Badminton Reviews | Sport Consumer | Best Source for Gear & Advice

There’s something fun and exciting about racquet sports. They require hand-eye coordination, speed, agility, and cardiovascular strength. Unfortunately, most racket sports require a hard surface like a tennis court or a racquetball court. For the average person having a tennis court or a racquetball court in our backyard simply is impossible. Luckily there is a great racket sport that is available for those of us who don’t have access to hard surfaces. The sport is badminton, and here are some great suggestions for some badminton sets to help get you started! Top Badminton Set Comparison Chart PictureNamePriceWhere to Buy? 1. Boulder Portable Badminton Net Set $$Check Price on Amazon 2. Baden Champions Vollyball and Badminton Set $$$$Check Price on Amazon 3. Baden Badminton Set $$$Check Price on Amazon 4. Park and Sun Badminton Set $$$Check Price on Amazon 5. Zume Games Portable Badminton Set $$Check Price on Amazon 6. DUNLOP Volleyball Badminton Lawn Game $$Check Price on Amazon 7. MD Sports Badminton Set $Check Price on Amazon 8. Speed Minton S6000 $$$Check Price on Amazon 9. Prince Strike $$Check Price on Amazon 10. Yonex Leisure $$Check Price on Amazon Badminton Set Buying Guide Badminton is a classic game that has origins from Britain and India. Badminton is similar to tennis in that you hit a birdie back and forth over a net. The birdie, or shuttlecock, is a small ball that has either goose feathers or synthetic feathers around it. The small birdie can really give you a run for your money when trying to hit it over the net. Badminton also has smaller rackets than tennis or racquetball. This sport really requires a refined level of skill to be able to play well. If you want to bring this unique game into your home, the best thing you can do is get an all-in-one badminton set. How are you going to know what type of badminton set is going to suit your needs? There are all types and styles of badminton play. If you want to stay true to the sport will need to make sure you get regulation size netting. If you just want to have the occasional fun, any size net or racket will probably do just fine. But what set is going to be so amazing that you must buy it? We have the answer for you. What Do You Need in a Badminton Set? When you finally decide that you’re going to get a badminton set, what is it that you really need to look for? Many people aren’t sure what to look for when getting their first badminton set. Here are some of the things that you should consider before you even start to think about purchasing your own badminton equipment. Assembly Many people don’t think about the assembly required to set up sports equipment. Often in advertisements and pictures, the equipment is already set up, and it looks very easy. Many times that simply isn’t true. Assembly should be one of the first things that you consider before you purchase any sports equipment. Considering the space that you have available, the time it takes to put it together, and the tools needed to assemble the equipment should all be done before you ever look at a product. This is especially true of large sports equipment sets like badminton. Considering a regulation badminton court is 44 feet long by 17 feet wide space should definitely be one of your first considerations when thinking about assembling a regulation badminton set. There are other assembly items that usually come in a badminton set and they are: Net Ropes Poles Stakes Each one of these elements of the badminton set needs to be considered on its own. Net Good badminton set is going to come with its own net. The net should have easy attachments to the poles and should be sturdy enough to stay straight on the top rope through the whole game. S ince badminton is not like volleyball and the net will not take a lot of direct contact, it doesn’t have to be as thick or as sturdy as a volleyball net. That doesn’t mean that any flimsy net will do. Getting a high-quality net in your badminton set is just as important as getting good poles and stakes. Ropes Most high-quality badminton sets are going to come with ropes to secure the top of the net to the poles. They will then anchor the poles to the ground via stakes. If ropes are included in your badminton set, you want to make sure that they are high-quality ropes. If there are no ropes included in your badminton set, you want to make sure that there is some kind of securing mechanism to hold the net in place. Poles Typically there are two types of poles when portable badminton sets are purchased. There are telescopic poles and then poles that snap together. The choice of construction is yours. If you know that you absolutely hate to snap-together poles, make sure that your badminton set doesn’t have snap-together poles. These assembly elements are going to enhance your enjoyment of your badminton set. Especially if you plan on taking down the set every time you are done using it. If you hate to assemble your badminton set chances are you’re not going to play with it very often. Make sure you get the type of poles that are easy to assemble. Stakes Many of the badminton sets come with stakes to secure the poles to the ground. Some use weight and balance rather than stakes. If you plan on leaving your badminton set up, you may want to consider purchasing something that is going to be more durable and stakes into the ground. Rackets Each badminton set should come with rackets included. Badminton rackets typically have a longer handle than a tennis racket or a racquetball racket. The head is smaller and designed to hit the lighter shuttlecocks. Some advertise badminton sets may not even have badminton rackets make sure that they do have the correct type of rackets included. Shuttlecocks Shuttlecocks are an essential game piece when playing badminton. Though relatively inexpensive to purchase on their own it is nice to make sure that they are included with any badminton set that you are purchasing. Shuttlecocks either come in plastic or with goose feathers. The goose feather shuttlecocks are traditionally played in regulation badminton wall the plastic shuttlecocks are more for backyard fun. Case A good badminton set will have a storage case. Since most of these badminton sets are designed to be portable the case should fit everything inside. If it doesn’t have a storage case, it’s probably not designed to be portable, and you may consider purchasing a mother type of badminton set. Storage and portability are very important especially if you want to be able to take your game to the beach, a party, or even to the park. Any Bonus Games? Today many manufacturers are trying to bundle badminton games with other games. Some badminton sets come with games like volleyball or picket ball. If you do purchase a set that features another game make sure that the net will support the wear and tear of all games included in the set. Best Badminton Set Reviews 1. Boulder Portable Badminton Net Set Boulder makes the claim that they are the best portable sports nets in the world. That's a big claim, but from what we've seen, we're not in a position to argue! Here's what I mean; Boulder's nets actually stay upright infinitely better than other comparable nets. Not only are they made of metal (most nets are made with all plastic infrastructure) but they're 50% thicker than any other competitor! "Ahh" you say, "but what about weight?". I'm glad you asked because they're quite reasonable. There are 3 widths available and here's what they weigh according to width: 10ft net – 8lbs - mainly for kids playing one on one games 14ft net – 9lbs - mainly for adults playing one on one games 17ft net – 10lbs - mainly for adults and/or kids playing two on two games Here's the best part; Every net is adjustable to various heights, so they're all the same - only the widths are different. Another REALLY helpful feature is that they are free-standing and don't need to be staked down. They held together by a very quick and ingenious system of bungee cords so you can set it up in no time and you won't make mistakes. While the net does not include badminton rackets or shuttlecocks, I would strongly suggest getting those separately (and don't skimp out on super cheap ones since they'll be noticeably heavier and less attractive to play with - remember, you're trying to encourage kids to like the sport and adults to get involved, so use equipment that makes the activity enjoyable!). This is our #1 recommendation by a wide margin! Pros This is a very "non-frustrating" net that is exceptionally versatile (for a variety of sport) Very durable steel construction Easy and quick setup Cons Does not include any sports accessories like balls or rackets, etc. 2. Baden Champions Volleyball and Badminton Set Baden really pulled out all the stops when they created this badminton and a volleyball combination set. This is a very sturdy super durable net. It’s regulation size nylon, and that makes it fairly heavy. If you’re not very strong, you’re probably not going to be setting this up by yourself. Lugging it around can be cumbersome just because of how heavy it is. If you do want to set it up and leave it up, it is very durable and should be good to be left alone outside. The regulation-size net is both good and bad. You get used to playing on the regulation size net. Unfortunately, you do need a lot of room to have this setup. Many backyards simply won’t have the space required for this badminton set Because the set includes volleyball, the net is extra sturdy and can take some hits. The poles are powder coated steel and easily support the weight of the net. All in all, this is a very good quality badminton set. Pros Sturdy Quality Regulation size net Includes Volleyball Cons Net might be too large Very Heavy! 3. Baden Badminton Set This badminton set by Baden is especially nice because it includes the boundary lines needed for your full regulation size badminton court. A full-size badminton court may not fit in your backyard so you may need to take this portable badminton set to a park or beach to get the full use out of it. The net and poles are very sturdy as well as the shuttlecocks. The only downfall to this badminton set is the durability of the badminton rackets. Sometimes the rackets fall apart even after first use. If you are playing badminton daily, you may want to consider another set. This badminton set would be ideal for the occasional badminton player. Because of the compact storage case, it wouldn’t get in the way even if you only play a few times a year. Pros Regulation Size net Includes Boundary Lines Includes storage bag Cons Rackets Not the Best(4) 4. Park and Sun Badminton Set The set up on the Park and Sun badminton set was very easy because of the telescopic poles. There is a regulation size net included in the set. The ropes that are included to secure the net in place are very sturdy, and the tension rings allow for easy adjustment to make sure that the net remains tight even during rough play. Everything fits into the storage case that’s included with this set making it highly portable. The set can be used both indoors and outdoors depending on your preference. This makes it very convenient for gyms and recreation leaders. The rackets and shuttlecocks included seem to be a little on the flimsy side. If you plan on playing roughly with these, they probably won’t hold up to the abuse. If you take good care of the rackets and shuttlecocks, this should last for a long time. Pros Telescopic Poles Regulation Size Net Comes with Everything! Cons Rackets seem flimsy (4) Poor shuttlecocks 5. Escalade Sport Zume Games Portable Badminton Set The Escalade Sport badminton set is designed to be both instant and portable. The freestanding base will set up on any surface and doubles as a carrying case for this portable badminton set. If you are looking for something that will fit into a smaller space, this badminton set is going to be the right fit for that small space. The Escalade Sport badminton set does have some design flaws. The freestanding base can be a little flimsy. If there is anyway and the net seems to want to fall over. Even with added weight on the bass like a brick or sandbag the net still wants to flop over. Also, the telescoping poles that come out to the side can be a little flimsy and if used too roughly will bend or break. The nice thing about this badminton set is that the customer service by Zume is amazing. Any issues that were experienced with this portable badminton set were addressed by the manufacturer so that your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you do have a problem, the manufacturer will help with replacements or directions. Pros Easy Set up Compact storage Great customer service Cons Unstable Not Regulation Poles are weak 6. DUNLOP Volleyball Badminton Lawn Game This Dunlop set comes from a respected name in the industry, and the set itself offers a good value. It's a tie-down or stake-down style so there's no need to worry about heavy bases to hold a net. The net height is fully adjustable (5', 6' and 7') and the system includes quite a few accessories. Included is the net, poles and other set-up hardware, 2 shuttlecocks, 1 volleyball, 4 badminton rackets and 1 air pump - all in a carry bag. The net itself measures 20 feet by 2 feet. Having said this, it's only fair to let you know that Amazon buyer feedback seems to imply this set is less than stellar. As mentioned earlier, because Dunlop is typically a good name in the recreational (and in some cases professional) sports industry, we're giving them the benefit of the doubt. However, buyers have complained of poor net quality and other issues pertaining to the infrastructure of the net hardware to the quality of the ball. Here's what we can tell you to make the most of this set (actually, any set!). Don't leave it up permanently or more than a few days at a time. It's meant to go up and down fairly quickly. The outdoor elements can cause problems with warping and peeling, etc. Also, I'd stay away from any volleyball play. The net is simply not that strong and the volleyball is not that good. Use it for badminton and take it down after use (sounds pretty normal) and we're confident you won't have any issues. Pros Posts stake to ground Good rackets (4) Cons Poor Net Quality Poles don’t go together well Shuttlecocks are hard to see 7. MD Sports Badminton Set MD sport badminton set is an inexpensive option for those looking to add a badminton set to their at home sports equipment. The net is 20 inches high, and the poles are made out of PVC measuring 61 inches tall. The poles have a telescope design. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make them easy to assemble. This badminton set requires a little patience when assembling. The quality of the rackets in this badminton set our very good making the price of the badminton set well worth it just for the rackets. This would be the perfect badminton set for a beginner or a casual badminton player. Since the net is not a regulation-size net, it is more likely to fit into smaller yards. Pros Inexpensive Good Rackets(4) Cons Poor Quality Net Hard To Assemble 8. Speed Minton S600 The Spedminton S600 badminton set is not a traditional badminton set because it does not come with a net. The rackets are not the typical badminton rackets they look more like racquetball rackets in their shape and short handle. Although advertised as a badminton set this game may be more of a combination of racquetball and badminton than one or the other. The set comes with a lighted shuttlecock and two aluminum rackets. The lit shuttlecock makes this game fun even in the dark or dimming light because it is easy to see. Even in brighter conditions having an illuminated birdie makes the game more interesting because you can track the shuttlecock with ease. The set does come with a carrying case and is designed to be ultraportable. Because the lack of a net this game can be played anywhere anytime. Take it to the beach, the park, anywhere and see how much fun you can have. Pros Lighted Shuttlecock Sturdy Rackets(2) Cons Not Traditional Badminton Rackets No Net included 9. Franklin Sports Classic Badminton Set Franklin is well-known brand created by two brothers (Sydney and Irving Franklin) back in 1946. It's come a long way since then, but that's another story for another day! Today, it's all about badminton sets! This set offers one of the very best values we could find in our search. It includes a 20' x 2' x 1.5" all-weather net with a deluxe tarpaulin binding and top net cable. The poles are 1.75 inches in diameter and 61 inches tall. The four graphite rackets have contoured hand grips, and the shuttlecocks are cork-tipped. The assembly is as easy as any portable system on the market, so no worries with setting up and taking down. As expected, a storage bag is provided for easy transport. Pros Great Rackets(4) Portable Easy Set-up Cons MUST be very careful not to run into the net/poles as the poles can snap if someone runs into them 10. Yonex Leisure Yonex leisure makes a great for person badminton set for very low cost. This is ideal for people who would like to play the occasional game of badminton but don’t want to invest a lot of money for an occasional hobby. This badminton set comes with four rackets, two shuttlecocks, one set of poles, one net and one carrying case. Like some of the other less expensive badminton sets, the rackets and shuttlecocks are good quality but the net could use some work. As long as you are not planning on leaving the badminton set out all year long the quality of the net shouldn’t be a problem. Occasional gameplay will not be affected by the quality of the net. Pros Great Rackets (4) Good shuttlecocks Cons Poor Quality Net Conclusion & Recommendations When it comes to badminton sets you really do get what you pay for. There are multiple levels of price points in all of the sets that were reviewed. The seriousness of your dedication to badminton will dictate which badminton set you should get. If you are a dedicated badminton player either the Optima complete or Baden champions set are going to be your best options. Both of these are regulation-size nets that are durable quality and excellent construction. The materials used to make the netting, as well as the rackets, are not flimsy or unreliable so you will get the most play out of either of these two badminton sets. The only piece of equipment that a serious player will need to buy is a high-end pair of badminton shoes. If you are only looking for an occasional badminton game than any of the other badminton sets will do just fine. While some of the sets like of the Yonex did present problems with the netting, they were not so problematic that they wouldn’t be good for someone who only played badminton occasionally. The smaller nets are better for those who are less dedicated to badminton because they don’t take up as much space and are easier to pack and unpack. No matter which badminton set you choose, you are sure to have lots of family fun with this classic game. Make sure that you get a set that includes everything that you need for your entertainment purposes. Again, purchase a badminton set that will function as you need it to.