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In recent years, the ready-to-use table tennismarket has grown enormously so now is the PERFECT time to take a look at the top brands.
This Donic Schildkröt Carbotec 7000 is one of the best ready-to-use bats out there because of the speed and spin it can deliver. The ball control is more difficult, but if you are on your way to taking that next step to an advanced or semi-pro player, this is your bat.
I have the best table tennis bats reviewed, but also consider the key features to consider when choosing a paddle that's right for your type of game.
Here's the top 8 in a quick rundown, then I'll dig deeper into each of these options:
Best speed and spin
Speed and huge spin, while still being very accurate and consistent.
Best price quality ratio
Excellent performance for a friendly price. It is a very fast racket that can also generate a good spin
Top quality spider
It is the best racket from Killerspin's selection and has a lot of spin and power.
Most balanced table tennis bat
STIGA Pro Carbon has the best control/speed ratio. It is best suited for players who want to improve their hitting technique.
Best budget table tennis bat
A good choice for the advanced beginner. The Palio Expert offers a good balance between speed and control.
Best lightweight table tennis bat
This STIGA is a paddle that focuses on control and is primarily intended for defensive players.
Best Control
Great choice for novice players. The paddle lacks some speed but gives you great spin and control
Best table tennis bat for beginners
Suitable for those who want to improve their playing technique and gain a good solid knowledge of the basics.
Best cheap bat set for recreational play
The budget-friendly Meteor paddle has a classic grip and is nice and stable in the hand.
What we discuss in this comprehensive post:
How should you choose a table tennis bat?
You can buy the most expensive bat, but if it doesn't fit your play style or your current experience level, you're wasting a lot of money for nothing.
The most important factor in choosing is what type of player you are:
- Are you a beginner or an amateur player?
- Attacking Player or Defensive?
This alone makes your choice a hundred times easier as it determines the properties and choice of materials that are important to the overall speed, spin and control.
Type of table tennis player
Bats are often given a speed rating, indicated in 2 to 6 stars or from 0 to 100. The higher the rating, the more effect and speed the ball can get.
The biggest factor in determining the speed rating is the weight of the bat.
But because this speed comes at the expense of control, beginners often benefit more from a lower speed rating, definitely no more than 4 stars.
If you're a beginner, you'll want to buy a bat that will help you get the ball on the table consistently. At this stage, you want to work on your fundamentals and develop proper hitting technique.
Defensive players also often choose a bat with a lower speed rating because they want more control to place well and a lot of backspin with the strategy that the attacking player makes a mistake.
At this level you have also already developed a play style:
- If you find yourself attacking a lot, you will benefit from a heavier and faster bat. Eand bat for an attacking player has a speed rating of more than 80.
- If you play more defensively, block your opponent's shots from a distance or want to slice the ball, a lighter, slower and more controllable bat is best with a speed rating of 60 or less.
An attacking player wants to speed up his game as much as possible and uses top spin. Without the ability to impart spin, fast balls and smashes quickly run across the table.
A heavy bat with the right rubber can add a lot of speed.
The really experienced club and competition players also prefer loose frames and rubbers. They assemble their own bat.
Materials
There are a lot of choices in materials, but the most important things to remember are:
The leaf
The blade (material of the bat, under the rubber) is made up of 5 to 9 layers of wood. More layers equals stiffer and other types of materials such as carbon and titanium carbon are stiffer with less weight.
A stiff blade will transfer most of the energy from the stroke to the ball, resulting in a faster bat.
A more flexible blade and handle absorb some of the energy so that the ball slows down.
As a result, a heavier bat is often faster than a lighter one.
Rubber and sponge
The stickier the rubber and thicker the sponge, the more spin you can give the ball. A softer rubber will hold the ball more (dwell time) giving it more spin.
The softness and tackiness of the rubber are determined by the technology used and the different treatments applied in production.
Handle
For the handle you have 3 choices:
- A flared grip is thicker at the bottom to prevent the bat from slipping out of your hand. It is by far the most popular.
- The anatomical is wider in the middle to fit the shape of your palm
- The straight, has the same width from top to bottom.
If you're not sure which one to go for, try a few different handles at the shops or at your friends' homes, or go for the flared handle.
Now that you know what makes a bat great, here are the best ones on the market right now.
Want to continue your training at home? These are the best table tennis tables in your budget
Top 8 Best Table Tennis Bats Reviewed
One of the more expensive bats on this list. This one really has it all. Incredible speed and huge spin, while still being very accurate and consistent.
Donic Schildkrot CarboTec 7000
- Made from 100% high quality carbon. Lots of speed and spin, suitable for the attacking experienced players
- Not suitable for novice players
It is essential to understand that this is not your typical average bat. It owns very high quality parts. This is actually a custom made bat.
When you switch from a less good bat to suddenly a good model like this Donic you will suddenly be able to make a very big leap forward, a bat like this can suddenly give you so much more speed and spin than you are normally used to.
Needless to say, this is a product made for advanced players. Especially for those who focus on attacking play.
It's great for looping the ball from the center and even better for smashing.
Because of the big speed jump you will make with this bat, it takes a while to get used to it.
This Donic Carbotech has by far the most speed and spin compared to the other bats on this list.
Very high quality parts were used that flow together to produce a high performance paddle.
Here you can see him:
You're probably wondering why it didn't become our number 1 price / quality?
Well, that's because of its high price. This is a very expensive piece of craftsmanship, which does not fully justify its price.
Of course, if you want the absolute best table tennis bat and you think you can handle the sheer power, then go ahead and get it.
It is definitely one of the best out there. Otherwise, consider the bat below, the Stiga royal pro carbon, it has a much better price/performance ratio.
Donic Carbotec 7000 vs 3000
In case you prefer a Donic, there is also the option to choose the Donic Carbotec 3000.
The 7000 is ideal for professional players, and the 3000 is the 'advanced player' variant with 4 stars.
The handle is flared, while the 7000 has an anatomical flared handle. Furthermore, the Carbotec 3000 weighs 250 grams and has a speed of 120.
The Carbotec 3000 is also not suitable for novice players, but certainly a paddle that you will enjoy if you want to get started fanatically.
Stiga Royal Carbon 5 stars
- Speed with a good spin
- Comparable performance compared to more expensive bats
- Less suitable for the novice player
- Lesser finish
- Needs a longer adjustment period
This is the best ping pong paddle you can get for the money right now.
We chose the Royal Carbon 5 Stars because it has a very similar performance to the JET 800, but costs a lot less.
It is a very fast racket and can generate more than enough spin.
The best offer from STIGA, you can be sure that the latest production technologies have been used.
You can feel this is a very high quality product from the moment you pick up the paddle for the first time.
The blade is made up of 5 layers of balsa wood and 2 carbon atoms, making it a very stiff paddle.
This gives the Royal Carbon a lot of power without sacrificing precision. Players who find themselves hitting the ball from mid to long will get the most out of it.
You can't have a lot of power and a lot of control. You either choose speed and practice to improve your accuracy or you sacrifice strength in favor of more control.
That said, the weakness of the Carbon is that it will take some time to get used to the increased speed.
If you are an average player and feel like you can't get more out of your current racket, the STIGA Royal Carbon is a wonderful paddle to upgrade to.
Here's Pingpongruler with his review:
After a short period of adjustment, you should notice your game improving.
killer spin JET 800 Speed N1
- Nitrix-4z rubber for lots of speed and spin
- Combination of 7 layers of wood and 2 layers of carbon makes it suit an aggressive playing style
- Not for a player who chooses control over speed
- Not for a novice player
- Pricey
This is our second best pick for the best ping pong paddle you can get right now. It is the best pre-assembled racket from Killerspin's selection and has a lot of spin and power.
The Jet 800 is made of 7 layers of wood and 2 layers of carbon. This blend gives the blade a lot of stiffness while keeping the weight low.
As you know, stiffness equals power, and this racquet has a lot of it.
Combined with the Nitrix-4z rubber, it helps you deliver explosive shots without compromising accuracy.
If you find yourself hitting the ball from further away, then you will definitely love this racket.
The bat also produces an insane amount of spin. They don't call it the Killerspin for nothing.
The sticky surface makes your serve a nightmare for your opponents. The long distance forehand loops come naturally.
The Killerspin JET 800 is an excellent bat. He has a tremendous amount of power and the spider is out of this world.
If we were to leave out the price, this would definitely be our first choice. While it's not the most expensive paddle on this list, it's still fairly pricey.
It's faster than our number one, but costs almost double.
If you don't mind this, getting the JET 800 is a great choice, which will definitely help you win more games.
Stiga ProCarbon+
- A fast bat suitable for the offensive player, but due to the large 'sweet spot' you maintain good control
- The balance between speed and control makes it suitable for the novice as well as the more experienced player
- Although it is advertised as a fast paddle, it is not the fastest on the list. The power of the bat is in the balance
Our third place goes to the STIGA Pro Carbon+. It has the best control/speed ratio on the list but not the most affordable price.
Control plays a vital role in the game of table tennis. Being able to steer the ball where you want will often decide whether you win or lose. Fortunately, the Evolution gives you maximum ball control.
Of the top five STIGA paddles, this one was definitely designed for accurate ball aiming.
It is made of 6 layers of light wood and uses different STIGA production technologies that give the bat a lot of power.
The difference should be immediately noticeable as you will land many more balls on the table surface.
The STIGA Pro Carbon + is suitable for the offensive player, but because of the large 'sweet spot' you have a good balance between speed and accuracy.
Its light weight and excellent control give you a big advantage when pushing or blocking the ball over the net.
Although this is not the most powerful bat, it is certainly not a bland bat. If you come from a cheaper bat, the speed seems uncontrollable at first.
But as with all things in life, practice makes perfect.
Given the performance this bat gives you and the price, it's fair to say it's well worth the money.
Stiga Royal 5 Star vs Stiga Pro Carbon +
It is quite difficult to compare these two bats because they are quite different, and it mainly depends on what you as a player are looking for in this case.
For a beginning player, the Stiga Pro Carbon + is a better choice, and you will be able to practice your balance well with this.
Are you looking for speed? then the Royal 5 Star is without a doubt the best option for you.
Another way to look at it: are you an offensive player? Then we recommend choosing the Pro Carbon +.
Do you like to attack? Then choose the Royal 5 Star.
expert 2 Palio
- Good spin and control. Excellent bat to improve your strokes with
- Batje is especially recommended for those who want to use a serious racket before taking the final leap in quality.
- Not the most durable bat on the list
- Less speed
Here we have a choice for the advanced beginner. Unlike cheaper, lower quality rackets, the Palio Expert is a bat that provides enough power to generate spin.
Partly because of the spin and his decent speed, he will help you improve yourself quickly.
What makes this bat special is that premium Chinese rubber has been used. The Palio CJ8000 rubber is very tacky and allows huge amounts of spin to be generated.
The rubbers are custom made and can be purchased separately so you can replace each rubber side when they are worn out.
The Palio Expert offers a good balance between speed and control. It has enough power to effortlessly send the ball to the other side while having a lot of safety in your strokes.
This is a great paddle to get if you are serious and want to get well soon.
The bat comes in a carrying case at no extra cost, which helps keep it dust-free so it retains its ability to produce spin.
Palio Expert 2 vs 3
So the Palio Expert 2 is an excellent model for beginners, but what about the 3rd edition?
Actually, according to the reviews, there is not much difference between the two. The handle has been given a small makeover and therefore better grip.
Players can generate maximum spin for their shots, which is definitely a plus.
There is also a wider edge to keep the rubbers in place. This ensures that they stay in place better, but they are still easy to replace if necessary.
The included cover is also of a better quality, which helps protect the bat in your bag.
STIGA 5 Star Flexure
- Light bat, suitable for effects
- Good material that is used in professional bats, for a friendly price
- Not a fast bat. Feels too light for those who are used to some faster heavier bats
- Rubber not the best quality
This option is for beginners on our list, the STIGA competition is a paddle that focuses on control and is primarily intended for defensive players.
The main selling point is the weight.
Made from 6 layers of light wood and using the technology of Crystal Tech and Tube, STIGA managed to produce a paddle that weighs only 140g.
We don't need to tell you how happy players closer to the table are with this.
While the rubber isn't the best quality, it's good enough to generate a decent amount of spin before serving.
It doesn't respond as smoothly to incoming spin, allowing you to return many more balls on the table surface.
The Flexure uses many technologies that are also used in the more expensive products in STIGA's selection, so you can rest assured that this bat has a very good build quality.
Like the other two, this is not a fast paddle. It's a great paddle for learning the game while not spending a lot of money.
Stiga Flexure vs Royal Carbon 5-star
Stiga makes great paddles, that's for sure.
The differences between the Flexure and Royal Carbon 5-star are primarily in the price. The Flexure is more of an entry-level model and a good choice if you are a novice player.
Despite the cheaper price, it is still an extremely good paddle.
The Royal Carbon 5-star is the best ping pong paddle you can get for that price. Cheaper than the Jet 800, for example, but with comparable professional performance.
If you want to play at high speeds, the Royal is the best choice.
killer spin JET 600
- TTF approved, 2.0mm high-tension Nitrx-4Z rubber for excellent spin
- Uses the same rubber as the more expensive version of Killerspin
- Suitable for intermediate and advanced players, as well as beginners, especially those with a defensive style, will really like this racket
- However, the only thing this paddle lacks is speed. Since it only has 5 layers of lower quality wood, the blade will be quite flexible and thus absorb a lot of the energy of the ball
This is also a great choice for novice players. It is slightly faster than the STIGA Apex, but it does manage to maintain a good level of control.
Your game will definitely improve after playing a few matches with this bat.
One of the main advantages of the JET 600 is that the same rubber is used as the more expensive version of Killerspin.
The approved ITTF Nitrx-4Z rubber is top notch when it comes to spin.
Forehand loops will be much easier to execute and your serves will be much harder for your opponent to hit back.
However, the only thing this paddle lacks is speed. Since it only has 5 layers of lower quality wood, the blade will be quite flexible and thus absorb a lot of the ball's energy.
The paddle does give you great spinning power and a very high degree of control.
Beginners, especially those with a defensive style, will really like this racket. It is a good choice for this leg of your table tennis journey.
After a few months of practice, you should be ready to move on to a faster option, such as the JET 800 or the DHS Hurricane II, both of which are on this list.
Stiga 3 Star Trinity
- Featuring WRB technology that moves the center of gravity closer to the tip of the hitting surface for faster acceleration
- Suitable for those who want to improve their playing technique and gain a solid knowledge of the basics.
- Bat is ideal for spinning the ball. It pushes little and therefore gives time to complete the movement well
- Players who already have good control want a slightly faster bat
- Absolute beginners learning the basics can settle for cheaper models
But the best bat for beginners is definitely the Stiga 3 Star Trinity. This racket offers tremendous value for its price.
Perhaps the best bat to buy as a complete beginner, it easily outperforms the cheap wooden bats usually found at the tables.
A Stiga XNUMX star bat is suitable for those who want to improve their playing technique and gain a good solid knowledge of the basics.
This bat provides more speed in your game and still gives you good control.
STIGA's WRB technology makes your assumptions faster and lands the ball on the table with better precision.
If you're used to an even cheaper bat, the spin you can generate with this one will seem insane. But rest assured, you will get used to it after a few matches.
If you're looking for a great, affordable ping pong bat to help you improve quickly, then opting for the 3 Star Trinity is a good idea.
The biggest mistake a novice player can make is to quickly buy a 'fast' bat.
In the beginning, it's critical to get better precision in your shot and develop proper hitting technique.
Being a 'slow' and controllable bat, the 3 Star Trinity lets you do just that.
Meteor Professional Table Tennis Bats
- Fits well in the hand
- Ideal for recreational use
- Is a set
- The rubber is not of the highest quality and does not last as long
If you mainly play recreationally at the moment, it may not be necessary to buy an incredibly expensive bat right away.
With this set you can get started right away and practice a lot at home.
The meteor paddle has a classic grip and is nice and stable in the hand. That helps in the beginning so that you can hit and return as many balls as possible.
The rubbers are light and you will find a good balance between speed and control which is very important for now.
By developing your technique first, you can later focus on playing either defensively or offensively. But first of all you want to have ball control and make sure you have a good base.
You can also test with these bats whether you prefer to play close to the table or at a little distance.
So you can discover a lot and develop your game with Meteor paddles and find out if ping pong is really for you.
Will you keep playing? In the end it will be worth investing in a more expensive paddle.
Cheap recreational bat vs sport bat
As you have read, there are many different types of bats that can have a major effect on your playing style.
With recreational bats you can practice well and find out whether table tennis is something for you. Younger players can also fully enjoy these cheaper variants on holiday or at home.
With these types of bats you can't give effects as well: you can't give an overspin, so you can't smash when you try to hit the ball quickly over the table.
Professional bats also have major differences between them. For example, do you opt for a heavy or light variant?
Light bats are recommended for beginning players as they offer more control and allow you to practice your effects better.
Top players almost always have heavy bats, with which they can hit a lot harder.
These types of bats have a higher speed rating and that means that you can play the ball with much more speed.
The switch often takes some getting used to, so before you invest in a heavy paddle you want to make sure that you are really ready for it!
Do you prefer to play defensively rather than offensively? Even then a lighter bat is recommended, which has soft rubber which is ideal for backspin.
Conclusion
These were the best table tennis bats you can buy today. Some are really suitable for beginners, others will be better for intermediate or advanced players.
There are expensive, powerful paddles and there are affordable ones that also offer enormous speed and spin possibilities.
No matter what you're looking for, there's bound to be a paddle for you on this list.
Also into squash? read our tips to find your best squash racket
