Are you currently in the market for ping pong balls to pair perfectly with your new ping pong table and paddle? Do you know exactly what to look for when purchasing table tennis balls? Ping pong can offer hours of fun and fast-paced excitement. However, unless you have the right gear you might find that you constantly have to stop the game due to balls that crack or dimple when struck.
To help you avoid this we have provided a quick list of great table tennis balls, detailed reviews of the most popular and best-selling ping pong balls on the market today, and highlighted some of the pros and cons associated with each type of ball. We have also put together a Ping Pong Balls Buying Guide for your convenience—a guide in which we will go over some of the factors, features and characteristics you will want to consider when shopping for your next set of ping pong balls.
Table of Contents
Best Ping Pong Balls
Quick List
1. Kevenz Advanced Training Ping Pong Balls
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2. Mapol Premium Training Ping Pong Balls
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3. Joola Regulation Training Ping Pong Balls
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4. Butterfly G40 Table Tennis Balls
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5. Mapol Advanced Ping Pong Balls
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6. Zhenan Table Tennis Balls
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Table Tennis Ball Reviews
Kevenez Table Tennis Balls
Pros
- Available in two colors. If choice is important to you in your table tennis balls, you are in luck. The KEVENZ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are available in two different colors: bright orange and an attractive white.
- High-quality. The KEVENZ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are tested and retested for hardness and quality and are guaranteed not to crack before 1,000 hits.
Cons
- Not tournament balls. Because of their thickness, the KEVENZ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are not rated for tournament play.
- Heavy. Compared to other 3-star balls, the KEVENZ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are a bit weightier.
Available in packs up to 144 in quantity, the KEVENZ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls come in two colors to appease customers looking for variety, including white and a bright orange that really pops against the green of the table tennis table. Known as practice balls, these ping pong balls can actually be used by anyone in real game play (except tournaments). They are ideal for home tables, and for novice and beginner players just starting out with the game of table tennis.
All the table tennis balls produced by the KEVENZ are made in their high-quality factory and are strictly inspected before they leave the facility. Each ball has a diameter of roughly 40 mm, nearly the regulation size for a ping pong ball, as ensured by the factory before they are packaged. The KEVENZ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are known for the consistent bounce they produce and for the premium spin and ultra-control they offer players. There is never any wobbling with these long-lasting ping pong balls, which can be struck more than 1,000 times before any cracking takes place. They are suitable for multi-ball training and can even be used with robotic table tennis partners when playing or practicing alone.
The KEVENZ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls have a regulation weight of 2.75 grams, are made in a perfect round shape and have smooth seams that are nearly impossible to detect. They are genuinely balanced and tested rigorously to ensure hardness. They are perfect for home games and when practicing with friends, and because they come in a bright orange design, they show up much better in low light situations.
Joola 3 Star Ping Pong Balls
Pros
- Long-Lasting. The old celluloid material from which the JOOLA 3-Star Ping Pong Training Balls are designed and manufactured makes them highly durable and long lasting.
- Endorsed. All of JOOLA’s high quality table tennis products have been endorsed by some of the best professional ping pong players in the world.
Cons
- Odorous. Because of the material from which the JOOLA 3-Star Ping Pong Training Balls are made, players might pick up a slight odor—and odor that tends to go away after the balls have been hit for a while.
Made by a company whose name is synonymous with table tennis, the JOOLA 3-Star Ping Pong Training Balls Set is a product that can definitely be trusted. JOOLA has been in the ping pong arena for over 60 years now, since the 1950s, and is now the proud sponsor of tournaments the world over. All JOOLA products, their ping pong balls notwithstanding, are of the highest quality and are built to last. These balls have been used in training centers by some of the world’s greatest table tennis players and they will definitely help you hone your game.
The JOOLA 3-Star Ping Pong Training Balls are of the regulation size and weight for a product of this kind, measuring exactly 40 mm in diameter and weighing in at 2.7 grams. They also have the official thickness as outlined by the International Table Tennis Foundation, which is .86 mm in terms of the thickness of the walls. In addition to being super durable and long-lasting, these balls also offer consistent bounces on any table tennis board, and can be used to practice spin shots and control.
Whether you are looking to practice your serves, engage in multi-ball training, work with robotic trainers or automatic service machines, or play against a partner, these JOOLA 3-Star Ping Pong Training Balls are the products for you. In this particular set, purchasers will receive 12 of the most highly rated training balls on the market today—balls that are lightweight yet extremely sturdy and durable. Consumers can choose from a variety of colors when buying this set, including the standard white and bright orange, the latter of which signifies that these are training balls only.
ZHENAN 3 Star Ping Pong Balls
Pros
- Heavier. The extra weight on the ZHENAN 30-Pack 3-Star 40+ New Material Ping Pong Balls can be seen as both a pro and a con. On the downside, they are not tournament eligible, but their heavier weight does make them much more durable.
- Bright. The bright yellow color of the ZHENAN 30-Pack 3-Star 40+ New Material Ping Pong Balls makes them very easy to see.
- Warranty. This awesome set of ping pong balls comes with a 90-day, worry-free, no-questions asked warranty. Not happy? Just send the balls back for a full refund.
Cons
- Not tournament eligible. The heavier ZHENAN 30-Pack 3-Star 40+ New Material Ping Pong Balls are not eligible for tournament play.
The ZHENAN 30-Pack 3-Star 40+ New Material Ping Pong Balls are sure to change your game for the better. Made from the newest and thinnest plastic materials, these ping pong balls offer incredible bounce and near-perfect consistency. They are ideal for those who are looking to master their spin and control and great for practicing serves or for playing against an inverted table during practice sessions. Having a slightly greater mass than some of the other balls on our list, the ZHENAN balls offer a steady momentum and every hit feels more controlled than the last.
Perfectly round with imperceptible seams, the ZHENAN 30-Pack 3-Star 40+ New Material Ping Pong Balls are very true indeed. They are balanced and re-balanced in the factory, and because they are slightly heavier than most ping pong balls, they tend to hold their shape longer and offer a bounce that is very predictable. Compared to balls that measure 38 millimeters in diameter, the 40-mm ZHENAN balls catch more spin and stay on the paddle a spilt second longer for better control.
The ZHENAN 30-Pack 3-Star 40+ New Material Ping Pong Balls are perfect for amateurs and professionals, although because they have a greater mass than standardized table tennis balls, they are not of tournament quality. They can, however, be used in a lot of other applications, including multi-ball training, robots, and automatic serve machines to practice one’s returns.
Ping Pong Balls Buying Guide
When shopping for ping pong balls there are many things—factors and features—that you must consider. To help you select just the right balls for your purposes and preferences, below we have very briefly covered some of these considerations.
Size
When setting out to purchase your next set of ping pong balls, be sure those balls are made to the regulation size: 40 mm in diameter. If you are buying balls for recreational purposes only, you can instead purchase balls that are slightly larger or smaller than that.
Weight
A regulation ping pong ball weighs 2.75 grams, and unless it comes in at that weight it cannot be used in tournament play. Some training balls on the market may be slightly heavier due to the manufacturing process. These are okay for home use and tend to be a bit more durable.
Thickness
The regulation thickness of a ping pong ball, as set forth by the International Table Tennis Federation, is .86 mm. Many balls you may find for home use, however, may be slightly thicker than this, and that is okay recreationally. Thicker balls can stand up to more abuse and willl not blow around so much if you play outdoor table tennis.
Rating
When you go shopping for ping pong balls, you will no doubt notice that these balls are marked 1-star, 2-star or 3-star. So what exactly is the difference?
1-star balls are very light and flimsy and can be either larger or smaller than higher-rated ping pong balls. These balls are usually very affordable, and they are thus used in places like schools, youth clubs, community rec centers—places where the balls will receive a lot of play and where the owner of the ping pong table may have a limited budget.
2-star balls are a slight step up from their 1-star counterparts, but they still are not rated for tournament play. They are often slightly larger or smaller than the required 40 mm in diameter, they may weigh more or less than the 2.75 grams, and probably have a thickness that is not up to par.
3-star balls are the granddaddies of all ping pong balls. These balls are all made to match the standards set forth by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF): 40 mm in diameter; 2.75 grams in weight; and .86 millimeters in thickness. These balls are regularly used at tournaments and ping pong training centers and make for a great ball for home use.
Color
Ping pong balls are generally made in a variety of different colors. White balls are the most common and the type that must be used in tournament play. However, if you are purchasing balls for your own ping pong table, perhaps in your man cave, game room or garage, the sky is the limit in terms of color. Note: Yellow and Orange balls are especially popular because they are very easy to see.
Warranty
Last but not least, while warranties are seldom very long for ping pong balls, you will definitely want to select a product with at least a 3 month warranty. This will give you ample time to check/play with the ping pong balls to ensure they deliver what the manufacturer has promised.
Summary
The above ping pong balls buying guide will help you choose the best ping pong balls for the money. Ping pong really is a great game. It keeps you fit and your brain working and doesn’t cost a great deal to get started, especially if you buy a ping pong table conversion top,a couple of paddles and some ping pong balls. Let us know how you get on in the comments below.
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