Last Updated on August 9, 2020 by Jake
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or a pro, buying your own best ping pong paddle is one of the best purchases you can make. In fact, having your own paddle is one of the most important ping pong tips we can give to anybody.
The reason is, owning your own paddle will let you play more consistently. With each point you play, you get more and more familiar with how the ball reacts. Over time, this familiarity will benefit your game greatly and help you win more games!
With that in mind, we’re going to go over our picks for the best ping pong paddle. If you stick around until the end, we’ll also include some buying tips for when you make your purchase.
Table of Contents
Short on Time? Here’s Our Top Picks:
| Image | Title | Buy |
|---|---|---|
 | JOOLA Infinity Overdrive - Professional Performance Ping Pong Paddle with Carbon Kevlar Technology - Black Rubber on Both Sides - Competition Table Tennis Racket for Advanced Training - Extreme Speed | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Killerspin Jet 200 Table Tennis Paddle, Recreational Ping Pong Paddle, Table Tennis Racket with Wood Blade, Jet Basic Rubber Grips Ping Pong Balls, Memory Box for Storage – BluVanilla | Check Price on Amazon |
 | JP WinLook Ping Pong Paddle - 4 Pack; Pro Premium Table Tennis Racket Set; 8 Professional Game Balls; Rubber Spin Bat; Training Accessories Racquet Bundle Kit; Portable Cover Case; Indoor Outdoor | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Joy.J Sport Professional 9-Ply Wood Table Tennis Paddle, ITTF Approved Ping Pong Racket with Storage Bag, Perfect for Intermediate and Advanced (Intermediate-Advanced) | Check Price on Amazon |
 | AB-5000 5 Star Professional Ping Pong Paddle for Indoor and Outdoor Table Tennis with Carry Case | Check Price on Amazon |
 | STIGA Pro Carbon Performance-Level Table Tennis Racket with Carbon Technology for Tournament Play | Check Price on Amazon |
Best Ping Pong Paddle Reviews
JOOLA Infinity Overdrive Professional Ping Pong Paddle
Best Ping Pong Paddle Overall
- JOOLA - AN OLYMPIC TABLE TENNIS BRAND TRUSTED FOR 60+ YEARS: Launched in the 1950s, JOOLA has been the proud sponsor of the biggest tournaments in the world, Including the Olympics, World Championships, and US Open. Equipment designed for all levels.
- ITTF REGULATION SIZE: The JOOLA Infinity Overdrive ping pong racket comes with a smooth inverted surface and comfortable ergonomic flared grip handle for enhanced performance, speed, and spin. Table tennis equipment for kids and adults.
- PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION: 2 layers of carbon kevlar reinforces the wood and reduces vibrations while enlarging the 'sweet spot' for stronger attacks. Includes all the elements of a professional ping pong racquet, including PVC side tape to protect the edges.
- SUPERIOR QUALITY AND DURABILITY 5 PLY REAL WOOD: Only the best materials are combined together, Hinoki, Koto, Ayous, and two layers of Carbon Kevlar to create the perfect combo for increased speed and greater spin. Great for the family game room.
- PERFORMANCE RATINGS (SCALE 0-100) - Speed: 100, Spin: 99, Control: 92. Includes JOOLA Micron 48 Table Tennis Rubber on both sides. Does not come with ping pong balls. Great gift for someone who already owns an indoor or outdoor JOOLA ping pong table.
JOOLA is one of the most reputable companies on the globe when it comes to ping pong. Their Infinity Overdrive paddle is their flagship professional grade paddle and no expense was spared in it construction.
A durable 5 ply wood is the base of the blade, and 2 layers of carbon kevlar reinforce the wood. This innovative use of materials helps to absorb vibrations, which makes the Infinity Overdrive have incredible feel. For how fast and hot this paddle is, it gives the player a spectacular amount of control.
This is truly a top professional level performance ping pong paddle. It can handle the needs of the most skilled player, but is also a blast to use no matter what your skill level is. That’s why it gets our vote for overall best ping pong paddle.
Performance Ratings:
- Speed: 100
- Spin: 99
- Control: 92
Killerspin JET200 Table Tennis Paddle
Best Ping Pong Paddle for Beginners
- Ping Pong Racket: Killerspin is the leader in table tennis equipment. The perfect ping pong paddle set for beginners, kids and guests!
- Table Tennis Paddle: These Killerspin ping pong paddles have a 5 layer wood blade construction. The Jet Basic rubbers are designed for recreational ping pong players who want to improve their game and dazzle the competition!
- Table Tennis Racquets: Killerspin’s paddles are ideal for learning basic strokes and perfecting ball control. The rackets have a balanced design and comfortable flare grip that feels natural in your hand.
- Professional Paddle: This paddle also features flexible PVC tape, which surrounds the racket edges for additional protection when less experienced players use this racket.
- Perfect for Gifting: The perfect gift for any ping pong table owner or beginning player. It is also the perfect addition to your personal table tennis equipment collection.
Just because we think the Killerspin Jet200 is the best ping pong paddle for beginners doesn’t mean that it’s not good for other players too. In fact, it’s a great option for intermediate and casual players as well. It’s price point makes it a nice value buy if you’re on a budget.
Their blade is constructed of 5 layers of wood, rubber coating, and is held together by flexible PVC tape. The ergonomics of the handle are designed perfectly, and the lightweight paddle is easy to maneuver around.
This paddle isn’t as hot as the JOOLA Infinity. All this means is that shots won’t come off quite as hard with the Jet200, nor will the ball spin quite as much. But the sacrifice in speed is made up in the control department. It’s much easier to direct shots accurately with a paddle that has slightly less speed.
JP WinLook Ping Pong Paddle Set
Best Ping Pong Paddle for the Money
- BEGINNER OR EXPERT PLAYER, THIS SET IS FOR YOU: The premium quality bundle includes 4 table tennis racquets, 8 ping pong balls, and a convenient portable case so that you can keep your gear organized or for easy travel
- PREMIUM QUALITY MATERIALS: Our ping pong paddles set of 4 are made of high-quality crack-resistant wood that consists of 5 layers for more durability. A flared ergonomic handle provides comfort and control, and a medium soft bounce sponge offers feel and spin that will take your game to the next level
- TOP NOTCH REGULATION PING PONG BALLS: Our competition-quality ping pong balls are designed for amateur players and professionals alike. The table tennis set includes eight 3-star ITTF-approved white table tennis balls at a 40 mm diameter using durable ABS material
- JP WinLook FOR OUTDOOR & INDOOR PLAY: The 4 table tennis paddles and 8 balls offer a fun afternoon game or competitive matches against family and friends. It's the perfect set for you to bring outside so you can play poolside, on picnic tables, or bring indoors to continue the fun
- A BRAND THAT YOU CAN TRUST: If you’re looking for a quality table tennis racket, look no further. This is a trusted brand with a long, proven track record of producing great products at an affordable price
If you are buying ping pong paddles for your family and friends to use in your game room, you should look into buying a set. The JP Winlock premium set is great bang for your buck and comes with everything you need (other than a table) to get a doubles match going.
The set includes 4 rubber ping pong paddles, 8 three star balls, and a carrying case for transportation and storage. With how low the price point is for the set, quality of the paddles might be a natural concern that you’d have.
Fortunately quality is not something you need to worry about with JP Winlock’s product. Their ping pong paddles are durable and perform really nicely over long periods of time. Speed wise, they are in the middle of the spectrum so they are great for beginners or players who are trying to take their game to the next level.
Joy.J Sport Professional 9-Ply Wood Table Tennis Paddle
Best Ping Pong Paddle Under $25
Are you an avid ping pong player who wants to test the waters and see what professional grade ping pong paddles are like? Typically, the problem with professional level paddles is the price. They’re often a minimum of $75 or more per paddle. That’s a lot of money unless you are super confident you are getting what you want.
The Joy.J Professional paddle is a great option if you find yourself in this conundrum. It’s ITTF approved and is on the faster end of the spectrum while still providing a decent amount of control. But it’s a great way to get a taste of how hot professional paddles can play.
Construction wise, it’s made of a 9 ply wood blade and features a 2.2mm sponge on the rubber. The handle is ergonomically designed for comfort and durability.
Performance Ratings:
- Speed: 90
- Spin: 90
- Control: 80
AirBlades – Professional Ping Pong Paddle
- 🏓 TAKE YOUR PERFORMANCE TO THE NEXT LEVEL - Instantly improve your game with the AirBlades Slopehandle Everyday range. Designed for superior grip and extreme control, you will be able to hit the ball across any ping pong table like a pro. This table tennis paddle is suited for all levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced, and can be used for indoor and outdoor play.
- 🏓 PATENTED ERGONOMIC HANDLE FOR BETTER GRIP - A unique ergonomically designed slope handle table tennis racket features a custom designed curved handle that fits perfectly to the shape of your hand. The smooth design of this lightweight ping pong paddle is extremely comfortable and will help you improve your block, return and serve, as well as blast forehand drives and smashes.
- 🏓 PROFESSIONAL QUALITY & FEEL - Our 5 Star bat (AB-5000) is easily identifiable with two white lines on the handle and consists of five layers of wood. The three middle layers comprise of lightweight Ayous wood. The two outside layers use Koto wood; another quality hardwood that creates a more responsive racket perfect for looping, blocking and counterattack. There is 2mm of superior sponge and 1.6mm of high-end inverted rubber that wrap the 5 layers of quality wood blades for further control.
- 🏓 Our 5 Star PROTECTIVE HARD CARRY CASE - Protect your paddle with a hard cover. Each Airblades ping pong racket comes with its own beautifully designed custom made deluxe carrying case. It's water-resistant ensuring your ping pong paddle remains in the best condition and quality when travelling to contests or storing at home or in a game room.Paddle is easily identifiable with two white lines on the handle in addition to our distinctive logo
I love companies that innovate and try to take ideas to the next level. That’s exactly what AirBlades did with the design of their professional grade ping pong paddle. It might not seem like that big of a deal, but the curved handle design is the most ergonomically advanced design out there.
At the end of the day, finding the best ping pong paddle for you comes down to comfort. The curved design might not be everybody’s cup of tea. But for some players, it’s an intuitive design that increases your wrist movement and allows you to play more freely.
Aesthetically the AirBlade looks like a slick, modern piece of equipment. Construction wise, it’s about as solid as ping pong paddles come. It’s built with 5 layers of wood and features 2mm of high quality sponge on the rubber.
STIGA Pro Carbon Performance-Level Table Tennis Racket
- STIGA – Since 1944, STIGA has been the innovative leader in table tennis equipment. STIGA combines superior craftsmanship with exceptional performance in every product. The highest quality equipment for all, from amateur to pro. That’s the STIGA heritage
- BUILT FOR COMPETITION – Nano Composite and ACS Technologies form stronger and tighter bonds in the ITTF approved smooth inverted S5 rubber for high speed and spin with maximum elasticity and outstanding control—the perfect racket for tournament play
- SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY – This racket unites STIGA's Crystal and WRB Technologies for a hardened, light blade with faster returns, more power, and extra sensitivity of touch
- PRECISION BLADE – The 7-ply blade boasts 5 layers of light-weight balsa wood and 2 layers of high-performance, integrated carbon fiber that combine with a 2mm sponge for a larger sweet spot and cleaner hits
- PERFORMANCE RATINGS – Speed: 99, Spin: 100, Control: 80
When it comes to performance, the STIGA Pro Carbon is about as good it gets for off the rack ping pong paddles. It’s a high level table tennis racket that is incredibly light and easy to maneuver around.
The base construction is a 6 ply lightweight balsa wood with premium rubber and a 2mm sponge layer on the outside. It’s constructed with 2 layers of carbon for increased feel, integrity, and response. In the inner workings of the handle is a shock depression tube that absorbs vibration and transfers energy into shots.
Speed and spin wise, this rubber is about as hot as gets. You can really work the ball with the Stiga Pro Carbon, which may take a little while if you aren’t used to playing a paddle like this.
Performance Ratings:
- Speed: 99
- Spin: 100
- Control: 80
Best Ping Pong Paddle Buying Tips
Whenever you play ping pong using other people’s paddles, pay attention to the things you like and don’t like. Really focus on the feel and playability and take note of what your observations are. Here are a few more things to pay attention to in the process of buying the best ping pong paddle:
Hard vs Soft Rubber
Even for beginners, we almost always recommend going for a soft rubber paddle. They just perform better and give you more playability and control over your game. Some people still do prefer a hard rubber paddle though – which makes a thwack sound like you are hitting the ping pong ball with a piece of wood!
Many companies make a cheap, beginner level soft rubber paddle so you don’t have to break the bank to get one.
Performance Rating
ITTF approved ping pong paddles will come with a performance rating for speed, spin, and control. This is just a 0 to 100 measure of the potential of the paddle. So for example, a paddle with a 100 spin rating will be able to put mega spin on a ball. A lower spin rated paddle would make it more difficult to get a lot of spin.
This can be a great indicator to help you find the right paddle for your game. Highly skilled players may look for maximum speed and spin whereas beginner or intermediate players may prefer something a little slower and with more control.
Player Objective
Are you a casual player? Or are you an avid player trying to take your game to the next level? The best ping pong paddle will be different depending on your answer to that question. Generally speaking, if you are a player who tries to be precise with your game (play different kinds of shots, constantly trying to hit your spots) then a professional grade paddle will be perfect for you.
On the other hand, more casual players should look into paddles that are a lower price point but still constructed well. Below a certain level of play, the benefits of a professional paddle won’t make enough of a difference to justify the cost.
Additionally, if you are buying for a family your best value will probably to buy a set that comes with 2 or 4 paddles!
Brand
Most of the time I am pretty brand agnostic – if the product is good it’s good, regardless of how solid your marketing department is. But when it comes to the best ping pong paddles, brand is actually a very good indicator of quality.
Brands like JOOLA and STIGA have been around forever and are staples of the ping pong community. Each brand on this list makes great products but if you find a different paddle you like, make sure to do some research into their track record before buying their product.
Best Ping Pong Paddle – Wrap Up
I hope you got some value out of this list in your search for the best ping pong paddle for you! If you think we missed any solid paddles, let us know in the comments section below.
Looking for more content? Check out our posts on the best ping pong balls, tips for improving your ping pong game, and ideas for your game room next!
Last update on 2022-06-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API