Best Dart Boards 2020 | Reviews & Buying Guide

Identifying The Best Dartboard

In the market, you will see a host of dartboards available- many made of different materials, different technology. Quality dartboards are available- and you will obviously want the best out of your money.

Cork dartboards, paper dartboards sometimes fall short of ‘best’. A cork dartboard might frequently reject your dart. It may be deflected off the board itself, and that is quite annoying. However, if you’re buying the board for occasional play or for kids, they will do just fine.

Bristle dartboards will accept your dart more readily thanks to the fibre properties, and the technologies behind it.

Each brand has its own technology behind its dartboard, and each brand produces dartboards for a specific type of player. Would you like the traditional dartboard? Or a more advanced electronic one? Or maybe you would just enjoy a game using magnetic darts. It’s all about personal preference, but you have to be on the lookout on the top dartboard that suits your game.

Dart Boards Buying Guide

For buying the best dartboard which meets your expectations, there are some factors you would have to take into consideration. You have to judge and be on the lookout for the following topics which have been elaborated below:

Types Of Dartboards

Dart boards are broadly split into three common categories:

1. Bristle Dartboards

Bristle Dartboards is one of the most common dartboards available. It Is made of a sisal fiber, which comes from a sisal plant.

Basically, the main advantage of this type of dartboard is its magnificent durability. When you throw a dart, the hole which opens due to the dart is instantly closed once the dart is taken out. Thus, it takes a long time for the dartboard to wear out and break.

They are also quite cheap; thus making a good choice. However, buying a less priced dartboard may lead to having protruding wiring. Which means, if a dart thrown hits, sometimes bounce out instead of striking it. This is a very slight disadvantage; otherwise, the bristle dartboards make for a good buy.

2. Electronic Dartboards

Electronic dartboards are growing more and more in popularity. Also known as soft-tip darts, the electronic dartboards are a much more watered down version of the original game. 

Thousands of holes are present on the surface of play, and when one of your darts enters one of the holes, your score is recorded. As you already would have understood, the small surface leads to bigger target holes, thus leading to higher scores-thus being the love of many novice dart players.

You also don’t have to calculate your score. The dartboard calculates it for you, leading to less pressure on you in the arithmetic sense.

As for pricing, electronic dartboards may be a slightly more expensive, but depending on the size and type of display, the price varies. It is a good buy, but many may not feel the historical essence of darts from electronic darts, but since it is available in almost every arcade and bar nowadays, it is one of the common dartboards you are likely to encounter.

3. Magnetic Dartboards

Another type of dartboard you are likely to encounter; these are Magnetic Dartboards. As the name suggests, they are dartboards created with metallic material on which the magnetic-tipped darts stick. It is definitely not for dart professionals and more likely considered a toy.

Dart Boards Size

The size of the dartboard is also something to look out for-the target area can be from 13.5 to 18 inches, while the regulation size of a dartboard is kept as 17.75 inches in diameter.

Dartboard dimensions must be considered during purchase, as it is a key point to consider if you have the wish to participate in tournaments in the future.

Budget

Now, as for your budget, there are some types of dartboards, like the cork dartboards and coiled paper dartboards which are very cheap. But they are low in durability that it would be touted as a waste considering you are going to get minimal playtime from them.

Good quality bristle dartboards are at a moderate price range, often coming with cabinet which can further improve the décor of your game room.

Magnetic dartboards are in the similar price level. Electronic dartboards lie in the higher end of the spectrum due to more sophistication and electronics involved.

Cheap dartboards are easy to find and buy, but for obvious reasons, do not always give the best service. The best rated dartboards are those which can give you the fun of the game while promising longevity; a good return in terms of your money.

Your Own Darts Skill Level

One thing which you should consider is your dart skills level. Are you buying a dartboard to practice the sport seriously and are a pro at it? Or are you a novice just keeping one at home for fun?

The novices and absolute beginners can try out the electronic dartboards-as mentioned before. They are easier to play and you don’t have to think about your score constantly. However, novices can also buy a bristle dartboard if they really want to become good at this sport anytime in the future.

Kids, on the other hand, can just buy Magnetic Dartboards. They are easy to play and are safe, perfect for kids who are going to be darts enthusiasts.

As for the experienced players, they would prefer the bristle dartboards more, to hone their skills in the game; all major darts tournaments around the world mainly sport the bristle dartboards, so it would be more sensible for them to end up with a bristle dartboard.

What Dartboard Do Professionals Use?

Professionals definitely prefer the bristle dartboards, made of the sisal fibers, and most regulation tournaments organized by the WDF, BDO and PDC usually take place with high quality bristle dartboards.

We have reviewed the most popular dartboards, which have had the most consumer satisfaction. These are from the best dartboard brands available in the market. Different best quality dart boards from are shown here, each classified in their own respective categories.

History Of  Darts

Darts, which originated in Manchester, UK, was initially a game played throwing small arrows at a disc. Gaining popularity worldwide, the game spread to the rest of Europe and North America, and was modernized into the form it is today-small metallic, objects(darts) thrown into a board (a dart board) which has numbers and scores written on them.

Dartboards have evolved over the years, and the best dartboards now have such high quality technology and wiring systems, it simply is a testament to the advancement of dartboards today. The rules of the game are further elaborated down below.

Darts Playing Rules

A competitive game of darts may look simple at best. Here we are talking about the normal way of playing darts. All dartboards are split into several individual sections, with each section having different number of points assigned to them from numbers 1-20, which is visible on top of each.

Now, if your dart lands on the black or yellow sections of the board, you will get exactly the same number of points assigned to that particular section. If you hit the black or yellow patches in the number 10, you would get 10 points. These are single-point areas.

However, you will see red and green small patches as well; one set of patches nearer to the center of the board while another set of patches are outer. If a dart is thrown into an outer green/red patch, you would get double the points assigned to that section. When you hit the inner green/red patch, you would end up getting triple the points assigned to that section.

And finally, you have the center of the board, which is known as the bullseye. If the dart falls on the green part of the bullseye, you get 25 points-if you can hit the red circle, you will end up getting 50 points.

Dartboard distance also has to be maintained- a line the player must stand behind. It is 2.4metres behind the dartboard- known as the Oche.

If you want to know about how to play dart and its different variations in details, go through this awesome article.

Taking Care Of Your Dartboard | Dart Board Maintenance

1. First of all, to make your dartboard last a longer time, don’t buy one which is way too cheap.
2. When you have purchased the dartboard, remember to put it in a stable position and keep it safe from falls from heights.
3. For bristle and electronic dartboards alike, you have to be sure to never soak the dartboard in water. It would be calamitous to do so. A bristle dartboard would swell and go out of proportion while an electronic dartboard might not start up again.
4. When using a bristle dartboard, make sure the darts are sharp. Blunt darts will only add to the wear of the dartboard over time.
5. Many dartboards allow you to rotate the board by removing the wiring. It is a good method which ensures longer lifetime for the board, as the damage to the board will be distributed more equally. Best dartboards usually have that feature.
6. The penultimate tip would be to never hang or put something on the dartboard. That will lead to more pressure on the joints on which the dartboard hangs upon and will only shorten its lifespan with passing time.
7. Avoid using your dartboard as your coat-hanger as well. Dart board cabinets are also a good way to preserve your dartboard. It can also give you an additional benefit- protecting your walls from damage as well.

How High Is A Dart Board?

The dart regulation authority has defined the regulation height for a dart board. All professional darts corporation tournaments have to follow this exact measurement. The proper height of dartboard bullseye from the floor is 5 feet 8 inches or 68 inches or 1.73 meters.

But there is also another dartboard height for people with wheelchair. World disability dart association proposed a wheelchair setup guideline and declared the height of a dartboard from the floor should be 4.5 feet. The world dart foundation also approved this regulation.

The height of dartboard is not same for every tournament or league all over the world. We see different rules for different types of dartboards too. For example, in the UK, the measurement and setup are different for regional dartboards like Yorkshire dartboard, London fives dartboard, Ipswich fives dartboard, Manchester dartboard, Lincolnshire dartboard, and others.

What Are Dart Boards Made Of?

There are usually three types of dartboard available in the market: bristle dartboard, electronic dartboard & magnetic dartboard. Each one of them is made of different material.

Bristle dartboards are made of sisal fiber which comes from sisal plant. A high density of sisal fiber are compressed into a sturdy dart board. When you remove the dart from the board, the fiber will expand again and heal the hole. There will be no visible damage. Bristle dartboards are made for steel tip darts.

Electronic dart boards usually made with plastic or similar material. Soft tip darts are played in the electronic dartboard.

Magnetic dartboard surface is made of metal or material with magnetic properties on which the magnetic tip darts stick.

Apart from these, you’ll find cork dart boards which is cheap, not high quality, but will serve well if you play occasionally.

Wrapping It Up
Darts is a great game to play in your leisure time; and it always encourages healthy competition. Whether you are a seasonal player or professional-a dartboard game is always fun.

Which type goes with you? It’s about your personal preference- an electronic dartboard may be the best for you if you just want to pick up and play. A bristle dartboard would be ideal if you want a real challenge and have aspirations to actually become a pro someday. We hope this guide can help you get the ideal and best dart board you would love to spend time with.