The best pickleball paddles for control players

While the game has trended toward power in recent years, we still think there’s room for the grinders out there – the players who love a long dinking rally and prioritize shot placement to keep their opponents off balance. If that describes your game, we think you’ll love one of these control-oriented paddles. Below you’ll […]

The best pickleball paddles for power players

Best Power Pickleball Paddles graphic

Are you a player who likes to hit big serves, drive your third shot and be aggressive with balls out of the air at the kitchen line? You’ve come to the right place. Below you’ll find the best paddles available right now that are designed to maximize power so you can dominate your local courts. How […]

The best pickleball paddles for beginners

If you’ve just played pickleball for the first few times and are looking to start playing more regularly, you’re going to need a better paddle than whatever cheapo option you found at Target or Walmart or Amazon. We know you don’t think you need something fancy, but just trust us on this. Most new players […]

The best budget pickleball paddles

If you’re looking to dive into pickleball without overspending, we’ve got a few recommendations for you, featuring paddles that combine value with performance. Since everybody’s definition of “value” is a little different, we’re considering paddles under $150 for this guide. In many cases, using code “KITCHEN” at checkout will get you an added discount — using […]

PPA Tour cancels Veolia Southern California Open

The PPA Tour announces they’ve canceled their Veolia Southern California Open at Los Cab Sports Village tour stop while a disastrous series of wildfires burns in Los Angeles. “Due to guidance from local authorities regarding the threat of fires in the region and allocation of emergency personnel to areas impacted by fires in Los Angeles, […]

Pickleball beginners: Stop doing these things ASAP

A stop sign in the middle of pickleball players paddle tapping

Watching pickleball pros makes beginners want to whip out tweeners, go for ATPs, and start “strategizing” before they’ve even mastered the basics. We’re not here to tell you not to try. If you see an opportunity and it feels right, go for the shot you want. But if you want most of your games to help […]

In-game pickleball strategy: Be flexible to exploit the weak link

Dylan Frazier hits a dink at a PPA Tour event.

A lot of us have experienced something like the following scenario: You go into a doubles match with a clear plan to keep designated players on the left/right, the plan doesn’t work, you forget to call your timeouts (or are too stubborn to do so) and the match is over before you considered changing your […]

Predictions and storylines heading into PPA Tour Masters

Pro pickleball players play at the PPA Tour Masters in 2023.

If you’re not already excited to turn on the TV and soak in the scenes from Palm Springs this week, the matchups at the PPA Tour Masters should get you there. The tour’s most iconic tournament – also the first Slam of the season – started Monday with pro qualifying, then it will be a […]

Opinion: Pickleball has a paddle culture problem

The handles of pickleball paddles

For a game that is rapidly changing, there’s been at least one constant in pickleball at both the amateur and pro levels over the past 2 years: players complaining about paddles. They’re too hot. They’re too gritty. How can such-and-such paddle be legal? Those conversations were reignited recently when USA Pickleball announced that several power […]