PadelHow we rate padel rackets
By Theo Diether · Last updated: November 2026
PadelStand is a price comparison for padel rackets and accessories with its own editorial ratings. Our aim is simple: to recommend the racket that suits your game – not the one we would earn the most from.
Our rating criteria
Every racket is judged by the standards of its target group. The overall rating takes into account:
- Power & control – how it plays in relation to its target group.
- Sweet spot & forgiveness – how forgiving the racket is on off-centre hits.
- Arm-friendliness – core hardness, balance and weight with regard to the elbow and wrist.
- Build quality & durability – materials, frame and longevity.
- Handle length – because a handle that is too short is a real problem for many players.
- Value for money – what you get for your money.
Where the assessments come from
Our ratings are editorial assessments. They are based on the manufacturers’ technical data (shape, weight, core, balance, hardness, material) and on where a racket sits in its market segment and price range. We analyse this data with the help of AI and align every rating with our existing scale so that rackets stay comparable with one another. From this we derive the overall rating and the individual scores for power, control and arm-friendliness. Where manufacturer claims and real-world play clearly differ, we say so openly.
Played ourselves: We have played some of the rackets ourselves on court and checked the rating while doing so. Only these models carry “tested” in the title and, next to the rating, the note “Played by us on court”; for all the others it says there that we have not played them ourselves.
How forgiveness is worked out
The forgiveness score from 1 to 10 says how kindly a racket reacts when the ball does not hit the centre. It is not a lab measurement but is calculated transparently from the properties that determine the sweet spot: head shape (round rackets have the largest and lowest-sitting hitting area, diamond shapes the smallest and highest), balance, core hardness, frame stiffness – many carbon layers such as 18K or 24K make the frame stiff and the sweet spot small, while fibreglass and lower carbon grades give a little – and weight. Where we have feedback from real play, we override the calculated value.
This score also plays a part in the Racket Finder: for beginners and intermediate players, poor forgiveness weighs more heavily than a high power score. A pro racket that shines on tour is the wrong recommendation for most players – which is why it no longer automatically ends up at the top with us just because it is technically the strongest model.
Because forgiveness is an estimate, we weight it cautiously: a robot test of 225 padel rackets found no clear link between head shape and the position of the sweet spot. On the detail pages it is therefore marked as “estimated”.
How the racket finder decides
The finder awards points by fixed rules: playing level and head shape, playing style (power and control), arm protection, preferred weight and feel, plus our assessment of the racket. The budget is a hard limit – only if too little fits within it do we show slightly more expensive models, with a note. We don't recommend limited editions, never put a shop's own brand that only that shop sells in first place, and the same racket never appears twice in one recommendation, not even as last year's model. Whether a shop pays us a commission plays no role in the order.
Independence & funding
We are funded by affiliate links: if you buy through one of our shop links, we receive a small commission – the price stays the same for you. Which rackets we recommend and how we rate them is independent of that. That said, the price comparison only lists shops we work with – other shops may offer a racket for less.
FAQs
How independent are your recommendations?
Our ratings are editorial; no shop or manufacturer has any influence on them. We earn affiliate commissions when you buy via one of our links – this affects neither the rating nor the order of the offers, and the price stays the same for you. However, the price comparison only includes shops we work with; other shops may be cheaper.
Do you play the rackets yourselves?
Some of them: these rackets have “tested” in the title and the note “Played on court by us” next to the score, and we have checked their score on court. All other scores are editorial assessments based on the manufacturers' technical data and a comparison within the respective market segment – there, the score notes that we haven't played the racket ourselves.
What do you rate a padel racket on?
We weigh power, control, sweet spot, arm-friendliness (core and balance), build quality and value for money – always in relation to the racket's target group. A beginner racket is judged by beginner criteria, not by pro standards.
Why does handle length matter?
A short handle leaves little room for a two-handed backhand and is often uncomfortable for players with large hands. Several Nox models have a comparatively short handle. A thicker overgrip can build up the girth a little but can't change the length – which is why we state the handle length openly.
How often do you update the ratings?
We compare prices with all connected shops every day, and we check technical data and recommendations continuously. We add new models on an ongoing basis.
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