Every set compared
Seven sets across three games. The table has the facts; the notes below say which rows decide the purchase and which are just there for completeness.
| Specification | American 166-Tile Set with Racks | American Large-Print Set with Pushers | Chinese 144-Tile Set (Standard Size) | Riichi Set with Red Fives & Point Sticks | Jade-Style Acrylic Set | American Travel Set (Soft Case) | Chinese Mini Travel Set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | American (NMJL) | American (NMJL) | Chinese / Hong Kong / Taiwanese | Japanese Riichi | Chinese / Hong Kong / Taiwanese | American (NMJL) | Chinese / Hong Kong / Taiwanese |
| Tiles | 166 (incl. 8 jokers, 8 flowers) | 166 (incl. 8 jokers, 8 flowers) | 144 (incl. 8 flowers & seasons) | 136 + 4 spare (incl. 3 red fives) | 144 (incl. 8 flowers & seasons) | 166 (incl. 8 jokers, 8 flowers) | 144 (incl. 8 flowers & seasons) |
| Tile size | 1.2" × 0.9" × 0.6" (31 × 23 × 15 mm) | 1.3" × 1.0" × 0.6" (33 × 25 × 16 mm) | 1.3" × 1.0" × 0.8" (34 × 25 × 20 mm) — "size 36" | 1.0" × 0.8" × 0.6" (26 × 20 × 16 mm) | 1.4" × 1.1" × 0.8" (36 × 27 × 21 mm) — "size 38" | 1.1" × 0.8" × 0.5" (28 × 21 × 13 mm) | 0.9" × 0.7" × 0.5" (22–26 mm) |
| Material | Melamine or acrylic tiles, engraved and painted | Acrylic tiles, deep-engraved, high-contrast colour fill | Melamine, engraved and hand-painted | Acrylic / urea resin, engraved, two-tone back | Jade-colour acrylic, engraved, gold or black paint fill | Melamine tiles, printed and lightly engraved | Melamine or acrylic, printed or lightly engraved |
| Includes | 4 racks, 2–3 dice, wind indicator, bettor, carrying case | 4 rack-and-pusher combos, dice, wind indicator, bettor, hard case | 2–4 dice, wind indicator, fitted case (some with wooden box) | Point sticks (tenbou), 2 dice, dealer marker, carrying case | Dice, wind indicator, wooden or leatherette box | 4 slim racks, dice, wind indicator, soft zip case | Dice, sometimes a thin roll-up mat, compact case |
| Best for | Anyone starting American mahjong who wants the set a club would recognise. | Groups who play long sessions or struggle to read standard tiles across the table. | First Chinese set for a household, or a club set that will see heavy use. | Players coming from Mahjong Soul, Tenhou or anime who want the real thing. | A gift, or a set that lives on the table between games. | Players who host rarely and carry the set to a club or a friend’s house every week. | Travel, students, or a second set for the cabin and the campsite. |
Tiles: the row that decides the game
166 tiles is American, 144 is Chinese and 136 is Riichi. A set cannot play a variant it does not have the tiles for, so this row is a filter rather than a comparison: find your game, and the sets in the other columns stop mattering.
Tile size: the row that decides the table
Size 36 Chinese tiles and 1.2-inch American tiles fit a 34-inch card table with a mat. Anything larger — size 38 and 40, or 1.3-inch large-print — needs 36 inches to build four walls without the corners meeting. Riichi tiles are the smallest and fit almost anywhere.
Material: feel, not function
Melamine is lighter and warmer; acrylic is heavier and cooler. Both last decades if the faces are engraved. Neither is better — it is the difference between a club set and a set that lives on the table — which is why that row is not scored.
Includes: where the cheap sets cut
American sets without racks, Chinese sets in a cardboard box, Riichi sets without point sticks — the accessories are where a listing saves money. Our accessories page covers what to add if your set arrived without them.
Who will you play with?
Three games, three different sets. Pick the statement that sounds most like you.