Quick Answer: The best Electrum pickleball paddle in 2026 is the Pro II ($159.99) — an elongated paddle with a thin 11mm core and a raw Toray T700 carbon-fiber face built for quick hands and spin at the net. Want more control and a bigger sweet spot on resets? The thicker-cored, 16mm Model E ($180) is Electrum’s control flagship. Prefer more reach and swing speed for driving? The Model E Stealth Series ($199.99) is built for aggressive all-court play. Managing arm fatigue? The lighter Pro Stealth trades some pop for a lower swing weight.
Electrum is a smaller, direct-to-consumer brand founded in 2019 by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Moheeth Alvi and Mike Kazley, built around a signature raw (unpainted) carbon-fiber face rather than any interchangeable-panel gimmick. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), pickleball grew to roughly 24.3 million U.S. players in 2025, up from just 4.2 million in 2020 — a boom that’s made room for niche, engineering-led brands like Electrum alongside the household names. We compared Electrum’s current lineup to find where it actually earns a spot in your bag, and where the evidence is thinner than the marketing.
Last updated October 19, 2026: Electrum’s own site now lists the Pro II at $159.99 (up from $149.99) and the Pro Stealth at $199.99 (up from its earlier $150-180 range), now tying the Model E Stealth Series at the top of the brand’s price ladder. Both the Pro II and Pro II Stealth Series were also showing as sold out on electrumpickleball.com at the time of this check — worth confirming stock before you commit to the brand.
Best Electrum paddles at a glance
| Paddle | Best for | Core / shape | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrum Pro II | Best overall | 11mm · elongated | $159.99 | ★★★★ |
| Electrum Model E | Best control | 16mm · elongated | $180 | ★★★★ |
| Electrum Model E Stealth Series | Best for drivers | 16mm · elongated | $199.99 | ★★★½ |
| Electrum Pro Stealth | Best lightweight | widebody · lightest | $199.99 | ★★★½ |
| Electrum Pro | Best for spin/touch | 11mm · standard | $130-180 | ★★★½ |
1. Electrum Pro II — Best Overall
Electrum Pro II
- Thin 11mm polypropylene honeycomb core with a raw carbon-fiber face for a quick, lively feel.
- Elongated 16in x 8in shape with a 5.25in handle — per Electrum's own listing, not the standard shape earlier retailer specs suggested.
- Listed as USAPA approved on its retailer listing, though that status wasn't independently confirmed on USA Pickleball's official database.
- Electrum's most refined version of its signature raw-carbon face after the original Pro.
The Pro II is the Electrum paddle we’d point most players toward first — the raw carbon face gives it real spin, and the elongated shape adds reach over the original Pro’s standard shape without sacrificing much quickness. For the full breakdown — specs, how it actually compares to the original Pro, and the stock/shipping issues worth checking before you order — read our full Electrum Pro II review. If you’re weighing it against the raw-carbon field more broadly, see our carbon fiber pickleball paddle guide for how it stacks up against JOOLA, Vatic Pro and CRBN.
2. Electrum Model E — Best Control
Electrum Model E
- 16mm core — Electrum's thickest — in an elongated 16.5in x 7.4-7.5in shape with a 5.25in handle.
- Reviewers rate it around 95% control and 90% forgiveness, with power scored lower at roughly 75%.
- Raw carbon face keeps spin high even with the thicker, softer-hitting core.
- Reviewers call it "clunky" for players who rely on fast hands at the kitchen line — it rewards a slower, more deliberate reset game.
The Model E is built for players who win points by outlasting opponents at the net rather than driving through them — the elongated shape adds reach for reset touches, and the 16mm core softens the ball on contact. If quick hands matter more to your game than reach, compare it against our best pickleball paddle for control roundup before committing $180 to a shape this specialized.
3. Electrum Model E Stealth Series — Best for Drivers
Electrum Model E Stealth Series
- Same 16mm elongated shape as the Model E, but with a swing weight around 105 — among the fastest-swinging 16mm paddles in its class.
- Higher swing weight adds pop on drives and serves without giving up the elongated reach.
- Ties the Pro Stealth at the top of Electrum's current price ladder at $199.99, per Electrum's own site.
- Best suited to players who already generate their own power and want the paddle to keep up, not beginners.
The Stealth Series takes the Model E’s control-first shape and adds enough swing weight to make it credible for drivers too — a rarer combination than most elongated paddles offer. If pure power is the priority over the elongated reach, weigh it against our best pickleball paddle for power picks first.
4. Electrum Pro Stealth — Best Lightweight
Electrum Pro Stealth
- Widebody shape with a swing weight around 89 — the lightest-swinging paddle in Electrum's lineup.
- Raw carbon face keeps spin consistent despite the lighter build.
- The easiest Electrum paddle on the arm and shoulder for players managing fatigue or minor joint pain.
- Trades some drive power for maneuverability — better suited to doubles and quick net exchanges.
If the Pro II or Model E feel like too much paddle to swing all afternoon, the Pro Stealth’s lower swing weight is the easier choice for your arm. Players specifically managing tennis elbow or shoulder strain should also compare it against our best pickleball paddle for tennis elbow picks.
5. Electrum Pro — Best for Spin & Touch
Electrum Pro
- Electrum's original model: an 11mm honeycomb core with a raw Toray T700 carbon face.
- Standard 15.5in x 8.5in shape, roughly 7.8-8.4oz.
- Listed price varies widely by retailer — it launched at $120 but is now commonly listed higher, so check current pricing before assuming the launch price.
- The paddle that established Electrum's raw-carbon identity before the Pro II refined it.
The original Pro is still worth a look if you find it discounted below the newer Pro II, since the core spin-generating ingredient — the raw carbon face — hasn’t changed. See our best pickleball paddle for spin guide for how its 11mm core stacks up against thicker, more forgiving spin paddles from other brands.
Is Electrum durable? What we found
Electrum doesn’t have the tournament track record of JOOLA, Selkirk or CRBN, and the durability evidence is mixed. Independent paddle-testing site Pickleball Science found moderate delamination-scale damage — described as a “crunchy” tap-test sound and localized separation — on one Electrum Elite test unit, and there’s at least one anecdotal report of an Electrum paddle delaminating during competitive play. Neither is a documented brand-wide recall, and Electrum isn’t alone in having individual units with early face-core separation. Still, it’s worth inspecting any Electrum paddle early: tap-test the face for a dead or hollow sound and check the edge seam for gaps in the first few weeks of ownership, since delamination that starts small tends to spread.
Electrum, by the numbers
- 24.3 million U.S. players in 2025. Per the SFIA, pickleball’s player base grew from 4.2 million in 2020 — room enough in the market for a smaller, engineering-led brand like Electrum to carve out a niche.
- 2019 founding. Electrum launched more recently than paddle-sport originals like Selkirk (2014) and Onix, built by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs rather than tennis- or racquet-sports veterans.
- 11mm vs. 16mm. Electrum spans its two main shapes across the thinnest and thickest core options in its own lineup — the Pro/Pro II favor quickness, the Model E line favors control and forgiveness.
- Elongated, not standard. Per Electrum’s own product listing, the Pro II is actually an elongated 16in x 8in shape with a 5.25in handle — the same shape family as the Model E line, not the standard-shape paddle some retailer specs describe it as.
- $130-$200 price range. Electrum’s lineup sits in the mid-to-premium tier, roughly matching Babolat’s higher models rather than undercutting on price.
How to choose an Electrum paddle
- Want the most well-rounded Electrum paddle? The Pro II ($159.99) balances quickness and spin without the elongated shape’s learning curve.
- Prioritizing control and forgiveness on resets? The Model E ($180) has the thickest core and the most reach.
- Want that same control shape with more pop for drives? The Model E Stealth Series ($199.99) adds swing weight without changing the core shape.
- Managing arm fatigue or joint pain? The Pro Stealth is Electrum’s lightest-swinging option.
- Chasing spin and touch on a budget? The original Pro still uses the same raw-carbon face — worth buying if you find it discounted.
- Playing sanctioned tournaments? Confirm your exact model on equipment.usapickleball.org before you buy, since USAPA approval claims on retailer listings weren’t independently verified here.
The bottom line
The Electrum Pro II is the best Electrum pickleball paddle in 2026 for most players — a quick, raw-carbon paddle at $159.99 that doesn’t require committing to an elongated shape. Control-first players should look at the Model E ($180), aggressive drivers fit better with the Model E Stealth Series ($199.99), and players managing arm fatigue should consider the Pro Stealth. Still comparing brands? See how Electrum stacks up in our best pickleball paddle brands ranking, check the overall field in our best pickleball paddle pillar, or browse other single-brand roundups: best Babolat pickleball paddle, best Wilson pickleball paddle, best GAMMA pickleball paddle and best Legacy pickleball paddle, another raw-carbon direct-to-consumer challenger.