Durability
The Garlando F-200 doesn’t have the thickest cabinet walls (3/4″), nor is it the heaviest. The Carrom Signature is priced about the same, but has a 1″ thick cabinet and weighs over 40 pounds more. With that said, the F-200 is thick and heavy enough for most. The Garlando line of foosball tables are more like exotic sports cars, they are lighter, precise, and built for speed.
The hollow steel rods are machine-trued and have a coat of anti-rust chrome plating. The overall quality of these rods is excellent. The men are said to be made out of an “unbreakable” plastic. They’re moulded onto the bars, so they won’t move at all.
The playfield is made out of plastic laminate. The thickness wasn’t listed, but the glass version is 1/5″ thick. There could be some durability issues with the playfield long-term. The field does have silk-screen printed white lines, which do last.
The three year warranty simply can’t be beat. In fact, I’m not sure if any other brand comes close to matching it. This gives customers a peace of mind knowing that if something does break down, there is insurance. Plus, a long warranty says that Garlando believes in the quality of their product.
Gameplay
The main feature is the telescopic hollow rods. These rods don’t go through to the other side, providing additional safety especially for children. Players in general avoid getting poked by the rods coming through to their side. The hollow rods are lighter than solid ones, adding a little more speed. The steel roller bearings also create faster play. The rods are fixed to the cabinet with nylon ball bearings, creating smooth action.
How stable is the F-200? It’s heavy enough to provide good sturdiness even when play is aggressive. It’s not a real thick table however, and you can find sturdier ones for the price.
If you have read some of my other reviews, you might have noticed that I don’t like ball retrieval behind the goals. I prefer them on the sides because that is where players stand. The F-200 has baskets on the ends, making ball retrieval a tad more inconvenient.
The playfield is a plastic laminate. As mentioned, I don’t know exactly how thick it is, but I have a little concern as to how durable and level it will be long-term. If it was that thick, it would be stated in the description. There is no height adjustment either, which is a little baffling because it helps create a level surface.
As far as I know, it doesn’t come with counterbalanced men. This feature is one that intermediate players value having. It allows players to hold the men parallel to the table to create room for shots.
Aesthetics
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. The black and silver color combination isn’t my favorite, but the blue/red men and green playing surface look nice. Overall, it looks like a quality table, I would just prefer to see the legs black instead of silver.
Who's It For?
It’s for beginners, children, teenagers, adults, but I’m not sure if intermediate players will like it or not. The speed is satisfactory, but lack of counterbalanced men is a little disappointing. Overall, it’s a quality table. Garlando is an excellent brand that values quality and safety.
