SAM Pool Tables

English or American SAM pool table?

Decide which game you'll play before you compare anything else, because the two games need different tables. Four of the SAM tables here are English pool tables, built for 2in red and yellow balls and tighter pockets; the other ten are American tables, built for larger spots and stripes and a bigger playing area. An English table won't play American pool properly, and the reverse is just as true.

What does "Champion" mean on a SAM table?

The Atlantic, Balmoral and Magno each come in two versions. The Champion is the freeplay version, so the balls come back every time with no coins needed, which is what most homes want. The version without "Champion" in the name is the coin-operated table for pubs, clubs and holiday lets. The playing surface is the same slate in both, so if the table is going in your house, you don't need to pay for the coin mechanism.

Which SAM pool table should you choose?

Atlantic or Balmoral: the English tables

The Atlantic Champion (£4,197) is the contemporary one. Its aluminium top rail is clamped to the slate and then to the cabinet, and SAM clamps the cushions along their full length rather than in three places, which gives an even rebound wherever the ball hits. There's also an internal noise-reducing system, so the ball return is quieter in a house. The Balmoral Champion (£4,497) is the more traditional-looking table, and SAM says the Balmoral has been used at the annual BAPTO Pool Finals for over 15 years. Both come in 6ft and 7ft with one-piece slate, so choose the one whose look you prefer.

Magno, Royal Class, K-Steel and Regenta: the American tables

The Magno Champion (£4,497) is where most home American pool players should start, with 20mm one-piece slate in sizes from 6ft to 9ft. The Royal Class (£5,999) comes in 7ft, 8ft and 9ft, and the K-Steel Mark 2 (£8,800), in 8ft and 9ft, is the one to compare if you play American pool seriously. At the top sits the 9ft Regenta (£12,600), with three-piece 25mm slate on a steel slate carrier and a total weight of 720kg.

Oporto, Madrid, Vienna and Classic: the American dining tables

These four are American pool tables designed to sit in a dining room, in 6ft, 7ft and 8ft, from £6,200 to £6,400 depending on size. The Oporto and Madrid both have 25mm one-piece slate. Compare them on the product pages and pick the one whose look suits your room.

Tempo: the outdoor table

The Tempo (£6,497) is a 7ft American table built for outside, with 20mm one-piece slate and a treated, waterproof outdoor cloth. It weighs 280kg and comes as freeplay or coin-operated, so it suits a beer garden as well as a patio.

Who a SAM table isn't for

SAM tables start at £4,197. If the table is for family games a few times a month rather than league practice, you'll get a proper slate-bed English table for far less: our DPT pool tables start at £1,449. A SAM earns its price when the people playing on it will notice the cushions and the rails.

SAM pool tables side by side

Will a SAM pool table fit your room?

You need a full cue's length behind the ball on every side, so measure the room rather than the table. SAM gives the playing area of a 7ft English table such as the Balmoral as 186 x 94cm. Add a cue's length to every side and the room you need works out at:

• 7ft English table with 57in cues: 476 x 384cm
• 7ft English table with shorter 48in cues: 430 x 338cm
• 6ft English table (156 x 80cm playing area) with 48in cues: 400 x 324cm

American tables have a bigger playing area, and an 8ft or 9ft table needs a good deal more room, so check the dimensions on the product page or message Rossa on WhatsApp with your room size before you choose. If you're short of space, a 7ft table with room to cue plays better than a 9ft table you can't get round.

Weight matters for the route in. SAM gives the Balmoral as 210kg at 6ft and 250kg at 7ft, the Tempo weighs 280kg, and the 9ft Regenta weighs 720kg. Check doorways, hallways and stairs before you order, and tell us about any tricky access so we can plan the delivery.

Delivery, installation and lead times

Delivery and professional installation are included in the price of every SAM table, and you should allow 1–2 weeks from order to installation. We deliver free to mainland UK; deliveries to the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Northern Ireland and offshore areas are quoted separately before your order is processed. Our installers assemble the table, position it in your room and level the slate, so it's ready to play when they leave. The full details are in our Delivery & Installation Policy.

SAM pool table FAQs

What's the difference between the Champion and coin-operated versions?

The Champion is the freeplay version for the home: the balls come back every time with no coins. The coin-operated version has a coin mechanism for pubs, clubs and holiday lets. The Atlantic, Balmoral and Magno are available both ways.

Should I buy an English or an American SAM table?

Buy the table for the game you'll play most. English pool uses 2in red and yellow balls and tighter pockets; American pool uses larger spots and stripes and a bigger table. The Atlantic and Balmoral are English tables; the Magno, Royal Class, K-Steel, Regenta, Tempo and the four dining tables are American.

Are SAM tables used in competitions?

Yes. SAM says the Balmoral has been used at the annual BAPTO Pool Finals, the UK's largest pub pool championships, for over 15 years, and that the 7ft Atlantic meets tournament standards.

How heavy is a SAM pool table?

SAM gives the Balmoral as 210kg at 6ft and 250kg at 7ft. The outdoor Tempo weighs 280kg and the 9ft Regenta 720kg. Tell us about any stairs or tight access before you order.

Can I return a SAM pool table?

Yes. You have 14 days from receiving your table to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. Because a pool table can't go back by post, returning one has a cost, and our Returns & Refunds policy sets out the estimates before you buy.

Still deciding? Message Rossa on WhatsApp on +44 7348 956 222, or email support@premiumpooltables.co.uk. Tell us the game you play and the size of your room, and you'll get a straight answer on which SAM table fits.