Donic Appelgren Allplay Review: The Do-Everything First Blade
Pros
- Outstanding control and feel/feedback on every stroke, from looping to blocking to the short game
- Genuinely do-everything — comfortable for both offensive and defensive play
- High consistency and forgiveness that make it an ideal first blade for developing players
- Excellent value, especially with a quality non-tension rubber like DHS Hurricane 3 or Yasaka Mark V
Cons
- Adequate rather than high speed — out-and-out attackers will want something faster as they improve
- Some copies run a little heavy
- High-tension rubber changes its character toward offense and trims its control, so it is not ideal for beginners
Ask which single blade a developing player should buy and the Donic Appelgren Allplay keeps coming up. It is a classic five-ply all-wood blade, abachi core with limba outers, built to do a bit of everything well, and reviewers across stores and forums treat it as the benchmark do-it-all first blade.
Performance
The Allplay is built around control and feedback. Loop, push, counter, all of it stays forgiving and predictable, and blocking is the standout because you set exactly how fast the ball leaves the blade. Speed is more than enough as long as you supply the stroke instead of leaning on the blade for power, which is the right habit to learn anyway. It plays defense just as happily, which is why all-round and modern-defensive styles take to it. Reviewers pair it with quality non-tension rubbers like Yasaka Mark V or DHS Hurricane 3 and call that combination far better than a pre-made racket at the same price. The limits are honest: not a fast blade for a pure attacker, some copies run a little heavy, and high-tension rubber drags it toward offense at the cost of the control that makes it worth owning.
What Reviewers Agree (and Disagree) On
Reviewers broadly land on the same verdict: one of the best do-everything blades and a fine first blade, with strong control and forgiveness for players up to roughly 1800 US / 1500 UK. The only argument is about ceiling. Dedicated attackers find it too slow and move on to faster, often carbon, blades as their strokes mature.
Who Should Buy It
Buy it if you are a beginner, or an all-round or defensive player who wants one controllable blade to learn and play every stroke, ideally with a non-tension rubber. Pass on it if your game already runs on speed and you want the pace to come from the blade itself.
FAQ
Is the Donic Appelgren Allplay a good first blade?
Yes. Reviewers keep recommending it as a do-everything first blade with strong control and forgiveness, especially for players up to roughly 1800 US / 1500 UK level.
What rubber should I pair with it?
A quality non-tension rubber such as Yasaka Mark V or DHS Hurricane 3. Reviewers widely call that setup far better than a pre-made racket at the same price.
Can I attack with it?
Yes. With a correct stroke its speed is enough, though it is control-first by nature. Dedicated power attackers usually move to a faster blade as they progress.
Sourced From
This review synthesizes opinions from 3 independent community sources:
- Revspin (forum)
- Megaspin (ecommerce)
- Reddit r/tabletennis (forum)