The 6 Best Professional Ping Pong Paddles In 2023

Last Updated on September 20, 2023

In the fast-paced world of pong pong, your paddle can be your most reliable ally or your worst enemy. That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the 6 best professional ping pong paddles in 2023.

From advanced carbon technology to ergonomic designs, these paddles offer a blend of speed, spin, and control that can elevate your game. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or an aspiring enthusiast, these paddles are designed to meet your specific skill level needs. Dive in to find the paddle that could be your ticket to table tennis greatness. 

Model	Product	Features	Price
Best Overall	Butterfly Balsa Carbo X5 Pro-Line Materials – Wood, carbon, rubber Play style – Agressive	9.4	Check On Amazon
	Butterfly 802 Materials – Wood, Arylate carbon, rubber Play style – Speed	9.1	Check On Amazon
	DHS HURRICANE-II Materials – Wood, rubber Play style – All-Round	8.9	Check On Amazon
	JOOLA Infinity Edge Materials – Wood, Carbon Fiber Play style – Spin and Speed	8.9	Check On Amazon
	Killerspin Kido 7P Materials – Wood, carbon, rubber Play style – All-Round	8.5	Check On Amazon
	Killerspin Diamond TC RTG Materials – Wood, titanium carbon fiber, rubber Play style – Speed	8.3	Check On Amazon

Best Professional Ping Pong Paddles Reviews

EDITOR’S CHOICE

9.4/10 Editor Score

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If you’re a ping pong player seeking to dominate opponents with a mix of power and precision, look no further than the Butterfly Balsa Carbo X5. This professional-grade racket comes with a plethora of features designed to elevate your game to the next level. Below are some of the key aspects that set this paddle apart.

Designed for Professionals

Firstly, this racket is specifically targeted towards professional players and intermediate players.It’s ITTF-approved, making it suitable for competitive table tennis tournaments. Its skill level designation is “Professional,” making it the choice for those who are serious about the sport.

Exceptional Materials

The frame of this racket is constructed from a blend of carbon and rubber, with a shaft made from carbon fiber. These materials ensure the paddle is lightweight yet sturdy, offering excellent responsiveness and power. The wooden core, made from Balsa, has layers of wood that further lighten the paddle while providing great touch.

Unique Blade Technology

What truly distinguishes this racket is its Balsa Carbo X5 Carbon Blade, renowned for its high-quality blade. The Balsa core offers the benefit of being lightweight with excellent touch, while the added carbon layers amplify the paddle’s power. This blend is especially beneficial for those who specialize in close-to-the-table attacks and powerful mid-distance shots.

High-Quality Rubber

Equipped with Tenergy 80 FX 2.1mm rubber, this paddle provides a balanced blend of speed and spin. The “FX” designation indicates a softer sponge is used, which aids in achieving better control during play. The rubber is also applied using Butterfly’s Free Chack rubber glue, ensuring a secure fit.

Convenient Features

The paddle comes fully assembled, handcrafted in the USA, and is shipped in the original Butterfly blade box. Its product dimensions are 3.15″L x 0.08″W, and it has a flared handle design, which is comfortable for extended periods of play.

9.1/10 Editor Score

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The Butterfly 802 Ping Pong Paddle Set is the ultimate choice for types of players seeking to up their game with a professional-grade paddle. This racket boasts a range of exceptional features designed to enhance your performance on the table.

Professional-Level Performance

Designed for players at the professional skill level, the Butterfly 802 Ping Pong Paddle Set is equipped with high-quality rubbers and carbon, delivering the spin and speed you need to play like a pro. It’s an ITTF-approved paddle that takes your game to the next level.

Excellent Rubber

The racket features inverted red and black Wakaba rubbers, both 2.1 mm thick. This unique and perfect combination not only offers exceptional speed but also provides substantial spin, giving you a competitive edge on the table.

Innovative Materials

Crafted from five plies of high-quality wood and acrylate carbon (ALC), with its unique combination of materials, this paddle stands out. The ALC construction offers several advantages, including increased speed, reduced vibration, and an enlarged sweet spot, ensuring precision and power in every shot. The layers of high-quality wood and ALC work together harmoniously to elevate your table tennis game.

Stylish Design

The Butterfly 802 Table Tennis Racket Set features a shake hand style grip with a perfect combination of grey, black, and blue on the handle, making it as stylish as it is high-performing.

Gift Box with Paddle Case

To complete the package, this ping pong racket ships in an elegant gift box and comes with a complimentary Butterfly Ping Pong Paddle Case. This case can securely hold two ping pong paddles and up to four ping pong balls, making it a practical and stylish addition to your table tennis gear.

8.9/10 Editor Score

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When it comes to table tennis blade excellence, DHS HURRICANE-II Tournament Paddle stands out as a remarkable choice. Tailored for players seeking to elevate their game to the next level, this paddle offers a range of features that make it a top contender.

Universal Size and Superior Brand

The DHS Table Tennis Paddle comes in a convenient one-size-fits-all design, suitable for all players. DHS, a renowned brand in the table tennis world, ensures you’re getting a paddle crafted with precision and expertise.

Designed for the Advanced Player

This paddle is geared towards advanced players, making it ideal for those who have honed their skills and are ready to take their game to new heights. Whether you’re a competitive player or simply looking to improve, the DHS Advanced Paddle is up for the challenge.

Premium Rubber Construction

Crafted with high-quality materials, this paddle ensures consistent ball control, spin, and speed. The rubber surface is designed to provide optimal grip and precision during every shot, allowing you to outmaneuver your opponents with ease. Lightweight Yet Durable Weighing in at just 1.2 pounds, this paddle strikes the perfect balance between lightweight maneuverability and durability. Its robust frame ensures it can withstand intense rallies and extended gameplay, making it suitable for adult players seeking a reliable option.

8.7/10 Editor Score

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For those serious about their table tennis game, the Killerspin Diamond TC RTG Table Tennis Paddle is a must-have. Designed with professional players in mind, this ITTF-approved competition paddle offers a winning edge that can make all the difference in your matches. Let’s delve into the key features that set this paddle apart.

Professional-Grade Construction

At the heart of this paddle’s performance is its superior construction, featuring seven layers of high-quality wood. The blade is crafted from the perfect combination of 7-ply composite wood infused with titanium carbon fiber. This not only ensures durability but also delivers powerful gameplay. With the Killerspin paddle in hand, you’ll feel the difference in every shot.

Precision and Spin

Table tennis enthusiasts know the importance of control, spin, and speed. The Killerspin Professional Paddle boasts impressive performance ratings: Control: 8.2, Spin: 9.4, Speed: 10.0. These ratings translate to powerful spin for pinpoint accuracy in your shots. Whether you’re executing precise drop shots or unleashing powerful smashes, this paddle has you covered.

Personalized Memory Book

The Killerspin paddle comes with a personalized memory book that serves a dual purpose. Not only does it provide excellent protection for your paddle when it’s not in use, but it also makes for an ideal gift box. It’s a thoughtful touch for those who take their table tennis seriously.

Portable and Competition-Ready

Measuring a compact 6″ x 6.25″, this racket is perfect for on-the-go competitions. Whether you’re heading to your local table tennis club or participating in a tournament, the Killerspin Professional Paddle is designed to accompany you wherever you play.

8.5/10 Editor Score

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When it comes to table tennis, JOOLA stands out as an Olympic-level brand with over 60 years of trust and expertise. The JOOLA Edge ping pong racket exemplifies their commitment to top-tier equipment suitable for players of all levels, from kids to adults. Here are the standout features of this remarkable paddle.

Olympic Pedigree

JOOLA has proudly sponsored major tournaments, including the Olympics, World Championships, and US Open since the 1950s. With such a rich history, you can trust their equipment to meet the highest standards.

ITTF Regulation Size

The JOOLA Edge racket adheres to ITTF regulation size, ensuring a smooth inverted surface and a comfortable ergonomic flared grip handle. These features enhance your performance, speed, and spin, making it an ideal choice for players of various skill levels.

Carbon Fiber Enhancement

This paddle boasts two layers of carbon fibers integrated into the layers of high-quality wood, which serves two crucial purposes. First, it reduces vibrations, giving you more control over your shots. Second, it enlarges the ‘sweet spot,’ allowing for stronger attacks. It’s a paddle that truly helps you play like a champion.

Exceptional Build Quality

Crafted from a combination of Hinoki, Koto, Ayous, and two layers of Carbon, the JOOLA Edge is a 5-ply real high-quality wood marvel. This unique blend of materials increases speed and provides greater spin, making it perfect for family game rooms and competitive play alike.

Impressive Performance Ratings

The JOOLA Edge comes with impressive performance ratings on a scale of 0-100. It boasts a speed rating of 95, a spin rating of 94, and a control rating of 94. Furthermore, it features JOOLA Driver 42 Table Tennis Rubber on both sides, ensuring that your shots are precise and powerful.

8.1/10 Editor Score

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When it comes to professional table tennis equipment, the rspin Kido 7P Table Tennis Racket stands out as a top-notch choice for serious players. This competition-grade paddle boasts a range of features that will help you dominate your opponents with unrivaled spins and lightning-fast returns. Let’s dive into what sets this paddle apart

ITTF-Approved Excellence

One of the key highlights of the Killerspin is its ITTF approval. This means it’s sanctioned for use in official table tennis competitions, making it the perfect choice for players looking to take their game to the highest level of play.

Seven-Ply Wood Blade

The Killerspin,s blade is crafted from seven layers of wood, offering a perfect balance of power and control. This construction ensures the paddle’s durability and responsiveness, enabling you to make precise shots and react quickly to your opponent’s moves.

Fortissimo Rubbers for Unmatched Grip

The Killerspin rubbers on this paddle are truly exceptional. They grip the ball like no other, delivering impressive spin and speed. With a control rating of 9, a spin rating of 9.4, and a power rating of 10.9, you can expect consistent, accurate shots that will keep your opponents on their toes.

Built to Last

Killerspin has gone the extra mile to ensure the durability of this paddle. The black side tape not only prevents peeling but also conserves your energy for those high-speed rallies. You can trust that the Fortissimo will hold up to intense gameplay and maintain its performance over time.

Size and Dimensions

The Killerspin comes in a straight handle design, catering to players who prefer this style. Its compact size, with product dimensions of 6.25″L x 6″W, offers excellent maneuverability, allowing you to make quick and precise movements on the table.
Youth-Friendly Option While it’s designed for professional play, the Fortissimo is also suitable for youth players who want to hone their skills with top-quality equipment. Its versatility makes it a great choice for players of all ages looking to improve their game.

How To Choose A professional ping pong paddle?

When it comes to selecting the right paddle for your playing style, the type of rubber is also an important factor. There are three main types of ping pong rubber: tacky rubber, inverted rubber, and smooth rubber. Tacky rubbers have a slight adhesive quality that aids with spin production. Inverted rubbers offer a higher level of grip on the ball and generate a heavier spin effect.

Smooth rubbers are designed for maximum control, speed and minimal spin. Make sure to evaluate all of these features when shopping for a paddle crafted from high-quality materials that suits your needs. With the right equipment, you’ll be well on your way to improving your table tennis skills and having an edge against opponents in the next game or tournament.

So you better do your research and find the best possible paddle for your needs.

Brand

If you’re going to stay at the top and even improve your professional skill even further – we strongly believe you will have to stick with some of the best ping pong paddle brands in the table tennis such as Joola, Butterfly, Tibhar, STIGA, and many others.

They specialize in innovating and producing gear that is going to be used by the most skilled players all around the world.

Therefore, even if you don’t know much about ping pong gear – with quick research of professional players, you’ll get a clear idea of the brands and gear they use.

But we don’t recommend you copy professional players just for the sake of it. Always know a reason behind the use of a specific type of gear.

Rubber Choice

We highly recommend you to check out some of the most professional players around the world and compare their personal rubber choice.

Also, try to find out reasons why do they exactly use such rubber-type even though there are thousands of other rubbers.

And lastly, make sure to understand how each rubber works and which would be an ideal rubber for your playing style.

Blade Type & Weight

Blade material is important and with companies being so innovative, you’ll even be able to see blades produced out of carbon fiber.

Weight of a blade is important at the top performance level table tennis and that’s just another thing you should pay attention to along with the shape, grip, and size.

Sponge Thickness

If you didn’t notice, there is a thin sponge between the rubber and blade. This sponge usually comes in about two to three thickness sizes.

Each thickness gives a different result so you better understand how the sponge works and which is ideal sponge thickness for your paddle.

Usually, the thicker sponge (2mm sponge or more) is – more speed it can provide, however, the thinner sponge can provide better control.

Paddle Case

It’s most likely you’ll be going around, traveling to tournaments and competitions.

Therefore, having a proper paddle case which will protect your precious paddle at any time is really important.

We recommend aluminum cases since they provide more space, better padding, and are a lot more durable.

Ratings

When you look for ping pong paddles’ specifications, you’ll find one thing in common, and that is rating based on speed, spin, and control.

Sometimes you get an average rating score based on these three factors, as we’ve done above. And other times, you’ll find the ratings separately.

One thing that should be kept in mind is that there is no standardized system of scoring for expensive ping pong paddles. So often we see the ratings which are given by the manufacturers themselves. This means you can’t compare different paddles from different manufacturers using the scores given by themselves.

You can check the scoring of clubs or other user reviews (if available), but that will also be very different from each other.

How do you compare paddles?

The best thing to do is look at the specifications of the paddles closely. Take a closer look at the blade composition, thickness of rubber, plies, weight and handle to understand how well the paddle will perform in different aspects.

Of course, this isn’t an option if you’re very new and have to rely on others. But when you understand how the paddles behave with different materials and compositions, the process becomes relatively easy.

How the ratings work (Spin, Speed and Control)?

Spin, speed and control rating are the three main factors to consider while selecting a paddle. Depending on the material and technology used, these three vary from each other.

The number of plies, blade composition, layers of wood, and, most importantly, rubber thickness plays a vital role in the paddle’s performance.As a general rule of thumb, thicker rubber generates more speed and spin but has a lower amount of control.

On the other hand, thinner rubber has more control but fails on the speed and spin.So while selecting the next ping pong paddle for yourself, identify your requirements first. If your priority is to have more control, you need a racket with thinner rubber and vice versa.

Conclusion

Investing in a high-quality paddle offers improved speed, spin, and control for both advanced beginners and seasoned players. The 6 Best Professional Ping Pong Paddles in 2023 guide is invaluable for absolute beginners to pros.

By considering factors like material quality and customer reviews, we’ve identified top options ranging from beginner paddles to professional-grade gear. These feature composite material in their outer layers and an effective paddle blade.

The best option is the Butterfly Balsa Carbo X5 Pro-Line, ideal for those seeking a light blade and high performance. It’s perfect for advanced beginners and offers an exceptional paddle blaze.intermediate level.

Faqs

What is the best ping pong paddle out there?
The “best” ping pong paddle can vary depending on a player’s skill level, style, and personal preferences. However, brands like Butterfly, Stiga, and DHS often top the list for their high-quality construction and performance features. Look for paddles with advanced materials like carbon layers for added speed and responsiveness, as well as superior rubber for improved spin and control.

What brand of ping pong paddles do pros use?
Professional players often gravitate towards brands known for quality and performance, such as Butterfly, Stiga, and DHS. These brands are reputable for their high-end paddles that offer a balanced mix of speed, spin, and control. Specific models may differ among pros based on their personal playing style and preferences.

What ping pong paddles do Olympians use?
Olympians use top-of-the-line paddles that are approved by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Brands like Butterfly, Stiga, and DHS are commonly seen in international competitions. These paddles often feature cutting-edge technology, such as carbon fiber layers and tensioned rubber, to offer peak performance.

Why do Chinese hold ping pong paddle?
Chinese players often employ the penhold grip, which is a traditional way of holding the paddle predominantly seen in China and other East Asian countries. This grip allows for a greater range of wrist movement, making it easier to impart spin on the ball. The grip is considered to offer advantages in close-to-table play but may have limitations in terms of reach and certain strokes.

Is light or heavy ping pong paddle better?
The choice between a light or heavy ping pong paddle is mostly a matter of personal preference, offensive style, and playing style. Lighter paddles usually offer better speed and easier maneuverability, making them well-suited for fast, attacking play. Heavier paddles provide more power and are generally considered better for defensive play and looping. Assess your own style and preferences to determine which weight suits you best.