Every Kiwi deserves a space that’s their own. A mancave — whether it’s a garage conversion, a sleepout, or a dedicated games room — is a great use of space at home. And if you do it right, it becomes the place everyone wants to be.
Here’s how to plan one, step by step.
Step 1 — Choose Your Space
The most common mancave locations in NZ are:
The garage — A double garage often has room for a pool table plus another game, but measure first. Insulate it, put down some flooring, and you’ve got a proper setup.
A sleepout or spare room — Great for year-round use. Usually warmer and quieter than a garage. Ideal if you want a home bar setup too.
A dedicated games room — If you’re building or renovating, a dedicated games room is worth planning in. Add a bar, seating, good lighting, and you’ve got something special.
Minimum size guide:
- For a pool table only: take the table’s playing area and add about 1.5m of cue room on every side. Our 8ft table product pages suggest a room of about 5.7m x 4.5m.
- For a pool table + arcade machine: the pool table room above, plus the arcade cabinet’s footprint and room to stand in front of it, outside the cue zone
- Full mancave with multiple games: add each game’s footprint plus its own playing room. Every product page lists the dimensions.
Step 2 — Choose Your Pool Table
A pool table is the centrepiece of any mancave. Get this right and everything else follows.
Budget option — Viper MDF from $1,599
The Viper 8ft pool table is a solid MDF table at a sensible price. Check the “Included” list on the product page to see what comes in the box. Available in green, blue, black and red. Perfect for the garage mancave.
Premium option — Boston slate from $5,299 or Vegas slate at $5,599
If you want a table that plays like a pub table, go slate. The Boston (7ft $5,299, 8ft $5,499, 9ft $5,999) and the Vegas 8ft ($5,599) have a 3-piece 25mm slate bed for a true, flat playing surface. The ultimate mancave centrepiece.
Quick size guide:
- 8ft — A good fit for most home games rooms. Needs a room of about 5.7m x 4.5m.
- 9ft — Tournament size. Needs more space: the Boston 9ft product page suggests about 6.2m x 4.6m.
Step 3 — Add an Arcade Machine
Nothing says mancave like a full-size arcade machine. Modern home arcade machines come loaded with thousands of games, so you get the whole arcade experience in one cabinet.
The JAX arcade machine ($2,999) comes with 10,000+ classic games preloaded and is plug & play. If you’re a fan of the classics, the Space Invaders machine at $2,999 is a statement piece that doubles as room decor. It’s currently on back order, so check the product page for availability.
Step 4 — Air Hockey Table
An air hockey table brings fast-paced, competitive fun to the mancave. Great for when you’ve got mates over. We have two full-size tables: the Axton at $899 and the Air Strike at $1,499.
Step 5 — Foosball Table
A foosball table is the perfect finishing touch for a mancave. It doesn’t take up much room, it’s always popular with guests, and it’s hours of competitive fun. We have the Foozler at $599 and the Maverick at $899.
Step 6 — Finishing Touches
Once you’ve got your games sorted, think about:
Lighting — Pendant lighting over the pool table makes a huge difference to both gameplay and atmosphere. LED strips around the room add ambiance.
Seating — Bar stools, a couch, or a full home bar setup. Think about how many people will be using the space.
Flooring — Rubber flooring or interlocking tiles are practical and look great. Easy to clean and comfortable to stand on.
Fridge — A bar fridge stocked with cold ones is non-negotiable.
Mancave Budget Guide
| Setup | What’s Included | Approx. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | Viper pool table | From $1,599 |
| Mid-range | Viper + JAX arcade machine + Foozler foosball | From about $5,200 |
| Premium | Boston slate + JAX arcade + Axton air hockey + Foozler foosball | From about $9,800 |
| Ultimate | Vegas slate + JAX + Axton air hockey + Foozler + full fit-out | About $10,100 plus your fit-out |
Prices are for the games only. Freight is extra and is worked out per item at checkout.
Mancave Delivery NZ
We send everything nationwide to the freight depot nearest you. We phone you when your order arrives, and you collect it. Freight is charged per item and shown at checkout before you pay: for example $55 (North Island) or $65 (South Island) for a Viper, and $175 (North Island) or $265 (South Island) for a slate table. Delivery usually takes 2–4 days from the order date for items in stock. See our delivery page for the depot list and freight table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to set up a mancave in NZ?
A basic mancave with a pool table starts from $1,599 plus freight. A setup with several games typically runs from about $5,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on what you choose and how much fit-out you do.
What’s a good mancave combination?
A pool table plus an arcade machine is a classic combo. Add air hockey or foosball for a third game and you’ve got something for everyone.
Can I get everything delivered at once?
Items can ship from different places. Slate tables and arcade machines ship from Auckland, while other tables ship from the warehouse on your island. Get in touch with us if you want to plan the timing.
Is Afterpay available on everything?
Afterpay is available at checkout on orders up to $4,000 including freight. That covers most of our range, but a slate pool table costs more than $4,000, so it can’t go fully on Afterpay.
Ready to build your mancave? Browse our full range at The Ultimate Mancave.
