Pickleball is a fast growing sport, and a great way to keep your fitness and mobility up. Wether you’re new to the sport, or looking to add some spin to your game, there are plenty of options. Unfortunately, finding the best pickleball paddle for you can be difficult due to the sheer number of choices on the market. Luckily, there are only a few variables you need to understand in on to make a great selection.
We reviewed all of the top pickleball paddles, and found the best combination of price, quality and performance came from the Onix Graphite Z5 Pickleball Paddle, making it a very versatile option for a range of players due to its large hitting surface, honeycomb core and graphite face.
However, if you’re looking to make a more specific selection for your ability level, we lay out the best pickleball paddles for beginners to advanced players below.
Quick summary: Our Picks For the Best Pickleball Paddles
- Best Overall: Onix Graphite Z5 Pickleball Paddle
- Best for Beginners: Apollo Pickleball Paddle
- Best Pickleball Set: Selkirk NEO Composite Pickleball Set
- Best for Advanced Players: Selkirk Amped Epic Midweight Pickleball Paddle
How To Select A Pickleball Paddle
As the fastest growing sport in America, pickleball has no shortage of equipment options. There are over 20 pages of paddles on Amazon alone, and sorting through the options can be time consuming and intimidating. However, there are really only three main variables when choosing a pickleball paddle.
Materials
What the core of the paddle is made out of is the main driver of price and performance. Paddles are generally made from wood, graphite or various composite materials.
Wood paddles are the cheapest, ranging from $14 – $50, but are also usually the heaviest and least durable.
Composite pickleball paddles are a great mid range option that provide added feel and pop. These paddles are typically priced between $45 – $150.
Finally, graphite paddles round out the high end, providing the greatest feel and spin, but at a higher price point.
Weight
Besides price, weight is the most important variable in choosing a paddle, and is closely tied to materials. According to the official USAPA Rule Book, there are no restrictions on paddle weight, however pickleball paddles usually range from 6 to 14 ounces. Composite or graphite paddles tend to be on the lower end (6 to 9 ounces), while wood paddles are much heavier. There is a large tradeoff between weight and ball control. A heavier paddle helps drive the ball harder, but will have less shot-shaping abilities than lighter paddles. This is why we recommend a good weight/control combo like the Onix Graphite Z5.
Surface Area: Paddle “Sweet Spot”
Combined length and width of a pickleball paddle can not exceed 24 inches and length can not exceed 17 inches according the the USAPA Rule Book. Paddle manufacturers work within those parameters to create different “sweet spots”. The sweet spot on a paddle is technically the paddle’s center of mass.
With lighter paddles, hits outside the center are weaker, since the paddle has less mass. The more off center the hit, the weaker the shot. This is less of an issue with heavier paddles, as they have more mass and harness more energy. This is why heavier paddles are recommended for beginners.
If you can’t handle a heavy paddle, or you don’t like the feel of it, a way to compensate is to purchase a composite or graphite paddle with a larger surface area. This way the paddle will have a larger middle area for stronger shots, but still be light compared to heavier wood paddles.
Grip Size
Finally, you can’t play pickleball very well if you can’t hold a racquet properly. Choosing a paddle with the correct grip circumference for your hand will solve this problem. For an easy rule of thumb, when between two sizes, try the smaller size first. Smaller grips are easier to hold, control and spin. Choosing a larger grip will provide more stability for true shots. Larger grips also tend to be easier on the elbow, which helps when people suffer from tendonitis. Just like in racquet sports, it’s easy to dial in your custom grip by using overgrips or wraps.
Almost all paddle grip sizes are between 4 to 4 3/4 inches in circumference. Pickleball grips are broken down into 1/8 inch increments. An overgrip will usually add 1/16 of an inch to truly dial in the perfect circumference.
Tips To Select Your Paddle Grip Size
- The best way to determine if a grip is right for you is to try it out if possible.
- If you in between two sizes, always choose the smaller size. Remember, you can use an overgrip to increase the size of the grip.
- A significantly smaller grip for your hand can cause you to squeeze the handle with more force. This may lead to fatigue or worse, tennis elbow (tendonitis).
- A significantly larger grip will restrict your wrist, require more strength to use will limit spin you can put on the ball.
- When in doubt, measure your hand.
How To Measure Your Grip Size
You can measure your paddle grip size 2 different ways. Start with the ruler test, if you’re online shopping because it does not involve a paddle. If you’re in a store, the index finger test works well.
Ruler Test
To do the ruler test, all you need is your hand and a ruler or tape measure. Here are the steps:
- Open your dominant playing hand and extend your fingers like you’re going to shake someone’s hand.
- Place the bottom of your ruler on the palm’s second or middle crease. Then align the ruler with your ring finger.
- Measure the distance between the tip of your ring finger and the bottom lateral palm crease. This length will typically fall fall somewhere between 4 inches and 5 inches. The measurement is your grip size.
Index Finger Test
If you have a pickleball paddle with you, you can use the index finger test.
- hold the paddle with your dominant hand using an Eastern grip. If you don’t know what an Eastern grip is, just hold the paddle like it is a hand you are shaking. Your index knuckle should be on the side of the grip aligned with the back face of the paddle.
- Once you’re shaking hands with your paddle, take the the index finger of your other hand to slide it in-between your ring finger and palm.
- When your index finger fits snugly within this gap between your ring finger and palm, you know you have the right grip size.
Pickleball Paddle Reviews: A Look At Our Top 4 Picks
Onix Graphite Z5 Review: Best Overall
The Onix Z5 Graphite is one of the most popular lines in pickleball. USAPA approved, it has the perfect blend of size, weight and feel that most players are looking for. The core is nomex honeycomb, which is a hard, but lightweight material that gives the paddle its power. The graphite face is gives the paddle additional feel and is very light weight – perfect for adding spin to the ball. The Z5 is a “widebody” paddle which gives beginners and intermediate players an extra large “sweet spot”. Check out the Onix Z5 Graphite in a variety of colors and styles below.
Specs:
- Dimensions: 15.5” L, 8.3” W
- Weight: 7.5 oz
- Core: Honeycomb
- Face: Graphite
- Grip size: 4 1/4
Apollo Pickleball Paddle Review: Best For Beginners
If you’re new to the sport, the Appollo Pickleball Paddle covers all your bases at a price point that won’t make you nervous. Like the Onix, Appollo has a honeycomb core with a graphite face, although it is slightly heavier (8oz). The graphite face is scratch resistant, making it perfect for indoor or outdoor use. This unique beginner’s package even comes with 2 pickleballs and a handy cover – all you need to hit the courts and get started.
Specs:
- Dimensions: 16” L, 7 7/8” W
- Weight: 8 oz
- Core: Honeycomb
- Face: Graphite
- Grip size: 4 ¼
- Bonus: 2 balls, cover
Selkirk Composite Set Review: Best Pickleball Set
Selkirk is best known for developing premium paddles for all skill levels. With the Selkirk Composite Set you get two lightweight, composite paddles and 4 premium pickleballs. The paddles are USAPA approved, and contain the same honeycomb core as Selkirk’s premium paddles. The difference is that this set uses an innovative composite face instead more expensive graphite. The paddles are durable, well balanced, and unbeatable quality at this price point. The only drawback could be that included balls best for indoor play.
Specs:
- Number of paddles: 2
- Number of balls: 4
- Dimensions: 16” L, 7.8” W
- Weight: 7.7 oz
- Core: Honeycomb
- Face: Composite
- Grip size: 4.125”
Selkirk Amped Epic Midweight Review: Best For Advanced Players
As a pioneer in the sport of pickleball, Selkirk has created its own FiberFlex face and patent pending X5 Core technology for the Amped Epic. Both changes are engineered to strike the right balance between power and control. The core is noticeably thicker than other paddles. This change creates more power without loss of feel. The unique fiberglass face offers an unparalleled level of control and accuracy needed to spin those tough shots. The Amped line comes in 5 sizes with the Epic being a widebody, midweight model. This design should be very familiar to players with a tennis background, as it mimics the weight distribution of a tennis racquet. All Selkirk paddles are tested and approved by USAPA for tournament play, and are used by professionals and ranked players worldwide.
Specs:
- Dimensions: 15 3/4” L, 8” W
- Weight: 8.1 oz
- Core: X5 polymer
- Face: FiberFlex fiberglass
- Grip size: 4 1/4”
Finding The Perfect Balance In A Paddle
The holy grail of pickleball paddle performance can be summed up in one word: balance. The best pickleball paddles for any situation offer the right power, control, weight, feel and durability for each person’s playing style. With so many variables, it can be hard to choose, especially if you’re new to the game. We curated this list to save you some time, but if you’ve made it this far, you’re likely still undecided. In that case, we think you can’t go wrong with our top overall pick: Onix Graphite Z5 Pickleball Paddle. This is a very versatile paddle that is more than enough performance for any player’s game, and if you’re a newbie – you’ll look like a professional pulling one of these out of your bag.
