Overview
The Butterfly TR21 Personal Rollaway table is a highly rated budget table from Butterfly, a brand mostly known for their stellar paddles and other ping pong equipment. Many have accussed Butterfly of taking advantage of their brand name and “cashing in” on delivering cheaper tables to those who trust their brand. I wholeheartedly disagree, the Butterfly TR21 is a solid entry-level table that rivals the best tables from JOOLA and STIGA. Backed by a three year limited warranty against any malfunctioning part or problem with the factory assembly, this table offers a great playing experience at a low cost.
Specifications
- It Folds up to 74 inches high, 27 inches wide
- Inexpensive, fold-and-roll table tennis table
- Has a 3/4-inch wood table top and 1-1/2-inch steel rim, with 1-inch supporting legs
- Easy fold-and-roll system with 5-inch ball bearing casters
- Backed by a three-year warranty
Durability and Construction
While this table may not be quite as sturdy as some more expensive tables like the (STIGA Instaplay), it still comes with a pretty good frame with a 1 and 1/2 inch steel rim and nice minimalist look that is impressive and doesn’t look cheap or gimmicky. For a table that costs more than 100 dollars less that similar competing tables in this class, it delivers a pretty decent playing experience. The Butterfly TR21 offers a larger than average 3/4 inch top, a pretty solid frame, a nice looking steel rim that goes around the table and relatively small 1 inch supporting legs.
Assembly
Probably the worst complaint with this table above all others is the horrendous assembly process. It seems that Butterfly still has a lot of work to do in delivering instructions, parts and the manufacturing necessary to deliver an easy-to-assemble product that anyone, even your Grandma, is capable of doing. The TR21 definitely is not easy to assemble and even for someone that is pretty used to assembling things, it’s a difficult process. First of all, the instructions are sorely lacking as they do not break the process up into individual pictures for each stage of the process. Basically they throw all the steps on the same page, draw a bunch of arrows and expect their customers to figure it out. It’s odd that Butterfly is able to deliver such a good end product but with such terrible instructions. This is definitely something they need to work on.
Conclusion
Overall, the Butterfly TR21 delivers a pretty good product at a very competitive price. The brand definitely offers higher end tables that have better frames, legs and tops, but at this price Butterfly is able to deliver a decent product. The assembly process is notoriously bad, but the good thing is, you should only really have to do that once. Once it’s fully put together, the Butterfly TR21 is a great looking entry level table with a solid playing surface. It is indoor only and is sturdy enough to stand up to families with small children or teenagers (up to a point). If you’re looking for a more heavy duty table without spending too much more, the STIGA InstaPlay is another great option.
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