The Best Ping Pong Balls: Reviews and Buying Guide for 2024

The best table tennis ball in 2024 is the Nittaku 3-Star Premium ball. It may be the most expensive, but the price is warranted. The ball feels hard, has a consistent bounce, and comes from top table tennis brand Nittaku, which has been leading ball popularity for some years now.

Based on my testing, the best ping pong balls in 2024 are:

But these are just the top balls designed for competitive play. What about the rest? In this post, I cover the top training balls too, along with a guide to help you decide which balls are best for you.

At a Glance: Best Table Tennis Balls

Best Ping Pong Ball for Competitions


best ping pong balls Nittaku

Specifications:

  • Classification — 3-star
  • Material — Plastic
  • Color — White
  • ITTF approved? — Yes

Nittaku Premium 40+ balls have consistently topped ping pong ball ratings from the table tennis community since before the introduction of plastic balls in 2014. They’re made in Japan, are ITTF-approved, very durable, and have a great reputation for their roundness and consistent bounce.

I notice a significant difference when I play with these balls, as they’re more accurate and less wobbly than cheap balls.

The only downside is that they are pretty expensive, but if you’re looking for the most professional ping pong ball you can get then most will agree the Nittaku 3 Star Premium ball is the one you want.

best ping pong balls dhs

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Specifications:

  • Classification — 3-star
  • Material — Plastic
  • Color — Orange and white
  • ITTF approved? — Yes

DHS ABS D40+ are the most common table tennis balls used at international events. They were used as the official ping pong ball for the World Championships for four years running from 2017 to 2020.

I’ve always enjoyed using DHS balls and found them to be very consistent. They were even a staple in my racket case back when celluloid balls were the only ones around. There is no doubt in my mind they are among the best balls you can buy, and as they are marginally cheaper than the Nittaku 3-Star Premium 40+, it’s easy to make the argument that they are the best balls overall.

#3 JOOLA Prime 3-Star ABS Balls (Pack of 6) — Superb Value for Money

best ping pong balls prime

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Specifications:

  • Classification — 3-star
  • Material — Plastic
  • Color — White
  • ITTF approved? — Yes

These JOOLA Prime 3-Star ABS Balls have excellent thickness, even hardness, and consequently, greater durability. As you’d expect they are ITTF-approved and are a good option if you’re looking for a cost-effective premium competition ball. You can, however, go quite a bit cheaper and still get a 3-star ball, but the manufacturer likely won’t have the acclaim of JOOLA.

#4 Butterfly R40+ 3-Star Balls (Pack of 3/6/12)

 

best ping pong ball butterfly

Specifications:

  • Classification — 3-star
  • Material — Plastic
  • Color — White
  • ITTF approved? — Yes

The Butterfly 3-star R40+ marks the third generation of Butterfly’s plastic 3-star balls. Made in China, they undergo strict testing to ensure they are viable for the highest levels of play. Butterfly states that they are also more durable than previous versions, which is a strong selling point given how plastic balls can crack when you edge the ball during looping.

This ball was officially used for the 2021 World Championships — you can’t get any more prestigious than that.

#5 Gambler P40+ 3-Star Balls (Pack of 6) — Cheapest Match-Quality Ball
best ping pong ball gambler

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Specifications:

  • Classification — 3-star
  • Material — Plastic
  • Color — White
  • ITTF approved? — Yes

If you’re looking for a low-cost ITTF-approved 3-star ball then the Gambler P40+ could be the perfect option. At just $0.75 per ball, they are less than half the cost of the DHS D40+ ball yet they are of similar quality. As a result, I fully recommend them!

#6 Nittaku 3-Star Nexcel 40+ (Pack of 12)

 

best ping pong ball nittaku

Specifications:

  • Classification — 3-star
  • Material — Plastic
  • Color — Orange and white
  • ITTF approved? — Yes

If you prefer orange balls to white ones then the Nittaku 3-star Nexcel 40+ balls are one of the best I’ve found. They’re very similar to the Nittaku 3 Star Premium balls as they’re also made in Japan and have a very consistent bounce. They are the first ITTF-approved orange balls and some players much prefer them over white balls as they’re a lot easier to see.

When the balls changed material in 2014 from celluloid to plastic, the balls increased in width higher than 40 mm, but it was by less than 1 mm. To easily distinguish the old from the new, the new balls are marketed as 40+.

There is no difference besides the color. Orange balls are useful as they are far more visible. Many of us play in sports halls with light backgrounds. As such, it’s very easy to lose a white ball during fast gameplay.

3-star ping pong balls have passed much stricter tests so they are of the highest quality. 1-star balls have a less consistent bounce and are more likely to veer. Many 1-star balls also feel a lot lighter than 3-star balls.

Double Happiness supplied both of the last Olympics: Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Unfortunately yes, over time table tennis balls crack which makes them useless. However, the switch from celluloid to plastic balls means they last longer than they used to, so you get more for your money.

Can I Fix a Broken Table Tennis Ball?

In some cases, yes, you can. The boiling water method is the most common trick which works on ping pong balls with dents in them. It involves submerging the ball slightly in boiling water. The pressure change causes the dent to ping right out!

However, I do not believe this trick works on the new plastic balls as I can’t recall ever seeing dented plastic balls because they’re much harder than celluloid. They only ever crack. And once any type of table tennis ball is cracked, it’s destined for the trash.

Are Table Tennis Balls and Ping Pong Balls the Same?

The terms “table tennis” and “ping pong” are used interchangeably depending on what part of the world you live in. This is despite the fact that they are technically different sports.
If you’re interested in learning about the differences between ping pong and table tennis read our guide.

How Often Should I Change Table Tennis Balls?

You only need to change table tennis balls when you notice a crack has formed. Sometimes you can tell through feeling when you’re playing, but most of the time you’ll hear that the bounce sounds different.

Read More: The 10 Best Ping Pong Paddles: Reviews And Buying Guide

Freelance writer. Table tennis enthusiast. Lover of all things online. When I’m not working on my loop game I’m probably binge-watching some fantasy show.