for commercial and competition purposes
- Protection of table from scratches
- Sturdy design
- Easily glides on the table.
- Molded as a single-unit unlike other mallets
- Scratch prevention
Built as a single-unit
These Dynamo mallets are moulded as single units; hence they don’t break very easily, unlike other mallets in the market, which break off in two pieces. These have been architectured and designed to be sturdy and tough.
Firm grip
One thing you look for in a good pusher or mallet is a firm and steady grip. The dynamo mallet provides you just what you’re looking for. With the addition of being sturdy, these mallets give you a firm and comfortable grip preventing your hand from getting sore.
Prevention from scratches
The felt support on the bottom of these mallets prevents your table from scratching and lets you feel a smooth gliding feel.
Summary
These sets of Dynamo mallets will be a buy you will surely not regret!. With Dynamo being a very trusted brand for mallets and pucks’ production, you’ll have the guarantee that these mallets will be durable for a long time.
Buyers Guide for the Best Air Hockey Pucks
Air hockey has been a leisure sport as well as a professional one. Whether you’re playing just for fun or playing to win, it’s necessary to have a good setup to get the most out of the game. A smooth end air hockey tabletop surface, the best air hockey pucks, and some friendly firm gripped paddles are all these factors that matter a lot, but the scoring element here is the puck. And you need to make sure your puck is compatible with all the factors that need to be considered.
Now, let us take a jump into this comprehensive buying guide. Don’t want to throw away your money, do you? Well, follow this guide to the dot, and you’ll indeed find yourself with the best air hockey setup you can get in your budget.
Air Hockey Puck Size
Choosing the right sized puck is very crucial if you are an air hockey enthusiast or getting into the game professionally. The puck for an air hockey table needs to be light enough, sturdy enough, and just the right size compatible with your table size.
The standard puck size for a commercial air hockey table is 2.5 inches in diameter. This site can be either used on a mini air hockey table or a large one. But it is optimal for a standard-sized air hockey table. For a large-sized air hockey table, the puck size is somewhere near 3.25 inches. Simultaneously, tables ranging from small-sized (4ft) to medium-sized(6ft) require a puck size of between 1.8 to 2.5 inches.
Air Hockey Puck Weight
The next important thing that you need to consider is puck weight. The puck’s weight highly depends on the area of your air hockey table and the strength of your blower system. After you’ve considered both of these factors, you can choose the best air hockey pucks suitable for your setup.
The lightweight puck is suitable for home air hockey games, as they are easy to glide, but sometimes they could be a hazard too if they fly around the room. The heavyweight pucks are suitable if you are fond of intense and hard-hitting play or if you’re looking to play professionally.
Colour
Air table hockey pucks come in different colours, the colours approved for international competitions are red, green, and yellow. But it’s essential to choose the right colour, as the air hockey puck’s visibility matters a lot to the game. If the puck is visible throughout the game, only then can you truly enjoy a game.
What’s the use if you can’t even see the puck correctly! Right? So keep this in mind.
Shape
So, the puck shape depends solely upon your preference. The usual puck shape is the round one, but air hockey pucks come in different shapes like hexagonal, triangular, octagonal. You can experiment with different shapes just for the fun of it and observe their dynamics to see which one suits you better.
Material and Durability of the Puck
The next thing you need to check is the material and durability of the puck you’re buying. This is important because you don’t want to throw away your money for a cheap piece of plastic. Make sure the puck you’re buying is made from good material of plastic. The most commonly used material for manufacturing the puck is the Lexan polycarbonate resin. Still, there are also other materials like Capron, but you’ll find that Capron has lesser strength than the Lexan material, so it is better you stick to the latter. Pucks made out of Lexan resin last way longer than most of the other pucks.
Internationally Approved
There are some of the pucks that are internationally approved and certified by USAA. There are three pucks approved: ‘Lexan yellow,’ ‘Lexan red,’ and ‘Dynamo green.’ The US Air Hockey Association has also certified them. People who play air hockey just as a hobby can play with any type and colour they like, but if you’re a professional player, then it’s better to play with the approved pucks to get a feel of them and to get used to their size, weight, and dynamics.
Sliding Action
It would help if you looked at the sliding action and how the puck glides across the air hockey table. Different tabletops have different kinds of surfaces; some might be smooth; some might be a little bit rougher. So the type of puck that glides smoothly on your table is critical for a non-interrupting straight game of air hockey.
Customers’ Reviews
Before finalizing your purchase, it’s better to look at some of the reviews from experienced customers to get a know-how of how they liked the product. This can determine whether the product you’re going to buy is worth your money or not. By looking at these reviews’ specific comments, you can know the useful features the product comes with or the deformities found in the product.
You can trust these customers’ reviews because they have got hands-on experience using the product themselves, and they can genuinely tell you how their experience has been with it.
What Pucks Do Professionals Use?
The rules laid out officially for Professional air hockey players are quite specific. The kind of table that is to be used during tournaments and competitions, along with really strong blowers and specific size of the puck for air hockey table which is precisely to be 3.5 inches. But usually, professional players use the 3 ½ inch sized puck with a full-sized air hockey table. Professional pucks typically have a layer of white tape on the top surface of the puck.
The pucks used by professionals are of a specific weight as well, as the competitions require constant and steady hitting of the puck, so the puck used needs to be durable, not too heavy, and not too light. But professional pucks only work with certain tables with specific types of blowers.
Large Pucks
The most common pucks that professionals use is a large-sized one, one of the best air hockey pucks for a professional full-sized air hockey table (10 x 7 foot).
Usually, dynamo tables are used for competitions and tournaments worldwide, a large-sized air hockey table, and with it, a large-sized puck of about 3.25 inches is used. The dynamo pucks are worth checking out if you have a table of this size and some pretty strong blowers.
Heavy Pucks for Strong Blowers
Air hockey tables that have strong blowers usually require slightly heavier pucks. If you use a lighter puck, then the blowers will keep blowing away the puck off of your table. For that very reason, heavier pucks are used to achieve a good game of air hockey without the puck continuously flying away.
You should check out the Dynamo air pucks that are around 36 grams, twice the pucks’ weight that comes with the commercial tables.
Lighter Pucks for Weak Blowers
Commercial and standard tables come with no strong blowers, and playing with a heavy puck won’t work. A blower system would support a lighter puck with such little strength. In this case, you might want to look at the red-colored pucks available in the market.
Quiet Pucks
Competitions and tournaments require constant gameplay for hours. In that case, some of the quieter pucks are your best bet. If you need a game night with your buddies indoors and don’t want to wake up the whole house, then these pucks are the best fit for you. Some of the generic padded pucks won’t make any sound when they bounce off the edges of the table.
You might be interested in checking out the rubber padded pucks that Dynamo makes. Other than that, you can also check out the Air-Powered CYI Soccer hover disk, which could be an interesting and fun experience.
How do you maintain your Air Hockey Pucks?
After you’re done choosing and buying the best air hockey pucks, the next step is how you maintain the puck condition. To increase the puck’s durability, you must keep good care of it.
After every play, you need to store your puck inside in a place where it can’t collect a lot of dust and grime. One of the reasons why the puck starts to slow down is the accumulation of grime on its surface. You can clean the puck before starting every game with a Windex window cleaner and use it to clean your table.
Secondly, make sure you keep it away from children and pets as they can be a little rough with it and chew the edges, making them wear out easily. Small pucks can also be a hazard for small children or pets, leading to choking. So keep them as far away from them as you can
By following these two steps, you can keep your pucks in perfect condition as long as you can and not let them wear out so easily, but if your pucks are in bad condition and don’t work as properly as they did before, then it’s time to replace your puck.
Frequently Asked Questions for the Best Air Hockey Pucks
How big is an air hockey puck?
Air hockey pucks can come in different sizes; they are made accordingly, seeing their compatibility with the air hockey table. The professional size of an air hockey puck is 3.25 inches, a standard-sized puck measures 2.5 inches, and a small-sized puck ranges somewhere from 2 to 2.5 inches in size. The size of the puck depends upon your table area and the strength of your blower system.
How fast does an air hockey puck travel?
An air hockey puck moves fast with the blowers’ help, reaching a speed of 80 miles per hour, which is insanely fast. If the surface is even smoother and the blowers are strong, then the puck’s speed increases relatively.
Should I buy air hockey pucks in bulk?
Buying air hockey pucks in bulk is an excellent idea since the pucks can be lost easily and wear out easily if you play a lot for extensive periods or play professionally.
What size are air hockey pucks?
Air hockey pucks can come in different sizes—the large size, standard size, and small-sized. The size of the puck depends on your air hockey table area and your preference.
Can you stop the puck in air hockey?
The puck in air hockey can be stopped with the help of a mallet or pushers. You can only hit it if it’s on your side or if it’s exactly on the line, then both players can hit the puck. You need to stop the puck from going into your goal and block it with sudden hand movements with the mallet.
Do hockey pucks have sensors?
Usual air hockey pucks don’t have sensors, but the new technology of Air Powered hover disks might have sensors integrated into its system to track the players’ movement. But for it to work properly, the players also need to wear tracking equipment for better results.
How often is there a need to change hockey pucks?
Air hockey pucks need to be changed after every game in professional competitions and tournaments. But if you’re not playing such an intense play, then your puck can last longer, up to a week of constant playing. If you play rarely, then your puck will need to change after a month or so. It highly depends on the puck’s durability, too, so be careful of the brand you are buying pucks from.
What brand of puck does the NHL use?
The NHL uses black ice hockey by the brand Monkey Sports. It is the official puck of the game. A design change is made every 3 – 5 years.
Why does the NHL freeze pucks before a game?
Freezing the puck makes them glide smoother and faster and makes them bounce less than usual, so they stay on the surface and don’t fly off it.
How long do hockey pucks last?
Hockey pucks last just for a single game in competitions, but they last longer for commercial use. It also depends on the durability of the brand of the puck you’ve bought.
Is it illegal to stop the puck in air hockey?
The puck cannot be “topped” by raising the mallet or pusher and holding it on top of the puck to slow down its movement while playing. If done before a service, this is considered an illegal move since you are altering your opponent’s ability to make a play. Props can’t even do that during gameplay though – if they try, it will constitute as breaking one rule: not being able to touch other players’ equipment in order for them not to have any control over their game pieces anymore (think about how quickly someone would go from winning all day long with no competition at all).
Our Recommendation for the Best Air Hockey Pucks
All in all, the best hockey pucks need certain elements to call it the best of the best. In our opinion, after considering every aspect, the best and most durable hockey puck is from the very trusted brand Dynamo. Dynamo makes a variety of air hockey pucks in different sizes and continues to live up to its reputation of being a reliable and durable hockey pucks brand.
So, our recommendation would be to go for the Dynamo air hockey pucks for whatever size and colour you require.
- Set of 2 Mallets
- Heavy Duty, Commerical Quality
- Official Dynamo Replacement Set
Conclusion
For any reason, if you’re looking to replace your pucks, the upgrade needs to be a good one. One significant thing that will help you in improving your overall game performance is to change up your equipment impacts a lot in enhancing your gameplay. The products reviewed here are the top ones chosen by air hockey enthusiasts all around the world.
We hope you got the help you needed in deciding the best air hockey pucks suitable for your setup, and now you can make the right decision for yourself. Good luck. Shopping!
Mark is a Bloomberg BusinessWeek-based digital entrepreneur, blogger, and table tennis enthusiast. He is a former professional table tennis player with the career-best USATT ranking of 2689. He is also an ITTF Level 3 certified coach and conducts weekend coaching programs in and around the New York area. Mark is also a pool player by passion. He was first introduced to the game of pool at a very early age by his granddad. He had a natural knack for the game and quickly learned the ropes, and by the time he was 15, he was already participating in local leagues. He aims to make it into the APA league someday! Mark started his own blog by starting Indoor Games Zone, where he loves to share his years of experience with the audience. He covers ping pong, pool, air hockey, shuffleboard, and foosball.
- Ping pong
- Pool
- Air Hockey
- Shuffleboard
- Foosball
Last update on 2022-05-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
