Pickleball players are, as a group, extremely easy to buy for — they will happily own anything with a pickleball joke on it — and extremely hard to buy for, because everyone in their life has already worked that out. Here's what's actually good, organised by what you're willing to spend.
Under $12: the ones that always land
This is the right tier for a teammate, a secret santa, a stocking, or the round-robin gift exchange that follows every winter league.
Pickleball glasses — $10.50
Stemless, dishwasher-safe, and printed with the lines people actually say on court. The holiday ones exist and they're the ones to buy in December:
- "Ho, Ho, Ho" — the obvious one, and it works
- "Deck The Halls"
- "Dink Responsibly" — the best joke in the range, and the safest bet if you don't know them well
Year-round, there's "Dill With It," "Life Is What Happens," "The Kitchen Is Closed," "Eat, Drink & Be Happy," and "I Can't. I Have Pickleball." The full set is here.
Pickleball towels — $7
Cotton bar towels with the same jokes. "Ho Ho Ho," "Deck The Halls," and the one that gets the biggest laugh, "They Never Let Poor Rudolph Play Any Pickleball Games."
The move at this price: buy a glass and a matching towel. It's $17.50, it looks like a set because it is one, and it beats a $17.50 single item every time.
$25–$45: for someone who plays three times a week
At some point the joke gifts stop landing, because they own eleven of them. This is where you switch to something used off the court.
A Cork Pops opener — $28.50–$45
Hear us out. The post-game drink is half the sport, and the person hosting it is opening bottles for six people while trying to talk to them.
A Cork Pops Legacy ($34.50) doesn't use a corkscrew at all. A hollow needle goes through the cork, a small amount of food-safe inert gas goes in underneath, and the cork lifts out whole — one hand, a few seconds, no wrestling. It was patented in 1964 and it's still made by the same family in Novato, California.
For a gift, the Starter Set at $45 is the one — opener plus two cartridges, so it works out of the box and keeps working for about 120–160 bottles.
It's also the rare gift for a pickleball player that isn't about pickleball, which by December is its own kind of relief.
Whirlwind Spinning Cocktail Glasses — $62
If the group plays and then drinks properly: four glasses that spin on their weighted bases without tipping, each with a different cut so nobody loses their drink. Have a look.
Building a bundle that doesn't look cheap
The trick with $7 and $10 items is combining them so they read as considered rather than scraped together.
- $17.50 — the pair. One glass, one matching towel, same joke.
- $31.50 — the foursome. Two glasses and two towels, different jokes. This is the right gift for a couple who both play.
- $52.50 — court and clubhouse. Two pickleball glasses, two towels, and an opener refill pack for the one who hosts.
- $62.50 — the captain's gift. The Starter Set plus a glass and a towel. Something for the court, something for after.
What not to buy
Paddles. Unless you know exactly what they play with, what weight, and what grip size. Anyone past their first season has strong opinions and your guess will be wrong.
Balls. They have a bag of forty.
Anything sized. Court shoes and apparel are a returns problem wrapped in wrapping paper.
Glassware, towels and bar tools avoid all three failure modes: no sizing, no equipment opinions, and they get used by people who aren't the recipient — which is how a gift gets remembered.
Frequently asked questions
What are good gifts for pickleball players?
Things that don't need sizing or match their playing preferences. Pickleball-printed glassware ($10.50) and bar towels ($7) are reliable at the low end; at $25–45, wine and bar tools used at the post-game gathering. Avoid paddles, balls and anything with a size.
What's a good pickleball gift under $20?
A pickleball glass and a matching towel, about $17.50 together. It reads as a set rather than a single cheap item, and the matching joke makes it look deliberate.
What do you get a pickleball player who has everything?
Something off the court. Most keen players have accumulated a lot of pickleball-branded objects by their second season. A Cork Pops Starter Set ($45) is used at the drinks afterwards and isn't another thing with a paddle printed on it.
Are there Christmas pickleball gifts?
Yes — the range includes holiday designs: "Ho, Ho, Ho" and "Deck The Halls" in both glasses and towels, plus "They Never Let Poor Rudolph Play Any Pickleball Games."