Best Table Tennis Rackets in [year]

Table tennis, what a remarkably competitive indoor sport it is, with least bit of margin of error allowed when it comes to high stake matches. Those of you, who have played themselves or have watched a championship match, must be aware of its edginess in a close margin match. If you love to play ping pong frequently and are thinking of boosting your gaming skills or preparing for a tournament, you must get the best table tennis racket because if you fail to pick the right one, you will later lose the game. 

Like all competitive sports, table tennis players, i.e., racket, play a vital role in determining the outcome of a match. If your racket is not supporting your strikes or showing a tiny bit of lagging, it can result in a victory snatched from your hands.

Whether you want to enhance your playing skills or to have an added advantage over your opponent, you need to choose a racket that suits your playing style. With a wide variety of table tennis equipment available in the market, the best table tennis racket can be overwhelming. 

But don’t you worry, my friend, help is at hand.

For helping you make the right choice, this article not only highlights some of the best rackets for you to choose from, but it also contains complete guidelines for looking for when making your buying decision.

Let’s get started, Shall we? First lets see how to choose a perfect table tennis racket.

How to Choose Best Table Tennis Racket?

Before we jump into the product details, you must know how to pick the best table tennis racket. Table tennis is one of the best indoor games. It combines exercise in a small space that no other indoor play provides. Additionally, it is super competitive so you can enjoy a friendly bout once in a while with your roommates. The best thing about it is the ease of setting it up. Also, it does not need a lot of equipment. A table tennis ball and a pair of rackets will be enough if you already own a table. 

When it comes to rackets, there can be no compromise as it is the most crucial element of table tennis. You can’t win if you are not comfortable with your racket. It will be a disaster in the middle. 

But, when it comes to choosing the right racket, it is a complicated process. The problem is not that there aren’t many choices available. On the contrary, there are too many choices that make your head spin if you don’t have any guidance. 

Now we will help you make this decision quickly. All you need to do is figure out the criteria we provide, and you’ll be good to go. 

So, let’s get started. We’ll discuss all the factors that matter when you have to choose a table tennis racket.

Size

The racket’s official size is pretty flexible, and its size is acceptable as long as it is made of 85% wood. That’s the only criteria that are specified by the International Table Tennis Federation. So you don’t have to worry too much about the regulations as any racket that you’ll find will be designed to meet this criterion.

However, there is more to choosing a racket that just regulations. You have to decide which size suits you best. If your hands are small, don’t try to get a big racket. It will be counterproductive and will not help you; similarly, if you have big hands, go for a bigger size. That’s all about common sense. 

Our pro tip in this regard is to go to a shop, pick up a racket, and if it feels right in your hand, that’s what you want. 

But, make sure it fulfills these other criteria.

Ready-made or Custom Made?

It is vital because readymade or recreational rackets are not designed for professional players; they are just for beginners or people who just enjoy a match once in a while. 

For professionals, a readymade racket will not do. If you are a professional player, you’ll have to get individual sheets, a right wood racket. You also want to adjust the speed of the racket, which we will discuss in a minute. 

If you are an amateur, buy a readymade racket, but if you are a professional, go for a custom made racket.

Durability

Here again, the matter is all about your playing level. For professionals, there is no compromise on durability. They can spend the right amount on a good racket that they know they can depend on in a game. 

For home players or people who play for fun, there is no need to buy a racket that lasts forever. There is too much money involved. Just buy a decent racket and move on. You might want two as sometimes your boyfriend can join in also. 

So, don’t buy an expensive racket if you are not a professional.

Blade Type

Blade type affects the speed of the ball hit. If you are just starting up, you need a stable racket that can hold the ball through its pads. In the beginning, it is difficult to control the ball, and with a fast racket, there are many fouls 

For professionals, speed is more important as they already have control over the ball. They know precisely how much power they need to deliver the ball. So make sure you know your level of expertise in this regard.

Thickness of Blade

The thickness of the blade matters a lot. As discussed above, a new player needs less speed to have more control over the ball. For them, a less thick blade will be better. 

But, for professionals, the less thick blade will ensure faster speed as the ball will hit the wood part without the rubber pads’ damping effect. 

More Weight More Speed

Similarly, the weight of the racket is also essential when choosing a racket. With more weight, there is more speed possible. So for newcomers, the less the weight, the better as it will help them control the shots better. 

On the other hand, more weight can be a big help for professionals, giving them more speed. It is not right for every professional as some rely more on spin and thus are not concerned with the with too much.

Quality of Rubber Pads

Make sure you buy a racket with good quality rubber pads on the blade. Different sheets are used for more speed or spin. But, the quality matters both for professionals and new starters. 

A straightforward way to see the quality of the pads is just to take a close look. Good quality pads will have an excellent finish, and no threads will be visible from them. For better quality, you can pay a slightly more price. 

Now let’s take an overview of the table tennis racket from the below comparison table. By this, you will be able to understand the difference quickly, and it will help you know which one is perfect for you. After that, we will discuss the detailed features of the products.

Comparison Table for the Best Table Tennis Racket

After having a look at the comparison table you might have got a bit idea about the tennis rackets. Now let jump into the details features of the table tennis.

6 Best table Tennis Racket Detailed Review

01- NIBIRU SPORT Ping Pong Paddle Set

The first table tennis equipment that we are going to review is NIBIRU SPORT Ping Pong Paddle Set. With four premium ping pong blades and three stars 40 mm 8 white and orange balls, it becomes a complete package for a four-player game.  

Some of its key features are analyzed below, which will help understand why NIBIRU SPORT Ping Pong Paddle Set is a perfect choice for you.

Material

NIBIRU SPORT is a name of reliability. With the utmost focus on durability, high-quality plywood is used in these rackets, which consists of 5 layers. Glued with caution, it results in a perfect crack resistant wood paddle. High-quality, durable rubber with premium thickness gives you extra smoothness with no chance of rubber peeling off from the wood paddles. 

Grip Technology

You don’t have to struggle anymore. With NIBIRU SPORT’s sweat and water-resistant grip technology, you will never lose your grip control in a crucial match. Sweat proof handles indeed add more advantage over the opponents.

Performance

Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or a professional player, you can adapt to NIBIRU SPORT’s high-performance table tennis rackets to improve your game. Spongy layer and inverted rubber on these paddles will surely provide you your desired level of spin. Its highly reactive ping pong balls are ideal for all types of players.

You can smoothly improve and polish your skills with NIBIRU SPORT. NIBIRU SPORT has several customers with positive up-gradation in their game.

Why should you buy NIBIRU SPORT Ping Pong Paddle Set? 

It has everything you need for a fun game with your friends and family. To ensure the safety of these table tennis paddles, a convenient storage travel case is also provided in the package.

Why people buy NIBIRU SPORT Ping Pong Paddle Set?

Customers have been buying NIBIRU SPORT Ping Pong Paddle Set to attain more curve spin and un-returnable service resulting in high-level performance.

02- STIGA Evolution Performance-Level Table Tennis Racket

If you are a beginner level table tennis player, you should be more focused on control and line rather than ball spin and advance level tactics. STIGA Evolution Performance – Level Table Tennis Racket is the perfect choice in terms of offering you that kind of all-around playability. 

Some of the key features which make this the best table tennis racket for beginners are illustrated below.

Control

The most significant performance attribute that one can attain when playing in a defensive style controls, which ultimately depends on your racket. STIGA Evolution comes in strong when we talk about absolute power. 

STIGA Evolution offers a flared design that helps in the reduction of slippage. With increased sensitivity to strikes, you can feel through its handle where the balls make connections on the blade. In this way, a player is more conscious of ball placement, resulting in enhanced and controlled strikes.

Handling

Manufacturers of STIGA Evolution not only focused on increased control and sensitivity but also its ease of handling. Weighing only 6.3 pounds attributes to its super-light handling. It gives increased relaxation between the opponent’s strikes, which adds to its perfection for a player with a defensive style.

Shock Dispersion Tube Technology

STIGA Evolution has this unique technology called Shock Dispersion Tube, which works with the integration of a high tech composite rod through the handle. It helps in dispersing sound and shock waves from the paddle surface, improving the response of the ball, and making the paddle light at the same time.

With innumerable satisfied customers worldwide, STIGA Evolution is one of the most popular table’s tennis rackets.

Why should you buy STIGA Evolution?

STIGA Evolution will let you nourish your playing style in terms of both defensive and offensive techniques, and you will feel a sudden change in your game.

Why people buy STIGA Evolution?

Users have shared their positive reviews in the form of liking its super lightweight design, enjoying its increased sensitivity to the ball, and substantially improved control over their game.

03- Idoraz Table Tennis Paddle Professional Racket

Are you looking for a table tennis racket with a perfect balance between speed and control? Look no further, because all you need is to get your hands on Idoraz Table Tennis Paddle Professional Racket. Some of the cool features are illustrated below for a better understanding of our readers.

Balance

Idoraz Table Tennis Paddle Professional Racket is quite lightweight, which is 0.4 lb. Players who love the high-speed game and close strikes have an added advantage due to its lightweight. With swift action and controlled balance, players can attain more speed during serves and corner shots. 

Uniqueness

Rubber sheets used in the paddle of Idoraz Table Tennis are thick, which helps in improving performance. Players who need to take their performance to the next level can use this for quick and better results. Putting a spin on the ball has now been made easy with an impressive spin rating of 93.

Sponge Coating

Idoraz Table Tennis Paddle Professional Racket has a 2.0 mm layer of sponge coating. Sponge coating allows more control and freedom to the players in executing quick shots.

If you are a sort of player who wants to improve his/her gameplay and enjoy the rapid game at the same time, Idoraz Table Tennis Paddle Professional Racket makes a perfect choice. 

Idoraz has worldwide recognition with availability in almost every mega-market. Most players buying this table tennis paddle are more than satisfied with the results on account of value for money, serious quickness in gaming performance, and ultra-control during quick strikes.

Why should you buy Idoraz Table Tennis Paddle?

It offers plenty of exciting features that help players take their performance to the next level, including improved balance, impressive spinning technique, and corner shots.

Why people buy Idoraz Table Tennis Paddle?

It has almost 77% 5-star reviews and 14% 4-star reviews, which depicts its satisfied client base. Customers who bought Idoraz Table Tennis Paddle have raved about their better game performance using Idoraz in the form of enhanced power and speed.

04- Killerspin Jet 800 Table Tennis Paddle

When talking about the best table tennis blade, it’ll be hard to exclude the Killerspin Jet 800 Table Tennis Paddle. Professional table tennis players being pro at their game, need equipment with high qualities. They cannot afford to lose a point because of any lacking in the racket’s quality.

Quality of blade

As a general rule, you can say that the more layers there are on the bat, the more power it will generate, in most cases. Killerspin Jet 800 Table Tennis Paddle is a seven-layered bat that justifies its quick rating of 9 out of 10.

These layers are made up of carbon fiber, which is super light. Carbon fiber layers maintain their weight to an acceptable level. Its unique shape and design also add to its many features, making it a favorite of most professional players.

Rubber Layers

Killerspin Jet 800 is equipped with 2 NItrx-4Z rubber sheets, which are 2.0 mm in depth. Because of its thickness, the ball does not sink, and more speed is generated with ease. 

Handle Grip

Killerspin Jet 800 has a flared grip with an ergonomic handle, which ensures that it does not slip out of the player’s hands. Its handle might be a bit shorter for some players, but its exceptional grip covers any deficiency in the handle size.

Why should you buy Killerspin Jet 800?

Are you a professional player and looking to take your game up a few notches? If yes, you will most definitely be interested in this table tennis blade because of its unique features for pro players.

Why People buy Killerspin Jet 800?

Satisfied customers have raved about better defense and returns because of its large blade, positive response on spin, speed, and control and satisfying customer support by the manufacturer. It has been a hot favorite with 80% of four stars and above customer reviews on Amazon.

05- Palio Expert 2.0 Table Tennis Racket & Case

Focusing on improvement in beginner’s game, Expert Table Tennis and Chinese brand Palio have joined hands to produce a great series of rackets. It’s often recommended by professional coaches as one of the best rackets for beginners. 

Let’s go through some of the features of the Palio Expert 2.0 Table Tennis Racket.

High control rating

As a beginner player, controlling the ball is the primary attribute to learn. Palio Expert 2.0 helps slow the ball; therefore, placement of the ball at the right spots is made easy. Advancement to the upper level can be achieved after acing the necessary skills with Palio Expert 2.0 rather than going straight to a faster version of rackets.

Quality of rubber

Palio Expert 2.0 is equipped with CJ8000 tacky rubbers, which produces an adequate level of speed and spin, easily adaptable for a beginner. These tacky rubbers allow the ball to stick on the surface and therefore generate extra spin. 

Blade and Speed

Palio Expert 2.0 is a much slower racket with a speed rating of only 6, which makes it ideal for beginners as with slow speed, they are more prone to making the right judgments. Once you have attained the necessary skill set, you may find it not doing much. At that point, you should upgrade your racket to a faster one for improvement in your game.

Why should you buy Palio Expert 2.0?

Beginners are focused on gaining control with no sacrifice for power. Playing style is nourished at this stage where tried and tested equipment is required. Palio Expert 2.0 Table Tennis Racket helps tremendously in this transition phase.

Why people buy Palio Expert 2.0?

Most customers of Palio Expert 2.0 were aiming to learn the basics of table tennis. Customers reviews on amazon show excellent and much quicker results by gaining more control, learning new stroke techniques, and improved shot selections. Palio Expert 2.0 has 89 % reviews between 4 and 5 stars, which shows the trust development among its loyal customers. 

06- Butterfly 401 Table Tennis Racket Set

The last one on our list to review is Butterfly 401 Table Tennis Racket Set, which probably needs no introduction as Butterfly has been making table tennis rackets since the ’50s. Butterfly has focused on improving the skill set of beginners and intermediate players with Butterfly 401. 

Let us discuss some other features of Butterfly 401, making it a popular choice among table tennis players worldwide.

Plywood blade

Butterfly table tennis racket comes with a five-ply blade which gives enough power to your strikes. With a speed rating of 8/10, it may not be seen as high; however, it is enough for a beginner looking to get his hands on a much faster racket. It’s not such an overwhelming speed makes it adequate for intermediate players.

Rubbers with 2.1 mm sponge

Butterfly 401 has a Yuki rubber on both sides of the racket. These tacky rubbers ensure that ball grips the paddle on every touch and generates more quick spin. Underneath these rubber sheets are 2.1 mm thick sponge. This generates extra power and tackiness on the surface and helps in gaining more spin.

Handle

Butterfly table tennis racket is known for its shake hand style handle, which gives a feeling of shaking hands with someone. Its handle has a flared design with a wider end, ensuring a tight grip. This handle may feel a bit small for a tall heightened person, though.

Why should you buy Butterfly 401 Table Tennis Racket?

Butterfly has focused on improving the skill set of beginners and intermediate players with Butterfly 401. This racket will have a positive impact on your performance.

Why people Buy Butterfly 401 Table Tennis Racket?

Customers have a positive review for Butterfly 401 because it is well built when it comes to paddle, sufficient power, good control & spin, and perfect for a family recreational match. Butterfly 401 has 83 % reviews on amazon with four and 5-star ratings, which is a fairly adequate number of satisfied customers.  

Buyers Guide on the Best Table Tennis Racket

As overwhelming as it can be to choose from many table tennis rackets available in the market, some basic steps remain the same. Whether you are a beginner, an intermediate level, or a pro player, you need to analyze various available choices carefully.

Some of the key considerations to make when choosing a ping pong paddle are as follows.

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Blade

The power rating of a table tennis racket can be one of the key features to look for. The wooden part of the paddle, including the handle, is one of the main determinants for producing power. Blades of the racket usually consist of several layers of plywood. Some manufacturers make use of material other than wood, such as carbon or titanium carbon.

The number of layers instilled together to manufacture a table tennis blade determines the end quality of the blade, whether flexible or a rigid. For example, table tennis rackets with carbon fiber material used in them are more firm and lightweight at the same time, making them a desirable choice concerning weighing to performance ratio.

A rigid blade will typically be faster than others because its rigidity helps in transferring incoming ball energy into your stroke with enhanced speed. Opposite to this, if you look at a flexible blade, it will absorb some of the energy of the incoming ball, thus decreases its speed a bit, which ultimately impacts the speed of your strike as well.

Handle

Several different handles can be found when it comes to variety in table tennis rackets ranging from flared handles to anatomic ones and straight handles.

The most popular design of the handle and possibly the most used in manufacturing table tennis rackets is the flared handle style. This handle is designed in a thicker dimension at the bottom, which prevents it from slipping out of the hands of the player and gives a firm grip on the handle.

Anatomic handle differs in a way that it is much wider in the middle. This reflects the shape of a player’s palm.

The straight handle is straight from top to bottom, making it more comfortable for players who want to play with loose handle grip and more comfort.

Rubber and Sponge

Rubber and sponge should be carefully looked for when selecting the best table tennis racket. It is the main portion of the racket, which comes in direct contact with the ball and impacts your performance. The rubber sheets’ tackiness plays a major role in determining how fast it can spin the ball upon striking. Similarly, the thickness of the sponge also contributes to generating more speed and a quick ball.

As a buyer, you should study and have a reasonable knowledge of how a specific rubber sheet or sponge is made, what treatments are applied to them, and what recommendations are provided by the manufacturer.

Usually, rubber sheets that are too soft tend to have more hold on the ball. In other words, this will result in higher dwell time. These soft rubbers and sheets with more stickiness will help you generate a high level of spinning on the ball.

Beneath the layer of rubber, there is a layer of sponge on the blade, which can be categorized into three types: thin-layered, medium layered, and thickly layered sponge. Out of all these three, thick sponge layers are perfect for generating more spin. 

Grip

You should also analyze the grip of a prospective table tennis racket that you have your eyes on to buy. A comfortable grip plays an essential part in determining a match’s outcome, especially in long and crucial matches where players have to spend more time on the table and take on tremendous game pressure. One of the most professional grips is the pen hold grip. Check out this guide to get the best ping pong paddle for pen holders.

Frequently Asked Question

Some of the frequently asked questions of customers are illustrated below to sort out any similar queries.

Q.1: What are the secrets of taking care of a table tennis racket to prolong its life?

Ans.: New rackets have a plastic film on the rubber that keeps the rubber sheets tacky and elastic. You should remove this film before its use for the first time. Dust can be collected on the racket surface with time, which is normal. You should make sure to clean it at regular intervals with dry and clean wool.

Q.2: Does the rubber sheets on the racket need to be sticky?

Ans.: Rubber stickiness shows the high quality of rubber. The more the stickiness, the more it will generate speed and spinning of the ball.

Q.3: Which balls are the best for playing table tennis?

Ans.: Table tennis balls are classified as per defined category into star ratings. High rated balls are usually high priced and produce much better action. On the other hand, balls with no star rating are inexpensive and can be perfect for children to play. 

Q.4:  Which market place or online store can be searched for getting the best table tennis racket?

Ans.: Amazon is the most preferred online market with millions of satisfied users worldwide. You can easily search for whatever you are looking for and place your order on the web. You can also contact customer support to get an accurate delivery date for your product.

Q.5: Which side of the racket is better for spinning?

Ans.: It has been observed that the red side produces slightly more spin than the black side of the racket. The black side is usually preferred for power shots. In our experience, it doesn’t matter if you use either of the sides, black or red. Both sides work equally fine for all purposes. Get the best ping pong paddle for spin.

Additional Information

We want our readers to be able to make the perfect choice when selecting the best table tennis rackets. Therefore we have added below some important notes and additional considerations to take when making your buying decision.

Player type

Before choosing between buying a new blade, one must know what sort of player he/ she is, at what playing level he/she is currently at, and what level he/she wants to achieve. It’s not about going to the market or online web portals and grabbing whatever comes to your mind. For a perfect racket to choose, one must know the requirements and must have the capacity to analyze these options.

Why players change their rackets and buy new ones?

Players around the world buy new rackets for a wide variety of reasons. Some need them to be able to learn a new technique, enhance their competitiveness, up to their playing level, and some just want to have a family recreational game.

Similarly, intermediate players are more focused on learning new skills and tricks that can help them win against their opponents with ease. They already have enough skill set level and are ready to polish those skills more. To make this work, they need paddles that can enhance their ball spinning and power on the strikes.

If you are a player with an attacking style, you have to make powerful strokes and need a blade that can support it. You can benefit in the form of achieving quickness by choosing a faster paddle. On the other hand, a defensive player has to chop the ball and block powerful strikes of the opponent. For successful blocking, defensive players usually look for a slightly slower, light, and controllable table tennis rackets.

To sum up, serious players of all levels strive to achieve more skills and perform better, and buying the best table tennis racket for professionals will enable them to make this process quick.

What is tacky rubber?

If you are a beginner, one of the most important aspects that are necessary for you to know about playing table tennis would be how tacky your rubber should be. It’s easy enough to figure out this information from other players- if they’re doing well with their shots and returning balls more often than not then it means what type of rubbers they have work best for them since these people wouldn’t want anything too sticky or fast so as not give away any advantages on the court.

Tackiness refers to the “stickiness” of a rubber which can range anywhere from being completely non-tacky all the way up until A+ in terms of its stickiness levels where it will only require some pressure applied onto the top before lifting off like a suction cup. What you want to do is experiment with different types of rubbers and see which one works best for your gameplay, so as not to fall behind in the match due to inferior equipment.

Our Recommendation

After reviewing and analyzing dozens of best table tennis rackets from different manufacturers, we have listed the top 6 picks for you in this guide. This guide has been written after a lot of research, and all 6 table tennis rackets will be the best choice for you. Yet if you ask us what would be our recommendation for you, then you must go with the STIGA Evolution Performance-Table Tennis Racket. It will boost your game and help you put more strength and speed behind your swing.

Final Word

We have tried to provide you with an in-depth analysis of best table tennis rackets available in the market, a key consideration to make, and a list of tested table tennis rackets. Our discussion and analysis aim to enable our readers to find a perfect solution with the least bit of botheration.

One cannot rush to the market and make a quick buying decision, which, if found unsuitable later, will only result in anxiety and compulsion. Study the features of the rackets available and compare these against your needs. Whatever you choose, just keep in mind to choose the one which is much faster and spin producer than your previous one. In this way, your journey of upgrading your playing skills will be an efficient one.

So, what’s the moral of the story? Keep on improving your bat when you think your playing level has been improved to a sufficient degree. Don’t jump on to faster and too enhanced bats. Take your time; you will achieve the desired level very soon.

Please feel free to comment or send us your queries about the best table tennis blade, especially the beginners. We will be more than happy to be of any assistance to you.

Cheers!

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Last update on 2022-05-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API