The 10 Best Pickleball Paddles, According to Instructors and Racket Sport Experts

You’ve probably heard of pickleball—maybe you’ve even played it. As the fastest growing sport in the U.S., lessons from certified instructors are becoming widely available as pickleball courts pop up all over the nation. If you’re looking to get in on the fun or step up your game, see these rackets, recommended by pickleball instructors and racket-sport experts. Once you find your perfect paddle, check out our list of the best gifts for pickleball fans.

Best for kids and smaller players

Though most pickleball paddles are fairly lightweight and come in at around 7.5-8 ounces, Andy Zarka, owner of the Jax Pickleball Store in Jacksonville, Fla., says that for a paddle that has a better grip for smaller hands, you might consider the Paddletek Bantam TS-5 model, which is as light as 7 ounces and has a smaller grip circumference of 4.25 inches. “This might be a great option not only for kids, but also for people with smaller hands in general—you want something lightweight and easy to maneuver,” Zarka says. With its Textured Fiberglass Epoxy Hybrid surface and High Grade Polymer Composite Honeycomb core, the Bantam TS-5 is great for new players who want a quality paddle.

Best for beginners

Rafi Cartagena, who has been in the racket sports industry for a decade and is currently a sales associate and master stringer at NYC Racquet Sports, recommends the Selkirk Amped series of paddles for beginners. He says these thick, fiberglass paddles “are super comfortable and forgiving” and that they provide “an easy way to get into the sport.” He suggests that new players purchase the Epic size, which has a standard shape and long handle. “The square shape is better for entry-level players because it gives a more forgiving sweet spot and a more maneuverable frame,” he says. The Amped Epic paddle comes in four colors: red, blue, purple and black/white, and you can choose between light and midweight. Especially for beginners, Zarka says the most important thing is that the paddle feels comfortable in your hand—“if it doesn’t feel good in your hand, it’s never gonna feel right to you,” he says.

Best lower-price paddle

Zorano Tubo, aka Coach Z, a certified pickleball teaching professional and founder of Southern Tier Pickleball Academy, likes the $65 Slam Master PRO Paddle, which is made of graphite and comes in at 8.3 ounces—and won’t break the bank. He says the Slam Master paddle is the “best bang for your buck because the weight is good and the paddle is solid—it’s not going to break,” adding that his daughters, who compete at a high level, use the paddle. He also highly recommends Slammaster’s solo-play practice paddle, which is a modern take on the classic paddle ball with a pickleball twist and will help hone your skills from the comfort of your own home. “It’s good for every age group, from children to the professional and everyone in between,” he says.

Best mid-price paddle

Zarka says Holbrook’s Performance series paddles are a great starting point for someone who wants to play recreationally and not necessarily at a high level. “At $90, it’s certainly more expensive than something you can pick up at Target, but you’re not gonna outgrow this paddle very quickly,” he says. Zarka also calls out the carbon fiber-graphite blend face and solid polypropylene core as some of the paddle’s great features—“and they’re actually good looking,” he says, noting the paddles’ colorful graphics. For a geometric pattern, try the SoHo or Centre Court styles; if you’re more of a minimalist, the black and white Day N’ Night style might be the one for you.

Classic with a pop of color

Laura Gainor, founder of Pickleball in the Sun, says this paddle from Rokne is her favorite. The Curve Classic comes in eight color combinations, including Bubblegum, Tangerine and Northern Sky, but Gainor says the new Tropical Palm design (a special edition colorway) is her “favorite go-to paddle to take on vacation.” Gainor also says the paddle is great for anyone, from “the casual player who wants to pack their bag to travel to a beachfront resort and the competitive player earning their way to become a professional.” The midweight paddle helps maintain ball control, and the textured fiberglass racket face helps generate optimal spin for powerful and precise shots. The cushioned handle provides an extra comfortable grip. We also included these paddles in our list of the best gifts for pickleball fans.

Best for intermediate players

For pickleball players who already know the game and are ready to take the next step, Cartagena suggests switching from fiberglass to carbon paddles. For a raw carbon fiber paddle,  he recommends the Selkirk Halo line of paddles. To start out, he says the Power style is best. The Halo paddle also comes in Control and Signature styles, which feature larger paddle cores for an extra large sweet spot. Zarka also likes the Selkirk Halos: “I really believe that it’s the best paddle in that price point, and it’s got a  grip length and diameter that suits most people.”

Best for pros

For an experienced player who wants to upgrade to a top-quality pro paddle, Zarka recommends the JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus paddle. It’s the paddle of choice of Ben Johns, the No. 1 ranked men’s singles pickleball player. Though it comes at a higher price point than more basic paddles, its features make it well worth the cost. “The carbon fiber, edge foam and core give you really great responsiveness, and the ball feels great on the paddle,” Zarka says. He also praises the Perseus for allowing a player to “generate a tremendous amount of spin” and says it still has good control for the amount of potential power it can generate. The paddle’s carbon frame promises increased strength and durability, while the Feel-Tec Pure grip offers optimal comfort and increased shock absorption.

Best edgeless paddle

Zarka says the Diadem Warrior V2 model is the best one for people who want an edgeless paddle. While it’s more of an aesthetic choice than anything else, some players feel that a paddle’s edge gets in the way when hitting the ball. Zarka says this paddle performs as well as an edged paddle: “Having a paddle that gives a little more responsiveness but is edgeless is unique in the marketplace.” The paddle features an etched carbon fiber face and liquid carbon fiber border.

Best soft-touch paddle

Like many other pickleball players, Robert Wright, the Director of Racquets at the Omni Amelia Island Resort, started out playing tennis, and he always played with a Head tennis racket. After the switch to pickleball, he stayed loyal to the brand and recommends Head’s Gravity Tour paddle. It’s “a good paddle for a soft feel on impact but doesn’t sacrifice power, so you still get a bit of pop on it,” he says. He enjoys soft-touch paddles, which refers to a lighter-weight paddle for players who prefer to play close to the net instead of far away, so they don’t always need a power paddle for super strong hits.

For a soft-touch paddle with a bit more power, Wright recommends the Radical Tour paddles. “You can’t go wrong with those if you’re looking for a nice combination of power, feel, spin and maneuverability without sacrificing soft touch,” Wright says, adding that he would always recommend soft-touch paddles to new players because they have the best feel.