If you're buying a pickleball paddle, you're going to see a lot of marketing about power, control and spin. But as players it’s important to fully understand what those elements actually mean, and what kind of paddle is best suited to our games.

While hitting shots with a ton of spin is fun and exciting at first, most pros and coaches say you need to have the fundamentals down before you start intentionally trying to add spin to your shots.

But once you become a more experienced player and start leveling up, adding spin to your game can be very effective and help you win more matches. If you’ve reached that stage of your pickleball journey, below are a few of the best paddles on the market that are proven to generate elite levels of spin.

In most cases, using code “KITCHEN” at checkout will get you the biggest discount. 👊🏻

The RPM Q2 was designed in collaboration with popular paddle reviewer John Kew. It delivers everything we’ve come to expect from full-foam paddles: Big power, a consistent sweet spot and a firm feel on contact.

But it also lives up to the brand’s name, with extremely high spin on drives, aggressive third-shot drops and flicks out of the air.

Proton developed a unique 100% foam core in the company’s latest release, giving it a softer and more responsive feel with a noticeable “pocketing” effect — especially on the 13mm versions. But what really separates Proton’s paddles from the pack is the extremely gritty carbon fiber surface. Grit + pocketing = elite shot shaping ability.

Check out our in-depth review of the Proton Project Peacock.

With the release of the Power 2 Series, 11SIX24 introduced a new grit technology called “HexGrit.” The paddle face is very gritty to the touch, and the brand claims the HexGrit is more durable than raw carbon fiber and other grit technologies on the market.

So if you’re a player who likes the feel of full-foam paddles and want something with longer lasting grit (why wouldn’t you want that?), then this is a great option.

Check out our in-depth review of the new Ultre Power 2 here.

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

In an interview with The Kitchen, 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.

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

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