[quote name='Liquid 2']I just want a good, introductory racket. I only play 2-3 times per week, and for an hour each time, and with friends, so it's not super competitive or anything.
It's just that the rackets that we can check out from the gym are terrible (even I can tell that).
And what should one look for in a good racket?[/QUOTE]
For a beginner's racket, specs aren't important. I'd recommend going to a sports store (Sports Authority, Big 5, Dick's, etc) and checking out the rackets and evaluating the feel and sturdiness.
Like I said, racquetball rackets aren't as complicated as tennis rackets. Tennis rackets have very varying head sizes (area of string in in.^2), whereas racquetball rackets generally have the same headsize, etc. You're probably not familiar with string tension and racket balance (head-heavy, head-light) so I wouldn't worry too much about that. Just go find a racket in person and get a feel for some. A solid beginner's racket shouldn't be too expensive; you can probably find a solid one on sale for $50 or even less.