Butterfly Timo Boll Allround vs Donic Appelgren Allplay: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Timo Boll Allround | Donic Appelgren Allplay | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 |
| feel | Medium-soft, classic all-wood dwell with good tactile feedback | medium, controlled |
| handle | FL/ST/AN/XXS | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5-ply all wood (koto outer) | 5W (abachi core + limba) |
| speed | ALL+ | ALL |
| thickness_mm | 5.5 | 5.8 |
| weight_g | ~85 | 85 |
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Both are all-wood blades for beginners and lower-intermediate players, but with subtly different design philosophies. The Timo Boll Allround (8.3) is a Japanese all-wood from Butterfly, offering outstanding control and placement precision at close to mid-table, satisfying all-wood dwell with good tactile feedback, and lightweight build reducing fatigue. The Donic Appelgren Allplay (8.3) is a European all-wood designed as a genuinely do-everything blade, offering outstanding control and feel/feedback on every stroke from looping to blocking to short game, with high consistency and forgiveness.
Both prioritize learning over speed — ALL/ALL+ speed keeps beginners safe while developing fundamentals. The Timo Boll is Japanese precision with koto outer adding slight crispness; the Appelgren is a pure do-everything all-wood with abachi core and limba construction. The Timo Boll supports technique development with specific close-to-mid-table excellence and Butterfly manufacturing consistency. The Appelgren is more versatile across all strokes and play styles, including defensive play, making it more forgiving overall. Weight is identical (85g), so no advantage there. The Timo Boll is discontinued, requiring secondary market sourcing; the Appelgren remains current and pairs excellently with quality non-tension rubbers like Yasaka Mark V or DHS Hurricane 3. Both are outstanding first blades; the Timo Boll emphasizes precision, the Appelgren emphasizes do-everything versatility.
FAQ
Which is better for beginners?
Both are excellent for beginners. The Timo Boll emphasizes control and placement precision; the Appelgren emphasizes do-everything versatility.
Which is more versatile?
The Donic Appelgren Allplay is genuinely do-everything, comfortable for both offensive and defensive play. The Timo Boll excels at close-to-mid-table but is less versatile overall.
Which is available?
The Donic Appelgren Allplay is current production. The Butterfly Timo Boll Allround is discontinued, requiring secondary market sourcing.
Which costs less?
The Donic Appelgren Allplay is excellent value, especially paired with quality non-tension rubbers. Both discontinued and current offerings vary in market pricing.