Best Beginner Pickleball Paddle Australia 2026: Every Pick Under $169
Walking into your first paddle purchase, the hard part is not choosing between good and bad. It is that almost every paddle under $169 will do the job, so nothing in the listing tells you which one to pick. At Racquet World, the Pickleball Parlour in Epping, we sell these five paddles every week, and the difference between them comes down to four numbers on a spec sheet that most shops never put side by side.
This guide covers every beginner paddle we actually stock, meaning every paddle on our shelves at $169 or under, in stock right now. Not a shortlist, not a top three. All five, each with the maker's published specifications, an honest note on who it suits, and a caveat on where it falls down. Then a table that puts the whole tier next to each other so you can see the trade-offs in one look.
If you want the theory first, our complete beginner buyer's guide explains grip size, weight, core thickness and shape from scratch. This post assumes you have either read it or do not want to, and gets straight to the paddles.
Table of Contents
- What Actually Matters Under $169
- Six Zero Quartz - Best All-Round First Paddle
- Pro Kennex Strike - Lightest in the Range
- JOOLA Steffi Graff Edge (16mm) - Best Control and Spin Under $169
- JOOLA Andre Agassi Champion (12mm) - Best for Smaller Hands
- JOOLA Steffi Graf Champion (12mm) - The Same Paddle, Different Finish
- Every Beginner Paddle, Side by Side
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Bottom Line
- Try Before You Buy: Our Paddle Demo Program
- More reading
What Actually Matters Under $169
At this price the paddles are more alike than different. They are all honeycomb cores, all one-piece builds, all legal for social play. So rather than repeat the full theory, here are the four specifications that genuinely separate these five paddles, and the two that do not.
Below are all five, ordered by who they suit rather than by price. Every specification quoted is the maker's own published figure. Where a maker does not publish a number, we say so rather than guess.
Six Zero Quartz - Best All-Round First Paddle
Price: $99
The Quartz is the paddle we hand to most first-time buyers, and the reason is the face. A raw carbon T300 hitting surface at $99 is not something you could get a couple of years ago, and it is the single spec that separates a paddle you keep from a paddle you replace in six months. Raw carbon grips the ball on the way through, so the spin you put on a serve or a third shot actually shows up. The fibreglass faces you normally find at this price cannot do that.
Six Zero build it as a unibody with a squarish head, a 15mm polypropylene core and a published swing weight of 108. Those three numbers together are why it feels easy. The squarish head puts the sweet spot in the middle of the face where a beginner's contact actually lands, the 15mm core sits between the punchy 12mm and the soft 16mm, and a swing weight of 108 is low enough that the paddle is not dragging your arm through the shot.
The one trade-off is the handle. At 5.0 inches it is the shortest here, half an inch down on the JOOLA paddles. If you play a two-handed backhand, that half inch is noticeable and you should look at the Graff Edge instead. If you do not, you will never think about it.
Best for: Almost every new player. If you want one recommendation and no further reading, this is it.
Honest caveat: Short handle for two-handed backhands, and each colourway is currently down to a single unit in stock.
Pro Kennex Strike - Lightest in the Range
Price: $99
At 215g the Strike is the lightest paddle in this guide by a clear margin, roughly 10g under the JOOLA pair and the Quartz. That matters more than it sounds. Most new players are not limited by power, they are limited by how long they can play before their forearm gives up, and a lighter paddle buys you more court time. It is also the easiest of the five to get into position when a ball comes back quicker than you expected.
Pro Kennex pair a polypropylene honeycomb core with a fibreglass composite face. Fibreglass is livelier than carbon, so the ball comes off faster for the same swing. You give up spin to get that, because a fibreglass face is smoother and does not hold the ball the way raw carbon does. For a player whose serves are still going in the net rather than spinning off the court, that is a sensible trade.
The published balance point is 223mm, which is a touch head-light on a 398mm paddle. Combined with the low overall weight, that is what makes it feel quick rather than powerful.
Best for: Players with any history of tennis elbow or wrist trouble, older players, juniors, and anyone who plays long social sessions.
Honest caveat: Pro Kennex do not publish a core thickness, a handle length or a grip circumference for this paddle, so you cannot compare those directly against the others. The fibreglass face also means less spin than the Quartz or the Graff Edge.
JOOLA Steffi Graff Edge (16mm) - Best Control and Spin Under $169
Price: $159
This is the most paddle you can buy from us under $169, and it is the only one here with a 16mm core. A thicker core has more material between the ball and the face, so it absorbs pace instead of returning it. That is exactly what you want for dinks, resets and drop shots, the shots that decide games once you get past hitting hard. It is also the most forgiving core thickness on an off-centre hit.
The face is JOOLA's Carbon Friction, a textured carbon surface built to bite the ball. Paired with a 7.5 inch width and a 16.5 inch length, you get a longer, narrower head than the Quartz, which trades a little sweet spot for reach and leverage. The 5.5 inch handle is the longest of the five and is the only one in the tier that comfortably takes a two-handed backhand.
At $159 against $99 you are paying roughly sixty per cent more, and the honest answer on whether that is worth it is: only if you already know you want to play properly. If pickleball is a once-a-fortnight social thing, the Quartz will not hold you back.
Best for: The beginner who is already committed, plays weekly, hits a two-handed backhand, or wants a paddle that will still suit them a year from now.
Honest caveat: It is the dearest paddle in the tier and it is the least immediately rewarding. A 16mm core gives you less free power, so early on it can feel like harder work than the 12mm Champions.
View the JOOLA Steffi Graff Edge
JOOLA Andre Agassi Champion (12mm) - Best for Smaller Hands
Price: $94.95
Two things make this paddle worth singling out, and neither is the signature on the face. The first is the grip. At 4.125 inches around, it is the smallest circumference in the tier, an eighth of an inch under the Quartz and the Graff Edge. That is a small number that makes a large difference if you have smaller hands, because a grip that is too fat forces you to squeeze, and squeezing is where sore elbows come from. You can always build a grip up with an overgrip. You cannot shrink one.
The second is the 12mm core, the thinnest here. Thin cores are firmer and return more of the pace you put in, so the ball comes off quicker with less effort. For a new player who is still finding depth on their serves and drives, that free pace is genuinely useful. The cost is control: the same firmness that helps your drive makes a soft dink harder to land short.
The face is JOOLA's Sandblasted surface rather than carbon, so it sits below the Quartz and the Graff Edge for spin. At $94.95 it is the cheapest paddle in the shop, and it is USAP approved, so if you end up in a local competition it is legal to play with.
Best for: Smaller hands, and players who want the ball to come off the face quickly while they build a swing.
Honest caveat: The 12mm core is the least forgiving on touch shots, and the sandblasted face will not generate the spin a raw carbon one does.
View the JOOLA Andre Agassi Champion
JOOLA Steffi Graf Champion (12mm) - The Same Paddle, Different Finish
Price: $94.95
We will save you the comparison. Put JOOLA's published specifications for the Steffi Graf Champion next to the Andre Agassi Champion and every single line is the same: 12mm polypropylene honeycomb core, JOOLA Sandblasted face, 7.8 to 8.0 oz, 16.5 by 7.5 inches, 5.5 inch handle, 4.125 inch grip circumference, USAP approved, $94.95.
They are the same paddle with a different name and a different paint job. Anyone who tells you one plays softer than the other is telling you about the paddle they happened to like, not about the paddle. Buy the one you would rather look at, and put the mental energy you saved into your serve.
Everything written above about the Agassi Champion applies here without amendment: small grip, thin firm core, quick off the face, less help on the soft game, and the cheapest way into a USAP approved paddle in the shop.
Best for: Exactly the same player as the Agassi Champion, who prefers this one's finish.
Honest caveat: The same as the Agassi Champion, because it is the same paddle.
View the JOOLA Steffi Graf Champion
Every Beginner Paddle, Side by Side
The whole tier in one table. Read across the grip and thickness columns first, because those are the two that will decide it for most people.
| Model | Core thickness | Face | Weight | Length x width | Handle | Grip | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Zero Quartz | 15mm | Raw carbon T300 | 7.9 oz (225g, plus or minus 10g) | 16.0" x 7.9" | 5.0" | 4.25" | $99 | View › |
| Pro Kennex Strike | Not stated | Fibreglass composite | 7.6 oz (215g) | 15.7" x 7.8" (398 x 198mm) | Not stated | Not stated | $99 | View › |
| JOOLA Steffi Graff Edge | 16mm | JOOLA Carbon Friction | 7.8 to 8.0 oz | 16.5" x 7.5" | 5.5" | 4.25" | $159 | View › |
| JOOLA Andre Agassi Champion | 12mm | JOOLA Sandblasted | 7.8 to 8.0 oz | 16.5" x 7.5" | 5.5" | 4.125" | $94.95 | View › |
| JOOLA Steffi Graf Champion | 12mm | JOOLA Sandblasted | 7.8 to 8.0 oz | 16.5" x 7.5" | 5.5" | 4.125" | $94.95 | View › |
Four of the five are confirmed USAP approved by the maker: both Champions, the Graff Edge and the Quartz. Pro Kennex do not state an approval for the Strike. That only matters if you intend to enter a sanctioned tournament, and for social play at your local club it makes no difference at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any real difference between the Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf Champion paddles?
No. We checked JOOLA's published specifications line by line and they are identical: 12mm polypropylene honeycomb core, JOOLA Sandblasted face, 7.8 to 8.0 oz, 16.5 by 7.5 inches, a 5.5 inch handle, a 4.125 inch grip circumference and the same $94.95 price. They are the same paddle in two finishes. Choose whichever one you prefer the look of.
Can I get a carbon fibre face for under $169?
Yes, on two of these five. The Six Zero Quartz uses a raw carbon T300 face at $99 and the JOOLA Steffi Graff Edge uses JOOLA's Carbon Friction surface at $159. The Pro Kennex Strike uses fibreglass composite and both Champion paddles use JOOLA's Sandblasted surface. If spin matters to you, that narrows the five down to two very quickly.
How do I know whether the 4.125 inch or the 4.25 inch grip is right for me?
The quick version: hold the paddle in a normal grip and see whether you can slide the index finger of your other hand into the gap between your fingertips and the base of your thumb. A snug fit is right, a big gap means the grip is too small and no gap at all means it is too big. When you are genuinely between the two, take the smaller one and add an overgrip, because that is a change you can make and the other direction is not. Our beginner buyer's guide walks through grip sizing properly.
Will I outgrow one of these paddles?
Eventually, but later than most people expect, and not because the paddle stops working. What usually happens is that your soft game improves to the point where you want more control than a $99 paddle gives you, which tends to be somewhere around the twelve month mark for a weekly player. The Graff Edge at $159 is the one here most likely to still suit you at that point. Our guide to what paddles cost in Australia sets out what the next tier up actually buys you.
I only play socially once a fortnight. Which one should I buy?
The Six Zero Quartz at $99. It is the most forgiving of the five, it has a carbon face so it will not feel dated if you do end up playing more, and the extra $60 for the Graff Edge buys control you will not get much use out of at that frequency. If your arm has ever given you trouble, take the Pro Kennex Strike instead for the lighter weight.
The Bottom Line
If you want a single answer: buy the Six Zero Quartz at $99. It is the most forgiving paddle in the tier, it has the carbon face that the other $99 options do not, and nobody has ever come back and told us it was the wrong call. Take the Pro Kennex Strike instead if arm fatigue or tennis elbow is a factor, and take the JOOLA Steffi Graff Edge at $159 if you already know you are going to play weekly and you hit a two-handed backhand.
The two Champion paddles are the cheapest way into a USAP approved paddle at $94.95, and they are the right pick if you have smaller hands, because that 4.125 inch grip is the smallest we stock. Beyond that, do not spend long agonising. Every paddle on this page is a genuine paddle that will not hold you back, and the fastest way to improve is to stop reading and go and hit some balls.
All five are in stock and ship Australia-wide. If you can get to Epping, the free fitting takes about ten minutes and settles the grip question for good.
Try Before You Buy: Our Paddle Demo Program
You do not have to guess. Melbourne players can take paddles away and hit them on their own courts before committing.
| The demo program | |
|---|---|
| Cost | $50 per paddle |
| How many | Up to 3 paddles at a time |
| How long | 3 days |
| Pick up & return | In person at Racquet World, Pickleball Parlour, Shop 4/59 Willandra Drive, Epping VIC 3076 |
| What you can try | Control, power and hybrid all-court paddles from the demo wall |
| Where you can play | Anywhere at your club, league night, or local courts across Melbourne |
Return them on time to avoid late fees. Find one you love and the team will order a brand new one in for you.
Read more about the demo program →
