The Best Table Tennis Balls to Buy in 2022

 

Purchasing table tennis balls should be simple. But sadly, it's a no! There are numerous varieties of balls available, including competition balls, training balls, and inexpensive "just for fun" balls. Celluloid is used in some of the balls. Non-flammable plastic is used for the other balls.

 

So, which balls should you buy? In this blog article, We will tell you about the range of balls and provide specific recommendations for the best competition and training balls available. We will also give some suggestions regarding which balls to purchase for casual play.

 

Table tennis ball transformation

 

Over the last 20 years, table tennis balls have undergone two notable alterations. The ball's diameter was raised from 38mm to 40mm in 2000. To make it more appealing to spectators, the size was raised. The larger ball is slower and spins less, implying longer rallies in principle, although I'm not sure this has actually been confirmed.

 

The substance used to create table tennis balls was changed from celluloid to a non-flammable plastic in 2014/2015 (commonly referred to as "plastic balls," "poly balls," or "40+ balls"). These balls are slightly larger than the 40mm celluloid balls, but the key difference is the material used to create them. The quality of the new plastic balls was initially poor, causing a lot of dissatisfaction and rage among the players.

 

However, in the last five years, the quality of modern plastic balls has vastly improved, particularly with the introduction of ABS material.

 

The new plastic ball was widely feared to have a significant impact on the game. However, this has not occurred. Professionals continue to assault in the same manner. At the amateur level, I don't believe most players have noticed a significant change.

 

Balls for competition

 

If you play competitive table tennis (or aspire to), you should definitely use the new plastic table tennis balls. The best method to tell if you're using the new plastic balls is to look for the word "40+" printed on them.

 

The + symbol indicates that the size has changed. It's most likely the old celluloid ball if your ball only says 40 or 40mm without the Plus mark. So look for the 40+ emblem on the balls you buy. So, which competition balls should you buy? Let's begin with a disclaimer. We haven't tried all of the plastic balls yet. So just because a ball isn't on our list doesn't imply it's a bad ball. It's possible you haven't tried it yet. However, we have used all of the balls listed below and highly recommend them.

 

 

●     JOOLA Prime 40+

 

This is our favourite 3 star competition table tennis ball right now. After  German Bundesliga club ASV Grünwettersbach in May 2019, many people began utilising JOOLA Prime. JOOLA Prime is made of ABS, which provides better roundness and durability. You can produce a lot of spin. Many might have guessed that we've grown accustomed to the new balls being slower and less spinny, but when using JOOLA Prime for topspin attacks, the ball truly kicks off the table. Spin has returned to town! JOOLA Prime is tough, quick, spinny, and long-lasting. It's a good ball.

 

●     Nittaku Premium 40+

 

This table tennis ball is likewise of exceptional quality. We initially encountered this ball in a tournament in 2016 and was immediately impressed. It was like playing with the old celluloid balls all over again. All teams at my club (Cambridge-Parkside) used Nittaku Premium table tennis balls in league matches from 2016 to 2019. They have a constant bounce, are easy to spin, and rarely break. Nittaku Premium is on our top recommendation for competition-quality balls.

 

●     Double Fish V40+

 

This is often regarded as the greatest 40+ ball available. The Champions Edition, which was previously only accessible for big Pro Tour events, is now available for League play. The gripping surface of the Double Fish 3* balls allows you to generate a lot of spin when looping, chopping, flicking, or serving. Strongly suggested.

 

Balls for training

 

 

A large box of training balls is useful if you are serious about developing. This will assist you in being more productive throughout training sessions (less time picking just one ball off the floor). Multi-ball training is possible. Solo service practice might also help you enhance your serves in the game. There are many good quality training balls available (recommendations below) that are far more economical and suitable for training drills, multi-ball practise, and serving practice.

 

Here are some suggestions for table tennis training balls to consider:

 

Training balls for table tennis

 

 

●     JOOLA Magic training balls

●     Impact Premium Table Tennis Training Balls

●     Cornilleau ABS Evolution Training Table Tennis Balls

 

 

Balls for recreational use

 

If you're just having a good time, it's not necessary to use the highest-quality balls. It makes no difference whether the ball is made of celluloid or the new plastic material. My only piece of advice is to stay away from the really, really inexpensive balls. These have a low bounce and are readily broken. Any of them will suffice if you only need a few balls with good durability, consistent bounce, and a reasonable pricing.