Best Badminton Racket | 2022 Guide & Reviews
Badminton is an incredibly fast-paced and technical sport, making the gear you use to play the sport vital. A player’s racket is the most important tool in their arsenal and therefore much care and attention needs to be taken to choose the best racket tailored for your own personal style of play and that is something this buyers guide aims to walk you through.
Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player, a big smasher like Lin Dan or looking for a more light-weight racket, we have found the best racket for you.
Balance
In general there are three types of balance with regards to badminton rackets.
- Head heavy
- Even
- Head light
Head heavy rackets are weighted towards the racket head. This is great for those of us who like to play with a very powerful and aggressive game, helping you put more strength in your smashes and helping your clears travel to the back of the court with ease.
Head light rackets are more weighted towards the handle. This means that they have a very light and comfortable feel in your hands. You will also have great racket speed meaning you will be able to move and intercept shuttles with ease. A head-light racket will also provide you with a great sense of control when playing net shots. This makes the racket great for players who spend a lot of time at the front of the court, players who like more control over their shots and players who like to have a faster racket for quick drives and more defensive shots.
Even rackets are weighted towards the middle of the racket- shaft. This makes them great for players who are looking for a more adaptable and versatile game. These rackets are great for singles players and doubles players alike – providing adequate power to ensure you will be able to smash and clear effectively whilst giving enough control to play great net shots and enough racket speed to play a more fast-paced game.
Stiffness
To put it simply, stiffness is a measure of how bendable or flexible the racket shaft is.
A more beginner player would probably drift towards a more flexible or less stiff racket; you would tend to be playing more measured, controlled and slower shots. Therefore, the flexibility of the racket would help you generate more power and extra speed towards your shots.
A more advanced player would be better suited to a stiffer shaft. This is because you would be more likely to have a faster racket speed helping you take advantage of the “whip-effect” generated by the racket. The quick bending/unbending of the racket will help add a real edge to your overall game.
Weight
Badminton rackets come in 5 weight categories.
- 1U which is 95-99.9g
- 2U which is 90-94g
- 3U which is 85-89 g
- 4U which is 80-84g
- 5U which is 75-79g
More weight in a badminton racket is a trade-off between power vs racket speed and control.
If you are a beginner or casual player it is recommended that you buy a more light-weight racket. This will not only feel more comfortable in your hands, but also be more easy-going on your wrist and allow you to move the racket with a variety of different speeds and strokes. A doubles player also might prefer a lighter 4U style of racket to help with the more fast-paced game where racket speed and maneuverability help provide that slight edge necessary to carry through a match.
A more intermediate or advanced player would tend to drift towards a heavier racket to help them hit the shuttle with more speed and power. They also tend to be preferred by singles players looking for a more heavy duty racket for shot speed and racket momentum without compromising balance.
Grip Size
This is purely about personal preference. This is denoted by the letter “G” followed by a number. The smaller the number, the larger the handle size. We recommended a G4 which happens to the standard at which all Yonex rackets come as. However, players depending on their hand size etc. have their own preferences.
Different manufacturers also have different sizes relative to the scale but for reference the Yonex ones are as follows:
- G1 which is 4 inches
- G2 which is 3.75 inches
- G3 which is 3.5 inches
- G4 which is 2.25 inches
- G5 which is 3 inches
If you are unsure of what grip size to go for, we would advise you to go for a smaller grip – you can always add more tape or an over-grip to make the racket more comfortable at a later time.
Frame Shape
There are two different types of badminton frame shape. An isometric one with a larger sweet-sport and more consistent power and an oval one with a larger racket face area and a more concentrated sweet spot.
Oval-framed rackets are becoming rarer these days, however, it is best to use this type of racket if you are a more confident player as the sweet spot is smaller. Isometric rackets provide a definite better option for beginners as the sweet spot is larger meaning that your going hit a few more “worldies”’ with this style of racket and it will definitely help you enjoy your budding badminton career.
With the above in mind, we now will progress without any hesitation to the reviews.
Brand
The most popular badminton racket brand on global scale is Yonex by a long stretch and with tennis legends such as Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan, Kento Momota and Victor Axelson all popularizing the brand. Popular racket models include the Yonex Voltric 7 and the Yonex Voltric Z force 2.
Its not just rackets , Yonex also provide the best shuttles and shoes too, they are honestly the super-power when it comes to badminton.
Racket Reviews
Yonex Gr 303 Badminton Racquet Series
A decent beginners badminton racket for someone just starting the game on a budget.
The racket itself comes in two parts, the frame is made from aluminium greatly lowering its weight and the shaft is made from low torsion steel making it ideal for beginner players. Though it is slightly heavy (100g) for its price you are going to struggle to find something of similar quality. In addition, it comes with a head-cover meaning that you can protect it from damage when not in use.
The racket has a neutral balance making it an all-purpose racket, great for learning or testing out all aspects of the game. The racket itself also has an isometric head shape meaning that there is a larger sweet spot. This makes it great for rookies developing a love for the sport as they will be able to hit more “well-timed” shots with ease.
A great beginners racket for someone on a budget or someone looking for an affordable racket to play with!
YONEX Badminton Racket Muscle Power Series with Full Cover High Tension Pre Strung Racquets (Muscle Power 22 Plus) (Muscle Power 22 Plus)
A great beginner/intermediate racket for heavy hitters out there!
This racket itself is isometric in shape meaning that you will have a great sweet spot to perfectly time your smashes and clears as you power through your opponents. This is also a head-heavy racket meaning that it is designed to help you generate more power and strength in all your shots.
The frame is made from aluminium and the shaft is made from steel making it a very durable racket ensuring your bound to get plenty of fun from using it. The muscle power frame is also especially designed to give the maximum amount of repulsion possible to increase the power of your shots further!
The racket comes with a G4 style grip which is great for people who prefer smaller racket grips and OK for people who prefer larger ones as they can add extra grips etc. The racket also has a heavy feel to it being in the 1U category making it great for power players and players who like a little more umph in their racket.
All in all, a solid power racket for beginner and intermediate players alike who like prefer a more intense strength-based game.
YONEX Nanoray Light 18i Graphite Badminton Racquet (Black)
This is a great light-weight racket for doubles players or someone looking for a more comfortable, maneuverable racket to play with.
Both the frame and shaft are made from carbon graphite making them super light and easy to play with (the weight is 5U – 75-79.9 g). On top of this the balance of the racket is head-light meaning that it has an even lighter and more comfortable feel to it. This racket is a joy to play doubles with as its weight and feel makes it very maneuverable meaning you’ll easily be able to intercept shuttles, drive the shuttle and have great control at the front of the net.
The isometric head shape means that there is a great sweet-spot to perfectly time your shots and the grip size is G4 making it good for players who like smaller racket handles and for those who prefer larger ones you can add additional grips to bulk up the handle to a preferable size.
A great buy for an intermediate or beginner player looking for a light-weigh racket to help them have lightning-fast reactions.
The Yonex Nanoray 6000I G4-U badminton racket is a great beginner/intermediate badminton racket that is super fun to use. With Yonez – the staple badminton brand – you know what you are buying.
The racket is relatively light, weighing 159 grams meaning you will be able to have great racket-speed to intercept and drive the shuttle with easy. You will also have great control at the front of the net, playing perfectly weighted net shots.
The racket is also built to last – if you’re a beginner or a more advanced player, an adult or a child you will be getting a racket that is durable and reliable.
The Yonex badminton racket comes with a strong anti-slip tape which is especially designed to stick to your fingers as you play helping you enjoy your game as much as you can. The racket also comes strung with Yonex-strings meaning you will be able to play with the racket to a great standard straight away.
This is a decent light-weight racket that has a great feel to it and is really fun to play with.
Senston – 2 Player Badminton Racquets Set Double Rackets Carbon Shaft Badminton Racket Set- 1 Carrying Bag Included
Another great budget racket that actually comes in a pair, with two shuttles, a nylon case and two over-grips to add to protect your hands – talk about getting your money’s worth!
The racket is a firm one-piece design which is always a good thing to look for when buying a badminton racket. This means that the racket is more stable which is great for a greater degree of control when playing. The racket itself is made from graphite with carbon aluminium components to improve durability. The racket itself is in the 2U weight category (90-94 g) making it great for someone who enjoys playing with a slightly heavier feeling racket.
This is a great racket for the more casual player looking for a decent budget racket to do a good job. Great for a casual knock-about in the garden or a beginner who is very new to the game.
Trained Premium Quality Set of Badminton Rackets, Pair of 2 Rackets, Lightweight & Sturdy, with 5 LED SHUTTLECOCKS
A great beginners set of rackets for a casual game or a knock-about in the garden.
These rackets come with a carrying bag which is great to transport. They also come with a tube of 5 LED shuttlecocks, definitely something cool making this a great present.
The racket comes in a pair making it great for playing with your mates and close relatives. The rackets are relatively light-weight for their price and are pre-strung meaning you will be able to play with ease.
Even though the rackets are adult sized, they are light enough for children to use. This racket set is great for family fun at its finest. It is a great set to bust out on occasion and help the whole family get stuck in.
All in all, a great racket for a casual or beginner player with cool LED light up shuttles.
