If you’re considering buying a badminton set, you’re already off to a good start in bringing a fun game into your home for yourself and you family, friends, and kids’ friends to play.

Badminton is easy to set up, easy to bring along to a park, beach, or friends’ house, and takes up a relatively small amount of space when in storage on a shelf.

Plus, it’s easy to play, appeals to people of all ages, and is pretty affordable to buy. Most badminton sets will cost between $25 and $50 dollars, although you can find higher end sets with more pieces and higher quality regulation materials, (and also lower quality, less expensive sets which are not intended to last as long).

If you’re looking for the right badminton set for your family, it’s pretty simple. Just ask yourself the following questions:

• How many racquets do I want? (2 or 4? How many people do you anticipate wanting to play? For most people, 4 is the right choice here.)
• How many shuttles do I need? (Most sets will come with 2-3, but a more complete badminton set will include more extra shuttles. This is especially a good idea if you have kids.)
• Do I want to play for fun, or competitively? (If you’re competitive, you may want a set that includes rope to mark the boundary of the court. This makes it easier to determine whether the shuttle lands out of bounds, which is important if you’re competitive.)
• Do I want to bring my set to other people’s houses? (If so, look for one that includes an easy storage and carrying case or bag. This also helps protect your equipment when you have it inside on a shelf.)
• How long do I want my badminton set to last? (This is where quality and price come in. Buying a ‘cheap’ set at the dollar store will not last nearly as long as a good quality set from Spalding, Halex, Franklin, Dunlop, Carlton, or any of the other well-renown badminton manufacturers on the market.)

Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll know exactly what to look for in choosing the set that’s right for your needs.