Bantam if you want power from a compact swing, Tempest if you want control and touch at the kitchen line, and Phoenix if you want something that does both reasonably well. Players who are unsure are usually best served by Phoenix or a mid weight Bantam.

Bantam is built around a thicker polymer core that turns a compact swing into pace, so it suits players who want the paddle to do some of the work. Tempest is the touch line, with a softer response for dinks and resets. It comes down to whether you win more points from the baseline or at the net.

Yes, particularly the mid weight options. Beginners are usually better served by a slightly heavier paddle than they expect, because the extra mass steadies the face on off centre hits. Very light paddles feel quick in the hand but punish inaccuracy.

Paddletek is an American company based in Michigan, and has been making pickleball paddles since long before the sport reached its current popularity. That history is a large part of why the brand has the following it does among club players.