The best budget pickleball paddles
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If you’re looking to dive into pickleball without overspending, we’ve got a few recommendations for you, featuring paddles that combine value with performance.
Since everybody’s definition of “value” is a little different, we’re considering paddles under $150 for this guide. In many cases, using code “KITCHEN” at checkout will get you an added discount — using our code also helps us continue to produce this type of content.
So whether you’re a seasoned player looking for a backup paddle or a new player looking to upgrade from an entry-level option, we’re confident you’ll find something to elevate your game.
This page will be updated regularly as new paddles hit the market.
Last updated: August 2026
OUR “BEST OF” LISTS
Best overall
– Our Top 13 paddles on the market + in-depth reviews for each oneBest by category
– Best power paddles
– Best control paddles
– Best all-court paddles
– Best full-foam paddlesBest by shot type
– Best paddles for dinks and drops
– Best paddles for drives and serves
– Best paddles for pop
– Best paddles for resets
– Best paddles for spinBest by price
– Best paddles under $200
– Best paddles under $150Best by skill level
– Best paddles for beginners
– Best paddles for intermediate players
– Best paddles for advanced playersGear
– Best pickleball bags
– Best pickleball shoes
– Best shoes for men
– Best shoes for women
– Best pickleball accessories
– Best pickleball training aids
– Best nets for every setting/price point
Best paddles under $150
The MPP Turbo uses a full floating foam core with an MPP foam center and an EVA foam ring around the perimeter. MPP is a softer foam, which creates a more springy and smooth feel than the EPP Turbo models and many other full-foam paddles on the market. The MPP/EVA construction is very similar to the Luzz Pro 4 Inferno.
“The Turbo line focuses on one thing: maximum performance at an accessible price,” according to Enhance. “Instead of chasing experimental manufacturing processes, we optimized construction to create a paddle that competes with premium models without the premium cost.”
Check out our in-depth review of the Enhance Turbo MPP here.
The 2026 version of the Luzz Glider comes in a hybrid shape that has a very low swingweight, making it extremely maneuverable in hands battles at the kitchen line. It's competitive in terms of performance with several paddles that are twice the price or more.
The Aura is probably the softest feeling foam paddle we have played with to this point, which fills a need in a market dominated by stiff and overly powerful foam paddles. It was a refreshing change of pace — it’s easy to move through the ball confidently without fear of popping it up too high and we had total control over where we were placing the ball.
The Warping Point Neon is a control-leaning “Gen 3” paddle with a forgiving sweet spot. It's a good fit for a variety of players — high level players who prefer a more plush feel will like the softer feedback the paddle provides, while beginners and intermediate players get the benefit of added forgiveness. The Neon was the paddle of choice for pro player Wyatt Stone for more than a year.
Featuring a full-foam core with an EVA foam perimeter, Vatic's latest release delivers big baseline power when you want it while maintaining feel and consistency in the transition zone and at the kitchen line.
Our testing process
Team Kitchen is our team of expert paddle reviewers, all 5.0+ players. They test every paddle with other high-level players in their area, on every kind of shot, in drills and real games, to see how it performs in real-world play.
Every paddle is also measured on the same scale: power, spin, swing weight and twist weight, so any two paddles compare fairly.
We use the Life Time LT Pro 48 pickleball for our testing.
