The Best Folding Tables

At a glance, many folding tables seem the same. Look a little closer and you’ll find a number of small details that make or break a table:

Price: Expect to pay between $40 and $70 for a 6-foot center-folding table. (Although we’ve seen them for as much as $130—you don’t need to spend that much to get a good one.) Most 6-foot, solid-top tables are around $90. Four-foot tables usually cost $40 to $50. When you pay less, you end up with cheap hardware or a weak tabletop. If you pay more, you’re entering commercial-grade territory where tables are made to withstand more abuse than most of us will put them through.

Size: We wanted to find tables that provided enough surface area and seating without taking up too much storage space. Eight-foot folding tables are out there, but 6-foot tables were most popular with our staffers—they should seat six to eight adults. The 4-foot tables we tested were narrower, so they were less comfortable for adult seating but perfect for kids, as a serving surface, or as a utility table.

Hardware: Regardless of the style of table you buy, the folding hardware—hinges, locks, and latches—should move smoothly and easily. The best tables feature automatic locks to hold the open table secure and, for tables that fold in half, exterior latches to keep the table shut while in transport.

Stability: We were looking for strong tables that weren’t wobbly. If the table is jostled, drinks shouldn’t fall over. It also shouldn’t flip over if you lean on it, and if it folds in half, bumping into it shouldn’t cause the middle to bow.

Portability: A good table should be light enough for one person of average strength to move and set up. Most 6-foot tables weigh between 30 and 40 pounds, while 4-foot tables weigh 20 to 25 pounds. We were especially interested in tables with comfortable handles that were easy to grip. Because it’s less compact, a solid tabletop is much more cumbersome to move around; it also usually doesn’t have a handle.

Weight limit: Manufacturers list the weight limits for most tables, and the ones we tested have limits that vary from 300 to 1,000 pounds. These limits are for distributed weight, though, which means heavy objects, like a person or bulky sewing machine, may still dent the tabletop. Increased weight limits don’t seem to affect price in a meaningful way, but not all table makers list a limit. If you plan on storing a lot of heavy objects like power tools or computer monitors on the table, you may want to factor in weight limit, but most people won’t notice the difference between a table rated for 300 pounds and one rated for 1,000 pounds.

Durable top: The tabletop should stand up to heavy use and be easy to clean. Some folding tables have a textured top, and others are smooth. In our tests, we discovered that smooth tables show more scratches. All our picks have textured tops, which we think makes them more durable. We left grape juice on all of the tables overnight, but neither type of surface was particularly prone to staining.

Warranty: Warranties on folding tables vary, sometimes even within a manufacturer’s own line. Every table we looked at offers at least a one-year warranty and some offer two or even 10-year warranties.

Leg design: Design of the legs makes or breaks a table’s stability. In our tests, the tables that used a wishbone-shaped leg design tended to be the most stable. Both 4-foot adjustable height tables we tested use an upside-T shape or horizontal bars for reinforcement, which we also found pretty stable. We preferred legs that swung out smoothly. The gravity locks—the metal rings that secure the open leg hinges and prevent the table from folding back up accidentally—should descend automatically (sometimes, even with our picks, you will still need to manually slide them into place). For height-adjustable models, we looked for legs that adjust smoothly and lock securely at each height. All legs should also have plastic caps on the bottom so they don’t scratch up hardwood floors.

We considered tables sold at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Office Depot, Staples, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sears, and IKEA, and we pruned our list by looking for tables that were widely available and had numerous positive reviews. We tested nine tables in 2017. For the 2019 update we brought in our four original picks and three new contenders, including two 6-foot tables that fold in half and one 6-foot solid-top table.

To come up with a testing plan for these tables, we spoke with Christy Bareijsza, event planner and founder of Events by Red Carpet, who gave us a list of the variety of ways folding tables tend to break, annoy, and wear over time.

For the initial round of tests, we set up and broke down each table several times, keeping an eye out for any issues with the hinges, locks, latches, or other hardware. We leaned on each one to see if the ends bent or if the whole thing was likely to flip. We made sure each table was level, made note of how even (or uneven) the center seams were, and attempted to avoid pinching our fingers in the process. We paid close attention to the gravity locks to see if they slid into place automatically or if they required finagling. With our adjustable options, we also raised and lowered the tabletop to see how the legs worked. Then we set cups on the tables and bumped into them to test for wobbling. We paid close attention to the feet of each table to make sure the plastic caps on the ends would stay in place and not scratch the floor, and we threw keys and utensils on each tabletop to test for scratching. We stacked each model with 200 pounds (we used other test tables we had in the garage) and left the weight on overnight. We then spilled grape juice on the contenders and left it overnight to determine if it tended to stain and how easy it was to clean. Finally, we took a plastic mallet to each tabletop to test for denting.

In 2019, we brought in our original four picks (which have remained the same) along with three new options: the Cosco 14687WSP1X Products Diamond Series, Lifetime 72 in. Almond Plastic Portable Folding Card Table, and Realspace Molded Plastic Top Folding Table. We tested our three new contenders alongside our original winners, setting up and breaking down all seven tables repeatedly. In cases where the materials and hinges felt comparable, we repeated our original stability tests by leaning on the ends to see if the table would flip and bumping the tables to see if they wobbled. (The new contenders were all eliminated relatively easily.)

The Office Star Center Fold Multipurpose Table was the easiest center-folding table to set up and move around, and it was the only model we tried with an exterior locking feature, which means it won’t pop open during transport. The wishbone-shaped legs make it sturdier than other tables we jiggled, and it didn’t wobble, flip, or bow under 200 pounds of weight. The tabletop was the most resilient to scratches, and it also fended off heat and stains well. It did dent from our rubber mallet, but the texture hid the dents well. It also had a stronger, more ergonomic handle than the other tables we carried and comes with an impressive 10-year warranty.

The Office Star was the quickest, easiest table to set up and break down. Most other center-folding models lock the tabletop shut with clamps inside so you need to use a lot of force to open it. This is annoying regardless of your strength. The Office Star takes a different approach by using an exterior latch to lock the two halves shut. Unhook the latch, and the table pops open. Thanks to this design, one person of reasonable strength can set up the table in around 30 seconds. The Office Star was also one of only two tables we tried with a center latch underneath the tabletop that automatically locks it open during setup. Once you flip it upright, two gravity lock rings automatically drop down to hold the leg hinges in place.

The Office Star is the sturdiest center-folding option we tested—it doesn’t wobble, and you can bump into it with reasonable force without knocking over cups. The Office Star’s wide-set, curved legs create a stronger foundation than the tables with narrower legs do. Plus, durable plastic cups on the ends of the legs ensure that you won’t end up with scratched hardwood floors; we were pleased to find that the caps didn’t show signs of breaking or falling off during our tests (unlike those on other tables we tested).

You can also lean on the edge of the Office Star without flipping the table, something at least one of our other contenders couldn’t handle. Some we tried weren’t rigid enough—if you put a lot of weight on the ends of the Office Star (the unsupported section past the legs) it doesn’t flex too far. The company says the table can handle around 300 pounds of distributed weight. We packed on 200 pounds overnight, and the table passed with flying colors.

When we threw keys and utensils on top of the Office Star, the gray, textured tabletop hid the scratches better than tables with black or white tops, which often seemed to highlight them. A rubber mallet was able to make a few small dents in the plastic, which was true of every model we tested, but the texture of the tabletop did a great job of hiding those blemishes. In our stain test, grape juice left overnight didn’t stain the tabletop (though the same held true for every model we tested).

The durable handle on the Office Star is the best one we carried. Whereas other tables use a flimsy piece of plastic and thin straps, the Office Star’s stronger plastic handle felt more ergonomic, allowing for a firm grip, and connects to the table with a thick strap. This was also the only model we tried that allows you to hide the handle; a small piece of velcro secures it to the underside of the table when it is set up. This is a small detail but something we really appreciated (and subsequently missed having on other tables).

While every folding table we tested offers at least a one-year warranty, the Office Star comes with an impressive 10 years of protection covering any manufacturing defects. Wirecutter editor Thorin Klosowski posed as a table owner and called customer service to test that claim—they seemed willing to address any issues with proof of purchase. We’re satisfied that the warranty department would fix or replace a defective table. The Office Star has a 4.3-star average across about 1,800 reviews on Amazon (across several models). Reviewers tend to praise the stability of the table, but some were critical of dents caused by shipping and problems with the tabletop not sitting flat in the center.

While we like the stability of the Office Star table and how well it handles weight, the center seam of the table we tested didn’t sit flush. It’s barely noticeable at a glance and won’t affect anyone’s dinner, but it’s obvious when you place a cup on the seam or roll a ball across the table.

Based on reviews across various table brands, this is a problem with nearly every center-folding table out there. Even within one specific model, it seems that some arrive sitting perfectly flat while others don’t line up. No center-folding option we tested was completely flush; every table had either a small peak in the center or a gap between the two halves.

Most stores we checked don’t stock the Office Star table, so you’ll have to have it shipped to you and won’t be able to inspect how flat the tabletop is before purchasing. Very few tables we looked at were readily available at multiple retailers. If a flush, flat table is the most important thing for you, consider our solid tabletop pick.

The Office Star and every other table we tried—both those we purchased in store and those we had shipped to us—arrived with scratches or dents. Digging through user reviews, this seems par for the course for these types of tables. Many people mentioned they use tablecloths to cover the inevitable damage.

The Plastic Dev Group Banquet Table isn’t as sturdy as our main pick, but if you’re looking for a good-quality table that’s cheaper, it’s a great option. It doesn’t have all the automatic setup features of the Office Star, but it still outperformed most of our other models in setup ease, stability, and durability. Plus, it costs far less. It’s available in many Target stores, which is a huge perk if you need a table immediately.

The Banquet Table isn’t as simple to set up as the Office Star, but it’s close. The two halves of the tabletop required more force to pull apart, and you need to manually lock them open before folding down the legs. Otherwise, the table might fold up if you knock into it too hard. The gravity locks on the Banquet Table weren’t as solid as those on the Office Star, and they didn’t slide down reliably without help.

On our table, one of the gravity locks was warped, so we had to force it down to the locking position. Tricky gravity locks were a common issue—we had to manually slide the locks into place on many of our other test tables. None of these problems are dealbreakers, but if you plan to set up a table often, they could become annoying and it might be worth spending more for our main pick.

The Banquet Table had a small gap at the center seam once we had it set up, but the two halves were still more level than those on the Office Star, which peaked slightly in the middle. It also proved nearly as stable and didn’t flip when we leaned on it. It wobbles a little more than the Office Star but not enough to spill a drink.

Like the Office Star, the Banquet Table is rated to hold up to 300 pounds, and it didn’t bow or break when we stacked 200 pounds of other tables on top of it overnight. The sturdy plastic caps on the ends of the legs didn’t show signs of cracking or falling off after a day of scraping them around a concrete garage.

Set side by side with the Office Star, the Banquet Table is obviously the cheaper of the two. The tabletop is slightly thinner, which makes it smaller when folded up, but it also feels less sturdy. The plastic is smoother and therefore shows more scratches and scuffs, but it did deflect our rubber mallet better than the Office Star. It also had no issues with staining or cleanup.

The Banquet Table’s handle isn’t as strong as the Office Star’s. The thin piece of plastic wrapped around a 1-inch strap wasn’t as comfortable to hold, but it still gets the job done and doesn’t feel like it’ll break. And the Banquet Table’s one-year warranty is no match for Office Star’s 10-year warranty. Overall, this is a great table for the price, but it proves that the extra money you’d spend on the Office Star does buy a noticeable upgrade in quality.

Across more than 1,200 reviews at Target, the Banquet Table has an average score of 4.5 stars (out of five). Many reviewers love the price and size of the Banquet Table but also often point out that the tabletop seems poorly made and shows scratches easily.

The National Public Seating BT3000’s tabletop is one solid piece, so it’s quicker to set up, more stable, and doesn’t suffer from the awkward gaps or peaked seams of its center-folding counterparts. There’s not much to dislike about the BT3000 except that, by nature, it’s bulkier than center-folding options; you’ll need a pickup truck or larger SUV to transport it.

Setup is a breeze because, unlike our center-folding main pick, you don’t need to worry about opening the tabletop. One person can easily assemble it. The legs lock into the underside of the table with clamps so they don’t swing out when you’re moving the table around. Center-folding tables have these clamps for the legs as well, but since the tabletop closes, they’re not nearly as important as they are on the BT3000. We popped the legs out and slammed them back in at least 40 times over the course of testing, and they held strong.

All the hardware on the underside of the BT3000—the clamps, locks, and hinges—felt more durable than the hardware on its solid tabletop competitors, which started showing signs of wear, especially on the clamps. The BT3000’s gravity locks are made from chain link, and we found that they were easier to use and slid into place more reliably than the Office Star’s wider loops.

Once set up, the BT3000 is sturdy, doesn’t wobble much when you bump into it, and easily handled the 200 pounds we stacked on it overnight (National Public Seating lists its maximum weight at 1,000 pounds). You can lean on the edge of the table, and it won’t flip. Unlike many tables we tried, this table didn’t bow at all when we sat on the ends. Just like those on the Office Star and the Banquet Table, the feet have sturdy plastic caps on the ends to protect floors. After tossing around the table for the day, those plastic caps were still just as secure as they were when it arrived.

The BT3000’s tabletop has a similar texture and off-white color to the Office Star. It hid scratches and scuffs just as well, but our rubber mallet left small dents a little more noticeably on the BT3000 than it did on the Office Star. It has a nice, semi-rounded bevel on the sides that we couldn’t find on any other tabletop, which we think gives it a touch of class.

Even with a bit of strength, picking up and moving the table around is more difficult than any of our other picks. Where most people should be able to lug the Office Star around one-handed, you’ll need two for the BT3000. The size is sure to be problematic for storage as well, and if you don’t have a garage or shed, you’ll probably be hard-pressed to find enough room for it. But if you can deal with its larger size, this is clearly a high-quality table. It comes with the same 10-year warranty as the Office Star model. The BT3000 has 4.4 stars out of five across more than 1,100 reviews. Most reviewers love the sturdiness of the table, but several had issues when their table arrived with shipping damage.

Wirecutter editor Thorin Klosowski has been using the BT3000 in his garage for the past two years, and it’s still a solid and functional table. He’s used it to store stacks of various heavy Wirecutter test items like all-in-one computers, office chairs, bike components, and a stack of gaming laptops. It has shown no signs of bowing and has minimal scratching. It’s still the folding table he’d buy if he needed a sturdy surface and storage space wasn’t a problem.

If you don’t need a 6-foot table like our other picks, the Lifetime 80160 Commercial Height Adjustable Folding Utility is a bit shorter and also narrower. You can choose from three height options, a feature we didn’t find on larger tables. Its petite size also means this table is easy to store in small spaces. Of the two adjustable tables we tested, the Lifetime model had the easiest adjustable legs, was more stable, and offered the best tabletop.

Sizewise, naming this a utility table is a good call. Its width is also narrower (by 6 inches) than the 6-foot tables we tried, so adults probably won’t be able to sit comfortably across from each other without knocking their knees together. It’s great for up to four kids, though. Since it doesn’t fold in half like the other 4-foot model we tested, you won’t need to worry about the center of the table sitting flush—or pinching any fingers. Aside from the seating issue, we imagine this smaller table would be more convenient if you’re looking for a surface to hold condiments or for serving at a barbecue, an adjustable shelf for crafts, or a workspace in a small area.

The adjustable legs allow you to raise or lower the tabletop to 24 inches, 29 inches (standard seated height), and 36 inches (counter height). It’s more stable than the other 4-foot adjustable table we tried, the Office Star Four Foot Resin table. At its lowest height, the Lifetime is very stable and is the perfect kid-size table for crafts or dinner. The middle setting turns it into a standard, albeit small, seating or serving option.

Both adjustable-height tables we tested wobbled a lot at their maximum height, so we don’t recommend using the Lifetime as a counter-height table. At that height, we wouldn’t risk stacking food or breakables on it during a barbecue. The legs are balanced by a wide upside-down pair of T-shaped bars. This leg design felt easier to set up, and more stable, and easier to adjust than the other 4-foot adjustable table we tried, which had thinner wide-set legs. Adjusting the leg height felt more intuitive than on the other adjustable table.

The Lifetime’s tabletop is an off-white color with a speckled, textured design, which helps hide and deflect scratches as well as the Office Star’s does. The other 4-foot table we tested also hid scratches well, but the Lifetime’s tabletop is a little thicker and feels stronger. The rubber mallet didn’t make large dents in the tabletop, and like our other picks, the overnight grape spill cleaned up without any issues. This table comes with the same 10-year warranty as the Office Star and the super-sturdy BT3000. Out of around 2,300 Amazon reviews, the Lifetime has 4.4 stars (out of five). The wobbliness at its maximum height and awkward setup process are common complaints, though reviewers generally liked its portability and durable tabletop.

For cleaning, use regular soap and water. These tables have high-density plastic tops that repel stains, but if something does manage to make a stain, use a soft bristle brush and non-abrasive cleaner to remove it. Avoid putting anything extremely hot like a casserole dish straight out of the oven or a small grill on the table, as it could melt or warp it if you’re not careful. These tables can’t handle direct heat, so don’t set yours right next to a campfire or barbecue pit.

Pretty much every model we tested was a scratch magnet. Most of them can handle a mild beating, which we simulated with a rubber mallet, but hitting these tabletops with anything tougher, like a steel hammer, will dent them. Don’t use them as work tables in a garage if you care about the appearance. You may also see denting if you drop them at the wrong angle, so be somewhat careful when you move them around.

The non-center-folding Office Star 6-foot Resin Multipurpose Rectangle Table was less sturdy than the other solid tabletop we chose, and the gravity locks were more difficult to use. As far as complaints go, those are minor, and the solid tabletop Office Star model is still a good choice if the BT3000 becomes unavailable or more expensive.

The Realspace Molded Plastic Top Folding Table, 6'W felt like it was made of flimsy plastic, and it wasn’t as thick or well-molded as the BT3000. This table’s top wasn’t as textured as that of the Office Star, either, and showed scratches more easily. It also wobbled around when we sat on and jiggled it.

Lifetime’s 72 in. Almond Plastic Portable Folding Card Table was close in quality to the Office Star, but it wobbled more when loaded up, and the legs didn’t feel as stable as those of other tables we tried. Reviewers cited issues with dents on arrival, although the one we received was in good condition.

Lifetime’s 6-foot Outdoor Fold-in-Half Table feels flimsy compared with the Office Star. The legs are closer together—which, while it looks sleeker, also makes it susceptible to tipping over. The caps on the feet of the legs were already showing signs of cracking after a couple of setups.

The Cosco Deluxe is available at a lot of retailers, including Walmart; the table itself feels more like a budget item than a deluxe one, though. The top is flimsy and bows with even a small amount of weight, and the gravity locks are awkward to handle. The model in black showed scratches more than any of our other tables and got uncomfortably hot when left in the sun for a few minutes.

The Cosco Products Diamond Series table lacked any horizontal supports on the legs. This made it extremely wiggly and unstable.

Lifetime’s Putty Folding Table was the easiest model for us to find in stores—but its quality was the worst. The thin tabletop bowed in the middle and on the ends. The cheap legs and hinges didn’t feel like they’d last terribly long, and the table felt far less sturdy than its similarly priced competition and the Plastic Dev Group Banquet Table.

Office Star’s 4-foot Resin Multipurpose Table seemed like a great option for smaller apartments because it was the only 4-footer we tried with a tabletop that folds in half. Unfortunately, that means it bows, and the pinch point in the middle is hazardous for kids (and for us—at least it was when we weren’t paying close attention). This table also has an awkward height adjustment system, and its leg design is wobbly and more difficult to break down than the Lifetime table.

Cosco makes a budget table, the Cosco 6 Foot Centerfold Table 6, that was also out of stock when we did our testing (it’s since been restocked and is currently available). However, we did test the more expensive Cosco Deluxe and Diamond series (above), but neither wowed us.