There is a lot of individual choice in badminton equipment. The more you play, the more you'll find out about what you like and dislike. Contact the badminton group at a local college or municipal recreational activities system and see if they have some club racquets that can be used during play.
When the people get to know you, ask them if you could try out one of their racquets for a few rallies. They might even have a used one that they might want to sell.
Basic parameters - cost, materials and construction, string tension, weight, balance, grip size. Check for sales at the online shops as you can often find good deals on models from previous years. A couple places to check on links below.
