If you're looking for the best control paddles available, this review is for you. I've compiled the Top 5 Control Paddles of 2023. These 5 paddles will give you the ability to add tons of spin to your drives, position your ball optimally, win more hand battles, and become the king of dinking. I've tried almost every paddle in the industry and after playing with these paddles and analyzing them back and forth for months this is my definitive list. Lastly, I have discount codes linked below for all of these paddles if you decide to snag one to make sure you get the best price possible. So without further ado LETS DINK STRAIGHT INTO IT.
#5 VOLAIR MACH 1 FORZA
At Number 5 we have the 16mm Volair Mach 1 Forza. One of the highest spinning paddles I've ever tested, the Forza has a bit more firmness and poppiness than most control oriented paddles, but the construction and the feel off the face gives it an edge. At $179 you can use code STSPICKLEBALL to save $18 bucks and get this paddle for $162 dollars. Volair really went all out on this paddle using lower temperatures when thermoforming to greatly reduce if not completely diminish the possibility of delamination. In short its a very durable paddle. The swing weight comes in at 117, which is a very balanced feel. If you don't know what swing weight is, it's basically how quick the paddle feels in the hands. Higher swing weight means more weight towards the head of the paddle, while lower swing weight means more weight closer to the bottom of the paddle. Lower will be faster hands, and higher will be slower hand speed at the net. So 117 is pretty balanced as the highest paddle tested currently is around 127 swing weight. I like the poppiness off the face for dinking. I really feel like it helps get the ball over the net with a bit less force. The super grippy high spinning face texture gives it a great grab on the ball which makes placing shots a lot easier. The Forza came in at 2167rpm in my testing so you can see the spin is really great, which of course makes anything in the control category easier and more fun. I think this is a great paddle if you're looking for a blend of power and solid control, as the Forza has more power than most other control oriented paddles for sure.
#4 RONBUS R1 NOVA
Coming in at number 4 we have the new 16mm Ronbus R1 Nova. The Nova is Ronbus's newest offering. The Nova comes in at a price of $180, you can use code 20OFF that's two zero oh eff eff to save $20 bucks which drops the price to $160. At a swing weight of 114, it's going to feel lighter and a bit faster in the hands, making for some quicker response times to a speed up or a reset. The brand new tech Ronbus is implementing here is what they're calling their gen 3 patent pending edge grid technology. As you can see in this picture the owner of Ronbus sent me They're essentially weaving the edge foam around the perimeter. And in this video you can see they cut open a brand new paddle to show the core, they then took another new paddle and slammed it over and over into a stationary ball over 10,000 times. The paddle slamming into this stationary ball is with much more force than you'd ever hit a normal ball in play, also it's in the exact same spot over and over, not all over the face, and then they took this paddle after 10,000 hits and cut it open to show there was no change in the core's integrity. Easily the most durable paddle on the market right now with this new tech, this is a great bet if you want something to last a very long time and you don't like having to worry about potentially damaging your paddle and having to replace it. The spin for the R1 comes in at 1843, so not the highest spin on this list. I think the reason the Nova deserves spot number 4 is mostly do to the feel off the face. The sweet spot feels great, and I think the new tech they implemented here gives it a very hot off the face feel for drives and serves, but it feels really plush and control oriented on softer shots. Really a great all around paddle with amazing control and some really cool new tech implemented. A great paddle for control for sure.
#3 16MM SIX ZERO DOUBLE BLACK DIAMOND
Coming in at a number 3 we have the legendary 16mm Six Zero Double Black Diamond. If you're just browsing around or if you're a paddlehead like me, it's very likely you've heard of this one. One of my favorite paddles right now, the double black diamond comes in at a price of $180, you can use code STSPICKLEBALL to save $18 bucks which drops the price to $162. The Double Black Diamond has a swing weight of 114 giving it a relative feel as far as hand speed to the Ronbus Nova we talked about before. The shape is a hybrid shape where the edges taper outwards towards the top of the paddle which for me makes the face feel really nice and extends the sweetspot from side to side. Speaking of the sweet spot this paddle is very forgiving especially on offer center dinks, or just really any off center shot in general. If you're a control oriented player you'll love this paddle. The spin comes in at 1977 rpm which is top tier. The feel off the face is super plush, but it has plenty of power to put shots away, and dominate in speed ups and drives. It has plenty of pop to win hand battles, while also aiding in getting the ball over the net if your dinking game feels a bit off. I feel like the Double Black Diamond has so many great things going for it in every single category. I spoke to the owner of Six Zero after using this paddle for a few weeks, and he told me he was one of the first people to inject edge foam into the perimeter of his paddles. Which, gives credit to Six Zero for being the cause of the thermoformed revolution in pickleball paddles. Which is pretty awesome. I really feel like the Double Black Diamond is just such a safe bet especially if you're trying to find your first paddle over $100, or if you're just trying to find the right paddle for you in general. A very worthy paddle of the number 3 spot on this list.
#2 DIADEM EDGE 18K
Coming in at number 2 we have the new 16mm Diadem Edge 18K. The Edge 18K comes in at a pretty crazy 2289 rpm, which gives it the potential to dip extremely hard over the net, and makes adding spin to dinks a breeze. The brand new Diadem Edge 18k comes in at $229 and you can get $23 off by using code STSPICKLEBALL at checkout making the price $206. The swing weight comes in at 122, which makes it a touch slower in the hands, but everything else this paddle is offering more than makes up for that in my opinion. The new cutting edge technology utilized in the 18k is the new surface material. Utilizing their state-of-the-art 3D 18k carbon fiber, this paddle uses a unique triaxial weave, incorporating three interwoven yarns at 60-degree angles. Which gives the face this super unique 3d look. So essentially traditional unidirectional raw carbon fiber paddles only utilize one direction with their carbon fiber weave. According to Diadem this leaves you at a disadvantage on certain angles of contact as far as spin goes. The 18k's advanced construction amplifies spin potential at every angle of contact, which gives you an advantage at any angle you strike the ball at. And even though these are some pretty hefty claims, in my testing it does all seem to check out. I tried multiple angles of contact across multiple paddles and noticed and measured much higher spin on my slice shots, and flick rolls specifically which was really cool to see. Professional player Christian Alshon recently had his first podium finish using the 18k in doubles, which shows this is an incredible control paddle and helped a ton in achieving this. Doubles tends to be a much more control oriented game, usually you would prioritize control and the soft game in doubles, and more power in singles generally speaking. The 18k feels very forgiving and has a solid sweet spot. I really like the feel and the feedback off the face.
#1 13MM GRUVN MUVN 13S
And coming in at the Big NUMBER 1 SPOT we have the new 13mm GRUVN MUVN 13S. I actually rewrote this entire post because I was so blown by the control potential of this paddle in my testing,.. so I had to restructure everything around it. And I want to make sure you get the most up to date information as everything evolves. At a swing weight of only 99 this is the fastest paddle available right now for hand speed at the net. The 13S comes in at $179 and you can get $18 bucks off using code STSPICKLEBALL at checkout bringing the price to just $161 dollars. If you suffer from tennis elbow or just want something that can move quick for resets or hand battles this is exactly what you need. This is the most recent paddle I've tested and I am freaking loving it. The MUVN 13s is a thermoformed unibody construction, which means it has added stability, a solid sweet spot, and foam injected walls around the perimeter of the paddle. The shape almost reminds me of an enlarged ping pong paddle in a way. The 13mm thickness doesn't make the paddle feel as rigid as other 13mm paddles I've tested. It still feels extremely plush and has a wonderful feel off the face. I've noticed that with all GRUVN paddles, theyre honestly the most plush and soft feeling paddles I've tested period. The spin for the MUVN 13s comes in at 2008 rpm which is definitely top tier. The sweet spot doesn't feel tight either, I was wondering if off center hits would be punishing given the size of the face, and they honestly feel extremely good. Dinking, controlling the positioning of my shots, and any shot that requires precise accuracy is just a breeze with the MUVN 13s. My ability to utilize spin while drinking has drastically improved and honestly has just lead to more wins overall which I think everyone has to love. Being thermoformed the 13S has plenty of power and pop to add plenty of aggression to drives and putaways. I almost feel like when I move back to traditional elongated paddles now they almost feel kind of clunky because the MUVN 13s feels so quick and agile. I'd say if you're a control oriented player this is easily the best control paddle available right now. So that's it! The best control paddles of 2023, let me know down BELOW! What's YOUR favorite control paddle right now?