The Best Expandable Dining Tables, According to Interior Designers and Makers
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An extendable dining table solves a good problem to have: too many friends. Having a dining room that seats four like kings, six with plenty of room, eight comfortably and ten in a pinch is a gift. And thankfully, there are many tables designed to transition between those party sizes without difficulty. They’re equally suited for the dining room of that one aunt who insists on having a huge Thanksgiving at her house every year and the kitchen of an urban denizen whose desire to host outstrips their square footage. Cue tips for coffee table dinner parties.
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An extendable dining table is also great for when ambitious culinary endeavors, art projects, or other pursuits require extra table space. Owning one is indicative of a certain stubborn ambition, that someone wants to be ready to do big things in a space that’s better suited to a smaller table. Don’t let your (lack of) space sway you to or away from certain activities, buy furniture that suits your gregarious aspirations.
The extendable tables of old might have been clunky and awkward, often with heavy pieces, otherwise known as “leaves,” that required two people to lift and had to be stored underneath the bed in the guestroom. The current crop has plenty of options that can be operated by a single person, and while they are pricier, on average, than their non-extendable counterparts, you can find options for a few hundred dollars all the same.
To source the best options within the category, SPY asked a team of experts and tested a few of the most popular options from large retailers like Crate & Barrel and West Elm.
What the Experts Say
Sources within the furniture and interior design industries have a set of unique, simple criteria for extendable dining tables. For this story, SPY spoke with Kelsey Wing, director of marketing and creative at furnituremaker Thos. Moser and interior designer Kathy Kuo, founder of Kathy Kuo Home. Both had opinions on materials.
Thos. Moser exclusively uses American hardwoods, and Wing says “The beauty of real wood is just unmatched. Nothing’s gonna look quite as sophisticated, attractive, and unique as a beautiful piece of solid hardwood,” which is also more durable than softwood, as well as non-wood options like laminated materials. The downside to premium materials is the price. Those not looking to pass down their table as an heirloom should consider softwoods or other materials.
Despite their flexible designs, size is also important to consider. “When my customers and clients ask about expandable dining tables, I always advise choosing a table that you know is going to fit comfortably — and still look great — in your space whether it’s expanded fully or not,” Kuo says. “The size of the table in both configurations should be your primary deciding factor.”
Finally, there’s the ease of conversion to consider. Kuo says “It really shouldn’t take much more than 5 minutes to set up in any one configuration, and the table should feel equally sturdy and completely flat in both settings.” Wing adds that the goal when designing the latest expandable table at her company “was really to make a table that was extremely easy for a single person to be able to prep and get ready for an event.” They did this by ensuring that there was no need to pick up and remove heavy slabs of wood.
BEST OVERALL
Transformer Table 4.0
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The best extendable dining room tables typically go from four place settings to six (or six to eight). This one goes from two to twelve, an impressive range that also makes this table suitable for rooms of all sizes.
The Transformer is made of a solid hardwood — Scandanavian Oak, for what it’s worth — and has a decidedly simple, aesthetically flexible design. Interior designer Seyman Usta of Seus Lighting says he “looks for a table that has a timeless design and can fit well with different interior styles, a versatile expandable table will not only serve its function but also add to the aesthetic of the room.” This one certainly fits the bill. And for a trendy table from a new DTC company, the expansion mechanism is decidedly old school: a center-leaf design that allows for one or more leaves to be placed in the middle of the ends, which slide apart on collapsing titanium tracks.
The Transformer isn’t cheap, at $2,300, but it does offer expandability and design that’s as future-proof as any table on the market and still cheaper than some competitors.
SPY-TESTED
Roseau Charcoal Black Extendable Dining Table
Buy Now $1,899.00
SPY staff writer Jason Lalljee visited a local Crate & Barrel in New York City to test a few of their most popular models, including this Roseau Charcoal Black option that starts at 48 inches long and can expand to 70 inches and accommodate up to six guests.
Lalljee says that while most expandable dining tables feel like they’re built for large family homes hosting Thanksgiving, this one “is for people in an apartment with a small dining table, looking to expand slightly for Friendsgiving.”
He adds “I really loved the subtle bevel on the sides and the sophisticated texture of the wood. You can tell it’s high-quality and not plastic-y Ikea wood.” His one downside is the leaf-style design that not only requires adding and removing panels of wood from the middle but storing them between uses as well.
BEST NON-WOOD
Orren Ellis Aida Extendable Glass Dining Table
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Most people are fine with a wooden dining table. This extendable option is for those who are not.
Amo Rai, director at greenhouse furniture company Copagrey, recommends expanding your search beyond wood and wood-derived materials. “I also search for tables composed of materials like glass, metal, or wood that are stain-resistant and simple to maintain.” This Orren Elles is a particularly attractive option with four panels (two ends and two self-storing leaves) of 10mm-thick tempered glass sitting atop black steel legs. It’s austere and sleek, like something out of American Psycho.
At just over $1,100, this glass table qualifies as moderately priced, which means there’s plenty of room in the budget for gallons of Windex.
BEST VALUE
IKEA Norden Gataleg Table
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Most IKEA furniture is made of particleboard; this solid birch table is a welcome exception to the rule that retains the brand’s famously low prices.
A drop leaf is probably the simplest mechanism to extend a dining table, and the fact that both sides of this table can fold down easily means this table gets small enough to be put away when not needed. This makes it great for very small spaces even before you consider the built-in drawers. Wing says that “a solid hardwood is just much more manageable for the long run for repairing over time,” an impressive feat for a table at this price point.
Just $350 for a solid wood table is a great deal, which makes it easy to add a set of chairs to make a full dinette set.
SPY-TESTED
Lakin White Oak Extendable Dining Table
Buy Now $1,999.00
This larger expandable dining table is made of white oak and aluminum legs, an unconventional touch that Lalljee is a huge fan of after testing. “My favorite feature of this was the legs, which add an immediately sophisticated touch. They have the look and feel of cast iron,” he says.
“It’s really big, and seats up to 8. The wood is sturdy, and I’m a big fan of the feel. It also extends to twice its size, and it doesn’t look bad when the sides are removed and it’s in a smaller state,” says Lalljee.
BEST FOR STORAGE
Mobili Fiver Emma Extendable Table
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The drawers on the Gataleg are nice to have, but they lack the elegance and cleverness of the hidden storage space in this Mobili Fiver table.
Nick Valentino, VP of Market Operations at Bellhop Movers, was on a ride-along with a new moving team when he first noticed this table. “At first, I didn’t even realize it was expandable. It’s incredibly sturdy, even when extended, and also light enough to easily move and adjust even if you don’t have a helper handy.” Its other hidden talent is built-in storage that has room for both the leaf (atypically stored parallel to the sliding mechanism) and an assortment of flatware, cups, or anything else that needs a home.
Under $1,000 for a table of this size and quality is a pretty good deal. Plus, you can brag to your guests that it was made in Italy.
SPY-TESTED
Jules Drop Leaf Expandable Dining Table
Buy Now $649.00
Lalljee loved this one because, unlike most of the products in this category, it would work perfectly in a small apartment. “It’s super small and would make a great, flexible addition to a tiny apartment. I love that the expansion folds down at the sides, so you don’t have to do anything to the table itself,” he says. “You could even keep one side collapsed, shove it against the wall and pull the other side up as needed. It would make a great desk or side table too.”
He did note that he didn’t love the lighter finish in person, “perhaps the darker one is better, and I’ll also say that $650 feels like a lot for this relative to the size.”
SPY-TESTED
Branton Expandable Dining Table
Buy Now $1,499.00
The Branton, sold at West Elm, is a larger build made of sustainably sourced wood with rounded corners for a modern feel. Lalljee says he loved the feeling of this one during testing and was surprised by how far it can expand outwards without losing the integrity of the design. “I like the thick, round legs. It can fit four to six people and extends through additional leaves,” he says.
This means this one requires storage of the additional leaves between uses, and removing everything from the tabletop when adjusting the size. But for a household with extra space and plenty of entertaining it’s a worthy buy. It also comes in two wooden finishes, a Cool Walnut (pictured above) and a Smoked Oak.
BEST HANDMADE
Thos. Moser Wishbone Extension Table
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Built by a bunch of talented Mainers using North American hardwood, this table combines elements of both contemporary and Shaker design in one solid, beautiful, and, yes, expensive package.
The Wishbone “is still a design that’s very reminiscent of shaker style, but we did bring in the tech of the self-storing leaves,” Wing says. This feature makes one-person expansion and contraction possible. Plus, “if you need your table to be smaller, you might not have the room to store the leaves outside of the table itself,” she points out.
The cherry version is almost $8,000 and the walnut an eye-popping $10,325, prices that reflect the conditions of this table’s manufacturing and the extremely high quality of the final product.
SPY-TESTED
Basque Charcoal Grey Wood Extendable Dining Table
Buy Now $1,599.00
This European-style, farmhouse expandable dining table can seat up to 10 people and expands from 82 inches up to 118 inches at full extension. Lalljee loved how this one looked in person – “straight out of a Nora Ephron movie.”
Rather than expanding from the middle, this table expands through folding up two additional wings on either end and supporting them with metal beams that run underneath. “It doesn’t increase table space itself, but increases room for sitting. This would be a great option if you have lots of space and don’t want to deal with taking segments of the table on and then off,” said Lalljee.
Lalljee also liked the textured of the wood, describing it as “soft to the touch” and that it’s a great price for such a large capacity.
FREQUENT EXPANDERS
West Elm Curved Splayed Leg Expandable Dining Table
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Kuo says “Butterfly leaf tables have the extension panel folded up inside (it looks like butterfly wings when you unfold it),” which makes them easy (for one person) to operate.
Those who plan on expanding and contracting their tables all the time—not just on the big holidays—would do well to opt for a butterfly leaf model. This particular option from West Elm is simply designed, with an engineered wood top sitting on solid beech legs cut with a specific curve that’s eye-catching without feeling distracting.
After surveying the market, just over $1,000 is a fair price for a table of this size.
BEST OUTDOOR
PH VILLA Black Expandable Outdoor Dining Table
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Al fresco spaces deserve expandable dining tables too, and this is a great option for any patio, deck, or porch that can fit it.
Kuo says “If an extendable table is well designed and made from quality materials, the weight and level of hardness on the wood shouldn’t make too much of a difference in the ease of operating the extension.” In this analogy, steel is akin to a very hard, heavy wood, which is why the extension mechanism is so necessary. Slide the ends apart and the center leaf flips up into place so no carrying is needed. The steel itself is rust-resistant, powder-coated, and tough enough to survive the elements.
Outdoor furniture is notoriously expensive, so this just-over-$400 price tag is a welcome surprise.
Frequently Asked Questions About Expandable Dining Tables
What Are the Different Kinds of Expandable Dining Tables?
According to Kuo, there are four kinds of extendable tables. “Butterfly leaf and center leaf tables both extend from the center of the table, end extension tables feature extending leaves from either end that can slide back under the table, and drop leaf tables have hinges that will drop a leaf down on either end.” There’s not one style that’s inherently better than others, but one design will typically suit one’s needs above the rest. Very small spaces should go with a drop leaf design, whereas end extension tables are better for single folks living alone who need to prioritize an easy setup.
What’s a Reasonable Amount to Pay for an Extendable Dining Table?
The range is wide, from hundreds to thousands, so the important thing to consider, price-wise, is whether a table is a good value for its materials, design, etc. than where its price falls in the market overall.
Can’t I Just Pull Out a Folding Table When I Have a Company?
Those long plastic folding tables are for beer pong, farmer’s markets, and basketball sidelines. Do yourself a favor and get something a bit classier.
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