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Intro

Our philosophy

The right racket most accentuates your strengths. Determine what type of padel player you are. Note that each beneficial attribute of a racket comes with an equal drawback. So we have organized our rackets for each player type based on the racket attributes we consider best for that type of player.

We also want to remind you that a racket only meets the level of the player.

Arguably, the most valuable contribution a racket makes to our game is the placebo effect.

I have a racket that I feel comfortable with, therefore, I feel confident.

While I wish I could drop 400 euros and play like Lebron, that hasn't worked for me so far.

We'll probably make less money by saying this, but we are here to share our love for padel with the world, not to bleed you of your pesetas.

Lastly

If you think this website is helpful, when possible click our links to buy gear. We've had a lot of visitors, but we've only received credit for a few purchases.

More racket articles by player level and style:

• Beginners
• Intermediate Control
• Intermediate Versatile
• Intermediate Power
• Advanced Control
• Advanced Versatile
• Advanced Power

Best beginner racket

{{racket-card="/racket-reviews/ml10-pro-cup-luxury"}}

Who this is for

We categorize beginners into two groups: Beginners with experience in racket sports, “experienced beginners,” and “total beginners.”

Most of our readers have some experience in racket sports, and as a result, their abilities in padel will grow quickly with regular court time.

If you are comfortable contacting the ball, but the walls are scary, this is you.

What “experienced beginners” should be looking for

Experienced beginners should look for a racket with the following characteristics:

• Power: Satisfactory
• Control: Satisfactory
• Sweet spot: Great (large and low)
• Maneuverability: Great
• Touch: Medium-Soft
• Balance: Low
• Budget <€200

Why this is our pick

The ML10 is the best-selling padel racket. Of all time.

It has a low balance, making it easy to play with. The 2023 Pro Cup Luxury version has a layer of 3K carbon fiber, giving it more control and durability.

For a softer touch, go for the normal, less expensive version.

It is versatile enough to deliver you moderate control and power on the court.

Its round shape and soft core will provide you with a great sweet spot and a comfortable touch.

It is named after the all-star Argentinian, Miguel Lamperti.

Total beginner alternates

At this point, you should prioritize getting court time and especially trainings, so you don’t develop bad habits that are hard to break later.

More expensive rackets may be tempting, but they will be harder to play with.

Beginners new to both padel and racket sports in general should consider our alternate picks:

• the partly fiberglass, partly carbon fiber Nox X-One (my first racket)
• the inexpensive, yet great beginner Kuikma PR510
• the Adidas Drive

Any of these will be great in helping you learn the game.

‍Don't overthink it - go for the one that has the best deal.

Padel rackets, sadly, have short lifespans. It will likely wear out by the time you will need something different from your racket.

Best intermediate control racket

{{racket-card="/racket-reviews/vertex-03-ctr"}}

Why this is our pick

The Vertex CTR is the round-shaped, counterpart to Bullpadel’s flagship Vertex model played with by Juan Tello and Federico Chingotto.

This racket has a medium touch, a medium balance, and all of the premium finishings of top-of-the-line Bullpadel rackets:

• Custom Weight: weight and balance customization
• MultiEVA core: sandwich of hard and soft foam
• Hesa core under grip
• Vibration reduction inserts
• Sandblasted surface

Its round shape gives it a medium balance, which increases maneuverability. This allowed our reviewers to reach their shots with plenty of time to impact the ball exactly as desired.

Its round shape and MultiEVA core result in a medium touch with plenty of ball output. The round shape and medium touch result in a very large, forgiving sweet spot.

The Vertex 03 CTR is easy to play with and will help players surprise their opponents by allowing them to pass tough balls back over the net while under pressure in defense.

Little has changed between the 2022 and 2023 models, so consider going for whichever you can find a better deal on or whichever color scheme you prefer.

Best intermediate versatile racket

{{racket-card="/racket-reviews/ultimate-tour"}}

What to look for

• Power: Good
• Control: Good
• Sweet spot: Good (center-high)
• Maneuverability: Good
• Touch: Medium
• Balance: Medium

The Swedes have entered the chat.

Swedish Oxdog has brought another level of research and development to padel racket design.

With decades of experience making carbon fiber floor ball sticks, Oxdog has successfully transferred this knowledge to padel rackets, creating some of the finest rackets we’ve touched seen.

Like a Maserati from the first touch,

one of our reviewers remarked.

“Initially I thought something was wrong with it because it was so quiet,”

another mentioned regarding the Silent Speed technology, which efficiently transfers energy to the ball - instead of losing it to audible vibrations.

Why this is our pick

The Ultimate Tour is a comfortable, agile, diamond-shaped racket with a medium touch.

Despite being a diamond, it is easy to maneuver and has a medium balance of 26 centimeters.

Our reviewers found that it provided a versatile balance between control, power, and maneuverability.

Alternatives worth considering are the rounder Nox AT10 12K and Sanyo’s former signature racket, the Head Alpha Pro (low availability).

Best intermediate power racket

{{racket-card="/racket-reviews/metalbone-3-2"}}

What to look for

• Power: Great
• Control: Satisfactory
• Sweet spot: Satisfactory (high and medium-sized)
• Maneuverability: Satisfactory
• Touch: Medium
• Balance: Medium-high

Why this is our pick

The Adidas Metalbone is one of the most popular rackets on the market. And for good reason.

It has a high balance, a hard surface, and a low-density foam core - Adidas's EVA Soft Energy. The combination of the soft core and the hard surface give it a medium hardness.

Its medium hardness makes it significantly more playable than its harder sibling, the Metalbone 3.2 HRD, which we do not recommend for intermediate players. The hard version has Adidas's EVA High Memory.

This version, the standard Metalbone 3.2, delivers a wider sweet spot and a more generous free power than the 2022 version but also slightly less spin.

Ale Galan plays with either the Metalbone 3.2 or the Metalbone 3.2 HRD depending on court conditions. Like many players, he often switches to a harder core to counteract the softening of the core resulting from high temperatures. (Editor's note from Sep 2023 update: last weekend, Ale won the World Padel Tour Finland Open 1000 with the standard Metalbone 3.2).

An alternative worth considering is the Bullpadel Vertex.

Best advanced control racket

{{racket-card="/racket-reviews/metheora-dual"}}

What to look for

• Power: Satisfactory
• Control: Amazing
• Sweet spot: Good
• Maneuverability: Great
• Touch: Medium-hard
• Balance: Medium

Why this is our pick

Hard, fast, precise.

If that’s what you’re looking for in your padel racket, Starvie's recent addition to their lineup, the Metheora Dual will surely win you over.

The 2023 dual core is the multi-EVA core offering from Starvie. This year they are only offering it on this model, the Metheora Warrior alternate. Though, we do expect Starvie to roll this out to more of their models in 2024.

The hard core is paired with a rigid frame, and a double 3K carbon fiber surface for a hard touch. I could see players using this as a summer alternate for the Metheora Warrior.

We tested this near sea level in 26°C, and it still felt very hard to all our reviewers.

This wound up giving us great control for precise placement around the court.

It has a center (26.2cm) balance, which gives it fantastic maneuverability.

However, it did result in a relatively small sweet spot and a lot of vibrations when missing the sweet spot.

Our alternate, the Varlion LW Summum Prisma Airflow, is also made in Spain and has a softer touch and slightly higher balance (26.5-27cm).

Best advanced versatile racket

{{racket-card="/racket-reviews/at10-18k"}}

What to look for

• Power: Great
• Control: Great
• Sweet spot: Satisfactory (center-high)
• Maneuverability: Satisfactory
• Touch: Medium-hard
• Balance: Medium

Why this is our pick

As if it were mimicking Augustin Tapia’s style of play, the Nox AT10 18K has a very versatile set of strengths.

It is marketed as a teardrop, but with small “shoulders.”

It has only slightly more weight at the head than a true round racket.

This gives you an extra punch of power while maintaining great maneuverability. The model we tested had a 25.5cm balance.

With its medium-hard touch though, its power and control are remarkable.

It suits a player looking for power and control and the medium-hard touch required to achieve both.

The Arena version of this racket is referred to as the 12K (Nox inverts carbon fiber thread count values) and has a medium touch (slightly softer). So it will be easier to play with and have a larger sweet spot. Its power and control, however, will be slightly lower.

Noteworthy alternative

{{racket-card="/racket-reviews/adipower-ctrl-3-2"}}

Despite having the word “CTRL” in the name, the Adipower CTRL’s weight, density, and shape give the racket a medium-high balance and touch, which will help players drive good power to their shots.

Best advanced power racket

{{racket-card="/racket-reviews/extreme-pro"}}

What to look for

• Power: Amazing
• Control: Good
• Sweet spot: Below average (center-high)
• Maneuverability: Satisfactory
• Touch: Medium-hard
• Balance: High

Why this is our pick

The Extreme Pro is the 2024 upgrade to the iconic Delta Pro.

It is 90% unchanged from the Delta Pro. The changes are: the paint job, the weight (now on average 5g less), and the shape (slightly more angular).

It is still a mammoth of a racket. Heavy, high balance, and hard.

It doesn’t apologize for its strength.

It winks at you after you smash with it, and it shrugs its shoulders if you’re late to block a fast volley, “you got what you ask for.”

Absolutely one of the best rackets on the market, but we only recommend it to players who are strong enough to handle it. What you sacrifice in agility, you more than makeup for in “smash-ability”.

Noteworthy alternative

The Volt 1000 is the Portuguese brand's top of the line power racket. It is a black, diamond-shaped high balance power monster. I really enjoyed it in the aerial game. I recommend it to those who are looking for something slightly more reactive and aggressive than the Head Extreme Pro.

People also ask

‍Best Racket for Players with Tennis Elbow

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‍Players with arm injuries and players focusing on comfort and control should take a hard look at Royal Padel's Whip line due to its famous vibration absorption abilities. Check out our full list here.

‍Best Inexpensive Racket

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‍Perhaps Kuikma's best-selling rackets, the PR990 Hybrid Hard or the Hybrid Soft, are great inexpensive options for intermediate and up players looking for power, control, and a good sweet spot. Go for the Hard if you're seeking a medium-hard touch and the soft otherwise.

Why trust us?

Padel FYI is the Metacritic for padel rackets. To help you find the best padel racket, I have cataloged 360 reviews of 106 of the most popular padel rackets to create the most comprehensive padel racket database.

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