I have been a huge fan of the Luzz Inferno given powerful the paddle is, has decent control and is around $200 after discount code. So, I was so excited to try the Luzz Inferno Frozen that just launched this past week and compare it to the Luzz Inferno.
I also wanted to compare it to one of my all time favorites the BNB Loco and the new Selkirk Omni paddle.
These paddles are very different, so it was a bit challenging at times, but I figure the more I can share with you will be more helpful if you’re comparing any of these paddles.
First Impressions of the Luzz Inferno Frozen
I was genuinely excited to get my hands on the new Luzz Inferno Frozen because I’ve been such a fan of the original Inferno. The Inferno has been one of my favorite power paddles over the last year because it manages to deliver big power without feeling completely out of control.
According to Luzz, the Frozen is designed for players who love the Inferno but want to dial back some of the pop and raw power. The goal is more dwell time, more stability, and a more connected all-court experience. As someone who doesn’t always have the softest hands, that sounded pretty appealing.
The first thing that jumped out at me was the design. Luzz absolutely nailed the look of this paddle. The frozen theme is obvious right away, and the “0 Degrees” graphic on the side is a fun touch that makes it feel different from anything else in my paddle collection.
I also immediately noticed the grit. No, it doesn’t use InfiniGrit, DuraGrit, or any of the other heavily marketed grit technologies that are everywhere right now. But honestly, it reminded me a lot of the RPM V2 and RPM Q2. It feels noticeably grittier than many paddles that came out last year, and that was one of the first things I noticed when running my hand across the face.
Here’s a close up picture of the face.
The Frozen uses a 16mm core, which is pretty standard these days, and when I looked at the specs side-by-side with the Inferno, there weren’t huge differences on paper. The grip circumference is slightly larger on the Frozen, while the Inferno carries a slightly higher twist weight. Internally, though, they are very different paddles. Here’s a picture of my Inferno.
The Inferno uses Luzz’s MPP Floating Core while the Frozen moves to the new MPP Z-Core design. After spending time with both, I definitely think that’s where much of the performance difference comes from.
Playability Comparison
Control
Let’s start with control because this is where I think the Frozen separates itself most clearly.
The Frozen immediately felt more forgiving than the Inferno. You give up some power, but in return you gain a lot of confidence when trying to shape the ball. Drops felt easier. Dinks felt easier. Resets felt easier. The reduced pop actually worked in my favor because I wasn’t constantly worried about accidentally launching balls too deep.
The Selkirk Omni was also incredibly impressive here. In fact, I don’t think I’ve had more consistent drops with any paddle recently. The ball just seemed to land exactly where I wanted it. Time after time I was dropping the ball into the middle of the kitchen, forcing opponents to hit up instead of attacking aggressively.
I’ve heard some players mention that the Omni’s sweet spot feels slightly smaller than the Boomstick’s, so the control advantage may not be as dramatic for everyone. But for me, I definitely noticed less pop and more precision.
The original Inferno lands comfortably in third place. That’s not a criticism because it’s still one of the more controllable power paddles I’ve used. In fact, I think it has significantly more control than something like the Tornazo while still delivering plenty of offensive firepower.
The BNB Loco is probably the trickiest paddle in this group from a control standpoint.
The name honestly fits. The first few times I played with it, I had several balls sail long before I adjusted. Once I softened my hands and learned how the paddle wanted to play, the control became much more manageable, but it definitely requires more adjustment than the others.
Control Rankings
- Selkirk Omni / Luzz Inferno Frozen
- Luzz Inferno
- BNB Loco
Spin
Thankfully, spin is a strength across all four paddles.
The Omni takes the top spot for me. Right away I noticed how much movement I was getting on serves. Side-spin serves would hit and immediately jump to the side. Topspin drives dipped aggressively. Backspin slices stayed low and skidded through the court. It’s simply a very fun paddle to generate spin with.
Part of that likely comes from the new DuraGrit technology. The long-term durability remains to be seen, but early impressions are very positive.
The BNB Loco comes in second. One thing that makes the Loco so dangerous is that it combines elite power with really impressive spin. You can absolutely rip topspin drives with this thing, and the ball seems to dive at the last second.
The Frozen gets the edge over the original Inferno for me. I really like the updated surface. It feels grippier, and I consistently felt like I could get a little more action on serves and slices. The original Inferno still spins very well, but if we’re splitting hairs, I would give the Frozen a slight advantage.
Spin Rankings
- Selkirk Omni
- BNB Loco
- Luzz Inferno Frozen
- Luzz Inferno
Power
Power is where things get really interesting.
The BNB Loco wins this category.
Honestly, it’s not even particularly close.
This paddle is absolutely ridiculous when it comes to raw power. The amount of pace you can generate on serves and drives is borderline unfair at times. I found myself painting baselines repeatedly and creating weak returns simply because of how much pressure the paddle puts on opponents.
The Omni surprised me here. Going in, I expected it to be much more of a traditional all-court paddle. Instead, I kept asking myself whether this was secretly a power paddle disguised as an all-court paddle. It has a lot more offense than I expected.
The original Inferno sits right beside the Omni for me. I actually struggled to determine which one was more powerful during play. Both generated plenty of pace, and both allowed me to attack confidently. If there is a difference, it’s small enough that I couldn’t consistently feel it on court.
The Frozen comes in last, but that shouldn’t be interpreted as weak. It still has plenty of power. I simply noticed that I needed to swing a little harder to create the same results I was getting from the other three paddles. That’s exactly what Luzz intended when designing it.
Power Rankings
- BNB Loco
- Selkirk Omni / Luzz Inferno
- Luzz Inferno Frozen
Cost Considerations
Pricing is actually one of the more interesting parts of this comparison because the four paddles span a fairly wide range.
The Inferno Frozen comes in at $249 before discount. Using code BEPICKLEBALLER brings it down to roughly $211.
15% Off Discount Code: BEPICKLEBALLER
The original Inferno starts at $229 and drops to around $195 after the same discount code.
15% Off Discount Code: BEPICKLEBALLER
The Selkirk Omni is the most expensive paddle in the group at $300.
Using code INF-PBALLER gets you approximately $30 in Bonus Bucks, which helps soften the blow a little.
The BNB Loco is the value option. Starting at $199 and dropping to roughly $179 with code BEPICKLEBALLER, it’s the least expensive paddle in this comparison. It also now includes a paddle cover and koozie, which is a nice bonus.
Which Paddle Would I Choose?
If I wanted the best combination of control, spin, and all-around performance, I’d choose the Selkirk Omni.
If I wanted a Gen 4 style paddle that leans heavily toward control while still maintaining enough offense to finish points, I’d choose the Inferno Frozen.
For singles, I’m grabbing the BNB Loco every time. The power and spin combination is simply too good.
And if I’m playing aggressive doubles and want controllable power, I’m still reaching for the original Inferno.
All four are excellent paddles. They just fit different styles of players. The Omni is my favorite all-around option, the Loco is the most dangerous offensive weapon, the Frozen is the most control-oriented, and the Inferno remains one of my favorite aggressive doubles paddles.
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