Increasing your fitness and skill with tennis is all about repetition and practice. If you’re serious about improving your game, a tennis ball machine will go a long way toward improving your consistency. When it comes to the best tennis ball machines, you get what you pay for. The top brands are not going to be cheap, but those machines will also take your game to the next level.
Fitness Report reviewed all of the best tennis ball machines to figure out which provided the best value for players. We evaluated each of them based on their ease of use, versatility and customer reviews. The Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine with Phone Remote Supported was our favorite because it has virtually unlimited programmability, enabling the player to adjust speed, spin, height, rate, and angle all from their phone. The majority of users report that the app is very easy to set up and user-friendly. On top of that, this machine is extremely durable as it’s the only ball machine not made of plastic on the market.
If you find the Spinshot-Player ball machine isn’t right for you, we recommend the Lobster Sports Elite One Tennis Ball Machine, or the Spinshot Lite Tennis Ball Machine for players interested in something a little more affordable. If you intend to use the tennis ball machine often, consider investing in the heavy-duty Phenom Club Series Tennis Ball Machine. Keep reading to see our full reviews of all of these ball machines, along with a guide to help you choose the model that’s right for you.
Quick Summary: Our Picks for the Best Tennis Ball Machines
- Best Overall: Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine with Phone Remote Supported
- Runner Up: Lobster Sports Elite One Tennis Ball Machine
- Best for Commercial Use: Lobster Phenom Club Series Tennis Ball Machine
- Most Affordable: Spinshot Lite Tennis Ball Machine
The Best Tennis Ball Machine: Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine with Phone Remote Supported
The Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine with Phone Remote Supported stands out for its impressive shot selection and its user-friendly mobile app that enables you to quickly adjust your program on the fly. Select the type of spin and speed you want, and choose from horizontal or vertical oscillation or both. If you’d like to practice a specific shot sequence, you can set it up to shoot balls in the same order every time, or you can simulate real play with random oscillation.
The spinning wheel design makes this ball machine a great choice for advanced players who want to practice hitting balls with topspin or backspin or tricky shots like lobs. Once you’ve settled into a program you like, you can save the program on the Spinshot app, so that you can return to it with a single click at your next practice session. Users report that it takes a little time to get used to familiarize yourself with all that this ball machine can do, but once you understand its full capabilities, you’ll be able to elevate your game to a whole new level.
This is a battery-powered tennis ball machine, so it’s a great option if your tennis court doesn’t have an outlet nearby. However, this may limit the amount of time you’re able to practice for. That said, this ball machine is still an excellent value for the price, matching up well against ball machines twice its price. It’s your best option if you want a versatile, high-end ball machine but you don’t have $5,000 to spend.
What You Need to Know Before Buying a Tennis Ball Machine
Here’s a look at the important factors you need to consider when choosing a tennis ball machine:
Propulsion
Tennis ball machines fall into two categories: spinning wheel and air pressure. Spinning wheel ball machines use two wheels that rotate in opposite directions to feed the balls while air pressure ball machines force air through a tube to shoot the ball out. Spinning wheel ball machines are the most common and the most popular because you can easily adjust the speed of the spinning wheels to generate topspin or backspin. You usually need a special attachment to generate spin with an air pressure ball machine.
While air pressure machines are typically more affordable than spinning wheel ball machines, we would only recommend them to beginners. More advanced players should choose a versatile spinning wheel machine that enables them to practice all kinds of shots.
Oscillation
Oscillating tennis ball machines can change direction to shoot balls to different spots on the court. Horizontal oscillation is the most common, but some machines also offer vertical oscillation, which is great if you want to practice lobs or volleys. You may not need an oscillating ball machine if you only want to practice a single shot at a time, but oscillation is a better choice for those who want to simulate a real match.
Most oscillating tennis ball machines will shoot balls in a random pattern, but some higher-end models give you the option to program how you want the balls to oscillate, so you can practice a certain sequence of shots over and over again.
Power Source
Most tennis ball machines operate on AC power or a battery. You don’t have to worry about an AC-powered tennis ball machine dying partway through your practice session, but you do have to make sure that there’s an outlet nearby that you’ll be able to plug the ball machine into. Otherwise, you won’t be able to use it at all.
Battery-powered machines don’t require an outlet, but they will need periodic recharging. Consider how long you intend to use the ball machine for at a time and choose a ball machine with a battery that will last for at least that long.
Speed
A good tennis ball machine enables you to vary the speed of the shots to better simulate real play. Beginners will want the option to start off with slow, easy shots while advanced players will want to practice with fast, powerful shots. The manufacturer should provide information on the range of speeds the tennis ball machine can shoot. Some can reach up to 95 miles per hour.
Size and Capacity
The larger the ball machine, the more balls it will be able to hold. This means you’ll be able to practice for longer periods without needing to stop and pick up all of the balls. However, you’ll also need to have more balls on hand to fill it and a larger storage space for the ball machine.
Ball machine capacities typically range from 50 balls for smaller machines to 300 balls for large ones. Think about how long you plan to practice for and how much room you have to store the ball machine and let this guide your decision. You should also keep in mind that larger ball machines tend to be more expensive than smaller ones.
Remote
Some tennis ball machines include a remote for starting, stopping or adjusting the ball machine’s settings without having to go over to the machine itself. Others may have an app for your phone that serves a similar purpose. Not everyone will need a remote, but it’s a great tool if you’re coaching others or if you want a simple way to change up the shot pattern on the fly.
Warranty
Most tennis ball machines cost between $1,000 and $2,000, and some can cost as much as $5,000. Because they’re so costly, it’s a smart idea to invest in a ball machine with a warranty. This way, if the ball machine breaks down, the company will pay to repair or replace it. Most tennis ball machines offer warranties ranging between one and three years.
Tennis Ball Machine Reviews: A Look at Our Other 3 Top Picks
While the Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine with Phone Remote Supported was our favorite ball machine, the following three models also stood out from the rest. We recommend taking a closer look at all of them before deciding which is the right fit for you.
Lobster Sports Elite One Tennis Ball Machine Review
The Lobster Sports Elite One Tennis Ball Machine is another excellent option for intermediate to advanced players who want to practice hitting all types of shots. You can easily control the speed, direction and spin of the ball from the machine itself, and it comes with a handheld remote that you can use to start and stop the machine and make basic adjustments to its speed and oscillation. However, this remote isn’t as full-featured as the Spinshot-Player ball machine’s app, so if you want to make major changes, you’ll have to walk over to the machine itself.
There’s no option to program a specific oscillation pattern to practice a sequence of shots, like an approach to the net. Instead, you’ll get a random oscillation every time. The ball machine can do a full sweep of the court in the horizontal direction and it can generate up to 60-degree lobs, which is higher than what many comparable ball machines can do.
The Lobster Sports Elite One Tennis Ball Machine is a great choice if storage space is an issue for you. The bin that holds the balls flips over and rests on the base of the machine when you’re finished using it and the handle folds down for easy transport. That said, this ball machine still manages to hold 150 balls at a time, so you shouldn’t have to stop to pick up balls too often.
Lobster Phenom Club Series Tennis Ball Machine Review
The Lobster Phenom Club Series Tennis Ball Machine is the most expensive ball machine on this list, so it’s not for the casual player or the beginner who only plans to use it occasionally. But it’s an excellent choice for tennis coaches or tennis clubs where the ball machine will see a lot of use. It offers full random oscillation and six pre-programmed shot routines, including slicer, power baseliner and lefty, so you can practice what it’s like to return balls from all different styles of play.
The tennis ball machine does not include a remote, but it is compatible with remotes, so you can purchase one separately if you’d like to be able to adjust the program without walking over to the machine. It can hold up to 250 balls at a time, so it’s a great choice for long practice sessions or for tennis lessons with multiple students where you don’t want to stop every few minutes to collect balls.
Unfortunately, there is no way to program your own shot sequences into the Lobster Phenom Club Series Tennis Ball Machine. If you’re interested in this, the Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine with Phone Remote Supported will be a better fit for you. However, if you’re not sure how to program your own shots or which types of shots you should be practicing, the Phenom Club Series ball machine’s pre-programmed shot sequences may be more useful to you than the option to program your own sequences.
Spinshot Lite Tennis Ball Machine Review
The Spinshot Lite Tennis Ball Machine is a good choice for beginners and for those on a tight budget. It’s the most affordable tennis ball machine on this list, but unfortunately for advanced players, it’s also the most basic. It offers horizontal oscillation and the option to vary your shot height, speed control and feed interval. But there is no way to program specific shot sequences, nor are there any pre-programmed sequences built into this machine.
Its top speed is only about 31 miles per hour, which should be fine for beginners who are just learning to master the different strokes. But for intermediate to advanced players who are used to hard-hitting opponents, these slow speeds may not help to improve your game significantly. The Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine with Phone Remote Supported will be a much better choice for these players.
The Spinshot Lite Tennis Ball Machine is fairly compact, so it’s worth considering if you don’t have a lot of room to store a tennis ball machine or if you need to transport your ball machine to and from the court. Its maximum capacity is 50 tennis balls, so you will have to stop and refill it more frequently, but this will give you an opportunity to switch up the program on the ball machine, since there is no remote.
Elevate your game with a top-rated tennis ball machine
A tennis ball machine is a great tool to help you improve your strokes and get some extra practice in when you can’t find a hitting partner. But in order for it to actually make a difference in your game, you have to choose a machine that’s as versatile as the opponents you’re going to be playing.
We recommend the Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine with Phone Remote Supported for those who want a well-rounded machine at a reasonable price, but if for some reason that doesn’t suit you, check out one of our other three top picks instead.
