Best Pickleball Paddles to Power Your Play

If you’re an absolute beast on the pickleball court or just playing for fun, you’ll level up your game when you use the best pickleball paddles. Pickleball paddles may seem basic enough, but there are features and criteria to consider when you’re shopping around for the perfect paddle of the pickleball sort.

Let’s take a look at 3 of the best pickleball paddles out there and which stand-out features are worth seeking out to improve your game.

Best Pickleball Paddle Features to Look For

Poly Core

Polypropylene, or “poly core,” is the most popular and common core you’ll find in pickleball paddles for a reason. Suitable for players from total pros to complete beginners, poly core paddles are the most desirable because of the unique effect they have on your serve and returns. When you use a pickleball paddle with a polypropylene core, you get the following benefits:

• Popular: Most pickleball players use paddles with poly cores, making them the most popular and widely available paddles around. If you own a poly core paddle and get comfortable playing with this type, you’ll be able to seamlessly switch to other poly core paddles you might use at your local court or a competition.
• Enhanced sensation: Being able to “feel” the ball hit the paddle properly can really improve your serve and volleying ability. Poly core pickleball paddles provide an enhanced sensation of touch so you can truly feel one with the paddle and score more points on your opposing team.
• Durable: The polypropylene material used in the core of these pickleball paddles is extremely strong and durable. You can be sure that even a mighty serve or return won’t damage the integrity of the core structure when you’re using a paddle with this material!
• Powerful: The chemical makeup and structural design of poly core paddles makes them powerful on the court, translating your serves and returns into more powerful hits that help you score more points over your opponents.
• Flexible: A too-rigid pickleball paddle core doesn’t have the same play with the ball as one with a flexible poly core. You’ll want a polypropylene core for its superior flexibility that can deliver more of your power through the serve and returns.
• Honeycomb design: Poly core pickleball paddles are created in a unique honeycomb lattice design. It’s the secret to this material’s unique power, strength, durability, and flexibility. Each honeycomb-shaped cell in the paddle’s core helps “spread out” the force of each hit for smooth, directed power.
• Quiet: People really enjoy the poly core pickleball paddles because they’re quieter than other core materials. This lets you focus more on the game and your form and less on the constant pop-pop sounds.

Surface Texture and Grit

More grip, more power — that’s the general reasoning behind the best pickleball paddles featuring enhanced surface texture and grit. When your paddle is able to “cling” to the ball a little longer on each hit, you deliver a more powerful serve or return that can travel further and follow the direction you want. If you want the best pickleball paddles, you’ll want to look for options that use USA Pickleball-approved surface texture and grit. You’ll put a little more spin on the ball without sacrificing directional control.

Fiberglass Surface Layer

The surface texture and grit isn’t the only consideration to keep in mind when you’re looking for the best pickleball paddles. Look for a paddle with a fiberglass (or composite) surface layer. Fiberglass surface layers net you a great-quality, durable paddle at a more affordable price. There’s no hit quite as powerful and satisfying as a solid “pop” of a fiberglass paddle!

16mm Paddle Thickness

Pickleball paddles come in different thicknesses, but you won’t want to stray from the standard 16mm if you want the best play experience. Paddles that measure 16mm thick are perfectly balanced for powerful play that can still be speedy with great reach and control over ball placement. Most pickleball paddles are 16mm thick, but if you see one that’s under or over 16mm, you should definitely skip it.

Elongated Paddle Shape

Look for pickleball paddles that are a little longer than the standard size (16″x8″) — closer to 16.5″ inches long and 7.5″ wide is where you’ll want to focus your search.

Elongated pickleball paddles are still within pickleball standards but are slightly less wide than standard paddles and help deliver a little more spin, reach, and power with each hit. The extended reach alone is a great reason to look for an elongated paddle.

Mid-Weight

Mid-weight pickleball paddles generate a great balance between paddle speed and power. It’s the best of both worlds when it comes to pickleball paddles.

Paddles that range from 7.8 to 8.2 ounces are the perfect sweet spot when it comes to choosing the best mid-weight pickleball paddles for balanced speed and power.

Lightweight paddles (under 7.3 ounces) generate speed with little power, while heavyweight paddles (over 8.3 ounces) deliver more power than speed.

3 Best Pickleball Paddles to Power Your Play

Make your search for the best pickleball paddles a lot easier by taking a look at the top options below! We’ve selected our best pickleball paddles that include the most important game-enhancing features listed above:

• Poly core
• Surface texture and grit
• Fiberglass surface layer
• 16mm paddle thickness
• Elongated paddle shape
• Mid-weight

Custom Evo-Lite Pickleball Paddle

With a polypropylene core, extra surface texture on a fiberglass layer, 16mm thickness, elongated 16.5″ long paddle head, and perfect weight for balanced power and speed, a custom Evo-Lite pickleball paddle from Salted City Sports is one of the best pickleball paddles you can choose. Add your custom text, image, logo, graphic, edge guard, and grip colors to customize your paddle.

SCS Nostalgia Evo-Lite Series Pickleball Paddle

Those ever-present 90’s to-go cups live forever in our memories — and now on a pickleball paddle. Get your nostalgia fix with the classic blue-green and violet zigzags across a paddle with all the best features: Mid-weight, poly core, 16.5″ paddle head, and extra grit on a fiberglass surface layer.

SCS Drippy Evo-Lite Series Pickleball Paddle

Stay drippy, friends! You’ll be dripping on the court when you deliver drop shots left and right with this 7.8-8.2-ounce, grippy, elongated paddle with balanced power and speed delivered by a durable poly core. The hypnotic, shadowed blue drip pattern will dazzle your opponents with style, but your powerful plays will really steal the show.

Digging these pickleball paddles? Click here to learn more about selecting the best pickleball paddles for your goals and play style!