The Best Pickleball Paddles of 2025
Pickleball Effect's 2025 pickleball paddle Hot List awarding the best control, all-court, power and budget paddles.
Braydon, an experienced paddle reviewer, has identified the best pickleball paddles of 2025 in various categories (control, power, all-court, and budget). He evaluated over 200 paddles and distinguished 24 with either a gold or silver badge award.
We believe there isn’t one paddle that’s right for everyone but there is one paddle that’s right for you. Our Hot List makes it easier to find the perfect paddle that will compliment and enhance your game.
Table of Contents
The Best Control Pickleball Paddles
Control paddles are designed to absorb pace, making it easier to slow the ball down and execute softer shots like drops, dinks, and resets. Key attributes of a good control paddle include feel, forgiveness, and spin. Control paddles are best for beginners, intermediate players, and control-style players who prioritize precision over power. Below are the best control paddles for 2025, based on Braydon’s reviews.
Chorus Shapeshifter Series
A contemporary control-style paddle with a high control and medium power profile paired with exceptional spin potential.
$174.99 ($158 with code PBEFFECT)
Vatic Pro Prism Flash 16mm
A staple in the control category, this dense, plush paddle continues to deliver. It improves touch and plays well above its price point..
$99 ($89 with code PBEFFECT)
Volair Mach 2 Forza 16mm
A high-performance control paddle delivering an exceptional blend of control, speed, forgiveness, and spin.
$179.99 ($162 with code PBEFFECT)
Bread & Butter Fat Boy
Lightweight and responsive with excellent touch and feel, though it generates more pop on volleys and counters than other control paddles.
$189.99 ($162 with code PBEFFECT)
11SIX24 Jelly Bean 16mm Series
The Jelly Bean series of control paddles pushes the limits of offensive capability withing the control category—and all at a great price.
$104.99 ($95 with code PBEFFECT)
Selkirk LUXX Invikta
A pure control paddle that will enhance your soft game and do a lot of the hard work for you to reduce pop ups and flyers. Backed with a limited lifetime warranty.
$250 (gift card added with code INF-BRAYDONU)
The Best All-Court Pickleball Paddles
All-court paddles are designed to provide a balanced blend of power and control. They don’t excel in any specific area, but are versatile and perform well in all aspects of power, control, feel, spin, and forgiveness. All-Court paddles are most suitable for players who have developed technique and skills, and who rely on a variety of shots to win games. Here are the best all-court paddles for 2025 that Braydon has reviewed.
Bread & Butter Invader
A midweight paddle with a plush, soft feel that still delivers good power and pop, plus a design with some personality.
$189.99 ($162 with code PBEFFECT)
CRBN 2 Trufoam Genesis
CRBN’s innovative foam core technology delivers a paddle that feels more intuitive than polymer cores, with aggressive all-court playability.
$Coming Soon
Honolulu J2K
This hybrid-shaped paddle boasts an oversized sweet spot that’s paired with all-court versatility.
$155 ($140 with code PBEFFECT)
Chorus Supercourt Series
Well balanced paddles in terms of control and power with a unique combination of being lightweight and forgiving.
$119 ($108 with code PBEFFECT)
Pickleball Apes Pulse Series
This series boasts enhanced vibration reduction and forgiveness, making it easier to connect and control its added offense.
$199.99 ($180 with code PBEFFECT)
Six Zero Double Black Diamond
This paddle, which popularized hybrid shapes, is known for its controlled all-court style paired with good forgiveness and a little extra reach.
$179.99 ($162 with code PBEFFECT)
The Best Power Pickleball Paddles
Power paddles are designed to elevate your offensive game. They are known for their high level of power and pop. While they enhance offensive capabilities, they sacrifice control and often some forgiveness. Power paddles are best suited for advanced players who can control the power, like to attack, and prefer an aggressive play style to win games. Here are the best power paddles for 2025 that Braydon has reviewed.
JOOLA Hyperion 3S
The Hyperion 3S is defined by its power, forgiveness, and reach—a combination I haven’t seen in other power paddles.
$279.95 ($252 with code PBEFFECT)
Paddletek Bantam 12.7 Series
Explosive pop, good power and a lightweight feel are all delivered by this durable construction with consistent bounce.
$249.99 (No discount code available)
Gearbox Pro Ultimate Hyper
A widebody option that redefines comfort and control in the world of power paddles.
$274.99 (no discount code available)
Spartus Olympus
A hybrid power paddle suitable for a wide range of player abilities, offering a tier 2 level of power and pop.
$199.99 ($180 with code PBEFFECT)
The Best Budget Pickleball Paddles
Inexpensive paddles have improved dramatically over the years, but there are still subpar options. I created a list of the best cheap performance paddles under or around $100 so you don’t have to guess what the good ones are. I included a variety of shapes and types so you can find one that fits your needs. Interestingly, while hunting for the best budget paddles I discovered that the best ones come from lesser known brands, rather than the big brands.
Friday Original Series
This is the best budget-friendly paddle set I’ve found. You can get two paddles for $99. It’s a well-rounded, all-court style paddle with multiple fun designs.
$69 (Get 2 for $99 with code PBEFFECT)
Vatic Pro Prism Flash 16mm
This high-quality control paddle also qualified for my list of the best control paddles overall. It’s a pure control paddle that enhances your soft game.
$99.99 ($89.99 with code PBEFFECT)
11SIX24 Monarch Jelly Bean
A control-oriented, wide-body paddle that provides exceptional forgiveness while delivering more pop than comparable models.
$99.99 ($89.99 with code PBEFFECT)
Neonic Force
An elongated, all-court style paddle that is easier to maneuver than other elongated shapes and built with the same technology as many high-end paddles.
$99.99 ($89.99 with code PBEFFECT)
Spartus Apollo
Lightweight with a large sweet spot and good spin, this pure control paddle is easy to use and connect with.
$129.99 ($116.99 with code PBEFFECT)
Versix Vector XL
Best budget power paddle. Elongated shape with extra long handle.
$129.99 ($110.49 with code PBEFFECT)
FIND YOUR PADDLE
Custom Paddle Fitting Quiz
We developed this paddle fitting quiz to identify your needs and style of play so we can recommend the best paddles that will fit your game. We’ve reviewed a lot of paddles but will only recommend the paddles we feel are worth recommending. We essentially scrubbed out the junk and are presenting you with the best. Take the quiz to find the best paddles for your game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did brands pay to be on this list?
No brand paid or compensated us in any way to include them in our Hot List for the best pickleball paddles. Some brands did send us their paddles without cost to be tested, reviewed and considered for the list, but that was done knowing it did not alter our opinion during the testing.
How were the paddles selected?
Pickleball Effect has been thoroughly reviewing paddles all year long. All paddles included in each category has been played, tested, and reviewed by Pickleball Effect. New paddles that will release during 2025 will be evaluated and included as the year progresses.
Was every brand represented in the testing?
We thoroughly tested and reviewed over 100 paddles, but not every brand was represented. We did our best to include as many of the major brands as possible along with many lesser known brands.
What factors were considered to make the list?
Paddles are split up into four categories, control, power, all-court, and budget. Each category has its unique attributes that we considered. As a general guideline we looked at category performance, innovation, value and demand.
Does Pickleball Effect make any money from this?
No brands paid to be included in this list. It was created from our reviewers’ experience with the paddles. We do have an affiliate relationship with Fromuth Pickleball and some of the brands presented. Purchasing through the links does give Pickleball Effect a small commission that helps support the website and our review efforts. However, our goal is not to make money from this list but to advise and help you find the best paddle for your game.
Who is Pickleball Effect?
Pickleball Effect was created by pickleball enthusiast, Braydon Unsicker. Braydon started reviewing paddles in 2019 and hasn’t stopped since. It’s his goal to help others find the best paddle for their game and succeed in the sport.
Is it possible for the same paddle to be on the list two years in a row?
Yes, the same paddle can earn a hot list award two years in a row. Although there were many good paddles released this year, there are several paddles that we feel are still the best in their respective categories that were released in previous years.
How often is the Hot List updated?
The list is given a major overhaul every January. However, we update the Hot List as needed. We do our best to keep the list as up-to-date as possible as new paddles are released throughout the year that displace others on the list.
