Which racket for which playing level
Choosing a racket for your level and goals
Making the right choice when buying a racket is essential. A racket that suits your level, goals and how often you play will let you fully enjoy your games.
Beginner, intermediate, experienced or professional: Cornilleau has developed a range of rackets for every level. Choosing a racket means finding the best compromise between ball control and the combination of speed and grip. There are many criteria to consider, and we will help you understand them.
If you are still deciding between indoor and outdoor play, or want to understand the role of the rubber, sponge, blade and handle, start with our complete guide to choosing a racket.
The ITTF star system: which rubber for which level?
The number of stars rates the performance of a rubber approved by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). It does not rate the blade or the handle. The more stars, the grippier and more elastic the rubber: it returns more spin and speeds up the ball, but demands surer technique. The table below shows how this applies to Cornilleau indoor rackets.
| Stars | Player profile | Cornilleau models | What it changes in play |
|---|---|---|---|
| ★ | Discovery | Sport 100 | Immediately easy to handle, for everyone |
| ★★ | Beginner | Sport 200, Sport 300 | Focus on control: ideal for learning the basics and improving |
| ★★★ | Confident beginner | Sport 400, Perform 500 | Versatility, with good spin return and no loss of control |
| ★★★★ | Intermediate | Perform 600 | The ideal balance of speed, spin and control |
| ★★★★★ | Advanced intermediate | Perform 800 | More speed and feel for regular play |
| ★★★★★★ | Experienced, club play | Excell 1000, Excell 2000 Carbon, Excell 3000 Carbon | Maximum spin return and explosive play for demanding players |
Cornilleau outdoor rackets are not on this scale. Their polymer surface is designed to resist UV, humidity and knocks, and is chosen by technology rather than a number of stars. The range reads like this: Softbat for discovery, Tacteo for versatile family play, Nexeo for performance.
Cornilleau racket comparison
This table brings together the whole range, indoor and outdoor, so you can compare models at a glance.
| Model | Use | Level | Surface | Key strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sport 100 | Indoor | Beginner | 1 ★ ITTF | The racket for everyone |
| Sport 200 | Indoor | Beginner | 2 ★ ITTF | The ideal racket to get started |
| Sport 300 | Indoor | Beginner | 2 ★ ITTF | The leisure racket for improving |
| Sport 400 | Indoor | Confident beginner | 3 ★ ITTF | The versatile racket |
| Perform 500 | Indoor | Intermediate | 3 ★ ITTF | Consistency and good spin return |
| Perform 600 | Indoor | Intermediate | 4 ★ ITTF | The ideal balance of speed, spin and control |
| Perform 800 | Indoor | Intermediate | 5 ★ ITTF | A blend of feel and speed |
| Excell 1000 | Indoor | Experienced | 6 ★ ITTF | The racket for club play |
| Excell 2000 Carbon | Indoor | Experienced | 6 ★ ITTF | Speed and spin perfectly combined |
| Excell 3000 Carbon | Indoor | Experienced | 6 ★ ITTF | The most explosive racket in the range |
| Softbat | Outdoor | Beginner | Eco-designed polymer | The eco-designed, ultra-durable outdoor racket |
| Tacteo | Outdoor | Intermediate | Polymer | The ultra-tough, versatile outdoor racket |
| Nexeo X70 | Outdoor | Experienced | Pimple-free foam | The outdoor racket for regular play |
| Nexeo X90 Carbon | Outdoor | Experienced | Pimple-free foam | Fast and precise, with optimal spin return |
| Nexeo X200 Graphite | Outdoor | Experienced | Pimple-free foam | The highest-performance outdoor racket |
Softbat and Tacteo duo and quattro packs have the same features as the single model and are designed for playing in pairs or as a family.
Rackets for beginners
Goal: discovery, occasional play
As a beginner, you want a racket that gives you the best feel and control. It should be your ally for occasional games with friends or family. Spin is light, and these rackets let you play simply, with excellent value for money.
Indoor
Sport 100The racket for everyone
1 ★ ITTF
Sport 200The ideal racket to get started
2 ★ ITTF
Sport 300The leisure racket for improving
2 ★ ITTF
Sport 400The versatile racket
3 ★ ITTFOutdoor
Rackets for intermediate players
Goal: occasional practice
You have mastered the basic moves and want to improve? Intermediate rackets will raise your game and add speed. They give very good spin return without compromising ball control.
Indoor
Perform 500Consistency and good spin return
3 ★ ITTF
Perform 600The ideal balance of speed, spin and control
4 ★ ITTF
Perform 800A blend of feel and speed
5 ★ ITTFOutdoor
Rackets for experienced players
Goal: improvement, regular play
You play regularly and are looking for performance. Your racket must be dynamic, to give you speed and precision. Demanding as you are, you want a racket with the best possible spin return.
Indoor
Excell 1000The racket for club play
6 ★ ITTF
Excell 2000 CarbonSpeed and spin perfectly combined
6 ★ ITTF
Excell 3000 CarbonThe most explosive racket in the range
6 ★ ITTFOutdoor
FAQ: choosing a racket for your level
What is the best racket to start with?
For indoor play, a racket with a 1- to 3-star ITTF rubber is best: it favors ball control, making it easier to learn the basics. The Cornilleau Sport 100 to Sport 400 models cover this need. For outdoor or mixed use, the Softbat is designed for discovery and needs no care.
What does a 5-star or 6-star racket mean?
A 5-star racket has a very grippy, elastic rubber for an advanced intermediate player looking for speed and feel: at Cornilleau, this is the Perform 800. A 6-star racket offers the highest spin return in the range and is aimed at experienced regular players, with the Excell 1000, Excell 2000 Carbon and Excell 3000 Carbon.
What is the difference between the Sport, Perform and Excell ranges?
The three ranges match three stages of progress. Sport covers discovery and leisure, with 1- to 3-star rubbers focused on control. Perform is for improving players, with 3- to 5-star rubbers that add speed without sacrificing control. Excell equips experienced players with 6 stars, with carbon versions for the most attacking profiles.
When should you move to a carbon racket?
Carbon stiffens the blade and noticeably speeds up the ball. It becomes relevant when you play regularly, your basics are in place and you want more speed and explosiveness. At Cornilleau, this means the Excell 2000 Carbon and Excell 3000 Carbon indoors and the Nexeo X90 Carbon and X200 Graphite outdoors.
Which racket should you choose for competition?
Official competition requires a wooden indoor racket with ITTF-approved rubbers. The 6-star Excell 1000, Excell 2000 Carbon and Excell 3000 Carbon models meet this requirement. To learn more about high-level requirements, see our page on competition equipment.
Do you need different rackets for indoors and outdoors?
An outdoor racket works perfectly indoors, so it is the most versatile choice if you alternate. The reverse is not true, as a wooden racket cannot withstand the weather. See our guide to choosing a racket for details.
