Joola Nova DX Vs Stiga XTR Review: Stiga XTR Is All-weather And Budget-wise

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Honestly, there are few differences between Joola Nova DX Vs Stiga XTR as the two are mostly identical, with some exceptions that favor Stiga XTR.

Not many products can beat Stiga XTR regarding price within the all-weather category. 

Joola Nova’s price tag is inviting, too, but its troublesome assembly set it behind Stiga XTR.

I will go over why Stiga XTR is a superior choice to Joola Nova DX

Joola Nova DX Vs Stiga XTR: Comparison Chart

Name
The Winner (#1)
Stiga XTR
The Runner-up (#2)
Joola Nova
Image
STIGA XTR Professional Table Tennis Tables – All Weather Aluminum Waterproof Indoor / Outdoor Design with Net & Post - 10 Minute Easy Assembly Ping-Pong Table with Compact Storage
JOOLA NOVA DX Indoor/Outdoor Table Tennis Table with Weatherproof Net Set
Thickness of tabletop
6 mm
6 mm, aluminum and plastic composite material
Dimension
63 x 57 x 4 inches
108 x 60 x 30 inches
Weight
75kg
65kg
Leg levelers
2”
2”
Stable steel legs
1.25"
1.2’’
Easy to assemble
Net
All-weather, clamp-style net
All-weather, clamp-style net
Caster wheels
3’’
3”
Playback mode
All-weather
Color
Blue
Blue
Safety latch system
What I like
Price
$599.99
$499.12
The Winner (#1)
Name
Stiga XTR
Image
STIGA XTR Professional Table Tennis Tables – All Weather Aluminum Waterproof Indoor / Outdoor Design with Net & Post - 10 Minute Easy Assembly Ping-Pong Table with Compact Storage
Thickness of tabletop
6 mm
Dimension
63 x 57 x 4 inches
Weight
75kg
Leg levelers
2”
Stable steel legs
1.25"
Easy to assemble
Net
All-weather, clamp-style net
Caster wheels
3’’
Playback mode
All-weather
Color
Blue
Safety latch system
What I like
Price
$599.99
More infor
The Runner-up (#2)
Name
Joola Nova
Image
JOOLA NOVA DX Indoor/Outdoor Table Tennis Table with Weatherproof Net Set
Thickness of tabletop
6 mm, aluminum and plastic composite material
Dimension
108 x 60 x 30 inches
Weight
65kg
Leg levelers
2”
Stable steel legs
1.2’’
Easy to assemble
Net
All-weather, clamp-style net
Caster wheels
3”
Playback mode
All-weather
Color
Blue
Safety latch system
What I like
Price
$499.12
More infor

Joola Nova DX Vs Stiga XTR: Differences

The winner: Stiga XTR (2-0)

The sturdy design and easy assembly make Stiga XTR stand out.

Weight

 The winner: Tie

Nova DX is 10kg lighter than Stiga XTR, leading to a better weight-wheel ratio. More precisely, both tables feature 3-inch caster wheels, a modest size for an outdoor table. 

Although Nova DX’s 65kg sits more comfortably on the 3-inch wheels, I expect the tables would only be comfortable on even ground and not on a muddy, bumpy surface. 

But there’s a price that goes with the lighter weight. What adds an extra 10kg on Stiga XTR is the 1.5-inch legs and a possibly thicker tabletop or frame/undercarriage. In general, Stiga XTR is more durable, which is essential for an outdoor table.

So, in the end, it’s up to you to decide who is the winner.

Assembly

The winner: Stiga XTR

The assembly process of Stiga was evidently more thorough than that of Joola
The assembly process of Stiga was evidently more thorough than that of Joola

To my surprise, the heavier Stiga XTR was easier to assemble. 

Even though Nova DX is lighter, like Stiga XTR, three adults were required to carry the package into my home. 

Regarding assembly, it is evident that Stiga did a more thorough quality control than Joola. While both brands advertised their tables as only taking maximally 10 – 20 minutes to get ready, it still took me roughly 30 minutes. If you don’t have experience with ping-pong table assembly, it might take you longer.

The guideline is not an issue. The producers told the truth about the convenient 95% pre-assembled parts since we barely needed to read instructions to know which joint went where.

What bothered us about Nova DX was the tabletop’s manufacturing quality and the undercarriage. No matter how many times we tried, the table halves couldn’t align properly. There was also this tiny gap between them that we attempted to cover with the net, but it affected the stability of the net as well.

Net

The winner: Stiga XTR

Considering Stiga XTR's net, the setup is right away
Considering Stiga XTR’s net, the setup is right away

Usually, I’m more biased to traditional net designs like screw-on nets than clamp-on ones. It’s the other way around in this case, however. 

Let’s talk about Stiga XTR’s clamp-on net first. As I’ve said, I’m no fan of this design. It’s true that the setup is right away, but that’s the only good thing about it. Tension adjustment of clamp-style nets is absurd, and Stiga XTR is no exception.

But that’s nothing compared to the headache Nova’s screw-on net gave me. The setup was different from Joola’s screw-on nets and much more complicated. 

When I finally got it done, I noticed that the net’s balance was somewhat off (it could be due to the gap between table halves). On top of all, the tension adjustment was as bad as Stiga XTR’s.

Joola Nova DX Vs Stiga XTR: Similarities

Thickness and Tabletop

There are specific standards for outdoor tables that don’t apply to indoor ones. Most outdoor products use aluminum or aluminum and plastic tabletops, which are more resistant to high humidity than wooden ones.

Secondly, an outdoor tabletop’s thickness should be 4mm to 9mm. With a 6mm tabletop like Nova DX and Stiga XTR, you should expect decent playability comparable to a 15mm indoor table. This means it serves recreational purposes well but was not made for professional practices.

Leg levelers

Nova DX and Stiga XTR share the same 2-inch leg levelers
Nova DX and Stiga XTR share the same 2-inch leg levelers

Not everyone needs to emphasize leg levelers when they choose an indoor table (households with kids might need more versatile leg levelers than others). However, this feature becomes vital with outdoor tables.

Why? Unlike floors, the ground is often uneven, and tables can be tilted if not for the leg levelers. Nova DX and Stiga XTR share the same 2-inch leg levelers, which are excellent at balancing tables.

All-weather proof

Even though Joola and Stiga claim their products to be all-weather, rust-resistant, and sun-protected, I don’t think you should give it all to their advertisements and leave tables outdoors regardless of the weather.

Investing in a table cover is a good idea if you want to take care of it. If you can, place your tables under a shaded area during sunny summer days.

Ideally, affordable all-weather tables such as Stiga XTR and Joola Nova’b better be kept in garages and high-humidity indoor rooms. Although they are fully capable of serving as outdoor tables, if you insist on leaving them in your backyard, don’t expect them to last forever.

Caster wheels

The 3-inch caster wheels of both products significantly limit their performances as outdoor tables. Unless your backyard is quite smooth, it’s not going to be comfortable moving those tables outside.

Quick Rundown of Stiga XTR

STIGA XTR Professional Table Tennis Tables – All Weather Aluminum Waterproof Indoor / Outdoor Design with Net & Post - 10 Minute Easy Assembly Ping-Pong Table with Compact Storage
  • PERFECT ADDITION TO ANY OUTDOOR PATIO SET - Durable outdoor table tennis table perfect for the patio or garage
  • BUILT TO LAST - Specifically designed and manufactured to withstand the elements.
  • ALL-WEATHER PERFORMANCE - Aluminum composite top offers great playability with all-weather performance
  • QUICKPLAY DESIGN - 10-minute QuickPlay design comes 95% preassembled out of the box for quick and easy setup
  • SIMPLE STORAGE - Effortlessly folds into an ultra-compact storage position in seconds with self-opening legs
Pros
  • 6mm tabletop welcomes entry-level players
  • Assembly’s instruction is simple, and the manufacturing is decent
  • Tabletop is all-weather
  • Sturdier frame and undercarriage than Joola Nova
  • Leg levelers are 2”
Cons
  • Caster wheels limit the table’s performance
  • Clamp-style is not unstable

Quick Rundown of Joola Nova DX

JOOLA NOVA DX Indoor/Outdoor Table Tennis Table with Weatherproof Net Set
  • TOURNAMENT QUALITY OUTDOORS: Competition-grade 9x5 foot regulation size outdoor table tennis table and net set perfect for your deck, backyard or playground. Made by the official table brand of US Open and US Nationals Championships. USATT Approved
  • ALLWEATHER TABLE AND NET: Tabletop is a durable 6mm thick aluminum plastic composite surface, resistant to warping and chipping. The table sits on a 30mm x 30mm rust-resistant, powder-coated undercarriage. Comes with a matching weatherproof net set
  • NO HASSLE, QUICK SET-UP: Comes 95% pre-assembled. Assembly time: 15 minutes and you’re ready to play! Simply attach the legs with only 8 bolts TOTAL. Tournament grade net is a classic screw clamp design for easy attachment
  • STURDY/LEVEL PLAY: Table sits on heavy-duty 3-inch wheels and adjustable leveling feet make this table compatible with almost any terrain
  • SEPARATE HALVES FOR PLAYBACK MODE & COMPACT STORAGE: Folding halves sit on separate 4-wheel trolley systems for mobility when alone or nested together. Utilizing the automatic anti-tilting locks, easily unfold one table half for solo playback mode
Pros
  • 6mm tabletop is adequate for recreational-purpose outdoor tables
  • The weatherproof tabletop is pretty resilient, though not against all weather, as claimed by Joola
  • Leg levelers are 2”
Cons
  • Caster wheels are not durable
  • The quality control needs to be stricter

Product Video

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