K3s Load Balancer Landscape: Evaluating Nine Popular Solutions for Production

Kubernetes load balancer selection becomes overwhelming with K3s's multiple built-in and third-party options, each suited to different architectures and use cases. This comprehensive guide compares nine major solutions—from Klipper to MetalLB to service meshes—with real benchmarks and K3s-specific recommendations, enabling teams to make informed decisions for their production deployments.