Are you serious about badminton? If okay, there is no alternative of having the best badminton racket in hands. In fact, to keep an edge over your competitor, a perfect blend of skills and racket is at the top of any professional’s priority chart.

But when you’re lying in between the area of a beginner and a professional zone, it’s hard to make both ends meet.

As per my observation, intermediate players have always been in confusion about the right racket he/she needs. As a perfectly selected racket will complement the player’s skillset, you need to be certain about your playing style.

There are so many styles and variety in strength in the rackets that you see on the market right now. And it’s a hard nut to crack if you take the purchase decision all alone. We’ve done plenty of rackets (45, to be precise) and finally come along with the best 5 list.

Go through the reviews of the top-notch picks of 2018 and will find that one racket that will suit your playing style, skills, and comfort to the most.

So, let’s start viewing the best 5 badminton rackets for intermediate players-

Introducing the Yonex Nanoray 10 NR10 2014 Badminton Racket from Yonex- no #1

Yonex, is a Japanese brand, had brought up an evolution to sports grade badminton. Specially, Yonex Nanoray 10 NR10 2014 Badminton Racket is one of their best ‘budget-friendly’ racket set. Why? Well, we will explain.

Let’s look at the built quality of the racket first. The frame of the racket is made isometric and with a strong frame. As a result, the entire frame distributes the weight perfectly among the body. So, you will feel it as a lightweight but strong body and can make impactful hits with it. 

The mesh of the net is made to be really uniform. The brand calls it the nano-mesh, and it really sticks to its name. No matter with whatever area you hit it with, there is a good chance that the shuttlecock will get into the sweet spot. Also, the uniform meshing also helps with aerodynamic advantages.

The ratio of weight and grip size is 4U/G4, which is a perfect balance to players who understand it. To balance the weight, even more, there is a head light.

Lastly, there are four different models to choose from. Each of the model comes with a multicolor design.

Pros:

• Isometric frame design.
• Uniform and strong aerodynamics.
• Nano mesh for an even stronger sweet spot.
• The color of the frame is Nanory 10F.
• Four different models to choose from.
• One of Yonex’s best creation.
• A good buy for the money.

Cons:

• The shaft quality is not up to the mark.

As the second-best badminton racket for intermediate player, we have got a slightly more professional model comparing to the level of an intermediate player. This racket from Yonex is for those only, who are about to opt in with professional tournaments.

Our #2 is the right Yonex Voltric Orion, a semi-professional racket from the sports giant Yonex.

When you will have the first hit with the Yonex Voltric Orion, you can feel how much power and impact this racket carries. With a perfectly uniform meshing and a strong frame, this can’t be any better.

Especially, we want to talk about the frame particularly. The frame is claimed to isometric by the brand Yonex. And what we heard from the players is, the acclamation is not wrong at all.

The weight and grip ratio of this racket is 4U4. And the shaft of the racket is made to be strong and made of graphite. The advantage of a graphite-made shaft is, it will withstand even hours of continuous practice on the court. 

Also, the Yonex Voltric Orion is one of the best picks as it comes to games of intermediate to professional levels. If you’re intending to taste a bit more strength on the court, this racket might be the right pick for you.

It may cost a few more bucks than rackets known as ‘Intermediate Rackets’. But let us ensure you, it deserves every penny that you invest in it.

Pros:

• Heavy-duty frame and meshing.
• Uniform and impactful meshing.
• Fully isometric frame structure.
• Strong graphite made the shaft. 
• Fir for even hours of practicing.
• Best for intermediate to professional grade badminton.
• A beautiful multicolor design.

Cons:

• No model variation or color changing options.
• A bit pricey.

The racket that we have chosen, for now, is a part of Carbonex series by the brand of Yonex. Yonex Badminton Racket Carbonex Series is a 6000EX model, where it has some other sequels of Carbonex 6000N, 7000EX and 8000TI.

All of these models are just the variation of power and frame quality. But as long as we’re discussing rackets for intermediate players, we would like to stick to 6000EX Carbomex series.

Let us explain the set of features that it has got.

The best thing about this Carbnex model is, it comes with a great coverage of hitting spots. During the game, it will put a maximum on the cork, no matter how hard or slow you hit it.

If we talk about the building quality and strength, it checks all the boxes of quality. The frame and the shaft are the two best parts of the body. The shaft is made of carbon nanotube where the frame is made of graphite. If you had been in badminton, you might know that frames and shafts gain maximum power with such a combination of materials.

The strings are strung uniformly and create a high amount of tension force on the shuttlecock. The tension of impact at the prime hitting area is about 19-24lbs, which we found pretty much okay.

If you have been looking for an ideal intermediate graded racket, the Yonex Badminton Racket Carbonex will be a right pick.

Pros:

• Wide and isometric frame.
• The frame is made of graphite.
• String and sturdy shaft which is made of the carbon nanotube.
• Creates 19-24lbs impact forces on the shot.
• A racket made for senior graded players.
• Four different measures of strength to choose from.
• A great price-quality ratio.

Cons:

• No size variation except ‘Senior’.​​

Remember about the Carbonex series from the brand Yonex? Yeah, at this point we’re going to pick and discuss another model of the series. It’s called Yonex Carbonex 8000 Ti Badminton Racket and there is a strong reason behind putting this racket on the list. 

You know how important the meshes are when it comes to professional or semi-professional badminton. Also, the quality of the frame also plays s a big role when it comes to impact you make the racket. 

Considering both of the facts, we think Yonex Carbonex 8000 Ti Badminton Racket can be one great racket for people who have a desire for professional grade badminton. Even if you don’t want to be a badminton professional, this can be the best racket to practice.

However, we’re appreciating the mesh and frame because the entire frame is made with full carbon graphite. Also, the meshed are called the ‘Titanium Mesh” and it has already proved it’s worth.

This racket is pre-strung in a beautiful way. You can use the entire body as the sweet places of the racket. The grip weight is measured as 3US. 

It’s the best tool for intermediate level badminton players. In fact, such a racket that’s made of 8000 Titanium is something that every player would love to own. The item is also one of the latest rackets in the market.

Pros:

• Made of durable and premium grade titanium.  
• Awesome design and built.
• Contains full carbon graphite.
• Strongly pre-strung strings.
• A lightweight pick.

Cons:

• Doesn’t have any cover.

Throughout the entire review, we have been surrounding around the brand Yonex. But apart from the well-known brand, there are some other manufacturers who are doing really well when it comes to semi-professional racket manufacturing. One such example is the Victor. And as the #5 pick of the list, we have got Victor Brave Sword 1100.

Externally, there are no big differences between the Victor Brave Sword 1100 and any other popular models. But as a new edition in the market, this racket had come with some micro-level features that we think is purposeful.

The first fact about this racket is, it’s so much fast in the swing. The aerodynamics of this racket is made to be super smooth and air doesn’t seem to be a problem when the shuttlecock comes on its way. 

Moving forward, we found this racket as a perfect one for smashing. If your playing style contains regular smashing, you can imply great forces with Victor Brave Sword 1100.

Professional grade rackets use to have thick shafts. But this one here is doing pretty good with a 0.7mm shaft only. Such a stiff shaft will surely do better in terms of controlling and feel. The handle is made to be soft and gentle to hands.

Lastly, as all of the features shows, the Victor Brave Sword 1100 is very light in weight. You will also have a cover to carry it around. 

Pros:

• A very fast and responsive swinging racket.
• Made to be good for smashing.
• Thin shaft dimension of only 0.7m.
• Provides a better control over shots.
• Feels smooth and soft for the hands.
• Very light in weight.

Cons:

• Not so much impactful.

What Should You Look for In A Intermediate Level Racket?

The term ‘Intermediate’ defines a state when the player had just started to master the skills that he or she had learned at the earlier stage. Some of these players may move forward to professional grade badminton and some may not.

But no matter what the fact is, you can always get the best one for you if you have some certain buying factors in mind. As you have already been through 5 of the best intermediate level rackets, you know what’s there in the feature list.

Summing it up, here is the list of preferences in an intermediate level racket-

The Speed
Mid-level badminton is all about mastering the control of movements and shots. You need to know how to do smashes and how to use the aerodynamics to get control over your gameplay.

Keeping that in mind, you should go for something that is light in weight and something that lets you send the birdie quickly to the court of opposition. Based on your age and energy level, only the best weight of racket can bring you such abilities. So, keep an eye on the weight of the racket you are about to purchase.

How Much Durable the Racket Is?
Of course, you don’t want a racket to be dead after few days of play. So, be careful about choosing the most durable and long-lasting racket from the pile. As a matter of fact, that would be something that we all need.

What defines the durability of such a racket is the shaft, the head and the quality of the frame. Also, the position of the shaft and the head needs to be firmly together to make harder hits.

Especially, we would tell you to choose the shaft material wisely. Because when you will be playing, that’s the place where all the stress is going to take place. Usually, aluminum or carbon fiber made shafts are the best when it comes to professionally graded rackets.

How Much Bounce The Strings Are Offering?
Bounce or the reflection power of the strings defines that how impactful you can hit the birdie. When the strings are made in such way that it comes with enough bunce, you will be able to hit power shots.

Before purchasing, have a close look at the way the meshing of strings has been done. Because that builds up the entire bounce of the racket. Also, if you make sure that you are getting a uniform mesh, that would let you make surfs at higher velocities. And that’s only possible when you will have a quality racket on your hands. 

Final Verdict

So, that was the list of best badminton racket for intermediate players guys. Hope we have been able to provide you a full review of features their variations from the top 5 picks of the market. As a summary line, we would like to tell you that, your own style and gameplay matters the most when it comes to selecting the best for you. 

Keep an eye on the quality of shaft and frame, the grip and the handle, the meshing of strings and the weight. Lastly, don’t end up paying extra bucks when you can get the same thing at a cheaper price. Also, price-quality ratio is another buying factor as well.

Best of luck with your purchase!