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The Best Table Tennis Bats
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Palio Legend 2.0 Table Tennis Bat & Case
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ITTF Table Tennis Racket Bat Set with 2 Bats
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Joola Rosskopf Table Tennis Bat
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Eastfield Allround Professional Table Tennis Bat
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FireBlade 'Ninjato' - Carbon Table Tennis Bat with Case
Table Tennis Bat Reviews
- A good option for intermediate players who are looking to improve their game further
- Suits a powerful attack playing style
- Hard sponge and hardwood handle complement each other to produce a bat that has a lot of power
- Sticky rubber helps create good spin (once player has got used to it)
- The rubbers can be replaced when necessary
- Not recommended for beginners because of lower control rating
- Learning curve required to get used to using bat - it is powerful and heavier than many on the market
- Better suited to offensive rather than defensive playing styles
Whether you’re a regular player at a table tennis club, or like to partake in tournaments, you’ll certainly look the part turning up with this Palio Legend 2.0 Table Tennis Bat & Case.
As bats go, the Palio Legend 2.0 is better suited to confident intermediate table tennis players rather than beginners. In terms of price, it’s the most expensive ping pong paddle featured on this list, and is designed for those who are looking to improve their already-existent game.
This Palio Legend 2.0 can deliver excellent power, but needs to be well controlled which can take a bit of practise. It feels a little heavier than some other popular bats, making it better for offensive, rather than defensive, play.
There are other features that make it suited to an attack style, such as the hard sponge rubber and 100% wooden handle. The hardwood blade helps to deliver power and spin.
The rubbers are also ITTF approved and suitable for table tennis competitions. They can be replaced when necessary, without having to buy an entirely new bat.
Overall, this ping pong paddle is rated 10/10 for speed, 9/10 for spin and 6/10 for control, which is why it’s viewed as one of the best table tennis bats for intermediate players. There is also a clear-fronted carry case included.
This is one of the best table tennis rackets if your playing style is powerful attack; however, it may take some time and practise to gain sufficient control in the beginning.
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- A reliable and affordable set for 2 players - comes with 2 bats included
- Good grip and a comfortable handle - easy to hold even after hours of play
- Suitable for beginner table tennis players thanks to the quality padding
- Case included so both bats can be stored together and kept clean
- May not suit more advanced players as the padding absorbs a lot of the power
The most suitable option for families featured on this list, the Senston Professional Table Tennis Set offers good value for money. It comes with two quality ping pong paddles included, as well as a durable carry bag.
Given the price, it’s the best table tennis racket set to buy on a budget (especially as you actually get two bats!), and this set is therefore a good ‘introductory’ option for new players.
The table tennis rackets offer reasonable bounce and control, and are suited to recreational use – especially amongst families who enjoy a spot of table tennis at the weekends. They’ll also be suitable for use in amateur table tennis clubs, though once players get more experienced they will likely want to move onto something more advanced.
With a wooden, flared handle, the bats offer good grip and are comfortable to hold. The bats themselves are made up of a 2.2 mm sponge, combined with a layer of 2 mm rubber, resulting in decent bat for offensive table tennis play.
Overall, these bats are rated 9/10 for speed, 9/10 for spin and 8.5/10 for control. They have a good quality finish and are the right ping pong paddles for players who are learning and practicing new skills like top spin. However, they are not approved by the ITTF and so can’t be used as professional ping pong paddles in official table tennis games.
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- Produces a good amount of power - a good choice for regular, intermediate players
- Well balanced with a flared grip that makes it comfortable to use for long periods of time
- Design is suitable for attack shots - powerful forehand and top spin
- Rubber has a good level of tackiness to help with offensive play
- No carry case included so should be carefully stored to keep it dry and free from dust
- Some users have reported that the quality is lower than more professional bats and the rubber may peel over time
If you regularly play table tennis, the Joola Rosskopf Table Tennis Bat is a good choice for intermediate players.
This ping pong paddle enables a range of attack shots and is particularly well designed to facilitate top spin and forehand. The bat is approved by the ITTF so can be used in table tennis competitions.
Together, the rubber and foam measure approximately 3 mm thick, and there is some tackiness to the rubber which is useful for offensive play.
The table tennis racket is relatively lightweight, and the flared handle helps with grip. Overall, it feels well balanced, but there is slightly less control than with some other table tennis bats.
For this reason, and due to the slightly higher price, this ping pong paddle is suited to intermediate players rather than beginners.
It’s one of the best table tennis bats for regular players looking to improve their game; there will be a noticeable difference between using this Joola Rosskopf bat compared to basic beginner models.
Overall, the overarching consensus seems to be that with this ping pong paddle you get what you pay for. It is priced in the middle of the range: better than a basic option, but slightly lower in quality than more expensive, professional table tennis rackets.
It’s one of the best ping pong paddles if you want an upgrade from a basic option, but don’t want to commit to an expensive professional bat.
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- Offers great control (10/10) and is useful for beginner and intermediate players
- Slow speed makes it a good bat for mastering skills and tactics at a controllable pace
- Tackiness of rubber is suitable for playing top spin
- Rubbers are replaceable when they wear out/if different playing rubbers are desired
- Good choice for intermediate leisure players
- Slow speed may not be suitable for more advanced players who have already mastered skilful shots
- Speed and power are achieved by putting more bodyweight behind shots compared to more powerful bats
- No carry case included, although bat can be kept in the presentation box that it comes in
For players who value control above all else, the Eastfield Allround Professional Table Tennis Bat is less of an ‘all-out-attack’ option than the other bats featured here. This is one of the best ping pong paddles if you want a slightly slower playing speed and increased control in your game.
This ping pong paddle is suitable for both beginners and intermediate players, offering 10/10 for control and allowing players to make more considered shots. Players who are looking to improve their basic game, and master more skilful play, will likely benefit from this bat.
Rated 6/10 for speed an 8/10 for spin, it can still be used for offensive shots too.
The rubbers are 2.1 mm thick and are glued to the 5-ply blade with the smooth side facing outwards (textured side glued to the bat) to help with generating spin.
This is one of the best table tennis bats for players who want to benefit from a lower playing speed in order to improve their technique. For this reason, it’s not really suitable for those who are more focused on making fast shots.
This ping pong paddle helps players gain a solid foundation, before moving on to harder rubbers (or a different bat entirely) to increase speed if desired. It’s worth noting that the rubbers are replaceable on this Eastfield bat.
No case comes included, but it comes well presented in an Eastfield box. Many people choose to keep their bat inside the box in order to protect it; however, this may not be quite as practical as having a smaller, streamlined case to put in your gym bag.
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- Helps improve tactical, skilled gameplay compared to basic bats
- Rubbers are well designed for applying spin on the ball
- Comes with an included hard-cover carry case for protecting the bat and keeping dust off the rubbers
- Delivers a lot of power for offensive shots
- High speed may require some time to adapt and get used to
- Beginners may find that the limited control makes gameplay more difficult
Table tennis bats for intermediate players don’t have to break the bank, as demonstrated by the FireBlade ‘Ninjato’. It’s one of the best table tennis bats for intermediates on a budget.
This ping pong paddle is probably most accurately described as suitable for ‘improvers’ – those who are ready to move on from basic beginner’s bats, but still need help with learning skills.
The 5-ply blade is covered by ITTF-approved rubbers and allows for precision shots as well as top spin. It is rated as 9/10 for speed, 9/10 for spin, and 7/10 for control. Therefore, players should expect to spend some time getting used to the power of this ping pong paddle, before feeling comfortable with it.
It’s relatively light, with a comfortable handle and lightly-sticky rubber to help with offensive play. All of these points combine to make a bat that is comfortable to use and useful for learning new skills for a table tennis game. However, as mentioned, it may be a little fast for some players.
There is a hard-cover carry case included, and the bat slots neatly inside, held in place by an elasticated cord. The case fastens with a zip, providing a neat, protective way to carry the bat that also looks smart and professional.
For the price, this is a great paddle that seems to offer reasonable quality and value for money. It’s not on the same level as a professional, brand-name bats, but it is an improvement on basic, beginner’s models. This ping pong paddle will help with developing more of a skilful game, but newer players should be aware that it does not offer complete control.
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Clive's Smart Buying Tips
How to Choose the Best Table Tennis Bat
If you’re a regular table tennis player, you’ve likely noticed the difference in your play when using different ping pong paddles. If you’re a beginner, this might not be such common knowledge – but ping pong bats have different designs that can make them easier or harder to use, or more suitable for certain types of play.
Below, you’ll find more information about how to choose the best table tennis bat based on your experience and playing style.
Getting Started
If you’re new to table tennis, or you don’t play very often, you might be wondering if you should upgrade your bat – and for what. Well, here’s my advice.
First, using a basic ping pong paddle (the one that came with the table, for example), return a few serves. Take this opportunity to see if your shots are too powerful (e.g., the ball always whizzes off the table) even if you’re trying to be gentle, or not powerful enough (e.g., struggling to make it over the net). This will give an indication of the type of bat you should consider buying. It can help you work out your existing strengths and weaknesses and work out what properties the best paddle for you would have.
If you find that you are comfortable using the current ping pong paddle, and you only play leisurely ping pong games with friends, you may not need to upgrade straight away. You may choose to upgrade at a later date if: 1) you choose to play table tennis more frequently with a club, 2) you want to challenge yourself and master more skills, 3) you feel the bat is holding you back.
Top tip: Most ping pong paddles have a rating out of 10 for speed, spin and control. If you are new to the game, trying to learn technique and master basic skills, you will benefit from having more control than speed. When bats have more speed than control, they can be difficult for beginners to master. It’s better to perfect technique with a controlled bat first, before introducing speed.
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Blade Material and Thickness
The material of the wooden paddle (the blade) makes a difference to game play. The number of layers used to make up the blade will also affect how it responds.
Entirely Wooden Blades
These blades consist of only wooden layers. They are a good choice for beginners (as well as intermediate players). Wood offers good control and flexibility, resulting in a better ‘connection’ with the ball. This can help when varying shots because it provides a clearer idea of how the ball will respond (particularly for less-experienced players).
Mixed Carbon Fibre Blades
These blades consist of alternating layers of wood and carbon fibre. As a result, they are much stiffer than entirely-wooden blades and can produce a lot more speed. Carbon blades are not considered a good choice for beginners, and are better suited to players who already have a lot of experience using wooden blades. They don’t offer as much control, so the foundation of technique already needs to be in place.
The placement of the carbon amongst the layers also makes a difference. If the carbon layer is closer to the surface, it will make a more noticeable difference – these are referred to as ‘outer carbon blades’. If the layer is closer to the core (‘inner carbon blades’), it will feel more subtle.
5-Ply Blades
Ply refers to the number of layers that make up a blade. A 5-ply blade will generally facilitate control and spin. The central layer is a thicker blade, with two thinner layers on either side. Due to there being fewer layers (and therefore less glue), 5-ply blades tend to be more flexible than 7-ply blades.
5-ply blades are often preferred by players who favour deflection; for example, shots like top spin. This is because the ball doesn’t bounce off so quickly, giving longer contact.
7-Ply Blades
If it isn’t a 5-ply blade, it’ll likely be a 7-ply blade. These are the two most commonly found styles. 7-ply blades are made up of more layers and the layers are thinner than those in a 5-ply blade. With these thin blades there is more glue, holding the layers together, and the blade is therefore stiffer and less flexible. Experienced players who are looking for power and speed may want to consider a 7-ply blade over a 5-ply blade.
7-ply blades have less deflection than 5-ply blades so they are often considered more suitable for fast returns, flicks and blocks.
Different Types of Wood and Carbon Blade
Unfortunately, it isn’t always enough just to choose an entirely-wooden blade or a mixed-carbon blade – there are also different types of wood and carbon to consider. The layers inside the bat are unlikely to be all the same type of wood. Here’s a list of the different materials, and their main properties, so you can choose the best table tennis bat based on its qualities.
Common Types of Wood and Their Properties:
- Ayous – lightweight with good flexibility.
- Balsa – often used as a blade core or for outer layers. One of the lightest woods in terms of weight.
- Hinoki – heavier and denser than wood like Ayous and Balsa. Helps the ball ‘stick’ – good for spin.
- Kiri – commonly used as a core layer. Limited vibration.
- Koto – increases stiffness of blade. This results in power and speed.
- Limba – a soft wood used for control.
Common Types of Carbon Fibre and Their Properties:
- ALC – a good allrounder, providing good levels of spin, control and power. This is one of the most popular and commonly used carbon composite layers.
- KLC – very soft. Reduces vibration and offers good precision.
- PBO-C – quite rigid, good for speed.
- Super PBO-C – exceptionally fast.
- X3 – combines fibres of ALC and PBO-C resulting in a happy medium between the two. Stiff, but easier to control than PBO-C.
Table Tennis Bat FAQs
The most common grip for holding a table tennis racket is called the ‘shake hand grip’. This is the grip that is recommended for beginners.
The main points for this grip are to place your thumb on the forehand side of the table tennis racket and your index finger on the backhand side of the bat. Both your thumb and index finger should be on the rubber portion of the face of the bat.
Your other three fingers should be loosely placed on the handle of the bat. Don’t grip the bat too tightly as this will inhibit freedom of movement.
The rubbers of your table tennis racket will collect dust, powder and sweat. When the rubbers are dirty, they become less grippy. This means the ball will slip off the bat and you will find it difficult to generate spin.
After each use, clean your table tennis racket with a little water and a soft cloth. Don’t get the bat too wet, just enough to remove the grime and sweat. Then allow it to air dry. Make sure to keep your bat protected, preferably in a case, to stop it from getting dusty.
If you’re a beginner ping pong player, steer clear of carbon blades until you are comfortably using an all-wood blades. Carbon blades are a step up, and they may make gameplay too challenging if you haven’t mastered the basics.
If you are an intermediate player who is looking to increase the speed of their game, you may benefit from a blade that contains carbon composite fibre. Be aware that a carbon blade will likely be stiffer than an all-wood blade; therefore, if you are not looking for increased power or speed in your shots, you may prefer to stick with an entirely wooden blade.
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