The 5 Best Dominos Set

You can use a dominos set to pass hours of time. There are many games you can play with these tiles, including Chicken Foot and Mexican Train. You can also set them up in a row and watch the domino effect as you knock down the first one. This activity can keep kids busy for such a long time, as they try to build longer and longer paths. If you're ready to pick up a dominos set, here are reviews of five of the best. There are a few different sized sets, so you can make sure to get the one that has the number of dominos that you need.

Cardinal Mexican Train Domino Game with Aluminum Case

Double 12 Dominoes Set

This dominos set has everything you need to play the popular Mexican Train game.

Best Overall

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These dominoes arrive in a sturdy aluminum case. The case measures 8-inch by 8-inch, so it’s really compact. There’s a handle for easy carrying. When you open the case, you’ll find a set of double-12 dominos. That’s a total of 91 dominos. It also contains a starting piece, nine train shaped markers, and a score pad. These are the extras you would need to play Mexican Train. But, you can also use the dominos for other games, or for stand-alone free play. The dominos are thick enough to stand upright. The pips in each is clean, and each number is represented by a different color. This makes it easy to quickly identify which tile you need.

Pros

Compact storage case
Good quality dominos
Comes with pieces for Mexican Train

Cons

Some of the numbers have colors that are close, so you may have to look a little more closely at those to distinguish between them

MasterPieces NFL Dominoes

NFL Dominos Sets

These dominos feature NFL designs.

Best for Sports Lovers

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If you’re a sports loving family, consider getting these fun dominoes. The back of each features an NFL logo. You can select between eleven different teams, including the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The front of each domino features black pips. There’s a black line separating the top and bottom. This is a double-six set of dominos, so it includes 28 dominos. You can store them in the tin they arrive in. There are plenty of games to play with these dominoes. They are standard domino sized, and are thick enough to stand up on end.

Pros

NFL themed
Easy to read pips
Good case with lid for storage

Cons

Not all NFL teams are available

Double 6 Professional Domino Tiles with Spinner in Wooden Box

28 Dominoes in a Wooden Case

This dominos set won't take up a lot of space in your home.

Most Compact

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This compact set of dominos arrives in a simple wooden box. The lid slides back to reveal 28 dominos, a double-six set. The box measures 2.5-inches wide and 7.5-inches long. Each individual domino is 2-inches by 1-inch by 0.38 inch, which is the size of professional dominos, not standard ones. Each domino has a spinner in the middle. These are a small pin that holds the face of the domino off the table when they’re face down. The spinner keeps the tiles from getting dinged, and having the pips worn off during game play.

Pros

Dominos have spinners on them
Double six domino set with easy to read pips
Each domino is a great size

Cons

The box seems a bit flimsy

Mexican Train Dominoes to Go

Portable Dominos Set

This set of 91 dominos is designed to be taken with you.

Best for Travel

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When you aren’t using them, you can store this dominos set in a handy travel case. It zips close and has a handle so it’s easy to grab and go. This set comes with double-twelve dominos, eight glitter train markers, a centerpiece, and rules for several domino games. Since they are built for portability, these dominoes are smaller than standard ones. Each measures 3/4-inch by 1-1/2-inch. However, despite their compact size, each domino has large easy to read numbers instead of the traditional pips. They use bright colors for each.

Pros

Compact size
Great for travel
Easy to read numbers

Cons

The dominos don’t have the traditional pips

Award Winning Hape Dynamo Kid’s Wooden Domino Set

Fun Dominos for Kids

This domino set will keep your kids busy for a long time.

Best for Free Play

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If you’re looking for a dominos set that will inspire your children to play, give this one a try. As they create contraptions with the dominos and other items, they’ll be practicing important STEM skills. The wooden dominoes are brightly colored, and feature a child-safe paint finish. This set includes a total of 107 different pieces. In addition to the domino tiles, you’ll find a bridge, a bell, and several other unique items that help hold your child’s interest. Each domino is thick enough to stand easily on the end. Unlike traditional dominos, these ones do not have any pips or numbers. They are solid wood, with a solid color. They are meant for creative play, not for playing more traditional domino games.

Pros

Encourage creative play
High-quality, kid-friendly construction
Help improve STEM skills

Cons

No pips or numbers on the dominos

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to have a double-12 dominos set?

Dominoes sets are typically described by the largest double in the box. So, a double-twelve domino set contains 91 tiles. The tile with the most pips will have 24, 12 on the top half and 12 on the bottom half. The tile with the fewest pips is a double-zero or double-blank. This is a tile with zero pips on the top, and zero on the bottom. Other common sizes include double-nine and double-six. The double-nine set has 55 dominoes, and there are 24 in a double-six set. If you know that you need a certain sized set for a particular game, make sure you purchase the correct one.

How do you play dominos?

There are several games to play with your dominos. One simple game is called Straight Dominos. It’s for two to four players. First, place all the tiles on the table, face down. Next, shuffle those tiles around. Each player draws one tile. The person who draws the highest double goes first. If no doubles are drawn, the person who has the highest domino goes first. Each player then draws seven dominos into their hand. The ones left on the table are known as the boneyard. The first player plays any domino from their hand to the table. Then the next player goes, playing a tile onto the tile the first person played. Dominos must match on the ends that are touching. A player gets points when the number of pips on the open ends are divisible by five. The first player to reach 250 points is the winner. Conversely, you can skip the scoring and the winner can be the person who plays the final domino from their hand first.

What other domino games are there?

Once you have a set of dominos, you can play games like Mexican Train and Chicken Foot. You can also play Solitare, Spinners, Stack ’em, and One-Leg Joe. If you’re interested in learning how to play any of these games, you can find the rules online. Simply look up “Name of domino game + how to play.” You never know which one will be your family’s new favorite, so give them all a try and see what you like best.