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Best Butterfly Ping Pong Paddle: In-Depth Review

When you spend your money after the wrong ping pong paddle, the waste of money can lead to frustration. Moreover, a wrong paddle can ruin the fun of the ping pong game. That’s why it is essential to ensure you get the right paddle.

Butterfly is one of the oldest and most popular companies to manufacture top-quality table tennis equipment. The company has been running successfully since it was founded about 6 decades ago. Whether it is a ping pong table or a ping pong ball you need, you will find everything in one place.

The paddles from this company are equally popular and known for their excellent quality. Today, I will discuss five such paddles from Butterfly. And I hope it will help you find the best Butterfly ping pong paddle.

Best Selling Butterfly Ping Pong Paddle

5 Best Butterfly Ping Pong Paddle Reviews

The Butterfly company has manufactured plenty of table tennis paddles so far. All of them are significant in one way or another. But some of them are slightly better than the rest, and my mission was to find them.

I chose 5 of them for my Butterfly ping pong paddle review, judging by their various features, such as the design, handle, speed, and materials. If you are a fan of Butterfly equipment or not, I believe these reviews will help you purchase your first or next ping pong paddle.

1. Butterfly Wakaba Shakehand Table Tennis Racket

The Butterfly Wakaba is said to be made for professional table tennis players. However, I do not fully agree with that. This series of paddles offer enough grip and spin to make it suitable for novice players. Each paddle from this series is designed to meet International Table Tennis Federation Standard, which says a lot about its quality.

Professional Grade Blade

The blade is made of 5-ply wood, which gives it a robust and professional vibe. The thickness is enough to ensure a better gaming experience for any player. You will also notice that there are rubber paddings on both sides of the blade.

So even if you are a newbie table tennis player. The outlook of the blade will give you a professional-like enthusiasm. It is an excellent ping pong paddle for regular practice or professional games.

Handle And Grip

This ping pong paddle’s handle has a flare design. The perk of such a design is that they ensure better grip even if you play for a long time.

The handle part connected to the blade is narrow, while the lower part is wider. Thus, it helps you get a 70-point control.

Rubber

All the ping pong paddles from the Butterfly Wakaba series come with 2.1mm thick rubbers on both sides. The thickness helps you smash the game with a mind-blowing performance.

You will notice black edgings around the red rubber, making it look international game-worthy. They are pretty easy to clean, making the maintenance part simpler.

Performance

The ping pong paddles from the Butterfly series are excellent performers. The built quality of the paddles meets the ITTF-International Table Tennis Federation standard. It is one of the main reasons these paddles are called professional’s blades. On top of that, each of these paddles comes with two Butterfly ping pong balls.

It means you can practice a lot more as these ping pong balls are also as good as the paddles. The only downside of the paddles is that you cannot customize them, and the rubber is permanently glued to the paddles.

Pros

Cons

2. Butterfly B501FL Shakehand Table Tennis Racket

As soon as you see the packaging of the Butterfly B501 paddle package, you would immediately want to have it or give it as a gift to someone who loves playing table tennis. The paddle has an incredibly user-friendly design and a thick sponge to ensure an excellent spin. It is a professional-level ping pong paddle, but it is worth trying if you are a mid-level player who wants to increase the skill.

Professional Quality

This ping pong racket is made to ensure the best performance for a professional-level player. It is designed with high-quality material and accessories. As a result, it will be easy to handle if you are a pro player. However, you can also use it if you are an intermediate player.

Ergonomic Grip

The handle is designed with a thin top and thick end. This design is ergonomic and ensures a better gift. A paddle with a rounded flared handle is something every player likes as it provides comfort as well. Another perk of such a design is that it gives you better control over the movements.

Sponge

The Pan Asian rubber sponge on the blade is 2.0mm thick. This thickness is good enough to ensure a better spin and speed, giving you enough flexibility to beat your opponent quite easily. Moreover, the rubber edge around the blade makes the paddle more versatile, which is probably another reason why the paddle got ITTF approval.

Performance Ratings

This Butterfly 501 racket scored 80 on speed and spin. On the other hand, it scored 70 in terms of control. Now you can tell that this ping pong paddle is a high-scorer and reliable for preparing yourself for any match.

But is it durable? I would not say with confidence that it is. However, it can last a good deal of time if you are not playing too frequently or smashing too hard.

Gift-Worthy

Whether to you or to someone else who enjoys playing table tennis, it can be an excellent gift to anyone. The beautiful box the paddle comes in makes it more suitable as a present.

On top of that, the package contains a paddle cover to keep it safe from dirt and dust. Besides, it saves you the hassle of frequent cleaning and increases the lifespan of the paddle.

Pros

Cons

3. Butterfly B702FL Shakehand Table Tennis Racket

If you are looking for a ping pong paddle for a beginner or intermediate level player, this Butterfly 702 Shakehand Table Tennis Racket is worth checking out. It does not have a lot more exceptional functions or qualities than the previous two paddles I reviewed. However, this paddle does provide a few amazing advantages.

Material And Design

The entire paddle is made of 5-ply wood. The layers of carbon in it make it robust and durable for an astonishing amount of time. And that is one of the essential qualities you should be looking for in a table tennis racket.

It has an ergonomically designed handle that ensures a firmer grip. The entire handle is covered with soft sponges on both sides, preventing slipping if you are playing roughly.

Rubber

The blade is covered with a 2.1mm Wakaba and Flextra rubber cover on both sides. The combination boosts the spin, control, and speed of the paddle. Moreover, the cover has the popular red and black color on each side, making it appear like an international level ping pong paddle.

The biggest flex of this rubber cover is that it is removable, making it more efficient to maintain. You will also notice the ITTF approval logo on the cover. It ensures the high reliability of the paddle.

Full Cover And Gift Box

This Butterfly paddle includes a full protection cover instead of only a blade cover. It means you will get to keep the handle off dirt and damage risk, along with the blade. And this model also comes in a beautiful gift box.

So you can buy it for yourself or get your table tennis obsessed buddy on any special occasion. Besides, the box also helps keep the paddle tucked away safely. But the major downside of this paddle is that it seemed pretty expensive to me.

Performance

This is a moderate-performing paddle with excellent speed, spin, and control scores. Yet, I cannot say that it is the best Butterfly ping pong paddle for professional players.

But it certainly offers the best for beginners and intermediate table tennis players. And as the overall quality and performance of the paddle meet international standards, you can rely on it for daily practice and games.

Pros

Cons

4. Butterfly B302CS Chinese Penhold Table Tennis Racket

The Butterfly 302 table tennis racket is yet another paddle from the company’s Chinese series. It is one of the most lightweight models despite being made of wood. Though this paddle does not come with the highest spin and speed score, users love it for its excellent durability. That is why I would recommend this for beginner ping pong players.

Design

This paddle blade has the same design as the others. However, the thickness of the blade material and the rubber will feel different in your hand. The paddle is made of wood, provides excellent durability, and increases your gaming performance. The handle also keeps your grip on balance. But I need to discuss more about the handle in another section.

Penhold Grip

The paddle handle is also made of wood and designed in a way to ensure better grip and control. The upper side of the handle is designed for a Chinese penhold grip. You can hold it like a pen and play more comfortably.

But remember that just because the paddle handle has the feature does not mean it is mandatory to play in this way. You can grip the handle in this way only if you are used to or comfortable playing like this.

Rubber And Sponge

The blade is covered with a hard 2.1mm sponge layer. The rubber is thick enough to provide strong spin and better speed. But not high enough for pro players to enjoy using them. Both side covers are from Yuki, which is known for being among the best rubber covers for ping pong paddles.

The manufacturing process and the overall quality of this Butterfly 302 ping pong paddle meet the International Table Tennis Federation or ITTF standard. Thus it is a reliable piece of equipment to practice for easy to medium level games.

Performance

The paddle consists of sponges around it to ensure more spin and speed. But it is not for professional level players because even if it ensures good performance, it only meets the quality of a newbie or practicing level player. Anyone who plays professionally or in international games will find the paddle’s performance below average.

Pros

Cons

5. Butterfly Nakama S-10 Table Tennis Racket

The last paddle I picked is the Butterfly Nakama S-10 Table Tennis Racket. This paddle from the S series is among today’s affordable ping pong paddles. It comes with a mid-level performance score and works very effectively if you want a paddle for regular practice, especially with a ping pong robot. It is also durable and comes with ping pong balls to put a big smile on your face.

5-Ply Wooden Paddle

This S-10 paddle is made of 5-ply wood. And as you can tell by now, such wooden paddles are durable and reliable for playing smoothly. Another perk of this type of ping pong racket is that they are more lightweight than the ones made of solid wood. Thus, it ensures you do not suffer from any fatigue when playing.

Beginner-Friendly

The overall performance score of this paddle shows that it is more suitable for beginner or novice players. It scored only 57.5 in spin, whereas it has scored 60 and 88 in speed and control, respectively.

It means professional players will not find it high-performing. However, new players will find this paddle highly beneficial for learning and everyday practicing.

Rubber And Sponge

Both sides of the racket are covered with black and white Pan Asia rubbers. Each sponge is 2.1mm thick, which is the standard thickness for international-level designs.

Besides, the rubber and sponge are responsible for ensuring excellent performance. So, even if someone is new, they can look forward to having a good game time, but only if they have practiced well enough.

Grip

As usual, Butterfly has added a flared designed handle in this paddle. The top part is pretty narrow, whereas the bottom part is wide.

This design is popular among professionals, making it a suitable handle for beginners to play with. It ensures a better grip whether you are playing by gripping the handle or holding the paddle in a pen-like position.

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. 1. Is Butterfly Table Tennis A Good Brand?

Answer: The Butterfly is one of the leading companies that manufacture table tennis equipment. The company has been providing top-notch ping pong paddles and other equipment for more than 60 years.

The Butterfly company makes every piece of equipment, keeping all types of players in mind. So whether you are a beginner or a pro, you can trust Butterfly when it comes to table tennis gadgets.

Q. 2. Which Butterfly Blade Is Best?

Answer: The best ping pong paddle or blade is the one that makes the player feel comfortable and provides the exact speed and bounces they require. A slow paddle with less spin will work fine if you are a beginner. However, if you are a professional player, you should choose the one that ensures maximum performance.

Q. 3. Where Is The Butterfly Ping Pong Paddle Made?

Answer: The Butterfly company was founded by the late Hikosuke Tamasu in Japan. Ever since then, the company has opened several international branches.

Most of the ping pong items are still made in Japan. As for the Butterfly ping pong paddles, they are also made in Tokyo in Japan.

Final Verdict

Finally, let’s ask the most crucial question: Which is the best Butterfly ping pong paddle? The key to finding the most suitable paddle is to look into the features. If you are a beginner, you should aim for a paddle that offers moderate spin and speed.

On the other hand, you will need the ones that offer maximum performance scores if you are a professional player. In that case, you also need to make sure the paddle comes with quality material.

Last but not least, maintaining the paddle well or keeping it clean is also the reason behind a good performance and its long durability. So you can choose a ping pong paddle with a cover to ensure that.