The 9 Best Mahjong Sets

New groups that want one bag holding a full American game should start with the Gustaria American. It packs all 166 tiles, including 10 jokers, plus a rack with a pusher for each player, dice, play money and a wind marker, all zipped into a blue printed bag with shoulder straps. The engraved white tiles resist scratches, and a pair of lidded trays keeps them tidy. The brightly colored racks look less refined than wood.

A quilted blue paisley bag that looks like a handbag sets the Linda Li American apart, with two shoulder straps and a zippered inside pocket for the dice and chips. The engraved, hand-painted tiles sit in two lidded trays, and matching quilted wrappers hold the trays and the racks so nothing rattles. A short primer on American rules helps a group of beginners get started. The price is steep for melamine tiles in a soft bag.

The Yellow Mountain Imports Huntington brings warm wooden racks with built-in pushers to the table, along with a wooden wind marker, scoring coins and an illustrated instruction book. The tiles have soft green backs and work for Chinese games as well as American ones. A divided canvas tote in matching green carries the lot. Score cards aren't included, and a soft tote protects the tiles less than a hard case does.

Dark wooden racks give the Mutex Walnut the look of a pricier heirloom set without the heirloom cost. Each rack has its own pusher, and the kit adds 100 chips, three dice, a wind marker and a simple rule booklet. The white tiles resist scratches and stains, and everything packs into a light, tear-resistant bag with handles for the trip to a friend's table. That soft bag guards the tiles less than a hard case would.

Chinese rules call for a different set, and the YMI Rouge Heritage is built for them, with 146 tiles and no jokers for Hong Kong, Taiwanese and Chinese Official play. Its tiles are thicker and heavier than American ones, with green bamboo-stripe backs, and they pack into a burgundy case with snap closures. There are no racks, which Chinese games don't need. It won't work with the American league card, and the case and handle can feel flimsy.

For a set to pass down, the Yellow Mountain Imports Little Birdie pairs hand-painted acrylic tiles, each with a sparrow on the back, with a wooden case lined in black velour. Wooden racks with acrylic pushers, dice, scoring coins and a wind marker come with it, and the tiles suit American or Chinese games. It's heavy to haul to a friend's house, and the price puts it firmly in gift territory.

Earth tones replace plain white on the Mahjong Atelier Terra, a set meant to look good on a shelf between games. Its 160 engraved tiles are built in four layers, in warm ochre, amber and terracotta shades, and they travel in a vegan-leather bag with matching dice in a canvas pouch. The mix follows the American game, with a few spare jokers and blanks. There are no racks, chips or wind marker, so budget for racks.

If your club fills the table with look-alike white sets, the Tiasusan Blue stands out with blue melamine tiles. It covers a full American game, with colored racks and pushers, dice, chips, a wind marker and a beginner's manual, and protective sleeves keep the racks and tiles from knocking together in the zip bag. Colored tiles can be harder to read at a glance than white ones in dim light, so check them under your own lamps.

Pink tiles give the Eimeet Large Pink a cheerful look on a table full of white sets, and it carries the full American mix of 166 tiles in a printed carrying bag. One listing for this set gives the tiles the standard American height, though, so check the size if bigger print is the reason you're buying. Racks aren't clearly part of the kit either, so confirm them before planning a four-player game.