Guide To Ball Machines
Everyone knows that practice makes perfect when it comes to your tennis game, and there’s no better way to fine tune that stroke you’ve been working on than with the repetition offered by a high quality tennis ball machine. Deciding to buy one is the easy part however, deciding which one will best fit your tennis training or tennis teaching needs can be quite difficult. We’ll walk you through some of the things you should consider when deciding which ball machine will best meet your needs.
When we compare ball machines, we look at general features like price, dimensions and warranty. We also look at specific features like propulsion, oscillation and power. Each tennis player wants to use a training tool like this for a specific purpose and our aim is to ensure that you choose the best ball machine to meet your goals.
General Features:
These are the obvious aspects you would likely think of first. First, you need to assess your own budget as well as the logistical aspects of housing and storing a ball machine in your home or facility. The weight of the machine is also important and may not be something you think of until you have to move it around!
The next thing you need to consider is tennis ball capacity. This is an important feature but remember that many manufacturers report that most players do not come close to using the entire capacity. 300 balls may sound good now, but you might change your mind after you’ve had to pick them all up a couple of times. You should also consider the warranty of the ball machine. You want to make sure your investment is protected and that the ball machine you are buying has the confidence of the manufacturer.
Ball Machine | Price | Warranty | Dimensions (Storage inches) | Ball Capacity | Weight (lbs) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lobster 201 Ball Bucket Ball Machine | $549.00 | 2 years | 12” x 12” x 37” | 50 | 28 |
Lobster Hybrid 301 Model Ball Machine | $689.00 | 2 years | 36” x 13” x 31” | 150 | 31 |
Lobster Tournament 401 Model Ball Machine | $789.00 | 2 years | 36” x 13” x 21” | 150 | 32 |
Lobster Elite Freedom Ball Machine | $799.00 | 2 years | 150 | 40 | |
Lobster Elite Model 1 Ball Machine | $1089.00 | 2 years | 24” x 16” x 19” | 150 | 42 |
Lobster Elite Model 2 Ball Machine | $1349.00 | 2 years | 19” x 21” x 25” | 150 | 44 |
Lobster Elite Model 3 Ball Machine | $1599.00 | 2 years | 150 | 44 | |
Lobster Elite Grand Slam IV Ball Machine | $1899.00 | 2 years | 150 | 44 | |
Playmate Portable | $1695.00 | 1 year | 35” x 21” x 38” | 200 | 65 |
Playmate Ace | $3495.00 | 3 years | 35” x 21” x 38” | 200 | 115 |
Playmate Smash | $4615.00 | 3 years | 35” x 21” x 38” | 300 | 115 |
Playmate Genie | $6295.00 | 3 years | 300 | 115 | |
Wilson Ball Machine w/Remote & 2 Line | $1495.00 | 1 years | 110 | 38 | |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine Standard | $1095.00 | 1 years | 110 | 38 | |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine w/ 2 Line | $1295.00 | 1 years | 110 | 38 | |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine w/Remote | $1295.00 | 1 years | 110 | 38 |
Propulsion:
Spinning wheel propulsion means that the machine uses two spinning wheels to feed the ball, just like a pitching machine in baseball. Air pressure propulsion means that the machine shoots the ball through a tube using air pressure. Be sure to take into consideration the machine’s top speed and ability to feed ball with spin. Intermediate to advanced players will want to practice hitting balls with pace and spin.
Ball Machine | Spinning Wheel Propulsion | Air Pressure Propulsion | Feeding Interval (seconds) | Top Speed (mph) | Electronic Elevation Control | Manual Elevation Control | Feeds Lobs | Topspin and backspin |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lobster 201 Ball Bucket Ball Machine | No | Yes | 3,6,12 | 60 | No | Yes | Yes | $50 extra |
Lobster Hybrid 301 Model Ball Machine | No | Yes | 3,6,12 | 70 | No | Yes | Yes | $50 extra |
Lobster Tournament 401 Model Ball Machine | No | Yes | 3,6,12 | 70 | No | Yes | Yes | $50 extra |
Lobster Elite Freedom Ball Machine | No | Yes | 2-10 | 70 | No | Yes | Yes | $50 extra |
Lobster Elite Model 1 Ball Machine | Yes | No | 2-10 | 80 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Lobster Elite Model 2 Ball Machine | Yes | No | 2-10 | 80 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Lobster Elite Model 3 Ball Machine | Yes | No | 2-10 | 80 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Lobster Elite Grand Slam IV Ball Machine | Yes | No | 2-12 | 80 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Playmate Portable | Yes | No | 1-20 | 60 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Playmate Ace | Yes | No | 1-60 | 80 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Playmate Smash | Yes | No | 1-60 | 80 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Playmate Genie | Yes | No | 1-60 | 105 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Wilson Ball Machine w/Remote & 2 Line | Yes | No | 1.5-10 | 75 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine Standard | Yes | No | 1.5-10 | 70 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine w/ 2 Line | Yes | No | 1.5-10 | 75 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine w/Remote | Yes | No | 1.5-10 | 75 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Oscillation:
Oscillation refers to the machine’s ability to feed the ball in more than one direction. Random oscillation means that the ball machine will randomly feed balls in no particular order in the set directions. Programmable oscillation means that you can program a set routine for the machine to give you before it repeats the cycle. The type of oscillation you need in your ball machine will depend on the specificity of your tennis training program and on your budget for this extra feature.
Ball Machine | Random Oscillation | Programmable Oscillation | Number of Shots in Program | Adjustable Depth | Adjustable Height |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lobster 201 Ball Bucket Ball Machine | Yes | No | No | No | |
Lobster Hybrid 301 Model Ball Machine | Yes | No | No | No | |
Lobster Tournament 401 Model Ball Machine | Yes | No | No | Yes | |
Lobster Elite Freedom Ball Machine | Yes | No | No | No | |
Lobster Elite Model 1 Ball Machine | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Lobster Elite Model 2 Ball Machine | Yes | Yes | Yes | 3 | No |
Lobster Elite Model 3 Ball Machine | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 | No |
Lobster Elite Grand Slam IV Ball Machine | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 | No |
Playmate Portable | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Playmate Ace | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Playmate Smash | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Playmate Genie | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Wilson Ball Machine w/Remote & 2 Line | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine Standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine w/ 2 Line | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine w/Remote | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Power:
TennisExpress.com sorts its ball machines into two categories, A/C Power ball machines and Battery Powered ball machines. Before you buy a tennis ball machine, you need to decide which option will be the most convenient for you and your courts. Do you have a power source available on hand at your court or will you need battery power? We try to provide you with a good assortment of both types to make sure you can meet your needs.
Ball Machine | Power Cord Only | Battery Only | Battery Life Indicator | Battery Swapability |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lobster 201 Ball Bucket Ball Machine | Yes | No | No | No |
Lobster Hybrid 301 Model Ball Machine | Yes | No | No | No |
Lobster Tournament 401 Model Ball Machine | Yes | No | No | No |
Lobster Elite Freedom Ball Machine | No | No | Yes | No |
Lobster Elite Model 1 Ball Machine | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Lobster Elite Model 2 Ball Machine | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Lobster Elite Model 3 Ball Machine | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Lobster Elite Grand Slam IV Ball Machine | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Playmate Portable | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Playmate Ace | Yes | No | No | No |
Playmate Smash | Yes | No | No | No |
Playmate Genie | Yes | No | No | No |
Wilson Ball Machine w/Remote & 2 Line | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine Standard | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine w/ 2 Line | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Wilson Portable Ball Machine w/Remote | No | Yes | Yes | No |