Best pickleball paddles for control 2025

Buy if:

• You want a true all-rounder:

  the Loco excels on control and spin, but there’s a huge amount of power here too. This is a rare one that’s truly an all-court paddle.

• You want a paddle that generates crazy spin:

  I love putting nasty spin on my serves and backhand rolls with the Loco – the surface grit is top-quality.

• You play a fast game:

  this is one of the quickest paddles I’ve played with (especially the Hybrid and Standard models), boosting my hand speed big time.

Pass if:

• You want an even more forgiving paddle:

  the J2NF has an even larger sweet spot that makes mishits virtually obsolete.

• You want a cheaper alternative:

  the 11SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean and Vatic Pro PRISM Flash are both incredible value at under $100.

• You want to compare it to the previous generation:

  the Loco is a Gen 4 foam paddle with a lot of similarities to the popular Six Zero DBD, a Gen 2 paddle that’s worth checking out.

Buy if:

• You want the biggest sweet spot:

  the sweet spot covers the whole paddle face so even if you hit near the edge of the paddle, the ball comes off with a consistent bounce.

• You want strong pop:

  the fiberglass face gives you a nice pop when you want to hit aggressive shots.

• You want to play with fast hands:

  this is almost as fast as the B&B Loco and you can play a really fast game at the kitchen zone in hands battles.

Pass if:

• You want a softer paddle:

  the Vatic Pro PRISM Flash has the softest, most plush feel.

• You want an elongated paddle with amazing control:

  check out the B&B Loco Elongated model – it has the best control of any elongated paddle I’ve played with.

• You want a budget alternative:

  the 11SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean is a sub-$100 paddle with a sweet spot that’s almost as big.

Buy if:

• You're a beginner or intermediate:

  this has some of the best control and forgiveness I've seen, making it an ideal starter or step-up paddle.

• You like to play with spin:

  the Pegasus puts a lot of bite on the ball for heavy slices, aggressive angles, and dipping shots that keep your opponents off-balance.

• You're on a budget:

  for just $90 (with our discount), you're getting a long-lasting Toray T700 raw carbon fiber and fiberglass paddle.

Pass if:

• You want more reach:

  this has a standard/widebody shape so look at the rest of the paddles on this list, all of which are hybrid (with an elongated Loco available).

• You need more power:

  the Loco, J2NF, and Six Zero DBD all have great power.

• You have a bigger budget:

  if you can spend in the $175 range, you'll get a performance boost from the Bread & Butter, Honolulu, and Six Zero paddles.

Buy if:

• You don't want to spend over $100:

  this is a premium raw carbon fiber paddle for $99.99 (or $89.99 with our exclusive discount).

• You're a beginner or early intermediate:

  the soft PRISM Flash is a great starter or step-up paddle for new intermediates.

• You want an all-rounder:

  the PRISM Flash has spin and power to match its control and forgiveness.

Pass if:

• You're an advancing intermediate:

  the Six Zero DBD can take your game to the next level with a touch more power, spin, and forgiveness.

• You prefer a lighter, faster paddle:

  this one can feel a little head-heavy at times, so check out the quicker B&B, Honolulu, and Six Zero paddles.

• You're prone to mishits:

  the inconsistent sweet spot may frustrate you, so give the 11SIX24 Pegasus Jelly Bean or Hononlulu J2NF a try.

Buy if:

• You want power and control that match:

  you get some of the highest levels of power and control with this paddle.

• You want speed, spin, and forgiveness too:

  the DBD is fast, with 10/10 spin and a large, forgiving sweet spot.

• Your budget is $150-175:

  you can get this for $162 with our discount – a huge saving against its $250 rivals.

Pass if:

• You don't need the power:

  if you're a pure control player check out the softer, more plush Vatic Pro PRISM Flash for under $100.

• You want a cheap control paddle:

  the PRISM Flash and 11SIX24 Pegasus are the best control paddles on a budget.

• You want a next-gen paddle:

  the B&B Loco and Honolulu J2NF bring in foam cores, a step up in paddle tech from this Gen 2 paddle.