Bread & Butter Invader - pickleball paddle review

If you're a fan of Bread & Butter or on the lookout for a uniquely designed paddle, you might like the sound of their new Invader. The alien theme used here is one of the coolest designs I've ever seen in a paddle.

The Invader is more expensive than the Bread & Butter Filth ($165), one of the best pickleball paddles on the market. It comes in at the same price as the Bread & Butter Shogun ($189.99). Read on for my honest Bread & Butter Invader review to see how it compares.

The Bread & Butter Invader is designed for intermediate players who want to introduce spin to their game without overwhelming themselves. It has a fine balance of control and power, but isn't too powerful either. Finally, its cool design is sure to win it lots of fans.

The Invader is like a hybrid-shaped version of the B&B Shogun—it has the same titanium and carbon fiber weave but adds a layer of fiberglass. This gives it some pop but real power is unfortunately lacking. I feel this mostly on my serves where it's hard to get the same power I get with paddles like the Filth and Six Zero DBD.

Check out my initial thoughts on the Bread & Butter Invader:

It took me a few sessions to get used to the strange way the ball hits off the paddle face. It doesn't feel smooth—something I've found in other fiberglass paddles like the Engage Encore Pro V2.0.

The irregular way the ball hits (alongside the medium-sized sweet spot that doesn't extend fully to the edges) makes the paddle less forgiving than the Bread & Butter Loco, B&B's other hybrid paddle.

Now that I'm used to the Invader, I like the balance of power and control, which are evenly matched (8/10). What I like most is the spin this paddle can generate. It grips the ball so well and makes it really fun to hit looping topspin serves that surprise my opponent with a big pop-up.

The Invader has good pop that can be used to attack high dinks, and is fast at the kitchen to help you win any hand battles. It helps me counter speed-ups at any part of my body, as well as finish back-and-forth hand battles consistently.

Overall, it's hard to recommend this paddle over the Bread & Butter Filth. That's still my favorite paddle from B&B because it offers the highest levels of power and spin, with plenty of control and forgiveness too. It's also cheaper at $165.

That said, the Invader is a good pick for the right player. If you're an intermediate player wanting to add spin to your game without it being overwhelming, this is worth considering. Plus, the alien-themed design really stands out and is one of the coolest-looking paddles I've seen.

Like all Bread & Butter paddles, the Invader draws attention. I've had several people ask me about it. The alien theme could give the impression that it's a gimmick paddle, but the titanium shine makes it look premium. The color combo between the paddle, edge guard, and handle is also great.

Let's take a look at its main features.

For the paddle surface, they've taken the T-700 raw carbon fiber and titanium weave of the Shogun, and then added a layer of fiberglass on top. Bread & Butter claims this adds pop and spin.

To be honest, I'm not sure why they keep moving away from the pure raw carbon of the Filth. That paddle still has the best spin and power of any of their paddles. While spin is great on the Invader (9/10), it's better on the Filth and Loco (both 10/10).

The Invader is Bread & Butter's second hybrid paddle after the Loco, with a 16.2" length and a 7.6" width. It's does a nice job of combining the aerodynamics of a standard-sized paddle like the Bread & Butter Fatboy with the reach of the elongated Filth.

The 16 mm core helps to provide a good blend of control and power. Once you get used to the way the ball hits off this face, the core allows for a soft touch on shots like dinks and drops. Plus, it provides stability for resetting shots when the ball is coming fast from opponents' attacks.

The core lacks in power for me, especially when there isn't much power coming from the ball like in serves or attacking soft returns.

I'm not blown away by the Invader's power Invader. That said, I still enjoy the pop when I'm hitting counterattacks to speed-ups, or attacking high dinks at the kitchen line. I like how the paddle can generate quick power on shots closer to the net where you usually need more punch and placement than pure power.

Sadly, I find the paddle can't generate high levels of power on its own. I struggle to hit hard serves or attack softer bouncing balls that aren't coming at me with much force—especially when I'm back at the baseline.

Paddles like the B&B Filth, Engage Pursuit Pro1 6.0, and Paddletek TKO-C have no problem generating power from nothing, no matter where you are on the court.

The 16 mm polypropylene core provides a good level of touch and control when hitting shots like third-shot drops and dinks at the kitchen. I can stay in long dink rallies while using this paddle, even when I have to switch from forehand to backhand.

This paddle has good placement and feels consistent when hitting the sweet spot. However, it isn't as soft as control-focused paddles like the Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta or Ronbus R2 PULSAR FX.

That said, the spin helps with control. I can make up for a lack of power by putting dipping spin on my third-shot drives to make them dip down at my opponents' feet.

I'm not usually a fan of the spin on fiberglass paddles, but the Invader feels different. Thanks to the carbon fiber underneath the fiberglass and the titanium weave, the paddle generates a ton of spin—enough for me to hit high-quality drops, drives, and serves.

The ball grips the paddle nicely. I can easily hit aggressive dipping topspin drops and drives. I like the slice I can generate when hitting serve returns or sliced third-shot drops.

I'd rate the Invader 10/10 on spin if it weren't for one issue: it doesn't absorb the ball like other soft paddles. This "absorbing" allows for more time on the paddle and generates more spin on dinks without being a pop-up.

The paddle has good control when hit near the center, but the sweet spot doesn't extend through the majority of the paddle. Combine that with how the ball bounces off the fiberglass and it doesn't make for a lot of forgiveness.

The ball even makes an odd sound when you hit off-center. It sounds like the ball cracks, which is unsettling. You don't get that same feeling you get with carbon fiber paddles with larger sweet spots like the PIKKL Hurricane Pro.

At 8.1 oz, the paddle feels light and comfortable when swinging around. I haven't had any discomfort in my shoulder or elbow during any of my long testing sessions. The weight feels balanced and isn't concentrated at any point.

The grip is a standard thickness (4.25") and feels comfortable to hold and swing around. It doesn't get sweaty even after playing for hours in a humid facility.

The titanium in the paddle face makes it look and feel very durable. The spin on the paddle doesn't come from any spray-on material that will wear down over time. Based on similar paddles I've tested, I'm confident this will hold up well.

The 8.1 oz paddle weight and 116-118 swing weight give the Invader a quick feel when battling at the kitchen line. I can get to balls really quickly, catching my opponents by surprise and saving shots when they thought the point was won.

I can also do a lot of "shake-and-bake" attacks with this paddle because I can attack the ball quickly when it comes back to my team after a third-shot drive.

My rating:

The Invader costs $190 currently, which is almost too expensive for the combination of power and control you get. The Six Zero DBD Control is a better combo paddle for $180.

However, the quality of spin makes up somewhat for the lack of power and control. If you're an intermediate player to advanced player looking to play with a high level of spin, and you want to be more aggressive at the kitchen line, this is a good choice for you.

This paddle is great for attacking high dinks and responding quickly during hand battles. Given that, any aggressive kitchen players wanting to speed balls up and then win the proceeding hand battles will get a lot out of it.

If you dig the alien theme, this is worth the money—especially when you use our exclusive 15% discount with Bread & Butter and can get it for $161.50.

If you're a beginner looking for your first upgrade paddle, I think you'll struggle here. I'd recommend a more cost-effective paddle that gives more control and forgiveness, like the Six Zero Quartz.

If the Bread & Butter Invader isn't for you, check out some other paddles I recommend:

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