When you head out of the comforts of your own home and into the bush for a camping trip, most of us don’t revert to sitting and eating on the ground, but rather take some camping furniture to make life a little more civilised.
Camping tables offer us a very useful piece of camp furniture as we can use them for storing, preparing and eating food, along with a myriad of other uses from cleaning fish to changing babies or playing a late-night game of cards.
Indeed after the campfire, camping tables are often a central part of the campsite so read on with us and discover some of the best camping tables you can buy and take with you next time you head out on a trip.
| Coleman Pack-Away Table & Bench 3 Pce Set | Oztrail Folding Table With Storage | Lifetime Folding Picnic Table and Bench Set | Coleman 4 Foot Fold in Half Table | Zempire Kitpac Round Camping Table V2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Value  |  |  |  | Our Pick  | |
Yes | No | Yes | No | No | |
102 x 61 x 70 cm | 122 x 61 x 81 cm | 107 x67.4 x 10 cm | 122 x 62 x 71 cm | 58 x 49 x 70 cm | |
Steel and plastic | Polyester, aluminium, melamine | Steel and plastic | Steel and plastic | Bamboo tabletop, aluminium frame | |
200 kg | 30 kg | ?? | 200 kg | 50 kg | |
10.5 kg | 7.5 kg | 14 kg | 6.7 kg | 7.9 kg | |
1 Year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 Year | 2 years |
Best Camping Tables Australia
Coleman Pack-Away Table & Bench 3 Piece Set
Best Value
When it comes to lightweight and sturdy tables, it is hard to look past the Coleman Pack-Away Table and Bench 3 piece set as it's simple, strong and quick to set up.
This one table and two bench unit is designed to be packed away easily by clipping the benches to the underside of the table. Transporting it is like carrying a large suitcase.
It’s strong too, with an ability to hold up to 200kg on the table itself. The bench chairs are also super strong, taking two adults per bench no problem at all. The moulded plastic tabletop is strong, durable and easy to clean.
The issues with this camping table appear to be on the manufacturer’s side. A high percentage of people were very satisfied with this product, but those that are not happy have all had the same issues.
One is that the clips that hold it all together are not well made and start to fail over time, creating both carriage and usage issues. The other is scratches on the table and seats straight out of the box.
Warranty replacements are available for these units, but to get a pre-damaged table in the mail would be a little uninspiring. They are recommended for families of four who like to camp or picnic, as long as you are aware of the clip issue.
Oztrail Folding Table with Storage
Best For Preparing Food
Here is another lightweight and portable camping table like the Coleman 3 piece above, however the Oztrail folding table does away with bench chairs and instead includes a large storage area under the table instead.
Once set up, you can store all sorts of things under the table like dry foods or vegetables that will be safe from bugs or other unwanted pests with mesh flyscreen doors on each side of the table. This feature can't be used while it's folded for transport, however.
Unlike other tables that can hold a significant amount of weight if need be, this one can't as its maximum weight is 30 kg, which is more than enough for a load of food but can't take an adult sitting on it.
Coupled with several reports of the table being a little unsteady, makes this table a little less useful.
When preparing food and using its storage compartment it’s a great side table, but for a family its uses are a little limited and its best use is as a side table as opposed to the main table for any group larger than two.
Lifetime Folding Picnic Table and Bench Set
Honourable Mention
A very similar product to the Coleman above, the Lifetime Folding picnic table fills the same niche as a central table with two bench seats that can be stored under the table for ease of transport.
It has similar dimensions and a very similar style, but it's about 30% heavier making it a little more difficult to move around.
This folding camping table could be used for any number of things around the campsite, including being the main table for eating and entertaining. Like the other folding table, the OZtrail, the Lifetime Picnic table has some reported stabilisation issues, especially on slightly uneven ground and it is not as strong as the full-framed Coleman either.
Customer reviews are all pretty high, with just the stabilization issue being flagged by people. It’s not a huge table, not the most stable table and given its price tag of over $200, it doesn’t take out the crown on this list.
However, the Lifetime folding picnic table and bench set is a solid performer that will fulfil your needs around the campsite.
Coleman 4 Foot Fold in Half Table
Budget Option
The Coleman 4 foot foldable camping table is a simple table that folds in half for storage and carriage and can hold heavy weights up to 200kg. It has similar dimensions to the other tables in this review and can be used for a wide range of things from food preparation to a late-night game of monopoly.
Like the other Coleman table, there have been some reports of damage or scratched table tops right out of the box, which is not good to hear. While the majority of customers have been happy with this table, many were not due to a slight rise in the middle making it almost always not completely level.
But, this table costs far less than any of its competitors and is a simple and easy to use design, so as long as you are fine with a very slight rise in the middle, this sturdy and useful table is still great for backyards, beach picnics or camping adventures, especially for those on a budget.
Zempire Kitpac Round Camping Table V2
Our Pick
Here is a portable picnic or camping table that is lightweight, very sturdy and durable and unlike the others – is round. The Zempire Kitpac round camping table V2 folds down into an easy to carry bag so transport is not an issue and when it’s in use – provides a stylish and sturdy table.
While round tables can often have less surface area than their square or rectangular cousins, they often provide a better central focus point for a group. Trying to squeeze in 8 people to play an evening board game is much easier with a round table for example.
Customers are all happy with this product, unlike all the other tables where at least one reviewer has complained of stability issues – there are none for the Zempire Round table.
This is due to a sturdy wooden tabletop, solid joints for the legs, and adjustments possible for each individual leg to ensure that the table is level.
As far as camping tables go, this is the best portable camping table on this list, whether it's for a quick picnic on a summer's day or week long use at a campsite, provided you have your own chairs.
What To Look For When Buying Camping Tables
Camping tables are used more and more and are especially useful with young children or the elderly. Like your table at home, you want a camping table to be sturdy, durable and useful for many varied activities. When looking to purchase a table for picnics or camping it’s important to consider the following.
Do I want chairs included?
Some of the tables on this list, like the Coleman 3 piece set, have tables with included chairs, while others do not.
Provided the included chairs are sturdy, by including them you have a complete set that can fold or pack up together for ease of use and even a matching colour scheme.
If you are a family and you already have a load of kids' stuff in the back of your vehicle, then this option may be the easiest for you. If you already have a load of camping chairs and simply just need a table, then you can forget about the chairs and just look for the best quality table available on your budget.
Stability Issues
There has been a running theme through this guide and that is table instability. Almost all the tables we have looked at have had at least one review complaining about this issue.
In saying that, sometimes these reviews need to be taken with a grain of salt as often people are not taking into consideration the uneven ground the table is sitting on.
Some picnic locations and certainly caravan parks offer concrete slabs that you can place your table on for maximum stability. Most free campsites, parks by lakes, rivers or the sea often do not, meaning you need to either find or make the ground level yourself.
By having a table like the Zempire Kitpac round table that has each leg individually adjustable – this task can be much easier.
Shape
Round versus square? The majority of camping tables are square and that is most likely because square or rectangular furniture packs up very neatly.
Round tables generally don’t pack down as easily. However, as we touched on earlier, a round table can provide a better experience for a meal and can be more flexible when it comes to increasing the number of people sitting around the table.
On the other hand, several rectangle tables are easier to join up into one bigger table if you are going for a large campsite.
Camping Tables FAQ
What are typical camping table dimensions?
A typical camping table is designed for four people, either adults or a family to be able to sit around and use easily and comfortably, but as it’s portable, it also needs to be lightweight and just the right size for everyday use.
Usually, the tables are approx. 80cm in height, unless they are adjustable then they tend to range from 70-90 cm. The average tabletop area is 120 x 60 cm, which is more than enough surface area for a family of four adults.
They are smaller than regular tables you will have in your home to make them more portable.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to camping equipment, most of us don't think of a table first and foremost, but rather tents, BBQs, chairs or even a toilet are the things that come to mind.
But a quality camping table will provide you with a useful surface many of us could not do without.
Camping tables are fantastic for preparing food, being a storage area for cooked food and obviously a great place to eat food. Changing babies, playing cards or holding your drinks as you sit late at night talking around your campsite are all good things your table can also be used for.
If you typically spend more than the odd night out in the bush or love to take your kids to the beach, then whether you have a rectangular design with chairs like the Coleman 3 piece or a round table like the Zempire Round V2 - a good stable camping table could end up being one of your most useful pieces of camp furniture.
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Note that while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this page, there may sometimes be errors. Check all specifications with the manufacturer before purchasing any product.
