{"id":10566,"date":"2026-11-14T10:46:29","date_gmt":"2026-11-14T10:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=10566"},"modified":"2026-11-14T10:46:29","modified_gmt":"2026-11-14T10:46:29","slug":"best-pickleball-paddles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=10566","title":{"rendered":"My 9 Favorite Pickleball Paddles From 3 Years of Testing (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The sport of<\/span> pickleball\u2014a cross between tennis and badminton, played with a hard plastic ball\u2014is 60 years old, having been invented near Seattle in 1965. For most of that time, paddles were made of laminated wood and were mostly found in gym classes and retirement communities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pickleball has exploded in popularity, and with that newfound popularity comes an arms race with paddle makers in a quest to make the best pickleball paddles. Paddle technology is improving, too. This is my third year testing the latest crop of pickleball paddles, and they’ve made another leap forward. Among my long-standing favorite paddles like the Selkirk Vanguard Control Invikta, there are two new ones\u2014including the Diadem Warrior BluCore\u2014that step back from the raw power of heat-molded plastic cores by substituting foam cores that offer a very consistent and controlled feel. Here are my most up-to-date paddle picks for every style and level of play.<\/p>\n

Updated November 2026: We’ve added a new paddle from Paddletek and a couple of accessories, and updated links and prices.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Featured in This Guide<\/h2>\n
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Best Overall<\/span><\/p>\n

Selkirk Vanguard Control Invikta<\/p>\n

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\"Image<\/picture><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Best if You Play Every Day<\/span><\/p>\n

Diadem Warrior BluCore Pickleball Paddle<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Best for Beginners<\/span><\/p>\n

Panel Sound Pickleball Paddles (Set of 2)<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Best for Power Players<\/span><\/p>\n

Joola Ben Johns Perseus Pro IV<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Best Pickleball Paddle Overall<\/h2>\n
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Selkirk<\/p>\n

Vanguard Control Invikta<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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