15 Best Pickleball Paddles for 2023

To choose the best pickleball paddle, one must know about certain specified features that distinguish the right equipment for you.

Promoting social well-being and reducing stress, pickleball is the fastest-growing indoor, and outdoor sport in America where 4.8 million people play pickleball. Providing socializing opportunities and spreading laughter among its players this game is described as a combination of tennis, badminton, chess, and Ping-Pong.

Invented in 1965, pickleball grew almost 40% between 2019 to 2021 and took the USA by storm.

With the game becoming so popular among norms, it sometimes becomes overwhelming to find the right pickleball paddle for yourself. Those sticking to this game never want to spend a lot of money and end up buying a terrific paddle. Using the right paddle will not only boost your game but will also give you awesome results.

So here we are, giving you an idea of the 15 best pickleball paddles. Going through this list, you will be able to personalize your prime selection conferring to your style of play.

Our Top Picks

• Best Pickleball Paddle Overall: Amped Invikta by Selkirk
• Best Pickleball Paddle Upgrade: JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion
• Best Lightweight Pickleball Paddle: PROKENNEX Pro Flight
• Best Budget Pickleball Paddle: Head Radical Elite
• Best Pickleball Paddle For Précised shots: Big Dill
• Best Cool Design Pickleball Paddle: OutWest Sport
• Best Pickleball Paddle For Intermediate Players: Head Gravity Graphite
• Best Pickleball Paddle For Advanced Players: Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro
• Best Pickleball Paddle For Power: Onix Graphite Z5
• Best Styled Pickleball Paddle: Nettie The Pendleton

Amped Invikta by Selkir

Looking for a top-notch pickleball paddle for beginners? Amped Invikta is the best paddle by Selkirk sports and is loaded with high-quality materials. With the bold new graphics, Amped Invikta offers an increased spot size as compared to traditionally stretched-out and elongated pickleball paddles.

Maximizing control with full power, the Polypropylene X5 Core technology, FiberFlex fiberglass facing, and massive sweet spot work for you to deliver a bigger shot.

This firearm is the choice of victors and is the idea of National Champion Tyson McGuffin. Providing you with unbelievable power and control, its mid-weight version also gives you additional authority for hard drives from the starting point.

Main specifications

Width	7.375″
Height	16.5″
Grip Length	5.25″
Grip Circumference	4.25″
Sweet spot size	8
Average Lightweight	7.2oz – 7.7oz
Average Midweight	7.8oz – 8.4oz

JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS

Designed in partnership, trusted, used, and experienced in tough competitions by Ben Jhons, the unique design has performed at its highest levels in all categories. USAPA-approved, this pickleball paddle is designed for players of Beginner to Pro level. The world’s #1 pickleball player Ben Jhons uses it and the CFS16 is Ben’s signature paddle.

Hyperion CFS 16mm gives you an exceptional blend of power, control, and spin and is Ben Jhons favorite paddle. It has exceptional head curving which surges the swing speed and creates less drag.

Injected with special foam, the paddle perimeter provides greater stability and increased size of sweet spot with anti-slip grip, optimum hold performance, and increased shock absorption.

Main specifications

Avg. Weight	8.4oz
Paddle Length	16.5”
Paddle Width	7.5”
Control	94
Grip Length	5.5”
Grip Circumference	4.25”
Power	93

PROKENNEX Pro Flight

In search of a pickleball paddle that helps you to prevent injuries? The Pro Flight Pickleball paddle is the best option for you. Absorbing energy with its tungsten-filled chamber saves the player from shock during a power action.

The Pro Kennex Kinetic Ovation speed has touch-sensitive properties and exceptional vibration-reducing features. It has an oval shape design and capitalizes on the fun by reducing the chance of being hit and averting injuries.

It has a 7-layer face with a paddle that weighs 7.7-8.0 ounces hence offering the spin grab feature that makes the ball effortlessly bent on the court. Therefore, it is a general user’s feedback that you can enjoy playing the game for a long time without worrying about a strained arm.

With its professional quality edge-less design and lightweight and soft paddles, you can deliver a high-level game.

Main specifications

Weight	7.3 – 7.6 oz
Handle Length	4 7/8″
Grip Circumference	4″
Paddle Width	7.6”
Paddle Length	15.43″
Grip Style	Comfort Cushion

HEAD Radical Elite

The Head Radical Elite is a pickleball paddle loved by Sarah Ansboury a 2016 Women’s Doubles Champion and Mixed Doubles Champion. The dynamic power shape and tapered edges, with its crazy smooth surface, give you a nice pop.

With its elongated body and ergonomic grip, the Radical Elite composite paddle delivers solid heft and top-notch control. It also enables you to cover large areas in the court.

It comprises a 16” long paddle and provides a 5” medium-size handle grip to give you some extra power to hit. 

Main specifications

Weight	8.1 oz
Paddle length	16”
Handle length	5”
Core Material	Polypropylene Honeycomb
Grip Size	4 1/8 inches
Paddle Width	Paddle Width: 7 7/8 inches
Surface Material	Fiberglass

BIG DILL PICKLEBALL Original Carbon Fibre Paddle

Underestimating this incredible and uniquely designed pickleball paddle could be a big mistake. Especially when it comes to decreased deflection and increased precision, the Big Dill Pickle Ball paddle will leave you with astonishing results. 

The honeycomb core feature, polypropylene, carbon fiber material, and the wide body shape combined to create a great blend of innovation and power.

Main specifications

Width	7.8”
Height	15.6”
Weight	7.8oz

OUT WEST Sunrise Sports Pickleball Paddle

Outwest with graphite, carbon, polypropylene, fiber face, and honeycomb core, created artfully designed pickleball paddles. These well-reputed paddles deliver a strong grip and powerful shots.

The custom edge guard of the Sunrise Sports Pickleball paddle will protect your artwork. Made by a small business, this awesome pickleball paddle also comes with a protective headcover.

Main specifications

Weight	8oz
Paddle length	15.7”
Paddle width	8.1”
Thickness	0.51”

Valkyrie .01 Pro Paddle by Skal Pickleball

The Valkyrie .01 Pro Paddle by Skal Pickleball allows a precision topspin and a large sweet spot, hence enhancing the overall performance of the player. Its rough texture is made with style and the feel of superior gameplay.

While playing with Valkyrie whether you are hitting a drop shot or you are driving the ball down in the middle court, you will experience the poise and pledge of your ability to deliver the best game. It is a perfect blend of power touch and pro-spin making the player invincible.

Main specifications

Skill level	Beginner/Pro
Midweight	7.8oz
Grip length	4.5”
Width	7.5”
Length	16.5”
Thickness	0.6”

ONIX Graphite Z5

It is one of the most popular pickleball paddles by Onix. Providing outstanding touch paddle for higher ball control. With its Nomex paper, graphite face, and honeycomb core it provides full power and spin control with a larger sweet spot. The resilience of this paddle refers to the exceptional worth of your money.

Due to its Z5’s wide body shape, it provides outstanding ball control and touch. This makes it a popular choice and a top-seller paddle for all sorts of pickleball players.

Its weight is 7.5 to 8.2 oz giving you a superior feel for the ball and letting you attack the flawless poise between power and speed.

Main specifications

Paddle weight	7.5-8.2oz
Height	1.5”
Length	15.5”
Grip size	4-1/4”
Paddle width	8.3”

Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro

If you are an experienced pickleball player, then this is the right choice for you. Due to its high levels of power and accuracy, it allows you to give an outclass performance. It offers you such an excellent level of control that you will know where to place and control the ball while playing.

Tempest Wave Pro has a large and consistent sweet spot and balances the weight and speed for better performance.

Built with smart response technology, it controls the power and speed, making it an absolute choice for strategic players. This precision play pickleball paddle is an out-and-out yes if you are about to perform the best and win.

Main specifications

Weight	7.6-8.0 oz
Standard grip circumference	4 3/8”
Thin grip circumference	4 1/8”

HEAD Gravity Graphite

With innovative and high-tech solutions, Head offers lightweight carbon pickleball paddles to hit with a superior feel and power blended with a soft impact feel for enhanced control. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or an experienced player if you want to win the court, then this is the right choice for you.

Its surface provides a blend of control and comfort with its excellent vibration-dampening technology to bear hard shots. 

Head’s premium Gravity model is equipped with handle stabilizer technology to provide 3D spin and premium power grip.

Main Specifications

Weight	8.1oz
Width	8.1”
Length	15.75”
Grip circumference	4 ¼ “
Thickness	14.0 mm

Niupipo Pickleball Paddle

The USAPA-approved and built-in collaboration with Frank Anthony Davis, Niupipo has high-density and upgraded material. The honeycomb core makes it harder, denser and the best choice for professional players.

The fiberglass surface of Niupipo makes it denser and reduces ball deflection as compared to the other pickleball paddles.

It also features a premium grip and anti-skid, moisture-wicking fabric. The grip circumference of Niupipo is ideal for faster hand switching and its wide boy shape provides a larger hitting surface and sweet spot.

Main specifications

Handle length	4-1/2”
Paddle length	15.5”
Width	8.3”
Height	1.5”
Grip circumference	4-1/4”

The Ashbury by Nettie

The colorful appearance of The Ashbury by Nettie with its perfect blend of style, quality, and price, brings joy and victory to the pickleball court. The Ashbury takes the inspiration for this classic appearance from the San Francisco neighborhood filled with big bay windows and rainbow murals.

This midweight pickleball paddle is made with a carbon fiber face, honeycomb core, and vegan leather handle.

Nettie paddles provide you with a perfect blend of vibration-dampening core and large sweet spot to create an ideal balance and control for all sorts of pickleball players.

Main specifications

Average weight	7.9oz
Length	15 ½”
Weight range	7.8-8.0
Grip circumference	4 ¼”
Handle length	5”
Octagonal grip	4.25”
Thickness	13mm

Champion Eclipse Graphite

An affordable, durable, and versatile pickleball paddle that makes you feel great using it during a dynamic game. The length of the paddle is 5” making it comfortable with enough space to grab the paddle easily.

Its cushioned grip reduces vibration and the polymer core and the graphite face make it responsive in hand. Along with that, the small grip circumference enables players of any age to handle it.

Main specifications

Weight	7.3-7.8oz
Sweet spot	7- ¾”
Grip length	5”
Total length	15.4”
Total width	7.75”

Gamma Sports 2.0

The slim edge guard of this paddle let players of every skill level enjoy a perfect game. It is lightweight and fast and helps you to deliver the best performance. The width of this Gamma Quest pickleball paddle offers an extra punch from the sweet spot.

Among the list of the most expensive pickleball paddles, the Gamma Quest provides excellent but cheap middle-weight pickleball paddles.

Where honeycomb core provides you with comfort, the fiberglass material delivers great control.

If you are a beginner or an awesome pickleball player with a tight budget, then this paddle is best for you.

Main specifications

Weight	8.0oz
Grip size	4
Paddle thickness	½”
Width	7
Length	16
Hitting surface	Textured graphite
Core material	Sensa Poly Core

Helium Versus Pickleball Paddles set

Offering significant competition among players, these paddles are available in a set of 4. Helium by Versus is equipped with a polymer honeycomb core and is durable yet lightweight to handle.

Looking forward to having a game with your friends or family? These pickleball paddles are the best as they include a set of two red and two blue paddles. They are designed for indoor as well as outdoor play and have a set of two indoor and two outdoor balls.

Main Specifications

Weight	7.5-7.7 oz
Height	7.75”
Grip circumference	4.5 inches
Width	8.78”
Shaft material	Honeycomb
Color	Blue, red

How to choose a pickleball paddle 

While pickleball paddles look nearly identical in their weight, model, and appearance, the difference still exists. When distinguishing one paddle from another, you need to keep in mind the below factors that impact your play.

Here is a guide that we organized for you to understand the difference and importance of these factors and how to choose a paddle that meets your need and help you dominate every match.

Though there is rapid innovation in pickleball paddles, first let us take a look at the key features that decide the quality of pickleball paddles or paddles are 

Material of pickleball paddle

The pickleball paddle should be made with a high-quality flexible, durable, and lightweight material like carbon fiber and fiberglass. The reason is that the pickleball paddle should be able to decrease the vibration of the ball while delivering the speed and spin of the ball.

 It should also provide the player with the flexibility to return the ball in an even more skillful style. Along with that, the material should be solid enough that when a player hit on the ball back, the paddle doesn’t fall flat. This means that a good pickleball paddle must have zero dead spots.

To make them lightweight and to prevent dead spots, a honeycomb design is used to ensure the even distribution of force and provides players with an evenly balanced grip.

The type of pickleball paddles that goes best with the players is the variation in their quality and service. As some of them are made for power while others are made for control.

Weight of the pickleball paddle

The next and most important factor that counts when choosing a pickleball paddle is weight. The weight of the paddle can be linked with how it feels when a player swings it or how a player feels when he holds it through an entire game. 

Though the weight of a pickleball paddle ranges from 6-14 ounces, the weight will directly affect the performance of a player. Or we can say that your performance is directly associated with your power and control over the paddle. 

For instance, using a lighter paddle in the game will you more control but a small drive. On the other hand, using a heavier paddle will give you more power and drive but less control. 

How to choose the right-weight pickleball paddle?

Considering the factor that the heavier the paddle will be there is an increased risk of straining your elbow and fatigue in your arm. Therefore, you need a paddle that helps you to drive the ball with lesser arm strength and without any real power. So, go for the right weight for your pickleball paddle. 

Choose a paddle with a weight between 7-8.5 ounces. Going for a paddle lighter than this will drive your need to hit the ball with great force, resulting in an injury and inflammation of your arm.

Dimensions

The size of a pickleball paddle is smaller than a tennis paddle and is somewhat bigger than that of a ping-pong paddle. Along with the material and weight, size is another factor that affects the feel of a paddle.

Length of a whole paddle:

Pickleball paddles have a maximum length of 39.37cm-43.18cm (15.5”-17”) with a width of (177.8-209.6mm) 7”-8.25” and a depth of 31.8mm (1.25”).

Length of the handle:

The grip circumference lies between 101.6-114.3 mm and the length of the handle is 101.6-139.7 mm.

Mass of the paddle:

The mass of a pickleball paddle lies between 185g to 270 g with the total width and length of the paddle should be 61cm (24”).

Grip size of a pickleball paddle

Keep in mind that a larger grip delivers a firm grip and more stability. Therefore, choose a grip size that is neither too small to give your more wrist action, nor too large that the paddle slips from your hand leading to an injury.

To easiest way to find a perfect grip, and size is to go by your height. This means that a player with a height of 5’2” will need a handle with a grip size of 4” and a player who is 5’9” tall will need a handle with a grip size of 4 ½ “.

If you are a beginner and this formula doesn’t go well for you then try different pickleball paddles and go for a smaller one. It’s a safe choice and later on, you can add an over-grip tape to increase the size of the grip.

With all the above guidelines it becomes easier even for beginners to choose the right pickleball paddle according to their needs. 

However, sometimes it becomes difficult to distinguish between so many options and one does not know how to choose the right pickleball paddle. As these paddles vary in shape and surface of are and are made up of different materials. Besides, they differ in delivering control and balance too.

FAQs