[Brian Fetter]

We made the switch from K/I to Lifetime Commercial Grade Tables about 5 years ago. And at their price point, we view them as disposable tables and would be happy to get 5 years out of them. So far 2 of the 150 we purchased are not repairable. Those 2 were only broken due to neglect. We had the expensive K/I tables for 9 years prior and they couldn’t take the abuse our team members put them through. We then purchased table carts from Mity that allows us to store 13 of the tables on one cart that fits through a standards doorway.

Pros of the tables:

• Coming in at 32 lbs. each, they are very LIGHTWEIGHT!!
• The surface is easy to clean and not extremely textured like Mity, K/I, & Cosco.
• We purchased the black tables with the idea that not everyone would have a linen and they look nice enough without one.
• Rated to hold a significant amount of distributed weight.

Cons of the tables:

• The surface of the table not being as porous as others allows linens to easily slip off, but we remedied that with more fitted linens.
• Limited parts are available to purchase for repairs. Again, depending on the repair, the part could exceed the cost of a new table.

Last time I posted about our delight in Lifetime tables, someone from ACUI Procure had mentioned it would be worth setting them up as a vendor. Not sure if that happened or not.

Good luck!

Table link: https://www.lifetime.com/lifetime-80272g-6-foot-nesting-folding-table-commercial-grade

Table cart link: https://mitylite.com/products/xpressport-space-saver-cart

——————————
Brian Fetter
Facility and Event Technician
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Campus Center
420 University Blvd
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-278-0371
bfetter@iupui.edu
campuscenter.iupui.edu
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——————————————-
Original Message:
Sent: 03-08-2023 13:01
From: Wendy Johnson
Subject: Portable Tables

Hey folks,

We have aging Virco Core-a-Gator 6′ tables for our events. I’m wondering what other brands folks use that have similar quality tables. How do Mity Lite tables compare,etc.? I have had about 25 tables break in the last 6 months. I’m hoping not to spend $600+ per table!

Thanks for any info folks can supply.

Best, Wendy Johnson

——————————
Wendy Johnson
Event Services Manager
Western Washington University
Bellingham WA
——————————

[Travis Houtz]

Hey Wendy,

We use MityLite tables: https://mitylite.com/products/abs-rectangle. I inherited these tables and they’ve held up pretty well. You will have to quote out your size and preferences, but the recent quote I’ve received for a 30×72 ran about $259 per table.?

Good luck in your search!

——————————
Travis Houtz
Associate Director, Ceddia Union Building, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Shippensburg University
Shippensburg PA
——————————
——————————————-
Original Message:
Sent: 03-08-2023 13:01
From: Wendy Johnson
Subject: Portable Tables

Hey folks,

We have aging Virco Core-a-Gator 6′ tables for our events. I’m wondering what other brands folks use that have similar quality tables. How do Mity Lite tables compare,etc.? I have had about 25 tables break in the last 6 months. I’m hoping not to spend $600+ per table!

Thanks for any info folks can supply.

Best, Wendy Johnson

——————————
Wendy Johnson
Event Services Manager
Western Washington University
Bellingham WA
——————————

[Eric Johnson]

Hey Wendy,

We had used Mity-Lite tables, almost exclusively, for over 2 decades, but when they changed their internal construction of the tables (went from thin plywood with an internal full wood frame to paperboard and almost no wood frame), we started having terminal damage to the new tables.? The corners would break off and when the glue that holds the paperboard internally to the plastic top fails, then the whole table becomes highly flexible and unsafe.? We have also had other issues with new permanent Mity-Lite tables.

We did a test batch of Lifetime tables that we initially got from Sam’s Club at a very nice price ($50.00).? They held up well and only had problems when people put super hot items on or under them (grills and unprotected hot-off-grill pans) or they forced the legs to fold the wrong way.? So far my team has been able to repair the legs (drilling out any remaining rivets and adding 1/4-20 bolts, after bending the leg supports back into shape).? We have only totally lost 2 regular tables and a few fold-in-half tables (we have 15 check-out fold-in-half tables that are easier for organizations to transport outside the building).?? Currently we have about 260 lifetime tables, with the last batch ordered directly from Lifetime at about $81.54 per table, delivered.?? The 2 types of 6′ Lifetime tables we have stack 18 to 21 high on our old Mity-Lite stack-flat table carts, for easy transport (use the stack-guard bars to keep the tables together).

It has been much more economical to go with the Lifetime tables and they are holding up better than the newer Mity-Lite tables.?? Hope this helps everyone on what, how, and why.? I hope you fine tables that work for your situations.?

——————————
Eric Johnson – Building Supervisor – The Commons and University Centers
University of Texas?Arlington
Arlington, TX * 817-272-2925
——————————
——————————————-
Original Message:
Sent: 03-08-2023 13:01
From: Wendy Johnson
Subject: Portable Tables

Hey folks,

We have aging Virco Core-a-Gator 6′ tables for our events. I’m wondering what other brands folks use that have similar quality tables. How do Mity Lite tables compare,etc.? I have had about 25 tables break in the last 6 months. I’m hoping not to spend $600+ per table!

Thanks for any info folks can supply.

Best, Wendy Johnson

——————————
Wendy Johnson
Event Services Manager
Western Washington University
Bellingham WA
——————————

[wendy.johnson@wwu.edu]

Thanks to all the folks that were so gracious to to send this information about their tables. Also wondering if anyone has made the switch specifically form Virco Core-a-Gator tables. Appreciate it!

——————————
Wendy Johnson
Event Services Manager
Western Washington University
Bellingham WA
——————————
——————————————-
Original Message:
Sent: 03-09-2023 12:01
From: Eric Johnson
Subject: Portable Tables

Hey Wendy,

We had used Mity-Lite tables, almost exclusively, for over 2 decades, but when they changed their internal construction of the tables (went from thin plywood with an internal full wood frame to paperboard and almost no wood frame), we started having terminal damage to the new tables.  The corners would break off and when the glue that holds the paperboard internally to the plastic top fails, then the whole table becomes highly flexible and unsafe.  We have also had other issues with new permanent Mity-Lite tables.

We did a test batch of Lifetime tables that we initially got from Sam’s Club at a very nice price ($50.00).  They held up well and only had problems when people put super hot items on or under them (grills and unprotected hot-off-grill pans) or they forced the legs to fold the wrong way.  So far my team has been able to repair the legs (drilling out any remaining rivets and adding 1/4-20 bolts, after bending the leg supports back into shape).  We have only totally lost 2 regular tables and a few fold-in-half tables (we have 15 check-out fold-in-half tables that are easier for organizations to transport outside the building).   Currently we have about 260 lifetime tables, with the last batch ordered directly from Lifetime at about $81.54 per table, delivered.   The 2 types of 6′ Lifetime tables we have stack 18 to 21 high on our old Mity-Lite stack-flat table carts, for easy transport (use the stack-guard bars to keep the tables together).

It has been much more economical to go with the Lifetime tables and they are holding up better than the newer Mity-Lite tables.   Hope this helps everyone on what, how, and why.  I hope you fine tables that work for your situations. 

——————————
Eric Johnson – Building Supervisor – The Commons and University Centers
University of Texas?Arlington
Arlington, TX * 817-272-2925
——————————

Original Message:
Sent: 03-08-2023 13:01
From: Wendy Johnson
Subject: Portable Tables

Hey folks,

We have aging Virco Core-a-Gator 6′ tables for our events. I’m wondering what other brands folks use that have similar quality tables. How do Mity Lite tables compare,etc.? I have had about 25 tables break in the last 6 months. I’m hoping not to spend $600+ per table!

Thanks for any info folks can supply.

Best, Wendy Johnson

——————————
Wendy Johnson
Event Services Manager
Western Washington University
Bellingham WA
——————————