Each month we’re updating our list of the Top 13 paddles on the market — a baker’s dozen.

There was quite a bit of movement in August, with several high-profile paddle releases, most notably the 11SIX24 Jelly Bean 2 Series, Proton Project Coyote and Luzz Inferno2 M1.

HOW WE CAME UP WITH OUR RANKINGS

Below you will find our current top paddles.

Our paddle reviewers (both 5.0+ players) worked with other high-level players in their area to test the paddle on a variety of shots. This testing involved several hours of drills and 5.0+ games in an effort to determine how the paddle performs in real-world scenarios.

The JOOLA Pro V series has been No. 1 on our list since its release earlier this year. There’s a reason it’s preferred by many high-level players, including several pros who aren’t even sponsored by the brand.

The “Gen 3” core produces a plush feel and a noticeable pocketing effect, which lets the player dictate pace and spin instead of the paddle doing all the work.

In a sea of incredibly poppy and overly powerful foam paddles, the Pro V series delivers power that matches what the player is intending (JOOLA calls this “precise power”) along with control when they need it on dinks and resets.

Check out our in-depth review of the JOOLA Pro V Series here.

The RPM Friction Pro V2 is an updated version that offers more power and pop than the original Friction Pro while maintaining the Gen 3 feel that many high-level players prefer.

In an interview with The Kitchen, RPM Founder and pro player James Ignatowich said he has moved to China to be at the factory where RPM paddles are made, which has allowed him to be very hands-on and make small tweaks that ultimately impact performance. He compared the RPM Friction Pro V2 to an iPhone update -- it's not a complete overhaul, rather a 5-10% improvement from the original.

"With me in China I was able to really dial in the materials," he said.

The Friction Pro V2 comes in three shapes -- elongated, hybrid and widebody -- as well as 14mm and 16mm options in each shape.

Find our full review of the RPM Friction Pro V2 here.

We think the Honolulu J6CR is the best “full foam” paddle on the market right now. The paddle features an intricate core design with multiple layers and cutouts that allows the paddle to absorb and transfer energy to the ball in a more controlled way.

It has more of a “pocketing” effect on contact compared to many other foam paddles, which makes it a breeze to shape the ball on shots from the baseline and flicks out of the air at the kitchen line. It also maintains the top-end power that full foam paddles have become known for over the past year.

Check out our in-depth review of the Honolulu J6CR here.

The Jelly Bean 2 was released this month and is an updated take on the original Jelly Bean Series, which helped put put 11SIX24 on the map in 2024. It features a softer, denser EMA foam core with sneaky power, wrapped in the brand’s popular “HexGrit” surface. The Jelly Bean 2 comes in four shapes and three incredible colorways that set this paddle apart from almost everything else on the market.

Check out our full review of the 11SIX24 Jelly Bean 2 Series here.

The Proton Project Coyote was released this month and has already generated a lot of buzz among paddle reviewers and players. It's a "Gen 3" build that delivers great power and a predictable response off the paddle face, making it a good option for a wide variety of play styles.

It has a relatively low swingweight compared to other elongated paddles on the market, so it's very maneuverable in fast exchanges, and Proton also introduced a slightly different throat taper with the Project Coyote, which is something a lot of Proton players had been asking for. We think this is the best Proton paddle yet and could still move up our list as we spend more time with it.

Check out our full review of the Proton Project Coyote here.

🔗 Click here to see the full list of our Top 13 paddles

RPM dropping new paddle at midnight TONIGHT

RPM Pickleball is opening the pre-order window for the brand’s latest paddle at midnight ET tonight. It’s called the Jade, and we’re told it is a full-foam power paddle with INSANE spin.

It’s designed with RPM’s new durable grit surface, which shows no spin loss even after several months of play.

You can see RPM founder and pro player James Ignatowich putting that spin on full display here.

If past RPM releases are any indication, we expect this paddle to sell out very quickly, so act fast if you want to be among the first people to try this one!

🔗 Shop all RPM paddles here — use code “KITCHEN” at checkout for 15% off!