the current state of the art is out of control, really, with racquets costing several hundreds of dollars if you want to blow it; but the good news is that the bargain priced ones have increased greatly in quality as well. My general rule of thumb is to start with a low priced one and get better ones periodically as your skill increases. Nice ones can be had for under $50. Discussing brands is a little silly overall because it is such a matter of preference, and until you get moderate skills the most important thing is to have one that feels comfortable to you. That being said I would stay with one of the big players such as Extelon etc. I use an E-force which runs the center strings into the handle for more power, but again, find one with good "balance" for you. Most less expensive racquets tend to be a little heavier (probably like 220+grams) while the more expensive ones get lighter down towards 150g or so. So that is a long winded explanation that pretty much says: there are tons of racquets out there at all different prices, and all pretty good, but overall find one that you want to play with and get used to it you'll form your own relationship with it.
