Put Your Paddle To The Metal: Here Are The 9 Best Table Tennis Paddles Today!

If you want to excel in sports then you need to be willing to put a lot of work in. You need practice, perseverance, coaching, and of course, you need the right tools to get the job done. And, when it comes to table tennis, we’re talking about getting your hands on only the best table tennis paddle to support your dream.

Whether you’re still learning the sport or already a seasoned table tennis player, it’d be wise to ascertain the value of one good quality ping pong paddle. Your coaches will tell you that, your co-athletes will tell you that, and that it is important to have a ping pong paddle that you’d prefer to be by your hands once the game gets intense.

Everything you need to know ping pong or otherwise known as table tennis

Table tennis, ping pong, or sometimes called whiff-whaff is a sport where 2 to 4 players use a racket to hit on a lightweight ping pong ball right across a table. The table has got a hard surface and is separated right at the middle with a net much like its lawn tennis variety.

The ITTF of the International Table Tennis Federation governs the sport and it is played worldwide. It’s got men’s and women’s categories for singles and since 2008 team events.

The different parts of a paddle

It pays off to know your ping pong paddle like the back of your hand. It will truly elevate your game. Having said that, here’s the anatomy of a ping pong paddle before we dive into our best ping pong paddles review. Also, brace yourself as we’re going to get a bit technical here.

Basically, your ping pong paddle has got 3 main parts, these are the blade, the rubber, and the sponge. Now each part will affect your gameplay significantly.

The blade is the most basic part of your paddle. It’s not just the foundation of it but also its handle. It’s commonly made out of carbon fiber or wood which will determine the weight and feel of your table tennis racket.

The sponge, on the other hand, will add to the thickness of your ping pong paddle. Thickness meaning the sponge is meant to add heft to your racket thus determining whether it’s a more offensive or defensive racket.

Now aside from sponge thickness, it’s also important to take note of the rubber design on your ping pong paddle. When it comes to your paddle’s rubber design, it can have a smooth or inverted one, short pips, or long pips.

What does this mean? We will discuss these aspects later on in our buying guide but for now, what you need to know is that paddles with inverted or smooth rubber are most utilized for this sport especially in tournaments because of their maximum spin potential.

But, you may also use the ones with either short or long pips (pimples) strategically. Naturally, paddles with short pips generate lesser spin than the other two. Study them well and you’ll soon devise a plan to counter your opponent effectively.

Benefits of choosing only the best table tennis paddle

Of course, there are a ton of benefits should you find the right ping pong paddle for you. Not only that, if you play using multiple paddles then you might just find the right set to counter every opponent that you’ll face elevating your game to the next level.

Obviously, a good quality ping pong paddle is to improve your game. Getting a hold of a table tennis racket that fits your game to a tee is a blessing and you should take advantage of it.

A good quality racket gives a nice feel to the game as you grip it. If you feel comfortable with your racket then most likely you will have more time to think and execute strategy rather than struggling with handling it.

Consequently, a good quality table tennis paddle will give you a wider range for your strategy to play the game the right way. We’re not necessarily saying that you need to be a serious player to consider one but even casual players will benefit from choosing a good quality table tennis paddle.

Buying Guide For The Best Ping Pong Paddle

Here are some of the aspects that you should consider as you purchase your next ping pong paddle. It’s important to take note that your choice of ping pong paddle would greatly depend on your playing style. If you’re still looking for it then it may be wise to mix and match in the meantime. Meanwhile, this guide should be a great place to start.

The grip and the handle

Your choice for the blade handle depends largely on how you intend to grip your paddle. There are generally two known grips in table tennis, the penholder grip and the shake hand grip.

The less popular penhold grip, as the name implies, holds the handle like you would a pen. So if you’re used to that then go for a shorter handle otherwise, go for a slightly longer one if you employ the commonly used shake hand grip.

Strategy, thickness, and rubber design

We’ve touched on this aspect earlier but this time let’s discuss it a bit more. Are you a defensive player? Or an offensive type? Choose your racket wisely.

For beginners, we generally advise that you get a mid-weight racket and work on finding out which weight direction you should go depending on your gameplay.

If we’re going to get a bit technical then go for rackets with a thickness of 1.3 mm if you’re the defensive type who wants better control on your strikes and when handling spin. Well-rounded players can go for rackets with 1.5 to 1.7 thicknesses. Lastly, offensive players can go for rackets with a thickness of 1.99mm or the maximum allowed. 

Emphasize spin, speed, and control

Look at the features of your racket further and study which one gives you these three aspects. There are the ones that will give you all but will be hard-pressed to give you an advantage in-game.

Look for your style and find out if you value speed, spin, or control over the other. This will pay off for sure.

Some tips and tricks on how to effectively use your ping pong paddle and how to play table tennis the right way

Of course, what’s the point of a quality ping pong paddle if you don’t know how to utilize it properly, right? Learn how to play the game of table tennis the right way with these valuable tips from experts.

The basic rules

• As discussed, table tennis can be played in singles or team event categories. Back then it was just the doubles event like in its lawn tennis variety. What does the team event mean? This means that the games will be played by a combination of singles and doubles games and the “team” is made up of 3 players whether of mixed gender or not depending on the tournament.
• The goal is to score 11 points in a set. Should both sides be tied with 10 points then the goal is to win by a 2 point lead.
• You score when your opponent does a service error, fails to return the ball, or it touches any part of their body. Also, if your opponent hits the ball twice consecutively and if they touch the surface of the table or the net at any given time.
• To serve properly, the ball must rest on your open palm so you won’t have the ability to spin it and make it harder for the receiver, that’s just illegal. Also, make sure to serve and hit the ball behind the end of the table. You also can’t throw the ball up from below the table, your opponent has to see it. You may serve from the side of the table though as long as the ball is visible at all times and you throw it straight vertically and it should rise for at least 16 centimeters.
• Once you’ve hit the ball, you need to make sure of your ball placement. The ball should hit your side of the table first and as it goes over the net it should also hit the side of the table of your opponent before you then exchange blows until someone scores.
• For doubles, when serving, the ball should hit the right side of the table of the server and the receiver. The players should then alternate on hitting the ball.
• You switch the serving side after every 2 points scored.

Tips and tricks

• First of all, you need to make sure that when playing a tournament, your equipment such as your racket and ping pong ball (if they don’t provide one) fits the criteria of the said tournament.
• Make sure to recognize the spin on the ping pong ball.
• Use your racket angle to compensate for any spin.
• Know how to utilize your entire body as you strike with your forehand.
• Always keep a steady ready position.
• Muscle memory is key as with any sport and ping pong is no exception. Practice makes perfect!
• Be sure to always bring your very own and preferred table tennis racket (see how important buying one is now?)
• Practice what you call sidespin serves.
• Practice keeping your returns low on the net.
• Practice practice practice!
• Work out with a partner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What other equipment will I need to play table tennis?

Answer: There’s really not much to it. All you need is your ping pong racket and nice comfortable clothing. Some organizations or tournaments would require you to use soft sole shoes, a t-shirt, and shorts.

Question: Is ping pong an Olympic sport?

Answer: You bet! Table tennis debut way back in 1988 in the Summer Olympics for both the men’s and women’s singles as well as doubles event. This was in Seoul, South Korea and the categories for table tennis have since been modified slightly.

Question: Who reigns supreme in the realm of table tennis?

Answer: Table tennis has long been dominated by none other than China followed by South Korea, and Japan. But for now, China reigns supreme on this sport, and believe us when we say that they’ve dominated it.

Question: Is there any age bracket for table tennis competitions? What’s the best age to learn this sport?

Answer: Interestingly enough table tennis is a sport meant for the youth or should we say, if you want to get to the top of this discipline then you have to start at an early age. Some players have mastered this sport and join major tournaments even the Olympics for as early as 10 years old.

So no, there’s no clear or definitive age limit to table tennis for tournaments and as mentioned, you may have to start your kids young if you want to them reach desirable ratings by the time they get to their teens or early twenty’s.

Question: When was table tennis conceptualized?

Answer: As you’d expect, table tennis happened when the lawn variety of this sport was adapted into something for the indoors. This was way back in the 1880s. And so, what’s the difference between table tennis and ping pong, and why are they used interchangeably?

Well, table tennis is the general term for the sport itself while the term ping pong most often refers not just to the sport but also as a trademark to any associated equipment for it.

Final Thoughts

There you have it, these are the best table tennis paddles in the market today. Recommended by not just us but also athletes and coaches alike. These ping pong paddles have some of the highest ratings online and players are just loving them.

Finding the right paddle that fits your game will go a long way for your journey as a table tennis player. Invest in what counts, go for a premium quality product should you need to, or go for something else if you’re just one casual player.

Nevertheless, nothing can beat the experience of having to play this game the right way with the right equipment. So have at it, play safe, enjoy, and stay active!