Best Badminton Rackets in 2022: Top 7 Recommendations and Ultimate Buying Guide

Finding the rackets for badminton singles or doubles can be nerve-wracking, and this isn’t easy as it seems. Hundreds of brands like Li-Ning, Yonex, Dynamic Shuttle, and much more are here with their hundreds of badminton rackets to confuse your mind with attractive-looking products. Moreover, there can be many variations within a single model of racket.

If your mind is confused too, then relax; I’m here to help you with my top 7 recommendations that I found to be the best badminton rackets I have ever seen. Also, I have mentioned the best badminton racket-buying guide that will help you select one on your own.

Some rackets are good for smashing, some have better speed due to being lightweight, and some rackets are more flexible than others. So in this article, I will recommend the best badminton racket of different types. But here are some of the most frequently asked rackets.

My top 7 Picks & Recommendations for the best Badminton Rackets

After reading this article, you’ll be able to identify what qualities make a badminton racket perfect and what things we should keep in our mind to avoid any scams, and then you are ready to buy a product that fits your needs.

Yonex Nanoflare 800 LT is the lighter version of the previous model Nanoflare 800, redesigned razor frame and small shaft that allows the player to cut through the air quickly. The head-light balance of this racquet is ideal for defensive players who want to dig strokes off the court, while the stiff shaft lets offensive players swing hard and add extra repulsion to their plays. 

Because of its excellent balance, this racquet thrives on defensive digs and can effortlessly transition from backhand to forehand. Vibration Dampening Mesh (VDM) is used on the top of the frame to help with stability and shuttle control which is a plus point. It comes with a 5G grip, stiff flex, and a perfect balance point.

Yonex Nanoflare 800 LT is perfect for you if you are a defensive player who wants to swing hard, add extra repulsion and dig strokes off the court. Thanks to its effortlessly backhand and forehand transition.

Yonex Astrox 100 ZZ Badminton Racket: Best Badminton Racket for Advanced and Seasoned Players

Another best badminton racket from Yonex, Astrox 100 ZZ, made from Graphite, is perfect for advanced players. The design of Yonex rackets is improving. The Astrox 100 ZZ is a stunning matt navy racket with blue and white decals that is also printed on the super-thin shaft, as well as an orange flash on the opposite side. This racket didn’t come with a cover. 

It comes with 4U (88g) grip size G5, which is finally a high-end Yonex racket with a G5 grip size! We decided to re-string the AS100 ZZ and used a 0.68 gauge string with our preferred tension for reviews of 25 pounds. Astrox 100 is an extra stiff head-heavy racket that every professional player loves. Overhead performance is entirely different compared to other

Yonex models.

G5 grip size and extra stiff head make Astrox 100 ZZ a perfect choice for professional players looking for high-end rackets to level up their game. It is made from Graphite which is ideal for advanced and professional players.

Here comes another model of Yonex, Duora Unstrung. It provides pinpoint power as well as an increase in hold and repulsion and instant repulsion on drives. Built-in T-Joint is made of a particular good quality plastic coupled with epoxy resin to improve performance by boosting the shuttle’s stability on the string area. 

Yonex created a new carbon material based on unique Nanoscience technology. The square-shaped Isometric frame is meant to keep vertical and horizontal strings at the same length, resulting in an extended sweet spot in all directions. The best part about this brand is its improving day by day and introducing more effective designs that help players polish their skills.

Yonex Duora is perfect for beginners and intermediate players. This racket comes unstrung, allows you to play among different string tensions, and provides a comprehensive learning platform for new players. 

Titan G-Force 7 is designed for all those who enjoy a variety of badminton games.Toray carbon fibers are made entirely in Japan and are both lightweight and robust. The racket is pre-strung at a tension of 24 lbs. The flex of the shaft is likewise medium.

This gives the player more control at the net while also allowing him enough power to play shots at the backcourt, making this one of the best rackets for professional players.

Titan G-force 7 shows up with a high-quality polyester cover, keeps the badminton away from damage, is sturdy enough to resist shocks, and prolongs the tool’s life. The most attractive feature about this racket is the balanced shaft flex that allows it to hit the shuttlecock with more power and control shots. 

It is preferable for those who want more control over shots and premium quality manufactured rackets with the necessary features to play singles or doubles and challenge their opponents.

Yonex Carbonex has a distinct and robust feel thanks to its round-shape head and box-shape frame cross-section. For players who want a firm feel from the strings when they hit the ground.

Elastic Ti resists deformation at impact, extending and quickly recovering its shape to deliver accurate smashes with all the swing’s energy. 

It comes with 3U weighing scales and BG 65 string tension, which is pre-strung in the factory at 18 to 20 lbs and is not customizable. When compared to earlier versions, the control of the

Yonex carbonex 8000 plus badminton racket is excellent. Overall, this is a great product that is well worth the money.

Yonex Carbonex 8000 has a lightweight Ti resist frame that reduces air resistance and allows fast shots without much effort. This key feature makes it perfect for beginners and intermediate players who cannot play fast and accurate smashes.

Senston is one of the best racket brands in 2022 that delivers high-quality products for professional players. Instead of using metallic materials, the built-in T-connector uses a new lightweight plastic composed primarily of special epoxy resin. The frame is more stable and robust thanks to the light resin joint. 

The Isometric Square Head Shape has a larger sweet spot and a higher hit rate than other head shapes. It will also help to improve defense and extend the effective range. This pyramid frame rim design works with air mechanics to reduce swing resistance, allowing you to hit badminton speeds faster. Your opponent will face a hard time reacting to shorts. 

Its isometric square head shape and air resistance reducing feature make it a perfect racket for you, whether a beginner, intermediate or advanced player. Unlike most products on the market, Senston N80 Graphite offers you unbeatable performance without much effort.

Yonex Nanoray L8i is extremely light, making it ideal for quick reflexive hits. If you use a soft grip, it’s quite comfortable to hold. The string tension is more than adequate, and it is nearly identical to that of a professional racket. Light enough for quick front-court play, head heavy balance.

The first thing to do once you get the racket is changing the strings. The factory-installed strings are just to make sure the racket shape is intact. It would be best to re-string this with BG66 at 26 pounds or 27 pounds with BG 66 Ultimax, and it’ll be fine.

You will have excellent shuttle control, and your net and drop shots were spot on. You’ll be able to pick even powerful smashes and quick shots while also making movement easier.

Extremely lightweight and perfect for defensive smashes, If you’ve never played with a 5u racquet before and want to try one, this is a great one to start with because it’s of good quality and not too expensive.

Ultimate Buying Guide: How do I choose the best badminton racket?

Best Badminton Racket helps players to enjoy the game to the fullest. Everyone needs to know what to look for in a badminton racket. 

Having limited knowledge sometimes pays more in an expensive product that might not be good at quality or pays in a cheap and worst racket that doesn’t have enough features to level up your game.

As this is an ultimate guide, identify your level first, whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player, and then move on to our guidelines.

Here are some of the features that you should look for to find the best racquets.

Weight: 

Weight determines the power racket when it hits the shuttlecock. The beginner should choose a lighter racket; however, a heavier racket would be better for advanced and seasoned players. We are talking about all overweight. 

Weight chart that’ll help you to find out which one you should choose.

Weight	Utility
1U 94g or above	To strengthen muscles, allow more stability, control, used in training as its quite heavy
2U weighs about 90 to 94g	A bit heavy, perfect for advanced players and attacking in singles.
3U weighs about 85 to 89 g	Most common, ideal for Smashers, singles, and attacking doubles.
4U weighs 80 to 84 g	Most commonly used in badminton rackets, suitable for defensive singles and doubles.
5U weighs 75 to 79g	Perfect for beginners, and intermediate players allow more speed as it’s lightweight.
6U weighs 70 to 75g	Ideal for defensive players as it’s a bit fast and lightweight but gives less control.
7U weighs 60 to 69g	Suitable for beginners in powerful play but comes with less control.
8U weighs 59.9 and below	Perfect for those who want more control and faster return speed

 Balance Point: 

• Heavy head: Head-heavy racquets provide greater power when striking a smash. With a swift flick of the wrist, you’ll be able to respond to shots faster, improving your defensive abilities. Perfect for defensive and advanced players.

• Light head: Generate more power. Head-light badminton rackets suit aggressive and intermediate players who want to dominate the court with swift swings.

• Balance: Rackets that are balanced fall somewhere between the two varieties previously stated. They’re incredibly adaptable in that they can hit and respond quickly to defensive shots while still packing a punch—ideal for all types of players.

Game Type: 

When selecting a badminton racket, another essential factor to consider is the type of badminton game you intend to play. You probably have a heavy racket if you play single matches regularly because the power factor will take a higher spot over the speed factor. On the other hand, if you want to play doubles, you should use lighter rackets to keep up with the other players’ speed and tempo.

Grip type & Size:

There are three types of grips, as shown in the table.

Grip Type	Recommendation
Full Grip	Suits normal sweaty hands
Towel Grip	Suits extra sweaty hands
Over Grip	Suits less sweaty hands or kids Grip size found on the cone of the racket.

There are six sizes of badminton racket grip as shown in the table.

Grip Size	Grip Size (in)	Recommendation
G1	4″	Largest grip size. It is mostly available in European countries and is perfect for huge-body players with larger hands.
G2	3.75″	Large grip, ideal for larger players.
G3	3.5″	Medium grip, most common, preferable for an average-sized player.
G4	3.25″	Small grip, most common, suitable for teenagers and smaller players.
G5	3″	Most common grip size, preferable for children or teenagers.
G6	2.75″	Smallest grip size, ideal for kids.

Selecting grip size depends on your personal choice, like your palm-size or how comfortable you feel? Smaller G permits the player to use more finger power or wrist action. On the other hand, a bigger grip size utilizes arm power. It is preferable to use badminton rackets with smaller grip sizes who want more control, and attacking players would go for heavier.

Flexibility:

The stiffness of the racket is proportional to your swing speed. Badminton rackets come in 3 different flexibility ranges.

1. Flexible: It is good for defensive players and beginners to handle smashes, as it takes more time to let the shuttle change its direction. But when a racquet is too flexible, it does not fully rebound when it strikes the shuttle, and therefore the energy expended flexing and swinging the racket is practically wasted. 
2. Medium-Stiff: Medium Stiff shafts flex quickly and give high swing speed, power, and control. They are highly recommended for intermediate and beginners with developing techniques and lesser arm speed.
3. Stiff and Extra Stiff: Perfect for advanced players, it allows hard hits, precision, speed, and quick response. But it requires more techniques and a fit arm, not suitable for beginners.

In competitions and tournaments, stiff and extra-stiff rackets help you focus all your energy on hitting the shuttle.

String Tension:

String tensions are given below;

• Beginner: 18-20 lbs
• Intermediate: 20-23 lbs 
• Advanced: 24-27 lbs·        
• Professional: 27 lbs

How to test string tension?

To test the tensions of the racket’s strings, press your arm against them. The strings should ideally sink to a maximum sunken depth of 1mm. Any depth larger than that could indicate that the strings aren’t strong enough and lack the proper tension. It’s important to mention that tension standards differ from region to region, depending on different factors.

Material: 

• Rackets made of carbon-fiber materials are the best choice. This is because the material is not only light but also has excellent aerodynamic properties. As a result, it’s perfect for use in leagues and tournaments.
• Lightweight Aluminum and steel are also utilized in the production of these rackets.
• Intermediate and advanced rackets are 100 % graphite or advanced material such as Nanocarbon. These are preferable when it comes to performance as compared to Aluminum or steel.

Each of these materials has its own set of characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.

 Head Shape: 

Two types of badminton racket heads are available;

1.  Conventional Oval-shaped head: Oval rackets have concentrated power, whereas square racquets have a broad surface area. Professional players who want to outshine their opponents by concentrating their hitting strength may prefer oval-shaped rackets.
2.  Isometric Square-shaped head: Offer more sweet spot than conventional oval-shaped rackets and maximum hitting power. Rackets with square-shaped heads are suitable for beginners and intermediate players because the large hitting surface area allows them to refine their skills.

Budget: 

Now comes the most crucial point of this buying guide, budget. You should utilize your budget to choose the most cost-effective racket brand. The most costly badminton racket does not prove to be the best badminton racket ever. Not all cheap racquets, however, are discarded—also, some best badminton rackets under 100 dollars are of good quality.

FAQs

Conclusion:

We hope that our Badminton Racket list and buying guide has helped you to find the most suitable racket for your needs by now. If you consider these factors and tips, you’ll be able to compete at the same level as top badminton players.  Each type of player has an option that is ideal for them. Always remember to take your time when choosing your racket. You don’t want to spend money on something that lacks the features you need. Happy Shopping!