13 Best Pickleball Paddles for All Player Types (2023)

Whether you’re a seasoned player or are brand new to the sport, finding the right pickleball paddle takes some vetting. Although many paddles look similar at first glance, there are differences. Things like paddle composition, grip size, weight, and shape all factor into choosing the best option for you.

We’ve scoured ratings, specifications, and reviews to find the best pickleball paddles across the sport. From beginner to pro, kid to adult, budget to splurge, we’ve covered it all. Check out our top picks for best pickle ball paddles for 2023.

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What are the Best Pickleball Paddles?

What is the best pickleball paddle? To start, the best paddle for you will be the one with a grip and weight that feels good in your hands. These are the two most important attributes in picking a paddle. Beyond those, other details like the material, design and price will also factor in.

With all that in mind, we’ve sourced the best pickleball paddles for all types of players, starting with our pick for best overall – the Selkirk Amped Epic.

As a company, Selkirk set out to combine power and control into a pickleball paddle, and that’s what you get with the Amped Epic.

This paddle combines a state of the art fiberglass face with a thicker Polypropylene X5 Core, providing optimal ball cushioning. The fiberglass surface generates nice ball spin. It’s technically a traditional sized paddle, but its slightly elongated height gives a bit of extra reach, while still keeping a larger sweet spot for hitting those shots.

Handcrafted in the USA, this is mid weight paddle will appeal to most players and is our pick for overall best pickleball paddle.

Amazin’ Aces leads with the motto “An amazing paddle doesn’t need to cost a fortune,” and we couldn’t agree more. This is especially true for beginners who are starting out in the game of pickleball.

The Amazin’ Aces Signature paddle has many bells and whistles at a value price. It features a polymer honeycomb core with vibration dampening technology. The responsive polymer core paired with a graphite face offers a blend of power and touch. The premium grip gives the paddle a nice feel in your hand. It also features an edge guard to protect your outer paddle from wear.

Weighing in at an average of 8.2 oz, this mid weight paddle has a large sweet spot and balanced weight distribution. It is great for both novice and advanced players.

This paddle has passed USAPA testing and is approved for sanctioned tournament player. For the price, it’s an amazing value, making it our best budget option.

Prolite’s Bolt paddle is lightweight, powerful, and has a slightly textured face to help put spin on the ball.

A great paddle for any level of player, beginners especially rave about it. One new player said: “This is a terrific paddle. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money until I know if I am going to stick with this game. I have been using this several months and I love it. It is just the right weight for a beginner. I can’t tell the difference between the one I borrowed from the instructor. It handles well and is holding up fine. I would buy it again and if I upgrade I will get a Prolite.”

The Bolt is the perfect cost effective paddle that will jumpstart or renew your game. In addition, your neighbors will love you, as it’s been deemed the quietest paddle on the market tested by noise restricted communities.

The Onix Graphite Z5 is widely popular on both the tournament circuit and community courts. The graphite face and nomex core give players superior feel of the ball, and with a total paddle weight of 7.5-8.2 ounces, the mid weight Z5 strikes a nice balance between power and speed.

The widebody shape on the Z5 is great for beginner through advanced level players with its large sweet spot. Because of its broad appeal, we rate this as an excellent option for intermediate players.

Paddletek has been refining its pickleball paddle design since 2010, and delivers an outstanding product in the Tempest Wave Pro. With amazing accuracy, power and forgiveness, this paddle allows you to reach the highest levels of performance.

Smart Response Technology and a large, consistent sweet spot add finesse to every shot, while the balanced weight increases speed and maneuverability for even better play. Players rave about this paddle, with many saying it’s the best they’ve owned. Advanced players who are serious about their performance will find an excellent option in the Tempest Wave Pro.

As the newest addition to the Ben Johns Signature Line, the Hyperion CGS was “crafted to deliver potent levels of spin matched with increased power. “

This elongated paddle showcases JOOLA’s CGS surface technology, which generates increased ball bite to help keep your shots on target. The Response Polymer Core provides reduced vibrations and a boost in power.

With an elongated 5.5″ grip you’ll have optimal acceleration on your drives with plenty of room for those two-handed backhand swings. Durable edging helps extend the life of your pickleball paddle while the handle wrap provides added comfort and sweat absorption.

The GAMMA Needle was the first elongated paddle that GAMMA brought to the market. By extending the length of the paddle, you are able to reach shots that were once unreachable, while sacrificing less than an inch of width. 

Engineered so the weight and sweet spot still exist in the center of the paddle (instead of being top-heavy), the Needle is perfect for players looking for balance and control in their play. 

Sensa Poly Core technology provides touch and enables dink shots to be hit at sharp angles while maintaining control. The textured graphite face enhances ball bite and promoting perfect placement from the baseline. The Needle becomes a dynamic extension of your body with its signature grip. 

Put your opponent on pins and needles when they see you step on the court!

If you’re a player who wants a paddle that can do it all, the JOOLA Vision may be your answer.

The elongated shape allows for more reach, while the curved top minimizes drag. The polymer core and carbon grip surface (CGS) combine to reduce vibration and amp up power. Available in both a 14mm and 16mm thickness, you can choose what fits you best. Add in a comfortable grip and quality materials, this is an all around winner.

One user sums up the experience of the JOOLA Vision saying “I found that the hype was 100% accurate – this paddle is amazing. My spins are substantially stronger and more effective. My control of the ball is infinitely better than it was with my old paddle. And I can play longer because the lightweight materials it’s made from saves my elbow and arm from tiring too quickly.”

While at the pricier end of paddles, this one delivers on everything you need to perform all around the pickleball court. Many players agree, it is worth the investment.

If power is what you’re looking for in a pickleball paddle, you’ll want to check out the JOOLA Solaire CFS 14 Swift. Featuring JOOLA’s new Swift technology, this paddle translates to supreme speed through the air allowing for sharp hands at net and plenty of acceleration through drives.

The pickleball racket also features edge technology, a Carbon Friction Surface (CFS) and a Reactive Polymer Core for a balance of spin, power and control with solid edge to edge performance.

With top notch feel and speedy maneuverability, this is pickleball equipment well-suited to players of all levels who are looking to fine tune their game, make power plays, and gain an edge over their opponents.

If you are looking for ultimate control and a smaller grip size – this paddle is for you. The Head Extreme Tour Lite is the lightest weight paddle of the Extreme Tour line of paddles. Crafted with a unique diamond shape for maximum control on each shot, the reduced head weight allows for a faster swing speed, giving you more reaction time.

It features an Optimized Tubular Construction (OTC) honeycomb polymer core and a carbon graphite hitting surface (GHS) for great feel and playability. With a comfort grip that comes in two smaller sizes – 3.875 or 4.125 inches, smaller hands will love the feel, touch and ultimate dinking ability.

The Oneshot Pickleball Juniorshot Series Paddle is made for young players so they’ll have an easier time handling their paddle and can focus on getting familiar with the game. The light weight and extra small grip are perfect for allowing kids to play pickleball without getting tired or frustrated with unwieldy gear. Despite the paddle’s size, it still uses high quality materials and will respond just like standard-sized equipment during play.

The Oneshot Pickleball Juniorshot Series Paddle comes in two sizes, for Toddlers and Kids. The paddle has a sturdy fiberglass face with a polymer core that will cause balls to quickly pop off the paddle. The designs feature Jurassic (dinosaurs) and Ocean (sea creatures) motifs.

This Oneshot Pickleball Juniorshot Series Paddle is a great way to introduce young players to pickleball with a paddle that feels good in the hand, will stand up to frequent play, and is sized just for them! 

Roll up to the court ready and in style with Recess pickleball graphic paddles.

With a classic honeycomb core, screen printed fiberglass surface, and the same sweatproof foam grip used in the tennis and golf industry, Recess pickleball paddles are designed by artists in Austin, TX, and offer unbeatable comfort and durability while exuding style that comes along with the fun-for-everyone sport of pickleball.

If you’re looking for a paddle that has quality, function, and personality, the Recess Vista is a great option.

If you plan to give pickleball paddles as a gift, the Nettie Classic Pickleball Double Set is equal parts quirk, creativity and quality. These pickleball paddles hit the sweet spot between comfort and performance.

This fun looking set includes Nettie’s Ashbury (1) and Bainbridge (1) paddles, two pickleballs (since sometimes one rolls away) and two Nettie headbands. Plus, it comes in a gift box that matches the whimsical paddle design. It’s sure to delight any pickleball enthusiast.

What is Pickleball?

Created in the summer of 1965 by three dads in Washington state, pickleball is a fun, social sport that blends badminton, ping pong and tennis. Played on a badminton sized court with a modified tennis net, the game consists of hitting a plastic ball with a paddle.

Although Pickleball has steadily grown as a sport over the years, it flew under the mainstream radar. That has changed as interest in pickleball has recently exploded, making it one of the fastest growing sports in America.

The concept of the game is simple – 2 to 4 players use a paddle to hit a plastic ball on a court that is about a quarter of the size of a regulation tennis court. A blend of badminton, ping pong and tennis, pickleball offers a fast paced, social game and is taking communities by storm.

Played indoor or outdoors, you don’t need much to get started – just a paddle, ball, decent shoes and access to a pickleball court with a net.

What makes the Best Pickleball Paddle?

A paddle is the main ingredient in pickleball gear. Bigger than it’s ping pong cousin and smaller than a tennis racket, a traditional pickleball paddle measures about 7-8 inches wide by 16 inches long.

Paddles also come in a longer version (elongated) that offers less width and more length. The elongated paddle offers a smaller sweet spot for hitting and greater reach, which often suits more experienced players.

Although the overall size of the paddle is something to consider, the most important factors in choosing a paddle are weight and grip size. How the paddle feels in your hand will impact your ability to control the ball and make those power shots. Also, the right weight will help you avoid wrist and arm pain in the process. In general, whether you prefer a lightweight paddle or something heavier will depend on the overall feel and your preferences.

Once you’ve worked out your ideal weight and grip size, you can look to other features like the materials, shape and design.

Pickleball paddles are made from a variety of materials. The original paddles were made from solid wood, which were heavier and harder to control. Nearly all of today’s paddles have interior cores made polypropylene (polymer). The surface is usually made of fiberglass, graphite or carbon fiber.

Finally, pickleball paddles come in all types of color and designs – which you can use to add style and personality to your play.

The best pickleball paddles are the ones that feel best in your hand and deliver the spin, ball control and power that take your game to the next level.

What Other Accessories Do I Need to Play Pickleball?

The sport of pickleball requires a few essentials to be successful on the court.

Things like a solid pair of pickleball shoes (both men and women need a sturdy set of court specific shoes), a paddle, a couple of pickleballs (in case one gets lost) and a hitting net are the key ingredients to play pickleball.

Happy shopping and pickleball play!

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