Don't be overly economical. The reasonable priced rackets are usually quite heavy because they are made of cheaper material. You will tend to use more arm movements rather than your wrist to hit the shuttle if your wrist muscle is not strong enough. This will lead you to develop bad habits. Heavier rackets are mostly preferred by players who have much stronger wrists and can therefore make use of the weight of the racket to extract more power from it. So unless you are in this category, experts would suggest to purchase one that is not too heavy. Choose a * size that you feel comfortable with. Generally, attacking players prefer bigger grips as they need to hold the racket more tightly to generate power. Players who like to rally and make use of deception usually prefer a smaller * so that the racket is easier to turn in their hands. Buy a head-cover with your racket, and use it whenever you are not playing. Remember not to store your racket close to the central heating radiators, or leave it exposed to sunlight inside a car. Treat your badminton racket with respect at all times.