Top 6 compared
The best table tennis bats
Long rallies on the garden table or on holiday, and real spin once the games get serious.
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The top 6 at a glance
A table tennis bat is a wooden blade with sponge and rubber on each face, and the rubber is what grips the ball and puts spin on it. Bats come in sets of two or four, with balls and a case or bag, or singly as club bats. Set bats have softer, grippier rubber that forgives a mistimed shot; club bats are quicker off the blade and made for spin.
ITTF-approved rubber is what club and league matches ask for; for games at home, any bat here will do. A set suits families and beginners, and a club bat is the step up for regular players. Balls marked 40+ are plastic, the kind ITTF competitions have used instead of celluloid since July 2014.
What matters
- A case or bag to protect the rubber between games.
- Spare balls in the box, as they go missing.
- Edge bands that guard the blade against chips.
- A handle shape that suits your grip.
#1PRO-SPIN Table Tennis Bat Set (2 bats, 3 balls, case)
£20–£30
Two bats with grippy pips-in rubber over 1.8mm of sponge on a 7-ply blade, enough to start putting spin on a serve, plus three 3-star balls and a case that keeps the set together between games.
What owners say: Owners like the tacky rubber, which lets them put real topspin on the ball, and the carry case, though some have had the rubber start to peel.
A closer look: The balls in the box are 3-star, the grade to look for when buying spares. For doubles, PRO-SPIN sells a four-player version of the same set, and the case keeps the rubber out of the sun between games, which is what dulls it.
- Grippy rubber for spin
- 7-ply blades
- Triple-sanded handles
- 3-star balls
Best for: Topspin rallies on a home table
- Type
- Set of 2 bats
- Balls included
- 3
- ITTF-approved rubber
- No
- Case or bag
- Storage case
#2PRO-SPIN Carbon Table Tennis Bat (single, with cover)
£20–£30
The step up from a set bat: a 7-ply blade with two layers of carbon fibre between silver walnut and ayous, ITTF-approved rubber on 2.0mm sponge and a carbon tube in the handle that PRO-SPIN says soaks up vibration, sold singly with a cover for the rubber.
What owners say: Owners find it puts a lot of spin on the ball and call it a big step up from a set bat, with good grip and control; how long the rubber lasts gets mixed reports.
A closer look: It comes on its own, so add a few balls and keep it in the cover between games: the rubber is what gives it the spin. A carbon blade is quicker off the face than a set bat and takes a few sessions to tame, so start with slower rallies. A wipe with a damp cloth after play keeps the rubber tacky.
- Two carbon fibre layers
- Handle tube soaks up vibration
- 2.0mm sponge
Best for: Players ready for more spin
- Type
- Single bat
- Balls included
- None
- ITTF-approved rubber
- Yes
- Case or bag
- Protective cover
#3Flintronic Wooden Table Tennis Set (2 bats, 3 balls)
£10–£20
Two wooden bats, three balls and a carry bag: seven-layer poplar blades with rubber on both sides, a set to leave in the caravan or pack for a holiday where there’s a table.
A closer look: Light enough to live in a beach bag or the boot, so there are always bats to hand when a campsite or holiday park has a table. As a first set, it lets beginners find out whether they enjoy the game before spending more on better bats.
- 7-layer poplar blades
- Rubber on both sides
- Flared handles
- 12-month warranty
Best for: Holidays and first games
- Type
- Set of 2 bats
- Balls included
- 3
- ITTF-approved rubber
- No
- Case or bag
- Carry bag
#4Glymnis Table Tennis Set (4 bats, 8 balls)
£10–£20
Four bats and eight 3-star balls for doubles or a family game, with 7-ply poplar blades, bands round the edges against chips and knocks, and a bag to carry the lot to the table in the park.
What owners say: Owners rate how the paddles play and like the zip-up bag that keeps them together; the rubber peeling away after a short while is the complaint that comes up again and again.
A closer look: With four bats, doubles works, or a family game where nobody waits for a turn. The flared handles widen towards the end, which helps smaller hands keep hold, and eight balls mean fewer trips under the hedge between points.
- Edge bands against chips
- 7-ply poplar blades
- Flared handles
- 3-star balls
Best for: Doubles and families
- Type
- Set of 4 bats
- Balls included
- 8
- ITTF-approved rubber
- No
- Case or bag
- Zip bag
#5JOOLA Duo Pro Table Tennis Set (2 bats, 3 balls, case)
£20–£30
The set for a learner who might join a club: two of JOOLA’s Match Pro bats with ITTF-approved Vizon rubbers, three 3-star Tournament balls and a zip case. JOOLA builds these bats for control rather than speed.
What owners say: Owners like the solid, well-weighted feel of the bats, but several report them breaking or the rubber coming apart before long.
Heads up: Rubber dries out in heat and sunlight, so keeping the bats in their zip case between games helps them last.
A closer look: Control bats like these are forgiving in a slow rally and let a learner practise spin without the ball flying off the end. Give the rubber time to dry before the bats go back in the case, or it goes slick.
- Bats built for control
- 3-star balls
Best for: Learners heading for a club
- Type
- Set of 2 bats
- Balls included
- 3
- ITTF-approved rubber
- Yes
- Case or bag
- Zip case
#6STIGA Royal WRB 3-Star Table Tennis Bat (single)
£30–£50
A proper club bat from STIGA, the Swedish maker Stig Hjelmquist founded in Tranås: an offensive 5-ply blade, 3-star ITTF-approved rubbers on 2.0mm sponge and a concave handle, for a player who has outgrown a set bat.
What owners say: Owners call it excellent quality from a maker with pedigree, notice the extra control, with some finding their shots land more accurately, and like how the handle sits in the hand.
A closer look: It comes on its own, with no balls or cover, so a bat case is worth adding to protect the rubber. The concave handle, slimmer in the middle, suits the shakehand grip, and the bat is quicker off the blade than a set bat, so expect a few returns to sail long at first.
- 5-ply blade for attacking play
- Handle suits the shakehand grip
- 2.0mm sponge
Best for: Club and league play
- Type
- Single bat
- Balls included
- None
- ITTF-approved rubber
- Yes
- Case or bag
- No
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1PRO-SPIN set | #2PRO-SPIN Carbon | #3Flintronic set | #4Glymnis 4-bat set | #5JOOLA Duo Pro | #6STIGA Royal WRB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for club play | Best budget | Best for four players | Best set with ITTF rubber | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Price | £20–£30 | £20–£30 | £10–£20 | £10–£20 | £20–£30 | £30–£50 |
| Type | Set of 2 bats | Single bat | Set of 2 bats | Set of 4 bats | Set of 2 bats | Single bat |
| Balls included | 3 | None | 3 | 8 | 3 | None |
| ITTF-approved rubber | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Case or bag | Storage case | Protective cover | Carry bag | Zip bag | Zip case | No |
| Best for | Topspin rallies on a home table | Players ready for more spin | Holidays and first games | Doubles and families | Learners heading for a club | Club and league play |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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