Lightsabers are central to the feel of Star Wars. As Obi Wan said, they’re elegant weapons from a more civilised age. Using a lightsaber requires a great amount of skill, as a result, most wielders are Force users who build their own weapons. This individuality leads to a huge range of styles, including double blades, spinners, and blastersabers, but which is best?

Folding Hilt

this is an odd lightsaber. It seems that the only function of the folding hilt is to make it easier to carry. Characters such as Pong Krell use it on their double-bladed lightsabers, and while it does make them a little more compact, it must also take longer to draw and ignite them.

Lightsaber Pike

This is a rare kind of lightsaber. It uses a much longer hilt than a regular saber, giving extra reach and turning it from a sword into a polearm. It’s an interesting variant that’s best known for it’s use by Jedi Temple Guards, usually with a yellow/green blade.

Shoto

The Shoto lightsaber is really just a smaller version of a regular saber. It’s used by smaller Jedi, such as Yoda, and is also common among dual-wielders, often being used as an offhand blade. The most famous user of this Shoto/regular combo is Ahsoka Tano.

Spinner

There’s just something cool about the Grand Inquisitor igniting his spinning lightsaber in Rebels, but there’s more to it than cool, the feature’s there for a reason. Most Inquisitors are poor Force users, being no match for a Jedi Knight, so they cheat and use spinners to make up for their lack of skills. Even then, they’re often heavily outmatched.

Curved Hilt

An elegant lightsaber that fits well with Count Dooku’s style. Designed specifically for the Form II Makashi style of lightsaber combat, it allows for smooth, delicate movements that can counter a more traditional lightsaber user.

Blastersaber

I think it would be fair to call this version of the lightsaber the ‘Ezra’, as he made it infamous. It’s a practical design, though, especially for someone not quite as skilled with a blade and allows for a non-lethal option.

Crossguard Lightsaber

This one was a little controversial when it first showed up, but it is a practical addition to a lightsaber, letting you protect your hand from an opponent’s blade. It’s still a rare addition, though, with Kylo Ren being the most famous user of this kind of saber.

Darksaber

The Darksaber is an interesting weapon. It’s a unique design with its black blade and blocky hilt, but it’s arguably the history behind it that makes it so special. The lightsaber of Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian to become a Jedi, it became a symbol of their culture, with the wielder having the right to rule Mandalore. It was also a source of constant trouble as Mandalorians sought to win it in combat.

Double Bladed

Darth Maul changed the balance of the galaxy when he ignited that second blade on his lightsaber. It immediately became one of the most popular styles of lightsaber, and with good reason. Not only is it cool, it’s also practical, especially when you have to take on multiple opponents at once.

Classic

It’s a classic. The original. The one that started it all. There’s just something about a regular single bladed lightsaber that’s perfect, and it allows any fan to be instantly transported to a galaxy far, far away with nothing more than a wrapping paper tube and their own sound effects.

Thanks for reading!