Of course, with such a high level of popularity, it’s only natural that pickleball equipment and sets are also becoming very popular!
With so many people wanting to get involved with pickleball, there are plenty of sellers out there ready to help them out, with brand new pickleball sets ready to go.
The only problem with this is, with such a variety of potential sellers, you can often get a little lost. What is the best set to buy? What do you need to look out for?
Luckily though, we’ve done all of the hard work for you.
We’ve written this comprehensive guide which shows you some of the best pickleball sets on the market today along with their pros and cons, a complete buyer’s guide and some frequently asked questions.
With that being said, if you’re ready to learn a lot more about what you could buy and what you need to bear in mind - then read on and discover the answers!
What Are The Best Pickleball Sets?
Let’s kick off this guide by looking at some of the best pickleball sets available on the market today. Each of our picks has been extensively tried and tested and highly reviewed by previous buyers.
If you’re looking for a very high quality pickleball set that is perfect for four players, then look no further than Helium’s pickleball set.
With their very pleasing design and two color sets to denote each team, this is one of the most helpful and useful pickleball sets to buy!
It comes match ready with four graphite material paddles, two sets of indoor balls and two sets of outdoor balls, and a very handy drawstring bag for easy transportation!
This set is USAPA certified and every item in this set is extremely durable and fantastic quality.
It’s excellent value for money and probably the best set on the market that can accommodate up to four players.
While there is no pickleball net included in this set, you may not need one (which we explain later in this guide).
However, you’ve got everything else you need to get started in the game!
This set is a great option for players who are looking for everything they need for an amazing indoor game of pickleball and do not want to keep searching for extra items.
This comprehensive set comes equipped with four indoor pickleball balls, four wooden paddles, a high quality net that complies with USAPA regulations and a carry bag to take it along with you.
Everything is made with care and it’s very good quality. Of course though, while there are many pros to this set, there is the downside of the paddles.
The paddles are wooden rather than graphite, which is fine for infrequent players - but regular players might prefer graphite.
There really is very little to argue about when it comes to this pickleball set - and what puts the icing on the cake here is the one year warranty that comes as standard.
The only potential downside with this set is the price.
Of course, with such high quality and with everything included in the pack, it’s understandable that this set will be a little bit more expensive than others on the market.
If you and your family are interested in playing pickleball but you’re convinced that it’s going to be more of a casual thing, then this pickleball set is the one for you.
It’s perfect for players who aren’t worried about improving their skills as such, rather they want to have fun!
This set includes four wooden paddles, four outdoor balls, a net and a carry bag for the paddles.
Of course though, it’s worth noting that while this is an excellent choice for a family looking for a bit of fun, it’s not ideal for people who want to take pickleball more seriously.
This is because it comes with four wooden paddles rather than graphite and it’s not clear if the net conforms with USAPA regulations.
However, if you are just in it for fun - this can be an inexpensive way to have everything you need for a game right away!
Pros
Complete set
Great for families and casual players
Decent quality
Cons
Not ideal for serious players
Buyer’s Guide
Now, you’re going to need to know a lot more about the areas to pay close attention to. Pickleball sets are not always the same and there’s a lot you have to think about.
Below, you will find some of the key areas to focus your attention on!
Pickleball Paddles
Of course, you can’t play pickleball without having pickleball paddles! Not all pickleball sets will come with the same number of pickleball paddles.
Typically, there are two types of sets. One set will come with two pickleball paddles, and the other will come with four paddles (Also check out How To Hold A Pickleball Paddle).
This means that you will need to consider how many people you are going to be playing pickleball with.
If you’re just getting started in the world of pickleball, then the likelihood is that two paddles will be enough.
However, that’s not always the case and you may think it’s a better idea to go for the larger set and grab yourself four.
On top of the number of pickleball paddles though, it’s worth pointing out that not all of these paddles are made of the same material.
For example, one option is to go for a traditional and basic wooden paddle.
While these can be much more budget friendly, they are very hard and much heavier to handle.
This isn’t always a problem, but for younger players it can be an issue.
On the other hand, there is a graphite option. These paddles are usually more expensive to purchase, but their quality is much better.
They are lightweight and much faster - which makes them perfect for people who are going to play pickleball regularly.
This is because graphite paddles will help any player to develop their skills much faster and efficiently, so if this sounds more enticing to you - then definitely consider spending the extra few dollars on a graphite set.
Of course though, if you’re looking for some fun just with your family more casually and you’re not too worried about the materials used or even being compliant with the game’s regulations, then you will be okay with the wooden paddles.
Pickleball Balls
As you can imagine, pretty much every pickleball set on the market is going to come with a pickleball ball included.
Generally speaking, sets will have two but more often than not you will find they come with four balls.
The balls themselves can come in a wide array of colors, but that’s not exactly going to play the largest role in your decision making.
You are much more likely to be looking at the brand. As with many other products, the brand can be important when it comes to the quality.
One of the most unfortunate situations with pickleball sets is that not every set will provide a good quality pickleball ball, and while you might get some excellent pickleball paddles and other items, there is a real lack in quality for the balls.
Try to pay attention to the type of balls that are included in the set. As a rule of thumb, there are two types of pickleball balls; indoor and outdoor.
It’s worth noting at this point that it is never really a good idea to use outdoor balls for indoor use and vice versa.
It’s also worth checking to see if the balls are compliant with the USAPA regulations, because bizarrely some sellers have balls listed as pickleball balls but they are not always the right ones.
Pickleball Net
Some pickleball sets will include a pickleball net, but it’s important to know that not all of them do.
If you want to get started with absolutely everything that you need, then you should pay attention to what is included in the set.
The thing here though is that you might not even need a net. It really depends on where you are going to be playing. Nowadays, you will find plenty of pickleball courts which already have a net available to use.
On top of this, you need to consider the financial aspect of this.
Typically, a pickleball set that comes with a net is going to be more expensive than sets that do not have one included. Moreover, you also need to consider the rules and regulations of pickleball.
If you’re going to play pickleball properly, you need to have a pickleball net that complies with the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) requirements.
While you may think that all nets will do this, that’s unfortunately not always the case.
This is because a lot of sellers will provide a multi-sport net and these types of nets very rarely will be suitable for pickleball use. Indeed, these will have dimensions that comply with an array of different sports.
To get the right net, you need to ensure that it measures 22 inches in length, 36 inches in height at the post and 34 inches in height in the center.
Budgetary Considerations
Of course, one of the biggest considerations you will need to assess is your own budget.
As we said earlier, not every pickleball set will be the same and as a result, the price may vary widely depending on what is included in the set and the overall brand quality.
As a general rule, when weighing up how much you will want to spend will depend on how far you want to take your pickleball game.
If you’re looking to play frequently, then it’s going to be a good idea to spend a little more for a quality game.
However, you may decide you want to slash a bit of the price by opting for less quality equipment. The choice is really yours in this scenario.
Of course, you should consider where you will be playing and what items you specifically need - for example, and as we mentioned, you may not need to invest in a net.
It’s a good idea to have a figure in your mind for how much you are willing to spend, check the average cost online and try to stay within these parameters.
Safety Gear
Pickleball doesn’t need to be a dangerous game by any means, but if you are playing with younger people, like your kids for example, then it’s a good idea to keep safety in mind.
You could decide to purchase some knee pads, elbow pads and maybe some gloves. While it is unlikely that anyone will get injured playing pickleball, it’s not going to be absolutely impossible.
Frequently Asked Questions
It comes as no surprise that when we are talking about a product like a pickleball set, many prospective customers are going to have a lot more additional frequently asked questions.
We’ve got some of the most important below.
Do I Need A Pickleball Set If I’m Going To Use A Premade Court?
You’re likely going to still need paddles and balls, so while you can likely find a premade court in your area (and therefore will not need a net), you’re going to find it difficult to find somewhere that supplies everything you need for a game of pickleball.
As a result, it’s still advised that you find a good quality pickleball set. However, if you’re absolutely going to use a premade court, then you can forgo the requirement of a pickleball net.
Does The Price Really Make A Difference?
This is one of the questions that doesn’t really have a confident answer. Some people might believe that a pickleball set that costs $200 is going to be much better than a pickleball set that costs $50.
However, this isn’t always truthful. This is why it’s more important to pay attention to what is included in the set, rather than how much the set costs.
Of course within this, you need to look at the brand, the products included and the materials used for things like the paddles.
How Do I Know I’m Selecting The Right Pickleball Set?
The fact is, you won’t really know that the pickleball set is right until you know what exactly you’re looking for.
Typically, this will depend on how often you plan to play pickleball, who you are going to play it with and what items you’re looking for exactly.
Once you’ve weighed up what you’re looking for and where you’re going to be playing etc. then you’ll have a clearer idea of what you are going to need.
If the set you’re going to buy has all of these things included - then that’s the right set for you.
Can I Return A Pickleball Set If I’m Not Happy With It?
This will depend on the seller. It’s always a good idea to check if the seller provides a trial period or is happy to accept returns, or if there’s a warranty included.
You will likely find that most sellers will be happy to provide returns if the product is faulty or they have not included what they advertised.
However, it’s unlikely that a pickleball set will have a warranty due to how inexpensive they are on the whole.
The only thing you can do is read the notes provided by the seller and know your rights as a buyer. Once you have done this, you will know where you stand in terms of returns and buyer’s rights.
Final Thoughts
Pickleball sets can help you get started in the world of pickleball, getting involved with one of the fastest growing sports in the country.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you to know what you need to look out for and what is best for you.
Hello, I’m Damien Dansel and I have been playing pickleball for almost six years now. It all began in my first year of college when I was drowning in coursework and finals. I needed a stress reliever, but none of the usual suspects were working.
That’s when I saw that the pickleball court was free. I had a paddle, a ball, and a dream, and plenty of stress to unload. I encouraged some of my friends to come and play with me, and eventually, we even started a pickleball club at our college.
I started this site to get more people clued in and excited about pickleball. Please, take a look around and get as excited about this underrated sport as we are!
