The best pickleball paddles for power players
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Are you a player who likes to hit big serves, drive your third shot and be aggressive with balls out of the air at the kitchen line? You’ve come to the right place.
Below you’ll find the best paddles available right now that are designed to maximize power so you can dominate your local courts.
How we came up with our rankings: Our paddle reviewers (both 5.0+ players) worked with other high-level players in their area to test the paddle on a variety of shots. This testing involved several hours of drills and 5.0+ games in an effort to determine how the paddle impacts performance in real-world scenarios.
This page will be updated regularly as new paddles hit the market. In many cases, using code “KITCHEN” at checkout will get you a discount — using our code also helps us continue to produce this type of content.
Last updated: September 2026
Check out our other “best of” lists
– The best pickleball paddles on the market right now
– The best shoes for pickleball players
– The best pickleball paddles for control players
– The best pickleball paddles for spin
– The best pickleball paddles under $200
– The best pickleball paddles under $150
– The best pickleball paddles for beginners
– The best women’s signature pickleball paddles, from a female perspective
– The best bags designed specifically for pickleball
The RPM Q2 was designed in collaboration with popular paddle reviewer John Kew. It delivers everything we’ve come to expect from full-foam paddles: Big power, a consistent sweet spot and a firm feel on contact.
The new Luzz Inferno 2 M1 features an upgraded core from the original Pro 4 Inferno, delivering a more uniform feel and added consistency. The Aero-Black surface is also designed to maintain dependable friction through extended play.
The FLiK F1 was released in 2025 and is one of the most powerful paddles on the market. It features a “Gen 4” EPP foam core, and the elongated model is relatively light compared to most elongated paddles (it has a swing weight of ~114). It’s also more than $50 off right now when you use code “KITCHEN” at checkout.
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.
The Proton Project Coyote was released this month and has already generated a lot of buzz among paddle reviewers and players. It’s a “Gen 3” build that delivers great power and a predictable response off the paddle face, making it a good option for a wide variety of play styles.
It has a relatively low swingweight compared to other elongated paddles on the market, so it’s very maneuverable in fast exchanges, and Proton also introduced a slightly different throat taper with the Project Coyote, which is something a lot of Proton players had been asking for. We think this is the best Proton paddle yet and could still move up our list as we spend more time with it.
Check out our full review of the Proton Project Coyote here.
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.
Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik
Use code “INF-KITCHEN” for a credit toward a future purchase.
Selkirk, long a popular choice among pros and high-level amateurs, stayed competitive among the top brands with the release of the Boomstik in the summer of 2025. Its foam core makes it one of the most powerful paddles on the market, and the Infinigrit surface also provides good spin.
Selkirk also offers a widebody version of the Boomstik.
HONORABLE MENTION
Six Zero Black Opal: This 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. Shop here — use code “KITCHEN” for 10% off.
Vatic V-Sol Pro Flash: 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. Shop here — use code “KITCHEN” at checkout for $10 off.
Gearbox GX2 Power Hybrid 16mm: The Gearbox GX2 Power Hybrid 16mm Paddle combines a generous sweet spot with a design focused on consistent, efficient power. Shop here — use code “KITCHEN” at checkout for 10% off.
Paddletek Bantam TKO-CX 12.7mm: Designed in conjunction with top men’s pro Christian Alshon, the Bantam TKO-CX 12.7mm gives players good power from the baseline and elite pop in hands battles at the kitchen line. Shop here — use code “KITCHEN” at checkout for 10% off.
