The best coffee tables (and how to choose one)
A coffee table is a key feature in any living room. As well as being functional, the best coffee tables are also beautiful, and look great as a focal point in the center of your room.
Coffee tables come in many different shapes, sizes and styles. Some are retro, others are contemporary, some have a shelf underneath, whilst others have drawers. There are so many different coffee tables available, that whether you’ve seen a design you like on someone’s Instagram account, or have just dreamt of your perfect coffee table in your sleep, you’ll be able to find one online.
However, when choosing to buy a new coffee table, it’s important to first work out what’s important to you, both practically as well as aesthetically.
In this guide, we’ll help you to decide what you’re looking for in a coffee table as well as pointing you towards some of the very best coffee tables that we’ve found in our hours of research online.
Best for small spaces: Winston Porter Pennels Coffee Table
“Instantly refresh your living room décor with the coffee table. Its round silhouette features slightly curved legs along with a bottom shelf.”
Best splurge: Lexington Oyster Bay Coffee Table
“A burnished stainless steel top with accent nailhead trim around the top edge is contrasted by a half moon motif on its wooden base creating a sophisticated, yet casual look.”
Best with storage: Ameriwood Home Newport Coffee Table
“With a soft, creamy gray finish, light brown woodgrain tabletop and bronze knobs, the coffee tables endearing color combination will enhance the look and feel of the room. On top of the tables charming good looks, it also offers impressive storage with a large top drawer that looks like 4 separate drawers.”
Best modern: Arcturus Frame Coffee Table
“Round out a living room ensemble with this coffee table, perfectly modern addition to any abode. Its cage-like base is awash in black finish for an eye-catching contemporary appearance.”
Best traditional: Birch Lane Suzana Pedestal Coffee Table
“Founded atop a turned pedestal base, this piece is crafted from solid rubberwood with cherry veneers in a dark brown finish that’s versatile enough to complement most color palettes.”
Best round: Christopher Knight Home Rache Modern Round Coffee Table
“This round coffee table features a hammered surface to create a gorgeous textured look. This finish allows this piece aesthetic versatility, blending seamlessly with a range of décor Styles.”
Best unusual: Union Rustic Batotana Coffee Table
“One-of-a-kind pieces offer a dramatic focal point and blend beautifully with a range of decorating inspirations.”
Best solid wood: Bungalow Rose Lorraine Solid Wood Drum Coffee Table
“The unmistakable look of hand-shaped wood showcases the high level of craftsmanship that makes every piece unique. This coffee table requires no assembly and is made from environmentally sustainable solid mango wood.”
Best budget: Ameriwood Home Parsons Coffee Table
“Made of PVC laminated hollow core, the beautiful espresso finish pairs well with any style and decor. Keep your snacks, remotes, and electronics on the table top to have everything you need for a night in within reach.”
Best for sectional sofas: Sherlyn Drum Coffee Table
“Eco-friendly, organic, and beautiful, this round coffee table is crafted by hand with individual pieces of coconut shell.”
The best coffee tables to buy right now
We’ve trawled the internet to find the very best coffee tables to buy online. Whilst we haven’t purchased all of these tables ourselves, they all have glowing reviews from hundreds of happy customers, so you can find a great-quality coffee table whatever your style or budget.
Best for small spaces: Winston Porter Pennels Coffee Table
This small, round coffee table is ideal for even the tiniest of studio apartments and has a shelf underneath for extra storage space. It’s available in a choice of five colors and has a simple design that will effortlessly blend in with your décor.
Dimensions: 18” H x 30” L
Weight: 25 lb.
Material: Solid and manufactured wood
Assembly required? Yes
Best with storage: Ameriwood Home Newport Coffee Table
If you’re forever losing your knick-knacks then this sturdy, traditional-style coffee table is the perfect solution with a large storage drawer plus magazine shelf underneath. It comes in a choice two fabulously-named colors – ‘sharkey grey’ and ‘beach sand’.
Dimensions: 18.69” H x 23.56” L x 41.56” W
Weight: 92 lb.
Material: Solid wood, laminated MDF and particleboard
Assembly required? Yes
Best modern: Arcturus Frame Coffee Table
This modern coffee table has a cage-like base which instantly catches the eye making a great focal point for your living room. Crafted with dark wood and metal, this low-maintenance table will go well with all colors of décor. Whilst the round design is toddler-friendly, parents may tire of picking toys out of the cage, so be sure to consider that before choosing this particular design.
Dimensions: 18” H x 40” L x 39.5” W overall.
Weight: 52 lb.
Material: Manufactured wood and metal
Assembly required? Yes
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Best traditional: Birch Lane Suzana Pedestal Coffee Table
If you’re looking for a traditional-style coffee table that well never go out of fashion, then this round coffee table could be just the ticket. Crafted from solid rubberwood with cherry veneers and a turned pedestal base, this beautiful piece of furniture will complement most color schemes. It has excellent reviews on Wayfair so you can be sure you’re buying a quality piece that will last for years to come.
Dimensions: 20” H x 36” L x 36” W
Weight: 47 lb.
Material: Solid and manufactured wood
Assembly required? Yes
Best round: Christopher Knight Home Rache Modern Round Coffee Table
This modern table offers a simplistic yet beautiful design that will be a real feature in any home. It’s made from a sturdy iron frame and with a hammered metal surface to create a textured effect. This table is super-child friendly, hard wearing and has a convenient lip to prevent items getting knocked off the edge.
Dimensions: 17” H x 26” L x 26” W
Weight: 15.21lb.
Material: Iron
Assembly required? No
Best unusual: Union Rustic Batotana Coffee Table
Each of these coffee tables are one-of-a-kind, with a top that’s made from a slice of natural cedar wood and legs from cold rolled steel. The beautiful wood of this table feature knots and a live edge, so you can be sure that nobody else has the exact same table as you do.
Dimensions: 20.5” H x 29” L x 27” W
Weight: 19 lb.
Material: Solid wood and metal
Assembly required? Yes
Best solid wood: Bungalow Rose Lorraine Solid Wood Drum Coffee Table
Who said that solid wood coffee tables had to be boring? This eye-catching table is hand-crafted from environmentally-sustainable mango wood. It’s available in a choice of colors so you could let the beauty of the natural wood show, choose black, white or grey to blend in with your décor or there’s even a bright blue version if that floats your boat.
Dimensions: 16” H x 36” L x 36” W
Weight: 35 lb.
Material: Solid wood
Assembly required? No
Best budget: Ameriwood Home Parsons Coffee Table
Those on a budget won’t want to miss this simple and study coffee table which has fantastic reviews on Amazon. This low maintenance table is water resistant and easy to clean, whilst the dark wood looks classy and stylish. This table would fit well with a minimalist theme, just as it would in a room that already has a lot of bold colors and patterns.
Dimensions: 17.5″ H x 39″ L x 19″ W
Weight: 10 lb.
Material: PVC laminated hollow core
Assembly required? Yes
Best splurge: Lexington Oyster Bay Coffee Table
This stunning coffee table is something really special. It has a stainless-steel top with a nail head trim which contrasts beautifully against the half-moon motif of the solid wooden base. If your style is casual yet sophisticated, then this quality table epitomizes that perfectly. It’s incredibly heavy and, with a scratch-resistant top, this is a piece of furniture that’s made to last a lifetime.
Dimensions: 19” H x 40” L x 40” W
Weight: 146 lb.
Material: Stainless steel and solid wood
Assembly required? No
Best for sectional sofas: Sherlyn Drum Coffee Table
This gorgeous coffee table is handmade and so interesting- it’s made from pieces of coconut shells. The recycled shells are shaped into squares,painted and then laid into a mosaic shape by hand. If you’re looking for a unique piece with it’s own distinct character, the Sherlyn Drum is the coffee table for you!
Just make sure that this coffee table is 2/3 the size of the sofa portion of your sectional.
Dimensions: 16″ H x 31″ L x 31″
Weight: 49 lbs.
Material: Solid acacia wood and coconut shell.
Assembly required? No.
How do I choose a coffee table?
There are four main things you should think about before you begin your search for a coffee table. These are:
- Size
- Shape
- Function
- Materials
1. Coffee table sizes
When choosing a coffee table, the first thing you should think about how big of a coffee table to get. Measure the space that you have available and visualize how a coffee table will fit in that space.
- Length – A coffee table should be half to two-thirds as long as your sofa. For L-shaped sofas and sofas with a chaise, it should be half to two-thirds the length of a seat
- Width – A coffee table should be placed around 18 inches from the sofa. This will give enough room for your legs whilst keeping items on the table in easy reach
- Height – As a general rule, a coffee table should be the same height as the seat of your sofa. However, you may prefer a higher one if you like to eat your dinner of it or a low one if you also like to sit on a cushion on the floor sometimes
2. Coffee table shapes
Different shaped tables suit different rooms, so don’t just assume that a rectangle is best. If you have young children, you’ll probably want to avoid sharp corners which can be at eye-level to a toddler.
- Rectangle – A good all-rounder that fits well with a standard sofa or a long sofa with a chaise
- Square – Great for a traditional set up with a small sofa and two armchairs
- Round – These space savers are the best for sectional sofas or small spaces
- Oval – Good for high-traffic areas or people with young children
- Unusual – Make a statement with a hexagon, triangle, half-moon or an irregular shape
3. Coffee table functions
It’s important to choose a coffee table for your actual lifestyle, not the one you wish you had! Website photos often show coffee tables with only a vase of flowers and a single mug, but what will you keep on yours? For most people, a coffee table presents a much-needed storage opportunity
- Drawers – Coffee tables with drawers are ideal for hiding all the clutter that you want to keep to hand, but don’t want to see
- Shelf – A coffee table with a shelf underneath is a good place to keep a few books or magazines, but not much more
- Lift top – Similar to a chest, these tables have a hinged lid which you lift up to access the storage inside
- No storage – The prettiest coffee tables are simple with no storage. You could always invest in a magazine rack for your papers if needed
4. Coffee table materials
Some coffee tables are more high maintenance than others. Think about how often you’re prepared to clean your table and what kind of wear and tear you expect to put it through. A family with kids and pets will need something much more hard-wearing than a single adult would.
- Glass – Looks elegant but needs regular cleaning and may not be suitable for small kids
- Wood – Low maintenance but susceptible to scratches and knocks
- Metal – Durable and easy to clean but can look industrial
- Marble – Looks beautifully elegant but requires careful maintenance
What wood is best for coffee tables?
The best solid wood coffee tables are made of a hard wood as these are the most durable. Maple, oak, mahogany and walnut are all great choices because they are strong, moisture-resistant and resistant to warping.
As well as durability, you’ll want to think about the color of each type of wood and how that matches your existing furniture and décor.
Should a coffee table match your end tables?
Traditionally, people would buy furniture in sets and have everything matching. However, there really is no need to match your coffee table to your end table, TV stand or anything else. Mixing and matching different materials, colors and shapes can create a visually-appealing contemporary look.
Whether you decide to go for all matching furniture or to hand-pick individual pieces with contrasting features, the most important thing is that end result is something that you love, that’s personalized to your taste.
Do you really need a coffee table?
A coffee table isn’t a must have at all and, in fact, many living rooms look great without them. The two main reasons to get a coffee table are for somewhere to put your drink and to fill a space.
If you already have side tables, a shelf or a window ledge for your drink, then you may find that there’s no practical need for a coffee table and that you’d rather have the open space.
If your room looks empty with nothing in front of the sofa, you could also consider a bright, statement rug or a footstool. One super-useful piece of furniture to consider is an ottoman or pouffe, as this can function as a footrest, an extra seat for guests or a small table.
How do you pick a coffee table for a sectional?
A coffee table should be roughly 2/3 the size of your sofa. If you have a sectional, pick a coffee table that is 2/3 the size of the sofa portion, not the chaise.
The Best Coffee Tables (for any budget)
When it comes to choosing the perfect coffee table, you’ll want something that fits your room as well as your needs. If you already have a coffee table, now’s the time to think carefully about what you don’t like about it.
Do you need extra storage space for toys or just somewhere to put the TV remote? Perhaps you hate using coasters and want a table that’s low maintenance? Or maybe your kids have finally grown up and it’s time to invest in a beautiful coffee table that isn’t covered in marker pen and scratches?
Whatever your desires, if you have a clear picture of what you need in a coffee table, then you’ll easily be able to find the best coffee table for you online.
Just be sure to read the reviews carefully. That way, you can be sure that when you buy a new coffee table, you’ll be investing in a quality piece of furniture that will be the focal point of your lounge room for many years to come.
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