There are plenty of articles out there listing the best Badminton racquets out now. You’ll find they all list 10-20 racquets as recommendations, that’s a lot to sift through. Truth is there isn’t normally a massive difference between a lot of racquets, only seasoned professionals can really tell the difference. This is my list of top recommended racquets, the best of the best. If you’re at more of a beginner level you’ll want to look at my list for best racquets for beginners.
So which are the best Badminton racquets you can buy right now? My top five best Badminton racquets for 2019 are:
- Yonex Voltric Z Force 2
- Yonex Arcsaber 11
- Yonex Duora 10
- Victor Jetspeed S10
- Li-Ning N7II
All of these racquets are outstanding. Some of them suit certain play styles better or are better for doubles or singles etc. If you’re not sure which Badminton racquet type is meant for you we have a guide which details everything you need to know about selecting a racquet. Let’s have a closer look at what makes these five racquets the best in 2019.
Yonex Voltric Z Force 2 (The Best Singles Racquet)
Released worldwide in 2014, the Yonex Voltric Z Force 2 is still one of the best racquets on the market even five years later. It was so popular with the best players in the world that there are multiple limited edition versions made. Lee Chong Wei had a purple and black colour variant when he played with it in 2014 BWF World Championships and beyond. Lin Dan had three different limited editions of this racquet in 2015, a white, coral red and yellow and black versions.
Countless players used it including Kento Momota, Chris Adcock, Srikanth Kidambi, PV Sindhu and more. Although these players don’t use this racquet anymore I’d still argue this is still one of the best to play with now.
It’s a head heavy racquet with an extra stiff shaft so it’s ideal for singles players. Here are some pros and cons for the Yonex Voltric Z Force 2.
Pros:
- Incredible power and swing speed
- Easy to manoeuvre despite being head heavy
- Still easily available to buy and comes in various weights and grip sizes
Cons:
- Hard to control without practice and good technique
- Can be fatiguing to play with
I’ve played with this racquet now for about four years, it was difficult to get used to at first. After practice and playing with it for a couple of months I started to see how much power and speed I could get in my shots with good technique. It’s an incredible racquet, there isn’t any other racquet like it. If you love hitting big smashes and speedy shots then this racquet is for you. You can buy it from various Badminton retailers or find it here on Amazon.
Yonex Arcsaber 11 (The Best All Round Doubles Racquet)
Probably the oldest of the racquets that I recommend in this list, the Yonex Arcsaber 11 is still one of the best racquets out there. Released in 2013 a variety of doubles and singles players picked this racquet up. Players including Mathias Boe, Carsten Morgensen, Viktor Axelsen, Marc Zweibler and so on. It’s a racquet used by players who are looking for complete control in their shots.
A even balanced racquet with a large head shape this racquet is easy to control and hard to mishit with. Stiff shaft couples to deliver good power with enough technique and strength. It’s perfect for playing controlling shots from the front of the court and hitting fast shots from the mid and read court.
Pros:
- Light and balanced racquet, easy to play with and control
- Large head makes consistent clean shots easier
- Speedy to play driving shots with
Cons:
- Lacking next-level kind of power for smashes
Yonex Arcsaber 11 is a classic, it’s a great all rounder which makes it suitable for doubles where you need a little bit of everything. You can’t really go wrong with this racquet, it’s an all-rounder for a reason and suitable for most. You can find it here on Amazon.
Yonex Duora 10 (The Best All Round Racquet, Singles and Doubles)
The Yonex Duora 10 was the first racquet in a long time that tried to bring something very different to the Badminton racquet market. They designed the racquet head with one side that was thin and aerodynamic for speed and the other side was more boxed shaped to provide more power in shots. The idea was to use one side for backhand fast shots and the other for powerful forehand shots.
Like the Voltric Z Force 2, this was an incredibly popular racquet with top players. Released back in 2015 it was used by players like Lee Chong Wei, Chou Tien Chen, Kim Astrup, Anders Rasmussen, Ng Ka Long Angus and plenty more. The incredible thing about this racquet is its versatility. We’ve seen singles, doubles and mixed doubles players playing with it in the past. It’s a slightly head heavy racquet with a stiff shaft so great for almost everyone. Here are some pros and cons with the Duora 10.
Pros:
- The aerodynamic side is amazingly quick for short sharp shots
- The boxed side provides solid hitting power
- Easy to play in the defence
- More forgiving stiffness and balance, easier to play with
Cons:
- Easy power but feels limited compared to heavier, stiffer racquets
I’ve played with this racquet before and you don’t need to play with it long to realise why so many people loved this racquet and still do. Although top players may have moved on this is still overall one of the best racquets you can buy. Still easily available you can find it here on Amazon.
Victor Jetspeed S10 (The Fastest Doubles Racquet)
The Victor Jetspeed S10 has long been hailed as one of the fastest doubles racquet ever. Following on from the footsteps of the Bravesword range favoured by players like Lee Yong Dae, this racquet had a lot to live up to. Released in 2014 a number of doubles players all made the jump to playing with this racquet. This included Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, Chan Peng Soon and many more.
All top men’s doubles players they favoured the sheer speed this racquet has. A even balanced racquet with s stiff shaft it’s a good all-rounder from the start. What set this racquet apart from the rest was how quickly you could play with it. A very responsive racquet head made short racquets motions snappy.
Pros:
- So light and so speedy to play with
- Still delivers power in the smashes
- Easy to manoeuvre and responsive
Cons:
- Smaller head frame, more chance to mishit the shuttle
Nobody can argue this is still a top racquet even in 2019. Most would still favour playing with this racquet despite its age and get incredible results with it. I’d recommend this to anybody who focuses on playing doubles. If it’s good enough for the best and is easy to play with, why not? You can find it here on Amazon.
Li-Ning N7II (Another Great All Round Racquet, Easiest to Play With)
The last racquet I recommend on this is another good all-rounder. The Li-Ning N7II is a even balanced racquet with a medium flex shaft. This actually makes this racquet even easier to play with, it’s the friendliest racquet to play with from this list. It’s because of how forgiving this racquet can be that I recommend it. It’s not to say that it lacks in quality though. It has good speed, power and feels solid.
Famously Zhang Nan used this racquet and he’s one of the best mens and mixed doubles players ever. It provides good speed for killing shots at the net and easy power when smashing due to the more flexible shaft.
Pros:
- Beautifully detailed racquet, simply stunning
- Good speed, power and control
- Even balance and medium flex makes it so easy to play with
- Great for frontcourt play
Cons:
- Has power but is limited by the flexible shaft
I’d say out of this list that this is the easiest to recommend. This racquet has everything and is coupled with a beautiful design. With so much quality it’s an easy buy. Find it here on Racketline.
Related questions
Which badminton racquet is best for smash? The best racquets for smashing are head heavy racquets with stiff shafts. Some good examples are Yonex Z Force 2, Yonex Duora 10 and Yonex Astrox 99.
What is the best weight for a badminton racket? For singles players prefer to have slightly heavier racquets for carrying momentum into their shots. They tend to go for 3U weighted racquets. Doubles players go for lighter 4U racquets because they have less time from shot to shot and need lightning-fast reflexes and short sharp racquet motion. All made easier with a lighter racquet.
Which is the best badminton racquets for a beginner? I always recommend even balanced, flexible shaft racquets for beginners. Playing with an all-around quality racquet that has a good amount of flex helps beginners by being easy to play with and easy to generate power. See our racquets for beginners guide for a list of the best racquets and why they’re good for beginners.
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Written by Liam Walsh who lives in Manchester, England. Working as a Software Engineer but moonlighting as a dad, Badminton player/coach and creator of BadmintonsBest.