What's the difference between 1 star and 3 star ping pong balls? - Project Sports
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What’s the difference between 1 star and 3 star ping pong balls?

6 min read

Asked by: Daryl Free

The main difference is the roundness of the ball. Typically 3 star balls are also more quality controlled, bounce better, and last longer. That said, there is still a wide range of quality within a variety of 3 star balls.

What is better 3-star or 1 star ping pong ball?

1-star and 2-star balls are less durable and they are usually bought in mass in packs of to be used for rallying or practice. The three star ratings represent the best balls and they are the only balls you should be using in matches and competition.

What is the difference in ping pong ball stars?

You might be wondering what the stars mean on ping pong balls. It’s simple: stars indicate quality. 3 stars is the maximum rating, representing the highest quality balls. 1-star or no-star table tennis balls will be of lower quality.

What star ping pong balls are best?

Basically, the maximum rating any ball can have is the 3-star rating – this represents the highest quality balls. Balls with lesser or no stars indicate that they’re of lesser quality than a three-star ping pong.

What do star ratings mean for ping pong balls?

The stars on table tennis balls signify what standards they follow. 3 stars is the best and maximum rating, in other words the highest quality ball. Thus 1-star or no star balls will be of lower quality. 3-star balls are the only ones used in competitions, and follow the exact specifications on how a ball should be.

What ping pong balls do professionals use?

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.

What do stars mean table tennis?

The higher the star rating of a table tennis bat, the more advanced and faster it is. As such, it offers less control and is therefore more demanding of the player. The more stars a bat has, the more control and playing experience it requires.

Are there 4 star ping pong balls?

4 Star 40+ 3 pack (White)



Our 4-Star 40+ Poly Balls are simply the best on the market. Each ball is tested and held to the highest standards of quality, durability and performance.

Are there different grades of ping pong balls?

Table tennis balls are typically divided into 3 different star ratings (1-star, 2-star and 3-star). In simple terms, the 1-star balls are the most basic and are suited to social environments and casual play. 2-stars can be useful for practicing and learning, and the 3-star balls are the premium for competition.

What is the official ping pong ball?

The official rules of table tennis state that the ball shall be: spherical, with a diameter of 40mm and. weigh 2.7g and. be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and.

What does 40+ mean on ping pong balls?

The reason the balls are labelled with 40+ is that when the ITTF made the plastic balls legal for competition, they also allowed the balls to have a bigger size tolerance. So a celluloid ball tends to be around 39.6mm whereas the new plastic balls measure around 40.2mm, making the plastic balls about 0.5mm bigger.

What is the difference between orange and white ping pong balls?

The orange balls are usually used in more casual games. For instance, if you are playing ping pong at your work place or in a club, you will probably use an orange ball. An orange ball is definitely more visible than a white ball, so unskilled players are able to see them more clearly.

Do ping pong balls expire?

As you have found out a good ball can last a long time. They don’t tend to wear out but they do break. The plastic will get a crack in it and then be unusable. You will notice the ball will stop bouncing the same way and you may even notice a slightly different sound to the bounce.

How often should you replace ping pong balls?

How long do table tennis balls last? Generally, a three star ball lasts about three to six months, assuming you don’t step on it. If you are using an old (celluloid) ball, the lifespan is much shorter at around two to four months. This is because the new plastic balls have much better durability and overall quality.

How many ping pong balls would fit in a Boeing 747?

At three cubic inches per ball, a 747 could hold 10,368,000 balls.

Do ping pong balls lose their bounce?

Ping-pong balls are very stiff and springy — they lose only a small fraction of their energy when they bounce on a hard surface. On a soft, squishy surface, the ping-pong ball may bounce less well (but then again, the other balls may bounce less well also). Some surfaces are very complicated, like a mattress.

How high should a ping pong ball bounce?

Average bouncing height that is required by federation standards is minimum 23 cm for free falling table tennis ball from 30 cm. In order to locate the bounce on the tables, the table tennis ball is released from 30cm in free fall with equipment was.

Can you take ping pong balls on a plane?

Ping pong ball is prohibited on the airplane, but do you know the reason? Ping pong ball is defined as an inflammable item by the security system. If you take a lighter to a ping pong ball, it will easily burst into flame and burn like a ting flamethrower.

Can ping pong balls go flat?

The ball is very malleable and easy to shape, so if you put it on a flat surface, it will flatten. How much time does the ping pong ball usually take to return back to its shape?

Why does putting a dented ping pong ball in boiling water remove the dent?


The air inside the ball heats up it expands. And pushes against the sides of the ball. As the gas expands the dentist pushed outwards the ping-pong ball returns to its original shape.

How do you pop a dent out of a ping pong ball?

Simply hold the ping pong ball in the towel and point the hairdryer at it on a high heat. This has same affect of heating up the air particles inside the ball causing the pressure to change and pop the dent out. For a bit of fun, can also try it without holding the ball!

How do you Unpop a ping pong ball with a lighter?

It into a glass. Don't burn yourself put your ball in the water push. It under with a pair of scissors. Like this wait five seconds and bingo put your ball in the water push.

Can you fix a cracked ping pong ball?

With this one the water method is very simple and you'll be able to do with no problem for this method you just bring a pot of water to a boil and store your dental balls in.

How do you fix a water damaged ping pong table?

Apply a very thin coat of the wood putty over the damaged areas; smooth and feather it at a sharp angle with the spatula. Allow this to dry completely before proceeding. Sand down the wood putty to the level of the playing surface. Smooth and feather in the wood putty with the finest grade of sandpaper.