Best Ping Pong Paddles

The Stiga Pro Carbon Performance-Level Table Tennis Racket makes a 'professional' promise and delivers on that promise without fail. A good, scratch that, the best place to start would be the shock dispersion tube. Absorbing vibrations and transferring energy from the handle to the blade, the tube enables more controlled strokes. Meanwhile, the WRB™ technology accelerates the blade face, thus accelerating returns, increasing the ball's speed, and making the bat more responsive. Likewise, the Crystal™ technology provides a noticeable speed increase, employing transparent hydrophilic gel lacquering that the folk at Stiga have developed themselves.

Behind the Carbon™ technology is two carbon layers, improving the paddle's rigidity and response. Then, there's the lightweight balsa wood construction, boosting the bat's spin and reaction time. While this technology contributes a great deal, the rubber on the blade is not quite as tacky as you normally expect from tournament-level ping pong paddles, so the model rates around 80 control-wise. Nevertheless, at this price point, there are very few bats that enable chopping with as much effortless ease as the Stiga Pro Carbon Performance-Level Table Tennis Racket.

The Killerspin JET200 enables killer spins, so the name tracks. Of course, this is not a professional racket - there are none at this price window. But, with its help, you'll learn basic strokes as well as perfect ball control without hiccups. Balancing speed and response, this bat will fit penholders and shakehanders alike.

First things first, the paddle adopts a 7-ply construction, with 5 wooden layers and 2 Jet Basic rubbers. To go with that, the model features flexible PVC-tape surrounding, providing additional protection. This is no cheap racket, but there are certain signs that indicate that this is also not a premium paddle. While the construction is respectable, the handle and the neck are not sanded smooth, making the hand feel not quite as pleasant as one would presume from an otherwise above-average bat.

That said, while we're not crazy about the sanding, we adore the personalized memory box and, chances are, so will you. Inside this box, there's ample space for collecting scores, signatures, and personalized messages. Plus, the box enables safe storage and transportation, meaning that you can bring the racket with you knowing that the road will not take its toll on it. Also, you can choose between BluVanilla, Mocha, and Lime colors.

The NIBIRU SPORTS Set has nothing to do with the promised Nibiru cataclysm and everything to do with recreational table tennis. More often than not, the paddles that come with these sets are trash. These ones, however, are quite alright. Made from high-quality layered plywood, the rackets provide decent control, spin, and speed. They're thick and, at ~7.5 ounces, hefty but not heavy so that you can feel the racket's weight without feeling like that weight is slowing you down.

The balls that come with this package are nothing to sneeze at as well. Constructed from 40-millimeter thick and durable ABS plastic, they offer a reasonable bounce, which means that even experienced players will be fine with them.

The natural tacky rubber makes the bats more responsive, and the strong glue delivers longevity points. Having said that, as tacky as it is, the top rubber layer feels a little thin, so the blade is not equally responsive across its entire surface. On the upside, the sweat-resistant coating on the handle lets you play for hours without wiping the handle and without worrying that the paddle might slip.

In short, the NIBIRU SPORTS Set is a set that we will recommend for offices and spaces that facilitate occasional recreational table tennis.

The JP WinLook is cut pretty much from the same cloth that the preceding set's cut from. Likewise, the set includes 4 rackets, 8 balls, and a travel pouch. We like the pouch on this one a little more than the pouch that the previous set offers though, with the credits going to the see-through side and the cutouts for balls that prevent them from bouncing around or smooshing during transportation.

What we don't like quite as much is the strong chemical smell that follows the bats initially. Sure, the smell goes away before you notice it, but it is unpleasant nonetheless. However, there's nothing unpleasant about the high-bounce medium-soft sponge that accelerates serves and returns. There's certainly nothing unpleasant about the advanced edge tape, preventing side wear. Wrapping the construction subject is the ergonomic flared handle, accommodating penholders as well as shakehanders.

The 8 balls that are shipped with this set are decent but nothing to write home about, so we'll conclude the review without wasting time on them. And conclude we will, putting the JP WinLook among the best entry-level ping pong sets. With this friend, you can run friendly tournaments between friends or beat annoying colleagues at the office.

The Franklin Sports Complete Portable Table Tennis Set is something that we will recommend to parents with ~little kids. Teenagers will not appreciate how lightweight and, truth be told, shoddy the paddles that come with this set are, but kids around 10 years old (give or take a few years) will have no problems with them. The balls that are included with the kit are also pretty cheap, with a weightless feel to them and almost no bounce. But, again, kids around that age will be alright with these balls.

Besides 2 rackets and 2 balls, the set features a travel pouch and an extendable net. Unlike the rackets and the balls, the net is pretty good. You can stretch it and fix the net with tables measuring <6 feet wide and 1.75 inches thick. It is tear-resistant, which means that even the more competitive kids should not be able to rip this net apart anytime soon. Furthermore, the clamps that fix the poles are spring-loaded, meaning that there is no damage to the desk. With the travel pouch, setting this set up (could've probably phrased it better) and taking it down can be done within a minute.

To sum up, again, parents with kids around the age of 10 will not go wrong with the Franklin Sports Complete Portable Table Tennis Set.