The best squash rackets for under £80

Let’s face it, squash rackets can be expensive. There’s no two ways about it – the top rackets nowadays can cost in excess of £120. No matter who you are, that’s a lot of money.

While it’s true that more expensive rackets will feature the latest technologies from different brands, the law of diminishing returns certainly comes into play. The difference between £20-60 rackets can be substantial, whereas the difference between £60-100 rackets is often much less so. Whether you’re a beginner or expert, you don’t need to spend huge amounts of money to get a great racket.

Having said that – there are some truly terrible, terrible rackets that you can get your hands on if you’re looking for a bargain. I remember buying my first racket from Sports Direct, a £30 Wilson Hammer Pro weighing 185g (we all have to start somewhere!). Having a basic understanding of what to look for in squash rackets will help you to avoid making the same mistake I made. Make sure to check out our comprehensive guide to choosing a squash racket if you are buying your first racket.

There’s a few ways you can get your hands on great rackets for reasonable prices. The first is to look at the new season stock from mid-tier brands such as Ashaway and Karakal. The second is to look at new season mid-range rackets from brands such as Dunlop and Head. The third is to look at previous seasons’ top-tier models from the more upmarket brands. Perceived value is a brilliant thing – it’s amazing how fast people forget certain rackets cost over £120 just 18 months ago.

Quick disclaimer: The prices in the below list are correct as of January 2021 on PDH Sports. I’ve also included Amazon links, however mid-price rackets are usually a little more expensive.

£60-80 squash rackets

Older Tecnifibre Carboflex models – £69.99 – £79.99

Looking through PDHSports, there’s still plenty of older Tecnifibre Carboflex models you can get your hands on. Where the latest Carboflex Airshaft costs over £120, these older frames now cost between £70-80.

The Heritage was released in 2012, the 125S was released in 2015 and the X-Speed was released in 2018. All of these rackets once cost £120+, and while there’s certainly been subtle changes and improvements over the years, for the average squash player, the differences are fairly hard to spot.

The good thing about these rackets, is they’re built to last. I’ve used the older Heritage racket for about three years, and in that time it’s taken some serious abuse. Yet, unlike many of my other rackets, it still lives to tell the tale. In the long run, these rackets should be great for your wallet.

Purchase links:
Amazon UK | PDH Sports

Ashaway Powerkill 120ZX & 110SL – £79.99

These two rackets from Ashaway offer a serious amount of bang for the buck. Many players have compared these to the seriously expensive Harrow rackets that are now notoriously hard to get your hands on. They’re not the most powerful rackets by a long shot, but in terms of control and accuracy they’re hard to beat.

The 120ZX is one of the best control focused rackets on the market. It has a dense stringing pattern, mid-light weight frame and slightly head heavy balance. This makes it perfect for players who thrive on playing accurate, touch based squash.

The 110SL is one of the lightest rackets money can buy. Weighing in at just over 135g with strings, grip and bumper, you’ll struggle to find a lighter racket. This has a slightly smaller head than the 120ZX, so may be suited towards more advanced players.

Ashaway also offer a range of teardrop shaped rackets, all priced under £80. They’re an incredibly underrated brand in my opinion – it’s hard to go wrong with their rackets!

Purchase links:
Powerkill 120ZX | Powerkill 110SL

Tecnifibre Dynergy APX 135 – £79.95

This racket is one of the latest Dynergy models from Tecnifibre. The Dynergy rackets are built around power, comfort and ease of use. These are some of my favourite rackets from Tecnifibre – they have a huge sweet spot and are really forgiving. For any amateur to intermediate player, simply picking up and playing with these rackets is a breeze.

The 135 is the cheapest racket in the range at just £80. The reason for the lower price can be put down to the ‘less premium’ strings used in the frame. It’s worth remembering that as soon as those strings break, you have the freedom to choose any string of your choice.

Read our review of the Tecnifibre Dynergy range here

Purchase link:
Amazon UK | PDH Sports

Head Graphene 360 Speed 135 Slimbody – £79.99

This racket is the weapon of choice for New Zealand’s Joelle King, Its lighter sibling – the 120SB – is now being used by fellow-Kiwi Paul Coll.

This racket can now be picked up for as low as £79.99. These rackets are a personal favourite of mine. They’re powerful, forgiving and have a lovely feel from the strings. You also have the choice between stringing these rackets in a normal pattern or a fan pattern. This means you can tweak your racket to offer more power or more control, depending on your preference.

The previous season’s model can also be picked up for £64.99, offering a very similar performance for an even lower price. Like with the Carboflex models, it would take a skilled player to really notice the difference between the two. One of the main issues with the older frames however, is their durability. While I can’t vouch for the 135, I know a good deal of players who used the older 120 and broke a number frames – something worth considering.

Purchase link
Amazon UK | PDH Sports

Dunlop Hyperfibre+ Precision Ultimate – £69.99

Up until mid-2020, this was a flagship racket for Dunlop and cost way over £120. This has now been replaced with the Sonic Core range, and can be picked up for £69.99.

It has a traditional shape, with a large head size and dense stringing pattern. Like the Ashaway above, you can expect a lot of control, touch and feel, though power may be lacking compared to other frames.

At 132g unstrung, It weighs a little more than the Ashaway 120ZX, however, it has a head light balance, so will probably offer fairly similar feel. Check out our article on swing weight to understand how weight and balance work in tandem.

Purchase link:
Amazon UK | PDH Sports

£40-60 Squash rackets

Dunlop Hyperfibre+ Revelation Pro – £59.99

Up until 2019, this racket was used by the current world #1 Ali Farag. It’s hard to think of a better accolade. Fast forward to 2021, and this racket can now be picked up for just £59.99. I personally paid £100 for one of these after watching Ali at the British Open in 2018!

Read our full review of the Dunlop Hyperfibre Revelation Pro

I’m always somewhat hesitant about promoting this particular racket. This is the most head heavy squash racket on the market – while it weighs just 128g unstrung, it feels significantly heavier. However, it’s worth remembering that weight is not a bad thing! There’s a misconception that lighter = better, whereas this really isn’t the case.

I personally love the balance of this racket – hitting well weighted shots to the back of the court is a breeze with it. I wouldn’t recommend this racket to beginner players though, as you really do have to have good technique and early racket preparation to make the most of it.

This racket is very well suited to players who enjoy playing a traditional ‘up and down the sidewall’ style of play.

Purchase link:
Amazon UK | PDH Sports

Head Microgel 125 – £59.99 (with extras)

The Head Microgel 125 is a racket that was previously used by the GOAT of squash – Ramy Ashour. It’s a little older than the other frames in this article, though that’s not to say it’s in any way worse.

At 125g, with a head heavy balance and a large 500cm head, alongside a less-dense 12×17 stringing pattern, this is an ideal racket for both beginners and advanced players. More experienced players might opt for Head’s Adaptive Fan Pattern, offering more control, touch and feel at the sacrifice of a little power. Ramy Ashour used the fan pattern – take a look.

This racket can now be picked up for £59.99. PDHSports also offer this racket with a free tube of squash balls and two Karakal grips, worth about £12.50.

Purchase link:
Head Microgel 125 bundle

Dunlop Hyperfibre+ Evolution 130 – £49.99

Another racket from Dunlop, this time formerly used by British professional Declan James. I’ve not tested this particular racket out, though did very much enjoy using it’s successor, the Sonic Core Evolution 130. While Dunlop has worked hard to improve the new racket, the older frame still shares many similarities.

It weighs 130g unstrung, features a large 490cm head and has a head-light balance. This makes it a very useable, all round racket for a wide variety of players. At £49.99 this is a real bargain.

Purchase link:
Amazon UK | PDH Sports

Karakal Raw 120 – £44.95

For those looking for a Tecnifibre Carboflex style racket that doesn’t dent their bank balance, the Karakal Raw 120 could be the perfect racket. It has a remarkably similar shape, weight and balance to its more expensive doppelgängers. It also has the same 14×18 stringing pattern as well.

These are ideal rackets for players starting out playing squash. £44.95 is an outstanding price for a racket with these specifications – you’re getting some serious value for money, thanks in part to the fact that Karakal is a slightly less well-known brand than some others in this list.

Purchase link:
Amazon UK | PDH Sports

What’s your favourite budget racket?

As mentioned at the start, I’ve only featured these rackets based on me either being able to use them personally over the past few years, or knowing others who have used them. I love to hear about what rackets others are using, so if there’s a budget racket you use and think it’s worth a mention, please leave a comment below!

*All prices in this article are correct as of January 2021