Beginner clarinet help

[Butternutissquashed]

I have another post in chat but am rubbish at links so apologies if you've seen this before.
DD10 needs a clarinet to start lessons after Christmas. What sort of price should I be looking to pay for a first instrument? I have seen them from £100. Is that ok for early grades? Or would I be better to look at the £300-£500 price bracket? Are there any particular models/makes to look for or avoid?
Thanks

Following as need same advice as ive always wanted to learn

I have no idea as I don't play clarinet but (although they might see this anyway) if you post this on the December music thread you'll get lots of helpful advice

No, don't get a £100 one. £300-500 is much better, you can get very decent models for that which will probably do her unless and until she wants to play professionally. Mine is the lower end of that and fine, at about grade 6 level. The mouthpiece, ligature and/ or barrel - just think various bits - can be upgraded separately if required for much less tgan a new clarinet and really improve sound at intermediate level.
A cheapy one you'd only have to replace anyway if she got to say grade 3 is a false economy. Don't do it.

My little ones have had the just over £100 ones and upgraded at Grade 3-4. One of them got to Grade 6 with one of those actually. My 9 year old started off the same way, but progressed faster than expected, and we upgraded after less than a year, but sold her other one on to a classmate. They're actually OK.

Can you look round locally to see if you can get a second hand one? If she's learning at school they may hire them by the term. Personally I wouldn't spend more than £100 on a beginner's instrument in case they don't stick with it. I don't have experience of clarinet though.

Local music shops might also hire them and our county will also organise selling you instruments which means that you save VAT as you pay the county direct . I'm with fruit pastille on this one and probably wouldn't want to spend loads in case they give up . Ds did up to grade 5 on a borrowed beginners cornet it was only then that we upgraded

DS2 started on a second-hand Yamaha beginner clarinet (£250).

After Grade 4 we bought him a new Vandoren mouthpiece (£70).

After Grade 6 we bought him a second-hand Buffet E13 (£900).