All table tennis players require a good and high-quality paddle to enjoy the game, as it is super essential equipment that directly affects their techniques and playing style. Nowadays, there are a lot of premade ping pong paddle types on the market.
So, not only the beginners but also the intermediate players can find for themselves a suitable product. The professional players can buy a separate blade and rubber to make their own racket.
However, for a newbie, a table tennis bat that has rubber and blade pre-attached is an ideal choice. Why is that? At this time, all they have to do is understand and practice the basic skills. Beginner players need a table tennis coach. Since they find their playing style, they can start building a special paddle for their own.
Best Ping Pong Paddles For Beginners: Comparison Chart
How To Choose A Ping Pong Paddle For A Beginner?
A standard ping pong paddle contains 4 main parts which are:
- Handle
- Blade
- Rubber
- Sponge
Table Tennis handle
On the market nowadays, there are 6 types of paddle handles. Of course, each type has a different unique design and function. Because this article’s limitation does not allow me to clearly explain all the features of each, I will summarize all the highlights for you!
Here is the name of 6 handle types that I have mentioned above:
- Flared Handle: FL
- Straight Handle: ST
- Anatomic: AN
- Conical Handle: CO
- Chinese Penhold: Cpen
- Japan Penhold: JPen
Among these 6 types, while the Cpen and JPen are designed for Penhold Grip, the others are ideal for Shakehand Grip. Are you wondering which Grip is better? It is hard to answer because it depends on your playing style. In fact, I also have another article where I explain all the advantages and disadvantages of these two Handle Grip. Read it, and you will know which one is suitable for you.
Most of the table tennis enthusiasts have a tendency to stay within the penhold grip zone or the shakehand grip zone from the beginner phase to the moment they turn professional. Hardly has there been any recorded case that one player moved from shakehand to penhold, and vice versa
In my opinion, the starter should use the ST type. Because this handle is constructed with many curves that cover its user’s palm, the newbie can feel comfortable while practicing and playing with it. However, in my best ping pong paddles for beginners list, I will still recommend some Chinese penhold handle.
Table Tennis Blade
Wood blade layers and some chemical additives construct the blade of a ping pong paddle. In more detail, there are 10 kinds of woods and 2 additives (Carbon and Arylate) that can be used to make the blade.
When choosing a blade, the buyer will care about two details which are: Class and technical information (written in number).
Here are the symbols of two details:
- Class: DFF, ALL-, ALL, ALL+, OFF-, OFF, OFF+
- Technical information: Speed, Control, PLY, WT, Handle.
At the very beginning, the starters have to learn how to hold the paddle, how to serve, the way to strike back, how to perform footwork drills with the paddle, etc. Because the ALL Class is very supportive of all these movements, it would be great starter equipment for all the newbies. Of course, since a player has found his playing style, he can try testing many other Class types in order to find the most suitable item.
According to the technical information, if you are a beginner, you should choose the blade that has a low Speed. The reason is, the slow blade allows you to control it easier. This will help you to learn the basics and get used to playing ping pong quicker. On the other hand, if you are an advanced ping pong player, you can try using the extra light blade.
As the tool can move fast, you are able to strike the ball at a super high force. However, the fast speed blade is very hard to control. So if the ball flies in a spinning way, or it was struck very strongly and fast, you may get many difficulties in hitting it back correctly.
To summarize, in my opinion, you should get an ALL blade that has low speed and high control.
Table Tennis Rubber Type
There are 5 common rubber types which are:
- Smooth
- Short pips
- Long pips
- No Sponge
- Anti-topspin
Among them, the Short pips is the most suitable rubber type for close-to-table or defensive playing style. On another side, the Long pips can change the spinning direction of the ping pong ball. However, instead of fighting against a spinning ball, the newbie should only learn how to read the spin. So, I do not advise the beginners to get this kind of rubber.
In addition, the No Sponge is also not suitable for starters, as it has too much speed.
Instead, the Anti-topspin would be the right choice for you to use in the beginning period. Of course, if your gripping style is Penhold Grip, you can equip the Anti-topspin rubber to one side of your paddle, and another different rubber type to the other side. Overall, the Penhold Grip only requires one paddle side to play.
The four kinds of rubber above are all good. But in my opinion, the smooth one is still the best for ping pong newbies.
Best Ping Pong Paddle For Beginners: Detail Analysis
1. Eastfield Allround
- It's the perfect custom table tennis racket for beginners
- The Eastfield A-Soft 2.1mm rubbers provide spin and stability
- The Eastfield Allwood 5-ply blade offers exceptional control and feeling
- Save $20!!! (Compared to buying the blade and rubbers individually)
- Speed = 6/10, Spin = 8/10, Control = 10/10
Eastfield Allround, this is one of my best ping pong paddles for starters.
Belonging to the ALL (ALL-Around) Class, this paddle is suitable for all kinds of playing style, no matter if the attack or defend. As the newbies have not found their own playing style, a neutral paddle will be the best option for them to practice.
After learning all the basic skills, you can change another blade type or continue to play with this ALL one. But make sure that all those types belong to the ALL group (ALL, ALL-, ALL+). In fact, 85% of ping pong athletes would utilize ALL blades.
Always remember that the speed and the control of a paddle blade are opposite to each other. For newbies, control should be treated as a matter more important than speed. A paddle with a high control index can come in handy because it can support them in learning how to read the spin. Of course, you surely have known how important reading the spin is, right?
Now is the wood layer: This Eastfield Allround is constructed with five layers – an average number. The less the wood layer number is, the more the ball will bounce. The higher the ball bounces, the harder you will control. Therefore, these five wood layers paddle is already balanced for beginners to play. In our list of 5 best table tennis paddle for beginners today, only the Palio Expert 3.0 has less than five wood layers.
How about its rubber? This Eastfield Allround has a smooth rubber type. The cool thing is that rubber has met the ITTF standard, so you can use it in any competition that is held by the ITTF organization.
The last thing is the handle of the paddle. Because this Eastfield Allround has an FT one, it is very recommended for the player with Shakehand Grip style.
2. Palio Expert 3.0
- The Expert 3.0 is the third generation of the popular Palio Expert Table Tennis series
- Wider edge tape to keep the rubbers secure, a better quality case to protect your bat, and a redesigned blade for even better control
- The perfect bat for beginners learning the game. It enables players to produce a high amount of spin, and execute the basic techniques & strokes with ease.
- Custom made & assembled. Speed = 6/10 Spin = 9/10 Control = 10/10
- ITTF approved rubbers are replaceable, competition legal, and provide high levels of speed & spin
To be honest, the Palio Expert 3.0 is not so much different compared to the Eastfield Allround. Palio Expert 3.0 is an upgraded version of Palio Expert 2. Probably, you may ask why I have picked this product for my list. Then just imagine! You and your friend are two ping pong beginners. However, you can learn the basics quicker than him. So, the Eastfield will be suitable for you, while your partner should get the Palio Expert 3.0.
Here are three dissimilarities between Eastfield Allround and Palio Expert 3.0:
- Blade: The Palio Expert 3.0 belongs to the ALL- group. Thus, it is more supportive of defending style.
- Wood layer: Even when two paddles have the same control index, the ball can still bounce differently on each one’s blade due to the fact that the number of layers is not similar. With 3-ply, the Palio Expert 3.0 will provide less bouche than the Eastfield Allround. Therefore, the player who uses the Palio Expert 3.0 one can control the ball easier.
- Weight: The Palio paddle is 2,42 ounces heavier than the other one. Note that the more weight a paddle has, the lower its speed will be. However, this thing is not so necessary for starters. All they should care about the paddle is just the control index.
So, in case you have a friend to learn table tennis with, then who will get the Palio Expert 3.0? And who will buy the other?
3. Stiga Evolution
- STIGA – Since 1944, STIGA has been the innovative leader in table tennis equipment. STIGA combines superior craftsmanship with exceptional performance in every product. The highest quality equipment for all, from amateur to pro. That’s the STIGA heritage.
- BUILT FOR COMPETITION – Nano Composite and ACS Technologies form stronger and tighter bonds in the ITTF approved smooth inverted rubber for high speed and spin with maximum elasticity and outstanding control—the perfect racket for tournament play.
- SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY – This racket unites STIGA's new Shock Dispersion Tube (SDT) technology with its Crystal and WRB Technologies for a hardened, light blade with faster returns, more power, and extra sensitivity of touch.
- PRECISION BLADE – The precisely crafted lightweight 6-ply blade unites Ayous, Awan, and Kiri woods with a 2mm sponge for a larger sweet spot and cleaner hits.
- PERFORMANCE RATINGS – Speed: 96, Spin: 94, Control: 90
At the very beginning, I have considered very much deciding whether I bring this Stiga Evolution to this list or to the intermediate list. The reason is, this product is suitable for all!
Just imagine that you have gotten used to playing the Eastfield Allround paddle for about a month or more. And now, you decide to try playing the Stiga Evolution. Believe it or not, it would be a super shocking experience for you!
In comparison, the Stiga Evolution has a higher speed and a higher control than the Eastfield has. This means that you will get more difficulties controlling the Stiga one.
Additionally, the Stiga Evolution is constructed of 6 wood layers. That is more than the number of layers that the Eastfield has. Plus, the Stiga is also heavier. So, the ball will bounce highly, giving you problems while you are attempting to hit it.
On the other hand, these two paddles have the same rubber (smooth type) and handle grip (Shakehand Grip).
If you are confident enough, don’t hesitate to buy the Stiga Evolution!
4. DHS 6006
- OFFENSIVE EXCELLENCE----5-layer pure wood thick core bottom plate, excellent offensive bottom plate, the bottom plate has a fast ball-out speed, and the bottom is full of strength and feels transparent. The holding time of the bottom plate is just right, and the fast attack can be an arc, which is easier to control
- DOUBLE-SIDED ANTI-ADHESIVE DESIGN----HURRICANE can make it effortless to make strong rotations and long arcs. Tin Arc, a new generation of attack-type rubber, the perfect combination of speed and rotation.
- HIGH-GRADE HANDLE SELECTION----The classic handle design, the handle surface and hand contact to maintain a relatively appropriate friction, reasonable handle weight design, the choice of fine and solid wood, high resistance to resistance, not easy to decay, with good sweat absorption.
- EASY TO USE----Whether you are a professional athlete or a beginner, you can easily use the racket.
- AUTHENTIC GUARANTEE----All Double Happiness products support official website verification. Please look for WISH HOT if you purchase. If you have any questions, please contact me. I will provide you with quality after-sales protection.
In fact, the number of people changing from Shakehand to Cpen is more than the number of people doing the opposite thing. Due to this reason, if you have played with Shakehand at first and now decide to change to Cpen, just trust this DHS 6006 to help!
Like all the products aforementioned, the top criteria for choosing the beginner paddles is the control index. As you can see in the highlight products, the specifications of this product share something in common with those we have talked about earlier. Well! The technical detail of this DHS 6006 is quite similar to our previous products so that you can rest assured at this point! The only different thing about this DHS is its Chinese Penhold handle.
Believe it or not. This DHS 6006 is one of the best penhold ping pong paddles for beginners that you can find on Amazon.com.
5. Butterfly Nitchugo
- Maximum control for the beginning penhold player
- BLADE: Penhold grip
- 2 poly balls: 2-40+ poly balls are included
- RUBBER: Addoy 1. 9mm Red
- Ratings: speed 52, spin 52, control 99
It is very bad to say that paddles with JPen Grip are losing their popularity on the Japanese market – its origin.
However, this type of paddle grip attracts more and more people in Korea, as the players can play with a wide-opened wirst with it to make powerful hits.
The only bad point of this Grip is that it does not support backhand much. Most users using this item can only defend with the backhand, instead of striking the ball back with a strong force. In competition, the professional players will require some other special techniques to avoid this Grip’s passivity.
If you want to use JPen, you will need a long arm span and fast movement. Probably, you have not known. But many famous ping pong athletes such as Yoo Nam Kyu, Kim Ki Taek, Kim Taek Soo, and Ryu Seung Min (recently) have made success with this JPen type. Due to this reason, we can say that JPen is still very useful, despite the fact that it is not popular in Japan anymore.
Thanks to those players’ great performance, the JPen Grip has the chance to prove its powerful strength. Without this paddle type, probably, the audience could not have interesting matches to watch.
In case you want to start your passion with a good JPen Grip paddle, I recommend you the Butterfly Nitchugo.
In conclusion,
- If you are a ping pong newbie, then Eastfield Allround will be a perfect choice.
- If you are having difficulties in learning ping pong, you can try the Palio Expert 3.0. It will help you learn controlling the paddle and reading the ball spin at a slower speed.
- For the players who have got all the basics and want to try thrilling, the Stiga Evolution will be an ideal option.
- DHS 6006 will support any person who wants to start playing ping pong with Penhold Grip style.
- In case you want to change to another unique handle grip style, don’t hesitate to get the Butterfly Nitchugo with Japan Penhold.
What? Are you already an intermediate player? No problem! Just keep scrolling down to read! We still have the five best products and an ultimate buying guide for you!
How To Choose Ping Pong Paddle For The Intermediate Player
It is very difficult to determine the boundary between a beginner and an intermediate player in table tennis. Overall, there are still some main points that I can explain to you in this section.
- The starters have not learned the basic techniques competently, like how to hold a paddle, how to serve, how to read the spin, etc. At the same time, the intermediate player can perform those skills very well.
- In spite of the fact that the intermediate players have all the basics, they can still not define their own playing style as the experts can do.
- The intermediate players are already able to teach beginners all the basic techniques. At the same moment, they can learn how to make a unique playing style from the professionals.
Hence, in the following list of best table tennis paddles for intermediate players, I will share the products with lower control index and higher control index compared to paddles for beginners. Besides, you should notice some information about the rubber and blade as well.
Best Ping Pong Paddle For The Intermediate Player: Comparison Chart
Suppose that there are five intermediate players: L1, L2, L3, L4, L5. Among them, the L1 is at the lowest level, L5 is at the highest level. The level increases gradually from L1 to L5.
Alright, now I will give each person at each level a suitable product:
Best Ping Pong Paddle For Intermediate Players: Detail Analysis
1. Killerspin Jet 200
Product Highlights:
- Speed: 60
- Spin: 70
- Control: 85
- Wood layer: 5
- Sponge Thickness: 2.0 mm
As we have discussed, the paddles for intermediate players will have higher control and lower speed compared to beginner items. However, this Killerspin Jet 200 has a very low control index with just 80 and a low-speed index of 60. Therefore, it is no much different from a beginner paddle. So if you have just finished your beginner time and are about to change to play as an intermediate player, you will easily get used to this product. That is also why I have chosen this Killerspin Jet 200 for the I1, whose level is the nearest to a beginner’s level.
Next, I will talk about the wood layer of the paddle. Just like other normal products, Jet 200 is designed with five layers so that it can provide enough bounce. Although Amazon.com has not described the Class type of the product, my experience says that the Jet 200 belongs to ALL, or ALL+ – similar to other items on my best ping pong paddle for beginners list.
The third great point about this Killerspin Jet 200 is its sponged thickness of 2.0 mm. Normally, while all-round players prefer 1.5 to 2.0mm, loopers prefer thicker sponge, and choppers seem to prefer thinner sponge more. Thus, developing players or players who need more control should choose a sponge thickness that is on the thinner end of the range that fits their playing style.
2. Butterfly 401
Product Highlights:
- Speed: 80
- Spin: 80
- Control: 85
- Wood layer: 5
- Sponge Thickness: 2.1 mm
In comparison to the Killerspin Jet 200, the Butterfly 401 has a higher speed index. Overall, the speed, spin, and control of Butterfly 401 are slightly higher than the European standard for ping pong paddles (79 – 79 – 80). However, you will not feel much different while attempting to control this paddle.
On the other hand, the sponge thickness is also a big point about the Butterfly 401 paddle that has impressed me. The thickness of 2.1 mm has made the Butterfly 401 model become the thickest paddle on this list. Moreover, the Yuki rubbers can provide immersive tackiness so that you can enjoy a lot of spin shots. On the other hand, the 2.1 mm sponge layer also gives you a springy feel and lots of speed for the ball.
You will also get racket cover so that you can protect the best table tennis bats while not playing.
3. Killerspin Jet 600
Product Highlights:
- Speed: 80
- Spin: 90
- Control: 85
- Wood layer: 5
- Sponge Thickness: 2.0 mm
The blade of this Killerspin Jet 600 is constructed of 5 high-quality layers and a 2.0 mm rubber. In fact, this product is quite similar to my two previous paddles.
However, the impressive point of this paddle is the Rubber Nltrx-4Z 2.0 mm. More specifically, the rubber can work to bring you more comfort, stability, and control while using. Additionally, the rubber is utterly professional-grade, and that is the main reason why ITTF approved it. Therefore, the item will be an important consideration if you want to continue playing ping pong on a professional level.
If you compare this Killerspin Jet 600 to other ping pong paddles, you will see that it is much faster. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get enough power for aggressive attacks with this tool. But on the bright side, the product will be a perfect racket for practice and improvement.
4. Stiga Pure Color Advance
Product Highlights:
- Speed: 75
- Spin: 65
- Control: 65
- Wood layer: 5
- Sponge Thickness: 1.5 mm
If just noticing the highlights, you will think that this Stiga Pure has low speed and spin. But if you experience using it, you will definitely feel amazed by its high speed and powerful spin. Because the manufacturer has applied ACS Technology, the paddle will have permission to provide excellent control and increase speed. Not only that, thanks to Crystal Technology, but the blade of the racket can also be hardened to help you make a strong spin.
Of course, this Stiga Pure Color Advance is not only special because of its blade but also due to its thin sponge. Among five products on this list, the Stiga Pure has the thinnest sponge with just 1.5 mm. You may ask what the thin sponge can do, right? Well! The thinner sponge can provide more control, as it is lighter and gives a woodier feeling. With an intermediate player, the feeling is the most important factor that decides if he can become a professional or not.
5. Stiga Pro Carbon
Product Highlights:
- Speed: 99
- Spin: 100
- Control: 80
- Wood layer: 7
- Sponge Thickness: 2.0 mm
As the name has described, this paddle is made of the Carbon additive. This will help the product to have more speed and wider sweet-spot. Most of all, the paddle can be more stable while in use. Besides, the Carbon also works as a reinforcement layer to strengthen the paddle. That’s why the blades with Carbon additives are usually hard, supporting players in attacking.
Thanks to the Nano Composite Technology, the bond between rubber and wood can be tighter so that you can get increased spin and speed.
Also, this particular best ping pong paddle contains ACS numerous microscopic air capsules inside the rubber that will increase the control and elasticity of rubber for better flexibility during the game.
Moreover, this Stiga Pro Carbon has WRB Weight Balance that can shift the balance of the blade to part of it that gets in contact with the ball. Just remember that the paddle is a lightweight solution, so you won’t have a problem using it for extended training.
Of course, this paddle is approved by the ITTF organization. So, if you are about to take part in an ITTF competition, feel free to use it!
In conclusion,
I have completed this long article in order to help you find a suitable ping pong paddle. You can trust me because all the details above are taken from my real-life experience of playing table tennis.
Unlike normal table tennis bats, if you require a professional product, you should buy one that meets ITTF standards. Otherwise, the normal table tennis bat can only be suitable for personal usage.
In case my top 10 products can not please you, probably, you require more personal paddle. Of course, in this situation, you are totally not a beginner or an intermediate player anymore. You are now an expert! So, all you have to do is buy rubbers, a blade, and other equipment to build a racket for yourself! Only it can serve you at best!
For further questions, just contact me or comment down below.
Thanks for reading!
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