The cost of pickleball paddles is starting to get a little wild, with some priced over $250. If you’re a beginner trying to figure out if you even like pickleball, a paddle can be quite an investment, right? Wrong! Here are the best pickleball paddles under $50 that offer durability, and performance and give you a real chance to see if pickleball is for you.
Before we get into our favorite pickleball paddles un $50, it’s worth noting what we look for that makes a paddle a good option.
Other Helpful Resources:
- Best Pickleball Paddles For Beginners
- Overall Best pickeball Paddles of the Year
- Best Paddles At Or Under $100
Things to Keep In Mind When Looking For the Best Cheap Pickleball Paddles
Since you’re planning on getting a pickleball paddle under $50, you might as well get your money’s worth. Here is what to keep an eye out for when selecting a paddle.
Pickleball Paddle Shape
Like most beginner-level pickleball paddles, you want to go with a paddle that has a standard or wide body shape.
- Standard Pickleball Paddles: 16” X 8” (Can vary by about ½ inch)
- Wide Body Pickleball Paddles: 15.5” X 8.5”
A standard or wide body pickleball paddle has the largest sweetspot which means it’s not going to be as efficient at generating power, but you’re getting a lot more feel, control, and forgiveness on mis-hits.
Paddle Surface Material
If you’re looking for a pickleball paddle under $50, it’s most likely going to be a fiberglass/graphite face pickleball paddle. Graphite is a cheaper material than carbon fiber or composite carbon.
Check Out: Best Graphite Pickleball Paddles
Graphite paddles are slightly more rigid and lighter than carbon composite paddles which makes it easier to generate speed. The one downside is that graphite is known to be slightly less durable than composite or carbon fiber paddles, but they’re a great intro paddle.
Pickleball Paddle Manufacturer
More often than not, you can find a “budget” version of pickleball paddles from some of the top pickleball manufacturers. For example, Selkirk has their budget SLK paddles, and Gamma Has their Omeg Paddles.
Both of these paddles have the DNA of a premium pickleball paddle but they sell for half the price. If you stick with a good manufacturer you can trust the technology and quality of the paddle.
Best Pickleball Paddles Under $50 – Reviews
#1 Gamma Conquerer
The Gamma Conquerer is my vote for best pickleball paddle under $50. You’re getting a really good quality paddle for an amazing price. It has a polymer honeycomb core which is the same core that you’ll see in top-tier, premium paddles.
The honeycomb core offers more durability and feel than a regular polymer core and it shows when you take this paddle to the pickleball courts.
My drives had pretty decent power, while dinks and resets were easy to control. The sweet spot on this paddle is huge. Even if I hit the ball too high or low on the face the ball still made it over the net.
The face feels and sounds a little clunkier than a middle-tier or premium paddle, but once you get used to it it’s not a problem.
Furthermore, the Gamma grip feels great in the hands and stays perfectly tacky the whole time I was playing.
This paddle says it’s 8 ounces, but it felt a little too light for me. I noticed I was hitting everything a little too late but the lightness did help me put a little more spin on the ball.
Pros
- Has a very forgiving face
- Large sweet spot offers great control
- Durable honeycomb core
- Good reach
Cons
- Definitely sacrificing power for control with this paddle
#2. SLK Neo Graphite Pickleball Paddle
I know this is not a pickleball paddle under $50, but if you have the extra $4 to spend, I highly recommend this paddle. SLK is the budget version of Selkirk which is a household name in the pickleball industry.
This paddle excels in everything and the playability is exceptional. It has a very large and forgiving sweet spot, but you can dial it back and control your dinks, resets, and drops.
The ball feels and sounds great off the graphite face and the slim and longer grip is great for tennis converts who like two-handed backhands.
Overall the playability, performance, versatility, and value of this paddle make it one of the best budget pickleball paddles.
Pros
- Has a very forgiving face
- Very soft and controlled face
- No issues generating power
- The grip feels great in your hands
- Amazing performance
Cons
- The face tends to feel a little dull if you hit it a little too high.
#3 niupipo Pickleball Paddle
This paddle is great for players who can generate power already but need to dial in their control and placement. Furthermore, the mid to lighter weight of the paddle paired with the wide face where it didn’t feel too light.
The niupipo Pickleball Paddle is surprisingly reliable for the price. This pickleball paddle also comes with a honeycomb core.
I could generate some great power and control with this paddle, when I hit the sweet spot. However, the issue I had with this paddle is that there seems to be some dead zones on the paddle which could be an issue for newer players.
The durability of this paddle shocked me. Since it was so cheap, I threw it around and played a ton of games thinking it was going to break or the sweet spot would wear down, but it stayed pretty consistent. The paint did scratch pretty easily, but that doesn’t actually affect performance.
The balance, stability, and weight of this paddle felt closer to a premium paddle. During battles at the net the paddle felt stable and I could hit the ball pretty much where I was aimed without fear of hitting it out.
Pros
- Has a big sweet spot
- Good paddle for soft, controlled shots
- Great stability
Cons
- Hard to generate much power
- Dull-feeling sweet spot
#4 Franklin X-1000 Wide-Body Pickleball Paddle
The Franklin X-1000 is a wide body pickleball paddle with a large sweet spot. It was pretty hard to get a lot of power out of this paddle, but this paddle did excel at placement and control.
Even if I hit the ball way off center It still had a great feel and really had no dead spots. The ball came off nice and soft so dinks, resets and drops were a breeze. The wide face also keeps the paddle very stable during hands battles and backhand roll volleys.
I really enjoyed the feel and sound of the graphite face, and after using it for about a month, the face texture and overall feel seem very durable. I would recommend this paddle for any level of player looking for good value.
Pros
- Has a big sweet spot
- Good paddle for soft, controlled shots
- Great stability
Cons
- Hard to generate much power
- Dull-feeling sweet spot
