Best padel rackets for beginners

8 rackets · prices checked 5 October 2026

A first racket needs to do one job, which is to make your mishits less bad. New players miss the middle of the racket a lot (I certainly did), and a round or teardrop head with a softish core sends those shots somewhere useful instead of into the back glass.

That is why there are no diamond rackets here, and nothing over £130. A dearer racket is built for somebody who already hits the middle most of the time, and it will feel worse, not better, until you do.

The one group this doesn't fit is people coming from years of tennis or squash, who time the ball well from day one. If that is you, the list for tennis players is a better starting point.

How this list is made

What gets in: Rated by the brand for beginners, round, teardrop or hybrid in shape, and no more than £130 delivered.

The order: how many UK shops stock it, then how well it fits the list, then price. We have not play-tested these rackets, so “best” here means best fit on the brand’s published specs at today’s price, and nothing more. No brand or shop pays to be included. We may earn a commission if you buy through a shop link, and where two rackets tie, one we can earn on goes first. How we work.

No. 1
adidas Drive 2026
Round · 360 to 375 g · medium balance · soft feel · beginner level
A round head, which is the most forgiving shape, with a soft core and a medium balance that keeps it easy to swing.
£49.99delivered
at Express Padel · 4 shops compared · 29% under RRP
See all 4 prices →
No. 2
Nox X-Hero 2026
Round · 350 to 360 g · medium balance · soft feel · beginner level
A round head, which is the most forgiving shape, with a soft core and a medium balance that keeps it easy to swing.
£50.99delivered
at Express Padel · 4 shops compared · 15% under RRP
See all 4 prices →
No. 3
Nox X-Zero 2026
Round · 350 to 360 g · soft feel · beginner level
A round head, which is the most forgiving shape, with a soft core.
£50.99delivered
at Express Padel · 4 shops compared · 23% under the shop's was price
See all 4 prices →
No. 4
Bullpadel Open Control 2025
Round · 360 to 370 g · low balance · soft feel · beginner level
A round head, which is the most forgiving shape, with a soft core and a low balance that keeps it easy to swing.
£48.99delivered
at Express Padel · 3 shops compared · 57% under RRP
See all 3 prices →
No. 5
Babolat Stima Vita 2026
Round · 335 to 355 g · low balance · soft feel · beginner level
A round head, which is the most forgiving shape, with a soft core and a low balance that keeps it easy to swing.
£60.99delivered
at Express Padel · 3 shops compared · 24% under RRP
See all 3 prices →
No. 6
Bullpadel Indiga W 2026
Round · 350 to 360 g · low balance · soft feel · beginner level
A round head, which is the most forgiving shape, with a soft core and a low balance that keeps it easy to swing.
£67.99delivered
at Express Padel · 3 shops compared · 24% under RRP
See all 3 prices →
No. 7
Wilson Optix V2 Lite 2026
Round · 355 to 355 g · low balance · soft feel · beginner level
A round head, which is the most forgiving shape, with a soft core and a low balance that keeps it easy to swing.
£65.99delivered
at PDHSports · 2 shops compared · 26% under RRP
See all 2 prices →
No. 8
Babolat Counter Origin 2026
Round · 345 to 365 g · low balance · soft feel · beginner level
A round head, which is the most forgiving shape, with a soft core and a low balance that keeps it easy to swing.
£67delivered
at Express Padel · 2 shops compared · 26% under RRP
See all 2 prices →

Stuck between two of them?

The reasoning, at more length

Which padel racket should a beginner buy?

The honest answer involves spending less than you think, and one spec that matters more than the rest.

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