How to Choose a Table Tennis Paddle - A Brief Guide

Table tennis or ping pong, as it is sometimes referred to, is an exciting, fun game to play that can offer hours of entertainment to players. It’s also proven to be one of the best sports for improving brainpower!

When it comes to table tennis paddles, you’ll certainly never run out of options. Choosing the best paddle out of the bewildering number of choices out there is a task all by itself.

However, when it comes to choosing the best table tennis paddle, there’s no one-size-fits-all option. You need to choose the best paddle depending on your unique game style and level of expertise.

So how do you make the right choice? It’s simple. All you need is a little insider knowledge - and we are here to provide you with that.

So, here’s everything you need to know before you buy the best table tennis paddle for yourself.

Things to Know Before Buying a Table Tennis Paddle

A paddle consists of four main parts: the handle, rubber, a blade, and a sponge.

All these pieces come together to make a ping pong paddle that’s fine-tuned to meet your playstyle requirements. Let’s now look at how you can choose a paddle that is the best fit for yourself.

Paddle Grip

The paddle shape that you choose is dependent on your playstyle and grip. Irrespective of whether it’s a penhold or a shakehand grip, you can find paddles that are tailor-made to fit your hand.

A shakehand grip is the most common grip used by players in the West. Here, you hold your play hand like shaking hands with someone. It helps to put a spin on your ball, along with helping you return with more force.

On the other hand, a penhold grip helps you use swift, brush strokes. Here you grip the handle between your thumb and forefinger. The grip is similar to holding a pen where the paddle is held downwards.

Before deciding on a particular grip, practice your game a few times with each grip and notice your preference and game style. If you’re confused, ask your coach or a fellow player for inputs on preference and style.

Paddle Blade

The blade refers to the hard part of a table tennis paddle. This is the most important part as it determines the power of your paddle.

If your paddle blade is light and rigid, it can be best as an attacking paddle, whereas a heavier paddle with soft material is best suited for defense.

If you prefer to play a quick-paced game, it’s best to choose a blade that has five or more material layers. Blades made of rigid and light fibers of carbon are best suited for your game style since the lighter the blades, the more aggressively you can play.

However, if you’re a defensive player, it’s better to choose a blade that is entirely made of wood. This is because it offers better spin and better control. It’ll help in slowing down the game by absorbing some of the energy from the ball.

Rubber

Rubber is the side of the blade that makes contact with the ball. The way the ball reacts to your paddle depends on the thickness of the blade, your paddle’s rubber, and sponge.

Sponges are the layers between the blade and the rubber, and they usually come in three forms: thick, thin, and medium.

Rubbers are judged based on their crudeness and firmness. Soft, tacky rubber with a thin sponge offers better control, creates more spin, and is better for a slow, defensive game. With these features, the ball will bounce more slowly, offering you more reaction time. A firm rubber with a thick sponge is better suited for a fast-paced attacking game as the ball bounces off the bat quickly.

Hence, paddle thickness is a give and take between speed and control.

2-Faced rubber

A table tennis paddle comes with a single-sided rubber or double-sided rubber. You can have two different rubber layers on each side of your paddle, or you can choose to keep the same rubber layers on both sides.

A double-sided paddle provides you with an option to switch your paddle side depending on the situation of your game. Hence, it is comparatively better than single-sided ones.

However, an additional layer can add to the weight of the paddle. But since it gives more control between backhand and forehand strokes, it is preferred by most professionals.

Total Plies

A table tennis paddle contains varying layers of ply - anywhere between three to seven. If the paddle is thick, it’ll generally have a harder surface. In this case, your game would be fast, but you may have to compromise on the control since the wooden surface naturally has more rebound.

The ply layer can also affect the direction of return shots. Thin table tennis paddles have more flexibility with increased control and slower game.

Hence, if you do a lot of looping, go for a paddle with five ply layers. If you’re more into blocking and driving, you are better off with a seven-plied paddle.

Difference Between Beginner and Advanced Paddles

You’ve probably come across these terms often. What exactly do they mean?

It only refers to the type of paddle you use, and it can change with experience. As an advanced player, you’re more likely to use spin techniques, whereas if you’re a beginner, you might just be learning the ropes.

Good-quality, durable table tennis paddles are noticeably heavier when compared to beginner ones.

The reason being that good paddles contain superior rubber grade and plenty of it. It contains solid wood, which helps to give off a thud instead of a hollow knock. Also, these types of paddles have increased control and spin rate.

However, if you don’t end up being a Jan Ove Waldner, there’s always a scope for your game to improve. Keep practicing!

Top 6 Table Tennis Paddles

Now that we’re done with the basics, here’s a list of the best table tennis paddles in the market right now.

Stiga Pro Carbon - Best Value Table Tennis Paddle

Current Price: $74

Pros:

• Best Value.
• A very fast paddle that creates great spin.
• Quality build.
• Made of five-layered plies, two layers of carbon, rigid and powerful.

Cons:

• You might need some time to adjust to the high speed.

Killerspin JET 800 - Great Power

Current Price: $90

Pros:

• Pre-assembled paddle with excellent spin performance
• Great power.
• Contains seven-layered wood and two layers of carbon.
• Rigid and lightweight.
• Best for long-distance forehand loops.

Cons:

• Slightly expensive.

STIGA Evolution - Best Control

Current Price: $45

Pros:

• Superb control over playstyle.
• Best control to speed ratio.
• Affordable.
• Made of 6 layers of light wood.
• Best for defensive players.

Cons:

• None.

Butterfly Balsa Carbo - Best Pre-Made Paddle

Recent Price: $230

Pros:

• Massive speed.
• Incredible spin.
• Pre-made paddle with high-quality parts.
• Best for intermediate and advanced players

Cons:

• Very expensive

DHS Hurricane II - Best for Intermediate Players

Current Price: $115

Pros:

• Good spin
• Best for intermediate players
• Dual-sided rubber offers more focus and control.

Cons:

• Slightly pricey.

Palio Expert 2.0 Paddle - Best Beginner Paddle

Current Price: $40

Pros:

• Best for beginners.
• Good power and spin
• Great balance of speed and control
• Replaceable rubber.

Cons:

• None.

Is It Better to Customize Your Table Tennis Paddle?

Customizing every element of your paddle sets you up for a better game. It might cost you more time and money since you need to source every element of the paddle according to your preference and assemble them yourself. However, if you have the skills to make use of such an upgrade, it might be well worth it.

Professional and serious table tennis players always prefer the customized option as it gives them the flexibility to tailor every detail according to their needs. 

If you’re new to table tennis, it’s better to go for a beginner’s paddle and keep things simple while you learn the game.

If you opt for the customized method, you can find all the required parts at our store. We also have paddles with pre-attached rubber if that’s your preference, along with ping pong tables. If you have any other queries, feel free to drop us a message.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you can find enough and more options in table tennis paddles if you put in the effort to search for the best option.

We hope this guide has helped make that search a little easier.

What playstyles do you prefer? Are you a defensive player who banks on patience and perseverance to defeat opponents, or are you an aggressive attacker who likes their opponent to feel the heat of the game? Perhaps you’re a little bit of both?

Let us know in the comments below.