Tips for Buying the Best Table Tennis Balls

The regulation table tennis ball has a 40 millimeter diameter. It is made of celluloid or similar plastic material. It can be either white or yellow, but it must have a matte finish. If you drop a regulation ball onto a table from a height of 30cm, it should yield a bounce of around 23cm. Use this as a guideline when choosing a good ball for your game. Sounds simple enough, right? Balls are graded using a three-star system. Keep in mind that the quality of the ball is directly proportional to the quality of play.

One-star balls are the lowest quality. Their seams are usually irregular and their weight is poorly distributed. Because of this their flight is often a little erratic and can be difficult to follow. They also have a poor bounce, lowering the quality of play. These balls will do for kids or beginners that aren't picky, the occasional recreational player and folks wanting to practice their smash. A lot of clubs and recreation centers use these because they're very inexpensive.

The next level, two-star balls, has better seams and the weight is distributed a little better than their one-star counterparts. They fly better and truer but they can still be a little inconsistent. The shape of two-star balls is uniformly more round than inferior balls. If you enjoy table tennis and want to play a good game, I wouldn't buy anything below this level. These balls are good practice balls for more competitive players and are perfect for the average home user as well.

Three-star balls are top quality. Their seams are consistently perfect and their weight is evenly balanced, allowing for true flight and excellent bounce. This means that you can expect the very best play from these balls. These high-quality balls allow players to develop their skills and consistency.

Low quality balls usually cost around 40 to 65 cents a ball. Two star balls can run from 2 to 3 dollars a ball. Of course, with higher quality comes a higher price. Three-star balls can set you back more than $6 a ball for the best of them. If you buy in large quantities, like a gross, the price comes way down, often below $2 a ball. Their superior quality and durability make them well worth the money. If you have the money, I recommend keeping with three-star balls. Occasionally you can find a manufacturer that makes a really good two-star ball. I would simply avoid one-star balls because of their poor performance and durability.