The Mizerak vs Hathaway choice is really a choice about slate. Mizerak sells one of the cheapest real slate tables we found on Amazon, and Hathaway sells folding MDF tables that are fine for family fun. First-time table owners buy both brands, and most reviews treat them as head-to-head rivals even though they serve different buyers.
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The verdict in one table
| Use case | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest path to real pool | Mizerak Donovan II (slate, P5223W1) | Real slate for about $1,250 on Amazon in October 2026 |
| Casual family rec room | Hathaway Fairmont 6ft | Around $450-$480 and folds for storage, with 1,500+ reviews |
| Bar-table feel under $1,000 | Mizerak Dynasty 6.5ft | Automatic ball return for about $700-$900, with 800+ reviews |
| Small kids / first table | Hathaway Fairmont 6ft | Cheap enough to outgrow without regret |
| Anyone who’ll play weekly for years | Mizerak Donovan II slate | MDF sags eventually, and slate stays flat for decades |
Buy MDF for several years of casual fun and slate for decades of pool. Either one is a good purchase when it matches the buyer.
Where Slate Starts With the Donovan II
The Mizerak Donovan II slate model is the budget market’s entry point to real slate. It pairs a real slate bed with K-66 nose rubber on 3-5/8-inch rails. Mizerak doesn’t state the slate thickness on Amazon, and retailers list it anywhere from 3/4 inch to about 1 inch. In October 2026 the slate listing ran about $1,250 on Amazon through a third-party seller, while other retailers asked anywhere from about $1,400 to $2,600.
At the Amazon price it costs about half of what entry dealer-brand slate does, which starts around $2,500 per our pool table brands guide. The slate listing has no Amazon reviews yet, so the case for it rests on the spec sheet, which shows real slate for less than the Slatron version costs.
The checkout trap is a second Donovan II with a Slatron surface, model P5223W2, which listed on Amazon for about $1,370 in October 2026. Slatron is compressed particleboard with a plastic laminate, and it plays like it sounds. Confirm the model number P5223W1 and the word “slate” before you pay; our slate vs slatron explainer covers how to tell the surfaces apart.
Slate earns the price gap because it doesn’t sag or ripple in humidity. Cloth and cushions wear out and get replaced over the years while the stone stays flat, whereas an MDF bed loses flatness over time, and faster in a damp room.
Where MDF Is Fine With Hathaway
Hathaway makes MDF tables for buyers who want fun more than practice, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The Fairmont 6ft leads the line at around $450-$480, with folding steel legs and a carrying bag. Two cues and a ball set come in the box. It also carries more than 1,500 Amazon reviews at 4.3 stars, one of the deepest review histories of any budget table on Amazon.
Hathaway lists L-shaped cushions on the Fairmont, with no mention of K-66, so expect banks to play shorter and slower than on a slate table. In a humid basement any MDF surface will eventually wave. For family game nights or an apartment where the table folds away on weekdays, that matters little. It matters a lot if someone in the house is trying to improve, and our MDF lifespan guide covers the aging curve.
The Mizerak Dynasty 6.5ft (about $700-$900) brings Mizerak into the non-slate tier, adding an automatic ball return and 800+ reviews of its own. It’s the bridge table, more serious than a Fairmont for well under the Donovan II’s price, and our pool tables under $1,000 guide ranks it first in that bracket.
Assembly Takes Minutes or Most of a Day
The Fairmont takes under an hour to set up, while the Donovan II slate model takes most of a day. Few listings make that clear before checkout.
A Hathaway Fairmont goes from box to breaking in under an hour with one adult and a screwdriver, because the legs fold out of the frame. That convenience is a real reason to buy it.
The Donovan II slate model is a true slate installation. Its three slate pieces weigh roughly 150 lbs each, and the cabinet has to be assembled dead level before the slate goes on. Then come the seam work and the cloth stretch. Two strong adults and a full afternoon is the realistic minimum, and a $200-$300 professional setup is money well spent on slate seams and cloth tension.
The gap carries on after setup. The Fairmont moves with the furniture, while the Donovan II has to come apart to move.
Whichever brand you buy, plan on replacing the pack-in gear. The bundled cues are wall-rack filler and the balls are light polymer sets, while a real ball set runs $50-$150 and upgrades the table more than any other accessory dollar. See our best pool balls guide for picks by budget.
The Room Math Before Either Table
An 8-foot Donovan II needs a 13’4” x 17’ room to swing a full 58-inch cue on every shot. Plenty of basements and spare rooms in this price tier don’t have that, and a slate table where half your shots bump the wall is worse to live with than a smaller table you can play properly. Two minutes in the free pool table room planner beats discovering the problem after delivery.
The 6ft and 6.5ft tables are the budget tier’s advantage here, because they need less floor in both directions. Shorter cues help too: switching from 58-inch to 48-inch cues takes 20 inches off each room dimension, per our standard pool table size guide.
Measure before you argue slate versus MDF, because the room can settle the question for you. Our guide on how far a pool table needs to be from the wall has the clearance numbers for every table size and cue length.
Warranty Barely Matters Here
Both brands back their budget tables with short warranties, so warranty shouldn’t drive this decision. The Fairmont carries Hathaway’s 180-day limited warranty. The Donovan II slate listing doesn’t state one, and Amazon’s listing for the Slatron version shows 30 days. Dealer brands like Olhausen offer lifetime warranties, but in the budget tier the bed material is what decides how long your table lasts.
A used Olhausen is a real alternative to a new Donovan II if you have the patience for the used market and the movers’ fee. For most buyers who want to check out on Amazon, the Donovan II slate model is the simplest route to real slate.
The full spec comparison
| Spec | Mizerak | Hathaway |
|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Escalade Sports | BlueWave Products |
| Brand namesake | Steve Mizerak, former pro | None; rec-room brand |
| Best table | Donovan II 8ft slate (~$1,250-$1,400) | Fairmont 6ft (~$450-$480) |
| Slate offering | Yes (Donovan II slate; thickness listed at 3/4in to 1in) | None in the budget tier |
| Surface elsewhere | Slatron / MDF on lower models | MDF across the range |
| Cushions | K-66 nose rubber on Donovan II | L-shaped cushions on the Fairmont; K-66 not listed |
| Assembly | A full afternoon or more, two adults (slate) | Under an hour, one adult |
| Portability | None; slate is permanent | Folding designs, carry bags |
| Typical lifespan | Decades (slate), replaceable cloth | 3-8 years of flat play (MDF), depending on model and humidity |
| Warranty | Not stated on the slate listing; 30 days on the Slatron listing | 180-day limited warranty on the Fairmont |
Common questions about Mizerak vs Hathaway
Is Mizerak or Hathaway better?
Mizerak, if the question is playing quality. Its Donovan II slate model puts real slate under $1,500, and its Dynasty adds a ball return that Hathaway’s folding tables lack. Hathaway wins on price and portability for casual rec rooms, with folding designs Mizerak doesn’t offer. The two brands are solving different problems.
Is Mizerak a good pool table brand?
Yes, within its lane. Mizerak is the budget brand named for former pro Steve Mizerak and sold under Escalade Sports. The Donovan II slate model is the reason to buy one. The brand’s Slatron and MDF tables are fine for casual play.
Are Hathaway pool tables any good?
For casual rec rooms, yes. The Fairmont 6ft has more than 1,500 Amazon reviews at a 4.3 rating and folds for storage. Hathaway’s budget tables use MDF or other non-slate beds, so expect softer bounces and eventual surface sag in humid rooms. Serious practice needs slate.
Is the Mizerak Donovan II real slate?
The slate version is. Model P5223W1 has a real slate bed and K-66 nose rubber, and it ran about $1,250 on Amazon in October 2026. Mizerak also sells a Slatron version, model P5223W2, that looks nearly identical and listed for about $1,370. Check the model number before you pay.
How long do budget pool tables last?
A slate table like the Donovan II lasts decades, because the stone doesn’t wear out and the cloth and cushions are replaceable. Our MDF lifespan guide puts most MDF tables at 6-8 years in a climate-controlled room, and cheaper models can start warping in 3-4 years. Warranties on both brands are short, so the construction is what you’re paying for.
The bottom line
Buy the Donovan II slate model (P5223W1) if anyone in the house wants to get better at pool and the room fits an 8-footer. Buy the Fairmont if the table has to fold away or mostly entertains kids and guests. The Dynasty sits between them for buyers who want a ball return without paying slate prices.
Related Articles
For the next step, compare pool tables under $1,000 with the best pool tables under $2,000. The slate vs MDF breakdown and the slate vs slatron explainer cover the surface question in more depth.