Are you looking to improve your tennis game? Tennis ball machines are one of the most effective ways to up your game. You can practice your forehands, backhands, and volleys at any time without needing a partner. This is an excellent way to work on your form and footwork without a coach because you know the ball machine will continue to feed you tennis balls.
Whether you are a beginner, an expert, or just looking to hit more, you will be sure to find the right one for you. Look at the list below of the best tennis ball machines to find the one to match your needs.
Best All-Around Tennis Ball Machine
A fantastic all-around ball machine with all the features you need but lacking the bells and whistles of the more premium models.
Check Today's PriceThe Spinshot “Pro” Tennis Ball Machine is one of the best all-around tennis ball machines for beginning or advanced players. If you are looking for a tennis ball machine that will get you out on the court and is easy to use, this one’s for you.
Cost
The Spinshot “Pro” Tennis Ball Machine is more expensive but checks all of the boxes in terms of control adjustments. It is a light-weight and easy to control ball machine that makes it family-friendly.
Adjustable Ball Controls
The Spinshot “Pro” allows you to adjust the speed, spin, height, feed rate, and oscillation of the ball. Test out hitting against harder shots with more spin with this ball machine if you want to play better against harder opponents. The speed of the ball can be adjusted from 18 mph to 68 mph.
Power Source
All Spinshot Ball Machines are both battery and AC power compatible. The average battery lifespan is two to three hours. It is easy to recharge the battery and you can even order more for hours of uninterrupted tennis playing.
Oscillation
The horizontal oscillation is easy and fun to use if you want to practice your footwork. The machine can spit out balls at a side-to-side motion randomly, or at your control. However, this machine does not allow you to adjust the vertical oscillation.
Remote Control
Its easy-to-use remote watch allows you to adjust the speed, spin, height, feed rate, and horizontal placement while you are on the other side of the court. An optional remote watch can also be used to control the machine.
Drills
The Spinshot “Pro” Tennis Ball Machine does not include any pre-programmed or custom drills. However, you can control the horizontal oscillation to move you side-to-side on the court making it a great workout.
Ball Capacity
This tennis ball machine can hold up to 120 tennis balls.
Portability
This particular tennis ball machine weighs 37 pounds. It is a square shape with an extendable hopper that makes it easy to transfer and store. You can fold down the ball hopper to be easily stored in any car. With the extendable hopper, it is easy to roll it over to the tennis courts without picking it up.
Best Premium Tennis Ball Machine
More expensive than most, this premium ball machine has all the basics plus more including remote control through an app & a watch, preprogrammed and custom drills, a battery and more.
Check Today's PriceIf you want a tennis ball machine that checks all of the boxes, I recommend looking at the Spinshot “Plus-2” Tennis Ball Machine. This is the best premium tennis ball machine for all levels of playing, including advanced players.
Cost
With the Spinshot “Plus-2” Tennis Ball Machine, you definitely get what you pay for. The high-quality and compact machine is more expensive than the Spinshot “Pro” Tennis Ball Machine because it comes with more drill options.
Adjustable Ball Controls
Similar to the Spinshot “Pro” Tennis Ball Machine, the Plus-2 allows you to adjust all of the ball controls for maximum speed, spin, height, feed rate, and horizontal placement. The differences between these two ball machines are the drills and oscillations and remote control. You can upgrade the Spinshot “Plus 2” to the high-spin model to hit against higher speeds. The basic model allows 18 mph to 68 mph, whereas the high-spin model allows up to 80 mph.
Power Source
Like the Spinshot “Pro” the Spinshot “Plus-2” is battery and AC Power compatible. You can have 2-3 hours of continuous tennis playing to really get down to the nitty-gritty of your strokes.
Oscillation
This ball machine allows you to control both the horizontal and vertical oscillation, whereas the Spinshot “Pro” only allows you to control the horizontal oscillation. The vertical oscillation offered with this machine can help you hit against shots that may be lower to the net or lobs that are high shots and still manage to drop down on the court.
Remote Control
The Spinshot is the first ball machine to provide a free Phone Remote App along with the One Button Remote Watch to control the machine.
Drills
This tennis ball machine comes with all types of drills you can think of including custom, preset, 2-line and 3-line drills, and random drills. Be able to choose the one that makes the most sense for you to practice different types of playing styles. It is important to note that this tennis ball machine differs from the Spinshot “Pro” by allowing you to choose what drills you want to practice, whereas the Pro does not give you this option.
Ball Capacity
This tennis ball machine can hold up to 120 tennis balls.
Portability
The portability is the same as the Spinshot “Pro.” This tennis ball machine weighs 37 pounds and is a square shape with an extendable hopper that makes it easy to transfer and store. You can fold down the ball hopper to be easily stored in any car. With the extendable hopper, it is easy to roll it over to the tennis courts without picking it up.
Best Entry Level Ball Machine
A very good entry level ball machine for those wanting the basics and not much more. Great for kids and families.
Check Today's PriceThe Sports Tutor Tennis Cube is the best entry-level tennis ball machine for beginners or intermediate players. It is easy to use and kid-friendly making it the perfect family activity for all members to have a chance to get out on the court.
Cost
If you are searching for a ball machine at an affordable price, The Sports Tutor Tennis Cube is for you. However, this comes with limited ball controls and adjustments. If you’re an entry-level or beginner player that isn’t looking for any serious playing, the affordable price of this machine makes it the ball machine for you.
Adjustable Ball Controls
The adjustable ball controls included are speed, feed rate, and the height of the ball. This ball machine is suggested for entry-level players because it has a slower ball speed ranging from 10-50 MPH. The feed rate is adjustable from every two seconds to ten seconds, with a start-up time delay of ten seconds to allow yourself time to run to the other side of the court.
Power Source
This ball machine comes with a rechargeable battery, but cannot be AC Powered. The built-in battery allows for up to two hours of playing per charge. However, the ball machine includes a Smart Battery Charger that fully charges the battery overnight and shuts off automatically without overcharging.
Oscillation
If you are not concerned about controlling the oscillation of the ball, then this ball machine is perfect for you. It delivers shots randomly across the court to impersonate playing against a player where you don’t know exactly where they will hit it.
Remote Control
The Sports Tutor Tennis Cube does not come with remote control. However, it should not be an issue with the easy-to-use knob controls. There is no programming required making it an easy setup.
Drills
This is a basic and beginner level tennis ball machine that does not come with the option for drills. There is an oscillator to practice hitting balls on the run but does not allow you to create custom or use pre-programmed drills.
Ball Capacity
Holds up to 70 tennis balls with this ball machine.
Portability
The Sports Tutor Tennis Cube weighs only 24 pounds making it extremely easy to bring it to and from the tennis courts. It is small and compact to fit in any car size and trunk. The cube does not have wheels but has a built-in handle to easily lift and bring to the courts.
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Best Ball Speed for a Tennis Ball Machine
This ball machine has the highest shot speed and is great for those looking for a machine with a good battery and all of the basics.
Check Today's PriceThe Wilson Portable Tennis Machine is the best ball machine if you are looking to hit against fast shots. Practice hitting against high-speed shots to level-up your tennis game.
Cost
As the #1 brand name in tennis, this Wilson ball machine has a higher price. The price of this tennis ball machine is comparable to the Spinshot “Pro” Tennis Ball Machine.
Adjustable Ball Controls
Practice hitting against both topspin and backspin shots. Hit against heavy topspin with speeds up to 75 MPH with a ball feed from one second to every ten seconds. The Wilson tennis ball machine comes with electronic elevation control allowing you to adjust the ball height if you want to practice hitting against lobs or groundstrokes.
Power Source
The battery life allows you to hit for 3-4 hours and comes with a Smart Battery Charger that will fully charge your battery overnight and shut off once fully charged. The 1 12V batteries are required and included when purchasing this ball machine.
Oscillation
The Wilson Portable Tennis Machine comes with a 2-line oscillator. The oscillator delivers the balls to each side of the court at random. You can practice both forehands and backhands while running side-to-side or have another person on the other side of the court.
Remote Control
This ball machine does not come with a remote but can be purchased for an additional price. The remote option is a wireless remote that allows for control of the start and stops of ball delivery and the oscillator.
Drills
Drills are not included with this tennis ball machine. However, don’t be afraid to make your own drills with the random oscillator included.
Ball Capacity
The Wilson Portable Tennis Machine can hold up to 110 balls to allow for continuous playing for a longer period of time.
Portability
The tennis ball machine weighs 38 pounds with dimensions of 22 x 14 x 20 inches. Make sure you are able to lift this tennis ball machine to bring it to the tennis courts because it does not include a handle or wheels to easily roll it over.
Best Training Device for Kids
A fun tool to help your kids get into the game at a very affordable price.
Check Today's PriceLooking to get your kids in on the action? The Sports Tutor Tennis Twist is the best training device for kids at an affordable price. Similar to a ball machine, it tosses tennis balls but at lower speeds to be kid-friendly. The maximum speed is 15 MPH for low impact and the distance can be adjusted to reach from 12 to 20 feet. The Sports Tutor Tennis Twist has a five-second feed rate that gives your child enough time in-between each shot.
The Sports Tutor Tennis Twist looks fun to use with its spiral design that has a 28 ball capacity limit. It operates off of six ‘D’ size batteries, but are not included with your purchase. The batteries can last up to ten hours of playing.
The portability is easy as it weighs only 11 pounds and includes a handle to carry to your desired destination. Place the training device anywhere for your kids to practice their shots whether it is at your house in the driveway or the tennis courts.
Even if you are an advanced player this can be a great device to work on your swing. Place the training device strategically around the tennis court to practice any shot you want to work on.
The Sports Tutor Tennis Twist is helpful to focus on form, rather than just hitting the ball. If your kid can swing a racquet, they can use this training device!
Best Training Device for Adults
This training device, while obviously not a ball machine, is a great tool to help adults practice their swing when they're away from the court.
Check Today's PriceThe Billie Jean King’s Eye Coach is the best training device for adults to practice their tennis swing. The Billie Jean King’s Eye Coach is affordable and trains your brain to focus on hitting your sweet spot or point of contact. Five minutes of striking the stagnant tennis ball with focus equates to ninety minutes on the court. Results will show improved accuracy and power in all shots.
The Billie Jean King’s Eye Coach can be purchased in two different sizes. There is a junior-level for players shorter than 4’2” that are great for kids and pro-level for players over 4’2”.
The best part of this training device is that you don’t even have to leave your home to practice your swing. Set the training device in your house or on the court to practice up to 17 different shots in only ten feet of space.
Benefits of a Tennis Ball Machine
There are numerous benefits to purchasing a tennis ball machine whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced tennis player. A tennis ball machine allows you to practice hitting against various types of shots without needing another partner. Count on your ball machine to never turn down a day of hitting!
With a ball machine, you can practice your forehand, backhand, footwork, or any other shot in the books. Use the adjustable ball controls to pick the desired speed, topspin, and oscillation of the tennis ball. The best tennis ball machines will come with more adjustable controls to increase the speed, feed rate, height, and drills.
Apart from improving your form, you will notice a difference in your endurance after playing with the tennis ball machine multiple times. The ball machine is a great way to get your heart rate up. Stay in the game for longer durations with your improved stamina after using the ball machine.
Tennis coaches find ball machines to be especially useful to maximize their player’s shots. Instead of having players wait for the coach to feed every player on the team, the ball machine provides additional feeding time for each player.
Overall, a tennis ball machine will refine and polish your tennis play from strokes to your anticipation skills. There will be a difference in your game, especially when you want to win more matches against tougher opponents.
How to Pick a Tennis Ball Machine
There are many factors to decide between when you are beginning your search for the best tennis ball machine that fits your needs. Begin with understanding your current level of play and the level of play you want to achieve. If you are looking to purchase a tennis ball machine for your family, or for your tennis team, understand the suitable needs to fit their needs as well. Some tennis ball machines are better for those who just want to get more reps in hitting balls, whereas others want to move around to focus on footwork as well. Regardless, each ball machine will improve your overall game, strokes, and ball placement.
It is important to consider how much budget you have for a ball machine. Weigh the options of how many adjustable ball controls you are looking for based on speed, spin, feed rate, and height. Consider the other factors listed below before purchasing a ball machine to understand how many features you want, or might not need.
Cost
The cost of the tennis ball machine depends on the additional features you are searching for. The best tennis ball machines out are more expensive. Tennis ball machines with a higher price have remotes that allow you to adjust the ball feed settings from the other side of the court. They have more adjustable settings for ball controls, oscillation, and drill practices.
Cheaper tennis ball machines are for those looking to practice their shots and will have lower ball speeds. Those who are on a budget, but want to improve their tennis game, should look at the list below to compare what features you will get based on affordability.
Adjustable Ball Controls
Each one of the best tennis ball machines listed below has adjustable ball controls including speed, spin, feed rate, and the height of the ball. Particular tennis ball machines have different settings for each of the ball controls depending on how advanced a ball machine you are searching for. The best tennis machines will have higher speeds, additional types of spin, a variance of feed rates, and adjustable ball heights.
Speed
The speed of the ball refers to how fast you want the ball to be fed to you. The best tennis ball machines will have higher speeds up to 80 mph.
Spin
The spin of the ball relates to whether you want a topspin, backspin, or a flat shot. A topspin and backspin shots are harder to hit against than a flat shot that has no spin. Hitting against flat shots allows you to practice putting your own topspin or backspin on the tennis ball.
Feed Rate
The feed rate refers to how much time there is in between each ball fed to you. Balls fed to you continuously with little to no break in-between will have a low feed rate compared to a higher feed rate that will give you more time in-between each shot.
Height
The height of the tennis ball refers to how high above the net you want the tennis ball to be fed to you. Balls that are closer to the net will give you less reaction time than those lobbed higher over the net.
Power Source
When picking out one of the best tennis ball machines the battery life is important depending on how long you want to be hitting for. The average battery life ranges from two to four hours given the ones listed below.
Battery
Various tennis ball machines come with a built-in battery charge to provide hours of uninterrupted tennis playing. Leading ball machines will come with a Smart Battery Charger that will automatically shut off once the ball machine is fully charged. It is important to make sure that the ball machine you are interested in purchasing includes the battery source, so an additional purchase does not have to be made.
AC Power
A tennis ball machine can be plugged into the wall when it comes to AC Power. The advantage is that there is constant current and it does not need charging.
Oscillation
Oscillation means the tennis ball machine can move the ball horizontal or vertical. Horizontal oscillation is when the tennis ball machine moves the ball from side-to-side giving you more options for drills. Vertical oscillation depends on how high you want the tennis ball to be when it comes to the net.
Remote Control
As mentioned above, the more expensive tennis ball machines will come with remote control. Remote control is extremely useful when you want to change the type of shot to hit against without having to continually walk to the other side of the court to adjust the settings on the ball machine itself.
The remote control will come with various functions to control the feed of the ball. Depending on the ball machine that includes a remote control, you will be able to adjust the speed, feed rate, oscillation, and height.
Some tennis ball machines will come with a watch remote or a regular remote. With a watch remote, you can wear it on your wrist. A regular remote control has more of a tv style, but can be easy to lose or frustrating if you have to put it in your pocket or on the side of the court. Due to popular demand, some tennis ball machines are Apple Watch Compatible that allows you to connect to the ball machine to change the settings of the ball controls. It might make more sense for you to find a ball machine that has an App you can download on your phone to change the ball settings. The App will give you more features and can be easy to use.
Drills
If you are looking to practice drills with the ball machine, then you should be looking for one that allows you to create custom ones. The best ball machines have both pre-programmed and custom drills that allow you to choose what you want. Usually, tennis coaches look for ball machines with both custom and pre-programmed drills as a useful tool for their players. Pre-programmed means that the tennis ball machine will have set drills that move you around the court to practice hitting from different areas on the court. Custom drills allow you to create your own drills depending on what you want to focus on.
Ball Capacity
Ball capacity refers to how many tennis balls you can fit in the ball machine. The best tennis ball machines have higher ball capacity for you to hit more shots in a row without having to continually pick them up. Consider that a ball machine with lower ball capacity will have you picking up tennis balls more frequently than if desired.
Portability
Most of the tennis ball machines allow for easy portability. This is dependent on the weight of the ball machine itself. The ball machines below allow for easy accessibility from storing it in your car to rolling it on the court. Ball machines easier to transport have a handle and wheels that do not require picking it up. Make sure that if the ball machine you are looking at is at a weight you can bear if it does not have wheels attached.
FAQ
How does a tennis ball machine work?
A tennis ball machine feeds you tennis balls from the other side of the court. Once you turn on a ball machine it will start shooting out tennis balls to the other side of the court. You can adjust the ball controls to make the feed faster, or with more topspin. They allow you to practice your groundstrokes, volley’s, and footwork without needing to find a partner. The compact and durable machine allows for continuous playing for 2-4 hours before needing to be recharged.
Which type of tennis balls should I buy for a ball machine?
Any regular tennis ball works with the ball machine. The top two recommended are Penn and Wilson. Continually update your tennis balls to ensure they are not overused for maximum bounce.
How to practice with a tennis ball machine?
The tennis ball machine is easy to practice with. Simply place it in the center-back of the court. Turn it on using the controls and use the adjustments to have the tennis ball bounce in your desired spot. If the ball machine you are using has a remote control, you can adjust the controls from the other side of the court. Once you are all set, start practicing and become the tennis player you aspire to be!
In Summary
Ball machines are a great investment to improve your tennis game. While the best tennis ball machines include more drill settings and ball controls, any ball machine will improve your tennis strokes. Whether you are a novice, intermediate, or advanced player, any ball machine will significantly improve your tennis game. With more advantages than disadvantages to having a ball machine, it is worth the price.