My Top Pickleball Paddles of 2025
Real-player perspective. No hype. Just paddles I've actually used and loved.
As a normal dad of two who grinds it out at rec play, league nights, and content creation—not a pro videographer—I get asked all the time which paddles I actually recommend. Being an ambassador for Vatic Pro and someone who loves testing all kinds of paddles, I’ve played with a wide range this year: Gen 3, Gen 4, hybrids, full foam cores, and everything in between.
Here are my honest picks for the best paddles of 2025, broken down by category—based on real play, consistency, value, and the feeling you get on court.
🏆 Best Power Paddle of the Year: Luzz Inferno
Originally, I thought this category was locked up by the Bread & Butter Loco. But after spending more time with the Luz Inferno toward the end of the year and revisiting it on court, my mind completely changed.
The best way I can describe hitting with the Inferno on hard shots is this:
it feels like hitting a baseball with a wooden bat instead of an aluminum one.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about the feel and sound on contact. On full swings, drives, and put-aways, this paddle absolutely cracks. The sound is loud, clean, and confidence-inspiring—but what surprised me most is that despite being a foam paddle, it still offers really solid dwell time.
Where the Inferno shines:
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Elite power on drives and hard hits
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Amazing crack sound that makes the ball feel heavy
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Good balance, especially for an elongated paddle
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Solid dwell for a foam-core power paddle
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UPA certified, so I know I can take it straight into tournament play
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Metallic blue design that looks just as good as it plays
At the net and on dinks, it’s good—not elite—but that’s not where this paddle is trying to win. The Inferno knows exactly what it is.
This paddle sings on hard hits. It’s the kind of paddle that makes you want to swing out, step into drives, and finish points. And for that reason, the Luzz Inferno is my Power Paddle of the Year.
Runner Up: Bread and Butter Loco
🏆 Best Paddle for the People (Best All-Court for Rec Players)
Honolulu J2 FC+ (or J2 NF)
This paddle blew me away.
The sweet spot is huge, the stability is elite, and the price is very reasonable compared to big-brand premiums. It’s the paddle that feels good to literally anyone who picks it up—new players, improving rec players, and even competitive players.
If there’s one “give this to anyone and they’ll like it” paddle in 2025, this is it.
Runner up: Friday Fever 101
🏆 Surprise Paddle of the Year: Enhance Duo
The Enhance Duo is the paddle that impressed me the most out of nowhere.
It feels like a Gen 3 in consistency but delivers Gen 4-style crispness and pop. It has:
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A clean crack sound
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Real power and plow-through
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Great control at the kitchen
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One of the most balanced “new tech” feels this year
The only downside is the edge guard printing on the black model—but performance-wise, it’s absolutely top-tier. This thing earned its spot in my bag.
🏆 Best Value Paddle: Vatic Pro VSol Pro & VSol Power
As a Vatic Pro ambassador, I’ve played with just about everything they’ve dropped—and their value is unbeatable.
The Pro V7 (long handle) and the Power Flash both explode with power while still offering top-tier feel. You get:
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Full foam (Power) or floating foam (V7) options
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Top-performing cores
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Premium carbon
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Insane value compared to the rest of the market
The Pro V7 long handle is currently in my main bag—right behind the Enhance Duo. But if I had a larger bag to carry more paddles Id have the VSol Power Flash in my bag as well. Since I have been on the elongated preference that is why the V7 is my go to for Vatic.
🏆 Best Control Paddle (Beginner-Friendly Pick): Vatic Prism Bloom 16mm
For players who want control over power, or those starting out and learning the soft game, the Prism Bloom 16mm is perfect.
Huge sweet spot, predictable touch, clean feel, and affordable.
Runner Up: Friday Fever Elongated
Great feel, decent power, fun colors, and one of the better elongated options under $100.
🏆 Most Undervalued Paddle of the Year: Friday Fever 101
Friday Pickleball quietly dropped one of the biggest steals of the year—the first Gen 3 paddle for under $100.
This paddle got me into elongated paddles and Gen 3 tech. It’s lightweight, customizable, has great pop and control, and they even released a stealth black edition for the holidays.
This is a true all-court sleeper hit.
🏆 New Paddle Brand of the Year: Luzz Pickleball
Luz came out of nowhere and made noise in 2025.
They launched multiple hits:
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Luzz Pro Cannon — $93 and one of the best budget paddles of the year
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Luzz Tornazo — a premium build and feel
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Luzz Inferno — power beast of a paddle with great dwell
They offer strong warranties, legit performance, and smart marketing. Luzz earned this award by simply bringing solid gear at great prices.
🏆 Paddle of the Year: Bread & Butter Loco (elongated)
After all the testing, comparisons, late-night editing sessions, and countless rec games this year, the paddle that earned Paddle of the Year for me is the Bread & Butter Loco — and honestly, it wasn’t even that hard of a decision once I looked back on everything.
This is the paddle I kept coming back to more than anything else.
Here’s why the Loco takes the top spot:
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Elite Power + Unique Feel:
It delivers massive pop, punch, and put-away strength, but without feeling overly springy. It cracks the ball loud, heavy, and confident — yet still gives you enough control to keep things dialed in. -
Incredible Fall Release:
Bread & Butter absolutely outshined the field this fall. Their rollout was clean, timely, and honestly one of the better product experiences of the year. -
Unboxing + Design:
Nobody else matched the full experience — the packaging, the look, the branding, the feel. It’s premium without the attitude. They nailed it. -
Innovation That Actually Performed:
They delivered something fresh: a powerful paddle that didn’t feel wild or uncontrollable, and a build that felt rock-solid from day one.
Behind the Loco, I have two strong runner-ups:
Runner-Up #1: Enhance Duo
The Duo feels incredible — like a Gen 3 that plays like a Gen 4. Balanced, explosive, controlled, and one of the biggest surprises of the year.
Runner-Up #2: Luzz Tornazo
The Tornazo plays very close to the Loco. The power, the density, the feel — it almost took the spot. But the Loco just had that extra edge: the experience, the polish, the release, the attention to detail.
At the end of the day, all three are fantastic paddles. But Bread & Butter Loco didn’t just play well — it delivered the full package and followed through with everything players want: performance, build quality, design, and reliability.
That’s why it’s my Paddle of the Year for 2025.
Thank you to everyone who watched my YouTube videos, hit subscribe, and took the time to comment. That support motivates me more than reviewing paddles ever could. I’m not a high-end video YouTuber, but showcasing paddles, sharing honest thoughts, and connecting with the community is what I truly enjoy.
I’m also incredibly grateful to the paddle companies who trusted me with their products and gave me the opportunity to share my opinions. Luzz Pickleball reached out at a time when I was close to taking a good break from pickleball, and sending me the Pro Cannon got me excited and back on the court early—I've been a fan ever since. Warping Point went above and beyond by sending multiple paddles to review, offering great prices and UPA-certified options. Joysent showed that there are solid, lesser-known brands out there with good value and clean designs. And of course, Vatic Pro—I’m thankful to be part of their ambassador program. Their pricing, quality, and consistency keep me a fan and always will.
As for 2026, I’m not sure what’s next—but after a year of mostly outdoor play with friends, I’m excited to finally dip my toes into tournament play, likely in the 3.5 division, and kick off men’s league in January. Above all, I’m thankful for another year—my family, my faith, and my health. After TTO surgery two years ago, I never thought I’d be this active again. Pickleball has been an unexpected blessing: a way to connect, compete, have fun, and stay moving. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
