Most Expensive Pickleball Paddles

Overview: After a failed product release of the Engage Pursuit Ultra, the team at Engage went back to the drawing board and released a new and improved line called the Engage Pursuit MX. The MX Series are foam injected elongated paddles without thermoform technology. The Engage Pursuit is the most expensive paddle currently on the market with a $260 price tag.

Performance: Engage went all out with the features on this one. The elongated paddle provides good reach without it feeling too lopsided, their vertex barrier injected foam edge technology provides noticeably good weight distribution and vibration control, and their "counter balance" technology provides amazing power. The MX series can produce spin above 2,000 RPM with solid power. This engage paddle is not thermoformed so it doesn’t feel as stiff compared to most paddles on the market. The only downside to this is that it does feel poppy making mid court resets challenging. It has excellent plow through with a swing weight of 121.

Overview: Available in three shapes: S2,Epic, and Invikta; the Selkirk Luxx paddle is the thickness paddles on the market at 20mm. It is a unique feeling springy paddle ideal for players who want to get better at soft games and kitchen fights. The Selkirk Luxx is similar to the 003 line except a bit muted when it comes to power. We’d recommend adding lead tape if your focus is adding more power. This is definitely a control paddle and will turn you into a reset machine.

Performance: The Selkirk Luxx paddle is a softer and lighter paddle with minor upgrades of the Project 003. The weight distribution, increased swing weight, and balance gives it a robust solid feel. It’s one of the most forgiving paddles we’ve tested, similar to a Vatic Prism or Vanguard 2.0. The highlight of this paddle is the large sweet spot thanks to the thermofoam injection around the perimeter walls.

Overview: With the replaceable Paddle Armor protecting the edge and the etched surface enhancing spin, the Diadem Warrior V2 pickleball paddle offers unmatched strength, spin, and control. Its edgeless design and 3X L-core provide durability and powerful spins. Despite its thickness, it's lighter and less head heavy than the original. Ideal for players who prefer a heavier, firm feel, it performs well in resets, blocks, and drives.

Performance: There is a lot to love with the Diadem Warrior. The handle feels great in the hand, similar to a tapered tennis racket. The paddle excels at soft game being more of a control paddle, however we found that it still had a ton of power due to the 3X - L core and spins of up to 1,600 RPM. Overall the paddle feels very good and doesn’t have a lot of vibration on contact.

Overview: The Joola Perseus is a joint venture with pro pickleball player Ben Johns. The thermoformed unibody paddle uses the new charged carbon surface technology coupled with a fully encased carbon fiber for power and stability. The unibody design is very sturdy and provides a great pop. This is Joola’s best paddle in our opinion.

Performance: The handle offers a tacky yet soft grip that absorbs sweat. Handle breakage seen in the Hyperion CFS, should not occur with the Perseus due to the unibody construction. Although, you may want to consider an overgrip. The 14 mm paddle has a swing weight of 112 and the 16mm paddle is 116. While the spin is good, it is not quite on par with other thermoform paddles. In the past, Joola has had an issue with grit wearing off or having inconsistent placement; It seems this has changed with this paddle. You will find the 14 mm offers more power and therefore better if you’re a singles player. If you prefer the 16mm and want added power, consider adding lead tape.

Overview: The Elite model of the Model E delivers a significant improvement, building on the success of the original model. Its 16mm thermoformed core gives it an extended shape. It has great reach and a great mix of spin, power, and control. The Electrum paddle is foam injected marginalizing any dead spots. Edge to edge is an amazing paddle.

Performance: One of the most notable features of the Electrum model E Elite is the blend of graphene and carbon fiber in the face. This face material grit is going to make it much more durable and allow spin of up to 1,800 RPM. The paddle does have a noticeably large sweet spot. Overall this paddle has a softer feel for a thermoformed paddle without the ball jumping off it. This is likely due to the high twist weight. It's a very sturdy paddle built with solid materials. The handle is carbon forged, but I wasn’t a fan of the oval handle shape compared to the traditional octagon.

Overview: The CX14H with Gearbox is loaded with technology. It’s built out of pure carbon fiber giving it an extremely strong frame, hence why the edge guard is not needed on a paddle like this. The face feels very smooth, but don’t let that make you think it doesn’t produce spin. With its revolutionary SST core rib structure it can make over 1,800 RPM of spin.

Performance: The CX14H has a very unique feel to it. Given it’s made from a solid carbon fiber core it almost feels like a wood paddle. You will need to get used to a paddle like this as they are some of the softest paddles on the market. The CX14H is definitely more of a control paddle preferred by those who play a softer and more controlled game with a lot of dinks.

Overview: The Ace pickleball paddle has a striking luxurious design that is captivating to say the least. It features a Toray T700 Carbon Fiber face with a long 5.5” handle and elongated shape. It offers a wonderful combination of power, control, and spin.

Performance: The Ace paddle has nailed it with the durability of this paddle. It feels sturdy and provides a good bit of power despite being on the lighter side. I would recommend adding lead tape as it did feel a little too light for me personally when driving the ball. The grit provides enough spin to keep your opponents on edge and it’s great at slicing. Overall it’s a well rounded paddle and great for those with a tennis background.

Overview: The tremendous swing speed of the Luxe LX pickleball paddle really amazed us. Due to the foam-filled edges, the paddle is incredibly light and glides through the air with a wonderful pop and big sweet spot. In addition to being incredibly comfortable, the open throat design looks fashionable on the court. At over $100 less, it feels a lot like a Selkirk Luxx. The ideal balance of power, spin, pop, and control can be found in the LX.

Performance: The Luxe LX shines with its foam filled edges proving it with an above average sweet spot. The weight distribution felt very even unlike a lot of the top heavy paddles. The holes on the side of the paddle are a unique design I haven’t seen in a paddle before but it didn’t seem to get in the way in terms of mis-hits like I thought it might. It has a bit of pep to it and the grit can put out some spin. It is one of the lightest paddles we’ve reviewed and thus lacks some power. However, it performs exceptionally well in dinks, resets, and controlled play.