Every paddle we’ve played and reviewed.Every paddle we’ve tested. Filter, compare and find your fit.Filter, compare, find your fit. How we test
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Power 78Spin 93
16mm Gen 4 · Swing weight 116
Power 78Spin 90
16mm Gen 4 · Swing weight 113
Power 79Spin 95
16mm Gen 3 · Swing weight 110
Power 90Spin 91
16mm Gen 4 · Swing weight 117
Power 81Spin 48
14mm Gen 1 · Swing weight 123
Power 65Spin 76
16mm Gen 2 · Swing weight 115
There isn’t one best paddle for everyone, because it depends on how you play. Our current #1 overall is the JOOLA Pro V Series. See the full best pickleball paddles list for how we ranked them. Not sure? Take our 45-second Paddle Finder quiz and get matched to your game.
Beginners do best with a forgiving paddle: a big sweet spot and easy control matter more than raw power. The JOOLA Vision tops our best paddles for beginners list.
You don’t need to spend $250 to get a great paddle. Our top budget pick, the Enhance MPP Turbo, competes with paddles that cost twice as much. Premium paddles bring newer foam and carbon builds, more spin and more consistency, which matter most at higher levels. Either way, code KITCHEN saves you money at our partner brands.
Many players with elbow or wrist pain prefer a softer, 16mm paddle with a forgiving face, which sends less vibration up the arm. The Six Zero Black Opal leads our best paddles for tennis elbow list.
Our team plays every paddle on court, and we measure each one in the lab for power, spin, swing weight and twist weight. The scores and full specs are on every paddle’s page. Read how we test.
Tap Compare on any two paddles, then Compare in the bar at the bottom. You’ll see their lab scores, specs, prices and discount codes side by side.
Before. Most brands take 10–15% off with code KITCHEN; each paddle shows its discount where there is one.
All 108 paddles in our database are played by Team Kitchen, our team of expert paddle reviewers, and measured the same way, so the numbers on every card compare directly. Tap any to see what it means and how to use it.
How much pace the paddle puts on the ball for the same swing. Most paddles we test hit hard: half score between 79 and 89, so a few points make a real difference. Look above 89 if you finish points with drives and speed-ups, and below 79 if you would rather control the pace.
How well the face grips the ball for topspin drives, rolls and slice. Half of the paddles we have tested score between 78 and 91. Above 91 is top tier.
How heavy the paddle feels when you swing it, which matters more than what it weighs on a scale. Ours range from 99 to 126, and most sit between 113 and 118. Under 110 means quick hands in fast exchanges at the kitchen line; 118 and up adds power on drives and serves but is slower to react.
How stable the paddle stays on off-center hits. Higher is more forgiving. Most paddles we have tested sit between 6.1 and 6.7; 6.6 and up is very stable.
A 16mm core (84 of the paddles we have tested) feels softer and more controlled; 14mm and thinner cores give more pop. Gen 3 paddles are thermoformed with foam in the edges for a bigger sweet spot, and Gen 4 usually means a full-foam core, which adds power and keeps the ball on the face longer.
Elongated paddles (67 in our database) give more reach and power with a smaller sweet spot. Widebody paddles (13) are the most forgiving. Hybrids (18) sit in between.
Why trust our ratings? Every paddle here is played by Team Kitchen, our team of expert paddle reviewers, and measured on the same scale, so you can compare any two.
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