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Best badminton rackets to buy right now
Most club players should buy an even-balance racket: it is quick enough at the net and has enough power for clears. Head-heavy rackets add smash power but tire the wrist, and a cheap set is fine for the garden.
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Best for most people
1. Yonex Nanoray Light 18i
Carbon graphite · 77 grams (5U) · Head light · 30 lbs
The pick for most club and improving players: a carbon graphite racket at 77 grams, light enough to stay quick at the net, and the best-selling single racket here. The listing rates it head light, so it favours fast drives and defence over raw smash power; harder hitters should look at the Li-Ning further down.
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Best for club players
2. Carlton Drivespeed
Full graphite box frame · 675 mm · Medium
A full graphite box frame with medium stiffness, which suits club players who want one racket for clears, drops and net play. The frame is built to take higher string tension as your game improves. The listing gives no weight or balance point, so you are buying on the frame description and the Carlton name.
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Best budget pair
3. Yonex GR 303 (set of 2)
G3 · Isometric · U (95 to 99.9 grams) · 2, strung, with covers
Two strung Yonex rackets with covers for about the price of one graphite racket, which makes it the sensible buy for a couple or a parent and child starting out. At 95 to 99.9 grams they are much heavier than the Nanoray, so swings feel slower once you start playing proper club games.
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Best for the garden
4. Redfield Badminton Set
2 overgrips and carry bag · 2, steel alloy · 2 nylon
Everything two people need for the garden or the park: two rackets, two nylon shuttles, overgrips and a bag with a shoulder strap. The one-piece steel alloy frames shrug off knocks on the patio. Steel is heavy next to graphite, so this is a garden set, not a club racket.
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Best for smashing
5. Li-Ning Axforce Tiger
7mm flexible · 4U · Head heavy · 32 lbs
Head heavy with a slim 7mm flexible shaft and a carbon fibre frame, built for steep smashes from the back of the court. This is the premium pick for attacking doubles players. A head-heavy racket tires the wrist and is slower at the net, so it suits strong players more than beginners.
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Best for advanced players
6. Victor Thruster 1H
Thin, flexible · PowerBox
Victor aims the Thruster at advanced players who want more power, with a thin, flexible shaft and PowerBox frame tech for better power transfer. It sells far less than the Yonex rackets here. The listing gives no weight or balance figures, so check the spec with your club coach or a racket shop before buying.
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Best set with a case
7. Victor Drive Pro Set
Carrying case · 2 · Nylon
Two Victor rackets, nylon shuttlecocks and a carrying case in one box, a step up in brand from a basic garden set. The listing does not say what the frames are made of or what they weigh, which is why it sits below the Yonex pair.
Nothing matches those filters. Try fewer filters, or search for a brand like "MSI" or "Crucial".
How we rank
Ordered by how well each sells in its Amazon UK category, what the listing confirms (fit, materials, sizes, features), and price. We have not handled these products: the write-ups rest on what each listing states. Prices and stock are checked daily.
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