A baker’s dozen: The Kitchen’s top pickleball paddles on the market right now

JOOLA has introduced a new “KineticFrame” in its new Pro V models, which was inspired by kick-point engineering in hockey sticks and golf clubs.

The KineticFrame is built to flex and recover during impact, and unlike prior paddles with a “diving board” neck flex, the KineticFrame uses a proprietary flex-point architecture that allows the paddle head to move parallel to its original position.

The dual-pivot design produces a motion that JOOLA engineers say delivers:

– Predictable & repeatable exit trajectory.
– Precise power (ie. the more you put in, the more you get out).
– Reduced launch-angle deviation.
– Faster snapback for rapid exchanges.
– Improved energy transfer efficiency.

JOOLA has also added a new hybrid shape to their paddle lineup called the Kosmos, which is now the signature shape of JOOLA pros Federico Staksrud and Tyson McGuffin.

Find our in-depth review of the Kosmos here.

Learn more about the development of the JOOLA Pro V series here.

The RPM Friction Pro V2 is an updated version that offers more power and pop than the original Friction Pro while maintaining the Gen 3 feel that many high-level players prefer. The Friction Pro V2 currently comes in two models — a 16mm James Ignatowich signature paddle and a 14mm Ryan Fu signature paddle.

In an interview with The Kitchen, Ignatowich said he has moved to China to be at the factory where RPM paddles are made, which has allowed him to be very hands-on and make small tweaks that ultimately impact performance. He compared the RPM Friction Pro V2 to an iPhone update — it’s not a complete overhaul, rather a 5-10% improvement from the original.

“With me in China I was able to really dial in the materials,” he said.

Find our full review of the RPM Friction Pro V2 here.

We think the Honolulu J6CR is the best “full foam” paddle on the market right now. The paddle features an intricate core design with multiple layers and cutouts that allows the paddle to absorb and transfer energy to the ball in a more controlled way.

It has more of a “pocketing” effect on contact compared to many other foam paddles, which makes it a breeze to shape the ball on shots from the baseline and flicks out of the air at the kitchen line. It also maintains the top-end power that full foam paddles have become known for over the past year.

Check out our in-depth review of the Honolulu J6CR here.

This paddle — designed by pro player James Ignatowich — has everything a player could want: Top-tier spin, great power and effortless control.

Right now the RPM Friction Pro comes in 4 options: 16mm elongated, 14mm elongated, 16mm widebody and 14mm widebody.

Check out our in-depth review of the RPM Friction Pro here.

The X2 is Engage’s second full-foam offering, following the Engage Profoam that was released in 2025. The new model features a “Quad Density” foam core and a new approach to the carbon fiber face, a combination that delivered great feel and elite-level spin in our testing.

It’s also producing results at the pro level, as pro player Eric Oncins switched to the X2 in early 2026 and has been playing great in both doubles and singles so far this year. He’s moved into the top 10 in men’s doubles and mixed doubles on the PPA Tour.

Find our full review of the Engage X2 here.

The JOOLA Pro IV series was at the top of our list for most of 2025, and it is still standing the test of time (for now).

An added section of high-density foam inside the bottom corners/throat area of the Pro IV models allows the paddle to flex more than prior models, which adds forgiveness and enhances feel, power and dwell time.

Check out our in-depth review of the JOOLA Perseus Pro IV.

Find a breakdown of the entire Pro IV line here.

Over the past two years Friday Pickleball has transformed from a company known for its viral videos to a legitimate player in the performance paddle market.

The brand took the next step on that journey in early 2026 with the launch of their Aura and Aura Pro paddles.

The Aura Pro is a full-foam paddle that delivers great pop in hands battles and big power on full swings like drives and overheads. It features a rubber ring around the core that gives the paddle a slightly more plush/less harsh feel than a lot of other full-foam paddles, which helped us get a good feel for the ball on shots that require more touch. In that sense it is an upgrade from a lot of the foam options we saw in 2025.

Check out our full review of the Aura and Aura Pro here.

Six Zero’s latest paddle is geared toward advanced players (4.5 or 5.0+), but it has an extremely high ceiling if you’re willing to invest the time to get the touch dialed in.

It’s a true power paddle that also offers great shot-shaping ability — particularly for players with shorter, whippy strokes. The 14mm foam core feels very satisfying when you connect with the center of the paddle, but if there is a knock on this paddle, it’s that the sweet spot isn’t as big as the paddles ahead of it on this list and several others behind it. But because of its top-tier potential when in the hands of a good player, it goes high on our list.

Check out our in-depth review of the Six Zero Opal here.

With the release of the full-foam Vapor Power 2, 11six24 introduced a new grit technology its calling “HexGrit.” The paddle face is very gritty to the touch, and the brand claims the HexGrit is more durable than raw carbon fiber and other grit technologies on the market.

So if you’re a player who likes the feel of full-foam paddles and want something with longer lasting grit (why wouldn’t you want that?), then this is a great option.

Check out our in-depth review of the Vapor Power 2 here.

Proton developed a 100% foam core in its latest paddle, giving it a softer and more responsive feel without sacrificing top-end power. It also features the same gritty carbon fiber surface that made the Project Flamingo a popular choice for many players in 2025, so it’s easy to add a lot of shape on all kinds of shots.

The Peacock comes in four models: 15mm elongated, 13mm elongated, 15mm widebody, 13mm widebody. The 13mm widebody is our favorite option for doubles, while the 15mm elongated is our favorite option for singles.

Check out our full review of the Proton Project Peacock here.

The 16mm version of the C45 Dynasty is the current paddle of choice for Hayden Patriquin, while Anna Leigh Waters (who signed with Franklin in early 2026) has been experimenting with multiple shapes in the C45 line. The entire C45 series has gotten great reviews and been a popular choice among pros and high-level amateurs since it’s release.

We recently went back and re-tested it against some of the more recent releases and found that it still holds up as a great option in the modern paddle landscape.

You can find our complete breakdown of the different C45 shapes here.

As the name suggests, this paddle is hot. It's 100% foam core offers big power on serves, third-shot drives and putaways. Like many power-centric paddles, though, it will take time to get resets and dinks dialed in. This is a paddle that we think is good in the hands of a good player, but hard to control for lower-level players.

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.