The Best Ping Pong Paddles

If you are an avid ping pong player and want to up your game for playing with friends or colleagues, a good ping pong paddle can make a huge difference. Even for beginners, the guide to a good ping pong paddle is crucial for developing expertise in the game. This game becomes fierce and highly competitive once you start playing and leveling up. You have to catch up on various moves while adapting to the ever-challenging playing style of your opponent.

Why are Ping Pong Paddles Important?

Expert moves and tips are, of course, the prerequisites to a winning game, but the importance of paddles that fit you well and suit your hitting style is also undoubtedly crucial. Good paddles are the ones that fit you well and enhance your serve leaving a lasting impact on your performance.

Pre-assembled or Customized

Although buying a pre-assembled ping pong paddle is always the best and safest option, you can easily have your racket customized too. Pre-assembled paddles might be good for beginners as they do not know about the quality and grades of rubbers used. However, if you have been involved in this sport for a while, you would want to buy rubbers and grips according to your preference and have them assembled by a reliable sports supplier.

Things to Consider

1. Which Type of Player Are You?

a table tennis player serving a shot

Your experience level plays a vital role in deciding which type of ping pong paddle you should get. For novices, the best practice is to get the ball on the table. They have to hone their basics of the shots first and develop the higher mechanics later. Such players would not, most probably, be after the paddles that solely enhance speed and spin.

On the other hand, intermediate or expert players have an established playing style they want to keep up with. Whether you play as an offensive or defensive player also makes a difference in your buying decision.

2. Racket Blade and Handle

a ping pong paddle and a ping pong ball

Ping pong paddles have different forms of handles and blades. A rigid blade, for instance, is used by experienced players as it adds up more speed to the shots. A flexible blade adds up less speed to the shot as it absorbs some energy. Moreover, you should also look for the most comfortable racket’s handle; the most popular one is the flared one – it prevents the racket from slipping from the hand. The other types of handles include an anatomic and a straight one.

3. Speed, Spin, and Control

a man about paddle a ping pong ball

No matter which maker or model you settle for, the vital aspect is to test for the spin, control, and speed of the paddles. If these aspects of a set of paddles go well with you, then go for it. Speed, spin, and control are the three most crucial fundamentals of the game you need to acquire and master.

Best Ping Pong Paddles

1. STIGA Apex

This one is the top of our list for a reason, and that is, these STIGA Apex paddles are the most suitable for beginners. They might not be great for pros, but for someone who is starting to get the hang of this game, these paddles offer the best value for money. They are made of five layers of plywood and does not weigh a lot. This is also a reason why they are an excellent choice for novice players; it offers stability.

One of the greatest features of this paddle set is that it is also constructed with the popular STIGA’s WRB technology. This technology offers the best shots with a faster play. The blade and grip on these ping pong paddles are the best go-to option for beginners who are serious in learning this game.

2. Killerspin JET 600

The best thing about these paddles is the reliability it offers. Killerspin has been in the market for quite a long time and is popular for its sports products. The Killerspin paddles are made of ITTF-approved Nitrx-4Z rubber, which is considered the optimum type for creating the best spin ever. It also has the forehand loops, which make it very convenient to serve.

One drawback that sets it apart from the other top-quality brands for professional ping pong players is its lack of speed. It is made of 5 layers of different premium woods that render it more flexible and speed-absorbing. That being said, the Killerspin JET 600 ping pong paddle set is best for control and spin ability.

3. STIGA Supreme Performance

Remember how important it is to determine which type of a player you are before deciding on buying a set of paddles? If you know your gameplay is primarily focused on being defensive, then this STIGA Supreme Performance Paddle set is the best option for you. The most popular aspect is its ideal weight – made out of six plywood layers infused with technologies like Crystal Tech and Tube; these paddles are best suited for most players.

With a good quality rubber, this STIGA Supreme is best for producing a decent serve with the desired spin. It also provides a good control that, along with the spin, offers an excellent combination for keeping the ball on the table.

4. Palio Expert 2.0

Now, this is one set of paddles that are highly recommended for improving your game. It offers great value for money along with excellent spin and speed. This combination of characteristics is crucial for any novice or pro to improve with practice.

These paddles use the special Chinese rubbers, known as the CJ8000 rubber. This type of rubber is well-known for creating more spin as they are very sticky. If you want to have your paddles custom-built, then these rubbers are the best option.

5. DHS Hurricane-II

The biggest characteristic of these ping pong paddles is their brand name. DHS is a respectable company that has a top place among its competitors in terms of reliability. These paddles are best suited for intermediate players who want to reach the top of their league. The spin created by the DHS Hurricane-II is comparable with several professional sets out there.

Interestingly, these paddles entail two different rubbers on their sides – rendering one side favorable to offensive players. This side helps produce amazing amounts of spin and gets the ball hit further away with high speed. The other side of these paddles, made of the G555 rubber, posits more control; thus, suiting a defensive player.

6. STIGA Evolution Performance

This one on our list is the best option for professional players. It offers the best control with the desired speed and comes at an affordable price. If you are serious about your game and like to hit the fastest smashes to your opponents, then these STIGA Evolution ping pong paddles are for you. They consist of six best quality plywood sheets infused with numerous technologies invented by STIGA for optimum performance.

These paddles are lightweight and most suitable for defensive players as they offer great control. However, switching to these paddles from beginner ones might posit a tad bit of issue in the start as these are all about speed and optimum control.

7. Killerspin JET 800

Made from seven layers of plywood and three carbon sheets, these Killerspin JET paddles are meant for professional ping pong players. These rigid blade paddles offering extreme speed and control are the best you can get for the power play. These paddles are combined with Nitrix-4Z rubber that promises some very speedy shots without missing the target. The name Killerspin is the best description for the spin these paddles can produce.

The Takeaway

Depending on the type of game you play, you can get a wide variety of paddles at affordable prices. Deciding on a set of ping pong paddles after considering the points mentioned above is the best thing to do, as you might not want to start as a beginner with a paddle set that is suitable for professionals. Therefore, making an informed decision is necessary.