Updated 2 November 2026 · By the 10Grains team
Above: five Christmas hosts, five nests of tables, and one paper-cutout friend who has hosted all five ways.
Came here from our "Which Christmas host are you?" video? All five nests of tables are below. You can also search HOST323 on 10grains.co.uk to see them side by side.
The short answer: a nest of tables gives you extra surfaces when guests arrive and folds back into one footprint when they leave. Match the set to the way you host:
- 1The snack buffet (three surfaces): set of 3 triangle nesting tables.
- 2Hides everything (storage inside): round nesting side tables with lift-off tops.
- 3The cocktail host (glass tops): gold hoop nesting tables.
- 4Hosts eight in a one-bed flat (small footprint): Scandinavian nesting tables on pine legs.
- 5Board games till midnight (90 cm wide): industrial nesting coffee tables.
Every Christmas has one. The host who puts out a buffet big enough for a wedding. The one who hides the entire contents of the living room in five minutes flat. The one with the proper glasses and the olives. The one who somehow fits eight people into a one-bed flat. And the one who brings out the board games at ten and won't let anyone leave until midnight.
All of them need the same thing: more surfaces when people arrive, and fewer when they leave. That's exactly what a nest of tables does. Pull them apart for the party, slide them back together for the other 51 weeks of the year.
We've matched five of our nests of tables to five kinds of host, with the sizes, load limits, honest catches and a real product photo next to each scene. Or take the quiz and we'll match a set to your Christmas.
Host Finder: which nest of tables suits your Christmas?
Three taps and we'll point you at the right set.
Everything we recommend
1 BuffetTriangle set of 3
2 Tidy-upStorage side tables
3 CocktailsGold hoop tables
4 Small spaceScandi tables
5 Games nightIndustrial set
How we matched them
We're the retailer, so we're not pretending to be neutral. What we did was read every listing: table sizes and heights, how many tables are in the set, what they're made of, how much weight each one takes, and whether there's storage or assembly. Then we matched each set to a kind of host you'll recognise. Every figure below comes from the supplier's published specifications, and every pick gets a "worth knowing" section.
1The snack buffet: a set of 3 triangle nesting tables
Crisps in one bowl, nuts in another, a cheeseboard that needs its own postcode. The buffet host wants a surface for everything, and three tables beat one every time.
Set of 3 Triangle Nesting Tables – Walnut & Black
Three triangle tables, large, medium and small, with walnut-effect tops on black V-shaped steel legs. Use them apart or stacked together.
See it at 10GrainsWhy it suits them
Three surfaces, not two. Most of our nests are pairs. This one has three, so every bowl gets its own table when guests arrive.
Stack them after. They nest together to save space once the party is over.
Sturdy for their size. Each table takes up to 20 kg, and the feet have floor-protecting pads.
Worth knowing
Triangle tops are smaller than they look. The large table is 56 × 54.2 cm and the small one 36 × 34 cm, so think bowls and drinks rather than full platters on the small one.
Assembly required. Build them before the guests arrive.
Key specs
Large: 56 L × 54.2 W × 45.5 H cm · Medium: 42 × 43.8 × 43 cm · Small: 36 × 34 × 41 cm
Material: walnut-effect MDF tops, black steel legs · Max load: 20 kg per table
2Hides everything five minutes before they arrive: round nesting tables with hidden storage
The doorbell's about to go and the living room is buried under toys, post and yesterday's wrapping. This host doesn't tidy. They hide. These tables are built for it.
Set of 2 Round Nesting Storage Side Tables – White & Gold
Two round nesting side tables whose white tray tops lift off, with hidden storage inside the gold-tone frames.
See it at 10GrainsWhy it suits them
Storage inside. The round tray tops lift away, and there is storage space inside each frame.
No assembly. The listing says no assembly is required, which matters when you are hiding things in a hurry.
Trays that come off. The removable tops double as serving trays.
Worth knowing
Lighter load. Each table takes up to 15 kg, so it is for toys, throws and post rather than heavy books.
Open-sided frames. The wire frames show what is inside from the side, so a throw on top of the clutter helps.
Key specs
Large: 44 cm diameter × 45.5 H cm · Small: 35 cm diameter × 41 H cm
Material: steel frames, MDF tray tops · Max load: 15 kg per table · No assembly required
3The cocktail host: gold hoop nesting tables with tempered-glass tops
Proper glasses, a playlist, olives in a little bowl. The cocktail host does Christmas with a bit of sparkle, and these gold hoop tables are the drinks trolley's smarter cousin.
Set of 2 Round Glass Nesting Tables with Hoop Frames – Gold Tone
Two round nesting tables with 5 mm tempered-glass tops on gold-tone hoop-and-ball frames. The small one nests under the large one.
See it at 10GrainsWhy it suits them
Made for drinks. Tempered-glass tops wipe clean, which is useful when glasses get topped up all evening.
Taller than most of our sets. At 57 cm and 51 cm high they sit at a comfortable reach beside a sofa or armchair.
They nest. The smaller table slides under the larger one when you want the space back.
Worth knowing
Small tops. The tops are 41 cm and 36 cm across: room for a few glasses and a bowl, not a full spread.
Assembly required. Allow time to put them together.
Key specs
Large: 41 cm diameter × 57 H cm · Small: 36 cm diameter × 51 H cm
Material: 5 mm tempered glass, gold-tone metal · Max load: 30 kg
4Hosts eight people in a one-bed flat: Scandinavian nesting tables on pine legs
No dining table, one sofa, floor cushions and a lot of goodwill. The small-space host fits everyone in anyway, and needs tables that disappear when the party's over.
Set of 2 Scandinavian Nesting Tables with Pine Legs – White
Two Scandinavian-style nesting tables with soft triangular white tops on solid pine legs. The small one tucks under the big one.
See it at 10GrainsWhy it suits them
Tucks away. The smaller table nests under the larger one, so you only lose one table's worth of floor most of the time.
Light and simple. White tops and natural pine legs look at home in a small, bright room.
Two surfaces when you need them. Pull the small one out for mugs and plates when everyone arrives.
Worth knowing
Light loads only. Each table takes up to 10 kg, so mugs and snacks are fine, but don't sit on them.
Assembly required. The legs fit on, so allow a few minutes.
Key specs
Large: 59.5 L × 39.5 W × 45 H cm · Small: 44.5 L × 28.5 W × 40 H cm
Material: MDF tops, solid pine legs · Max load: 10 kg per table
5Board games till midnight: industrial nesting coffee tables
Dinner's done, the board comes out, and nobody goes home until someone wins. The games host needs a proper-sized table at sofa height, with somewhere else for the snacks.
Set of 2 Industrial Nesting Tables – Rustic Brown
Two rectangular nesting tables with rustic brown tops on metal frames. The big one is 90 cm wide, coffee-table size.
See it at 10GrainsWhy it suits them
Room for the whole board. The large table is 90 × 48 cm, so a board, cards and dice all fit.
A second table for snacks. The smaller 59 × 42 cm table slides out beside it, then back underneath afterwards.
Low and steady. At 42 cm high it sits at a comfy height for playing from the sofa or a floor cushion.
Worth knowing
It's a coffee-table set. These are bigger and lower than typical side tables, so measure the space in front of your sofa.
Load per table. Each takes up to 15 kg.
Assembly required. It arrives flat-packed.
Key specs
Large: 90 W × 48 D × 42 H cm · Small: 59 W × 42 D × 36 H cm
Material: rustic brown particleboard tops, metal legs · Max load: 15 kg per table
The five side by side
| Pick | Best for | Tables | Largest table | Top | Max load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Triangle set of 3 | Buffets, lots of bowls | 3 | 56 × 54.2 × 45.5 cm | Walnut-effect MDF | 20 kg each |
| 2 Round storage tables | Hiding clutter, no assembly | 2 | 44 cm dia × 45.5 cm | White tray, lifts off | 15 kg each |
| 3 Gold hoop glass | Drinks beside the sofa | 2 | 41 cm dia × 57 cm | 5 mm tempered glass | 30 kg |
| 4 Scandi pine legs | Small rooms and flats | 2 | 59.5 × 39.5 × 45 cm | White MDF | 10 kg each |
| 5 Industrial set | Games, coffee-table use | 2 | 90 × 48 × 42 cm | Rustic brown particleboard | 15 kg each |
Figures are the supplier's published specifications. Scroll the table sideways on a phone.
Nest of tables or one coffee table: which is better for hosting?
A single coffee table gives you one big surface in one place. A nest of tables gives you two or three smaller surfaces you can put wherever people are sitting. For hosting, that flexibility usually wins:
- Spread them out for guests. Put one beside each end of the sofa and one by the armchair, so nobody balances a drink on their knee.
- Push them back together after. On a normal evening the set takes up the floor space of one table.
- Check the heights. Side-table nests (numbers 1 to 4) are 40 to 57 cm high, about sofa-arm height. The industrial set (number 5) is coffee-table height, 42 cm and 36 cm.
- Check the load. Weight limits run from 10 kg per table (number 4) to 20 kg per table (number 1). Fine for drinks and snacks, not for sitting on.
Rule of thumb: if you have room for a coffee table and want a games surface, choose number 5. If you need extra surfaces beside the seats, go for a side-table nest.
Three things to check before you buy a nest of tables
Height
Side-table nests sit at about sofa-arm height (40 to 57 cm here). Coffee-table nests are lower: number 5 is 42 cm.
Footprint
Measure for the largest table: that is the space the set takes when it is nested. Then check where the others will go when they are out.
Load
Drinks, bowls and a board game are light. Don't stand or sit on them: limits run from 10 kg to 20 kg per table, or 30 kg for number 3.
Other good options
Three marble-effect tables. The set of 3 marble-effect nesting side tables is another three-table option, with adjustable feet.
The Scandi set in grey. The Scandinavian nesting tables in light grey have the same pine legs.
Glass and gold, round. The round glass nesting tables with elliptical frames are a lighter-looking take on number 3.
What we left out, and why
Single side tables. Handy, but they don't multiply when guests arrive, which is the whole point here.
Folding tables. Useful for a big lunch, but they live in a cupboard. A nest of tables earns its space every day.
Want to browse more? See all our side tables and coffee tables.
Nests of tables for hosting: frequently asked questions
What is a nest of tables?
A set of two or three tables in graduated sizes that slide under each other. You pull them apart when you need more surfaces and push them back together to save space.
Which nest of tables has three tables?
Number 1, the triangle set, has three tables (large, medium and small), each taking up to 20 kg.
Which nest of tables has storage?
Number 2, the round white and gold set. The tray tops lift off, and there is storage inside each frame. It also needs no assembly.
Which set is best for a small flat?
Number 4, the Scandinavian set. The small table tucks under the large one, which is 59.5 × 39.5 cm.
Can a nest of tables replace a coffee table?
Yes, if you choose a coffee-table-height set. Number 5's large table is 90 × 48 cm and 42 cm high.
How much weight can a nest of tables hold?
It depends on the set: from 10 kg per table (number 4) to 20 kg per table (number 1). Number 3's listing gives 30 kg.
Do these nests of tables need assembling?
Four of the five do. The round storage tables (number 2) need no assembly.
We're a small UK team who read spec sheets so you don't have to. Which Christmas host are you, or got a question about one of these sets? Leave a comment below and one of us will reply.
