GM vs Kookaburra Cricket Bats: Which Is Better
Neither GM nor Kookaburra is better across the board, but they suit different buyers. GM starts cheaper, at £119.99 for a senior English willow bat against £164.99 for the cheapest Kookaburra on our shelf, and in The Cricketer's 2026 tests both GM bats beat the Kookaburra tested at the same price. Kookaburra publishes exact measurements for every bat, which makes its range easier to choose from, and its Nickel was a standout in 2025's tests. This guide compares the two makers on history, grades, prices, independent scores and players.
GM and Kookaburra at a Glance
| GM (Gunn and Moore) | Kookaburra | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1885, Nottingham | 1890, Melbourne |
| Senior bats we stock | 62, £119.99 to £879.99 | 52, £164.99 to £789.99 |
| Middle senior price | £299.99 | £244.99 |
| Junior bats we stock | 29 | 41 |
| Grade names | 404, 606, 707, 808, 909, Original | 6.3 Select up to Pro Players Edition |
| Published measurements | Shape and swell descriptions | Sweet spot, edges and spine in mm |
Stock and prices on 11 November 2026. GM was founded by the England Test batsman William Gunn and Thomas James Moore and is now based at Colwick in Nottinghamshire, as its company history records. Kookaburra was set up in Melbourne by AG Thompson and, by its own account in its story, is still a fully Australian family business, best known for the balls used in Test cricket in Australia. Both make their bats from English willow; Kookaburra says it sources its willow in the UK and that its bats are 100% handmade.
How the Grades Compare
GM puts the shape in the name and the willow grade in the number. Every range, such as the Diamond, Galaxy or Rival, runs from a 404 at the bottom through 606, 707, 808 and 909 to the Original, with Signature, Limited Edition and Players Edition bats outside the ladder. Kookaburra does the same with a decimal: the 6.3 Select and 6.2 Ultra have an English willow face on a Kashmir willow back, then come the 6.1 Special, 5.1 Legend, 4.1 Hero, 3.1 Icon, 2.1 Elite, 1.1 Players Select and Pro Players Edition. On the lower number, the willow is better.
The useful difference for a buyer: every GM senior bat we stock is English willow throughout, while Kookaburra's two cheapest grades are not. At the bottom of each ladder, GM's 404 bats start at £119.99 and Kookaburra's 6.3 at £164.99. Our guides to GM cricket bats and Kookaburra cricket bats go through every family.
Independent Test Scores
The Cricketer tested three bats from each maker in March 2026, and two pairs were priced alike:
| Price point | GM | Kookaburra |
|---|---|---|
| About £160 | Galaxy 404: 8.3 (2lb 9oz, 35mm edges) | Ghost 6.4 Ultimate: 7.0 (2lb 9oz, 35mm edges) |
| £250 | Rival Signature: 8.6 (2lb 12oz, 40mm edges) | Rapid 6.1 Special: 7.5 (2lb 7oz, 37mm edges) |
| £300 to £430 | Noir 909: 7.4 | Prism 4.1 Hero: 7.4 |
The prices are the makers' recommended prices at the time of the tests. The Galaxy 404 review praised a consistently responsive middle, and the Rival Signature's reviewers said its middle was "positioned superbly". The 2025 tests ran the other way: The Cricketer scored the Kookaburra Nickel 4.1 8.4, above the GM Verva Signature at 7.7 and the Aion 606 at 6.9, and a Wisden tester called the Nickel 2.1 the standout of their 2025 bag. Neither maker was in Wisden's 2026 test. Our verdict from the scores: GM led in 2026, Kookaburra in 2025, so judge the model, not the badge.
On our shelf today the GM Galaxy 404 is £152.99 and the Rival Signature £239.99; the Kookaburra Rapid 6.1 Special is £244.99 and the Prism 4.1 Hero £294.99. Our guides to the GM Galaxy and Kookaburra Nickel cover those families.
Who Uses Each
Ben Stokes has used GM since signing with the company in 2018, and we stock his Players Edition bat at £879.99. Yorkshire's Adam Lyth is a long-time GM player. Kookaburra's ambassadors include Jos Buttler, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Tom Banton, Ben Foakes and Rory Burns, and it sells replicas of the bats used by Buttler, Sciver-Brunt and Marnus Labuschagne. Our page on what bats the pros use covers the other makers.
Which to Buy
- First English willow bat on a tight budget: GM, whose 404 bats start at £119.99 and the tested Galaxy 404 is £152.99.
- Club player who wants to choose by the numbers: Kookaburra, because its sweet spot and edge measurements let you match a bat to where you hit the ball.
- Big edges for power: either. GM's Rival Signature and Kookaburra's Big Kahuna and Glare Max are the biggest bats of each.
- Junior player: Kookaburra has the wider junior choice on our shelf, 41 bats against GM's 29.
Browse both in our GM cricket bats and Kookaburra cricket bats collections, and our guide to the best cricket bat brands sets them against the rest.
FAQs: GM vs Kookaburra
Is GM or Kookaburra better?
Neither across the board. In The Cricketer's 2026 tests both GM bats beat the Kookaburra at the same price; in 2025 the Kookaburra Nickel outscored the GM bats tested. Choose by model, profile and weight.
Which is older, GM or Kookaburra?
GM, founded in Nottingham in 1885. Kookaburra was founded in Melbourne in 1890.
Is a GM 606 the same as a Kookaburra 6.1?
No. The numbers are each maker's own grade names and do not line up. Compare the willow description and price instead.
Are Kookaburra bats English willow?
Yes, apart from the 6.2 and 6.3 grades, which have an English willow face on a Kashmir willow back, and some junior bats.
Who uses GM and who uses Kookaburra?
Ben Stokes uses GM. Jos Buttler, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Marnus Labuschagne use Kookaburra.
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