Portable Ball Machines that Don't Suck?

J

Jonny Klobber

New User
Looking for a good, reliable ball machine for under $1000. Does such a thing exist? I'm looking at stuff like the Slinger, the Tutor ProLite Plus and stuff in that range, but there's such an abundance of lousy reviews for most of these machines... I'd like something that's portable, has the option to oscillate and can produce some pace. Height adjustment too of course... Am I kidding myself to think this is possible at this price point?
 
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J

Jonny Klobber

New User
eagle said:
Check out Nisplay.

nisplaysports.com

Products

Designed for players of all skill levels, our innovative and compact tennis ball machines offer the perfect blend of functionality and style. At Nisplay, we are dedicated to revolutionizing tennis training and enhance your training sessions and stand out on and off the court.
nisplaysports.com nisplaysports.com
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I will - thanks! Hadn't even heard of that one before.
 
USMC-615

USMC-615

Hall of Fame
I believe there's a thread, I don't think the thread title is specific about this particular Nisplay machine, that folks have added comments on this machine around here somewhere...try searching for 'Nisplay' and see what you come up with. If I'm remembering that this is the machine, seemed to get pretty good comments. And to answer your original question...yes you are asking a little much in the want department for what the wallet department can handle concerning a machine under $1K. I've got a Slinger Gen 2 machine but for an $800 retail single-wheel, topspin only machine, you kinda get what you get, but it will get the job done. Only reason I have the Slinger with oscillator base is because I have half of the retail price tied up in it (was brand new and used only a couple of times). I've got a Spinfire Pro2 V2 as well so the Slinger will get unloaded prob this summer no doubt.
 
J

Jonny Klobber

New User
USMC-615 said:
I believe there's a thread, I don't think the thread title is specific about this particular Nisplay machine, that folks have added comments on this machine around here somewhere...try searching for 'Nisplay' and see what you come up with. If I'm remembering that this is the machine, seemed to get pretty good comments. And to answer your original question...yes you are asking a little much in the want department for what the wallet department can handle concerning a machine under $1K. I've got a Slinger Gen 2 machine but for an $800 retail single-wheel, topspin only machine, you kinda get what you get, but it will get the job done. Only reason I have the Slinger with oscillator base is because I have half of the retail price tied up in it (was brand new and used only a couple of times). I've got a Spinfire Pro2 V2 as well so the Slinger will get unloaded prob this summer no doubt.
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Thanks - I'll see if I can find that thread. I did do a little poking around and found mostly good response to the Nisplay machines.
 
J

Jonny Klobber

New User
graycrait said:
@dak95_00 , if anyone knows it is probably this person.

I got a basic Silent Partner new 3 or 4 years ago for around 550.00, which has plenty of pace, with topspin if you wish. I wish I had gotten one with an on/off remote. I also wish it was 20lbs less in weight and had an easy access battery:) https://www.sptennis.com/collections/our-best-sellers/products/edge-lite-and-lite-r

Portability is in the eye of the beholder.
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Did I see that the Silent Partner can send at speeds up to 95 mph? Holy smokes. How is it for lobs?
 
graycrait

graycrait

Legend
@K.P. Devlin , Yes, it can send a line drive so hard at a guy standing at the net that it will bruise them when it hits their gut and continue to send balls skimming over the net at 95mph cycling faster than a Roman Candle while that same net guy has dove down behind the net cursing "me" like a dog while I wet myself laughing. OK, so it was only funny to me:) He said he was "ready."

It will send topspin shots with more spin and pace than Nadal can generate making you wish the fence was 20' further back. You can set it up for lobs and believe me you ain't going to practice overheads for 150 balls straight unless you are 40 yrs younger than me. It will oscillate but you have to slow the speed down and move the machine up into the court to use it effectively otherwise you will be running like Medvedev did the other day returning Alcaraz's crosscourt shots. I think the Silent Partner with a full on remote would be a big improvement to my basic machine. My simple non-remote machine is good for grooving ground strokes, volleys and lobs. If you set up the machine right you can hit volleys to two people or some rudimentary back and forth ground stroking. Again, having a remote that could change feed rate/spin/speed/oscillation or launch angle would be nice.
 
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J

Jonny Klobber

New User
graycrait said:
@K.P. Devlin , Yes, it can send a line drive so hard at a guy standing at the net that it will bruise them when it hits their gut and continue to send balls skimming over the net at 95mph cycling faster than a Roman Candle while that same net guy has dove down behind the net cursing "me" like a dog while I wet myself laughing. OK, so it was only funny to me:) He said he was "ready."

It will send topspin shots with more spin and pace than Nadal can generate making you wish the fence was 20' further back. You can set it up for lobs and believe me you ain't going to practice overheads for 150 balls straight unless you are 40 yrs younger than me. It will oscillate but you have to slow the speed down and move the machine up into the court to use it effectively otherwise you will be running like Medvedev did the other day returning Alcaraz's crosscourt shots. I think the Silent Partner with a full on remote would be a big improvement to my basic machine. My simple non-remote machine is good for grooving ground strokes, volleys and lobs. If you set up the machine right you can hit volleys to two people or some rudimentary back and forth ground stroking. Again, having a remote that could change feed rate/speed/oscillation or launch angle would be nice.
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Haha! Sounds like I might need to have 911 pre-dialed on my phone if I go out with that machine.:eek:
 
T

tennis3

Hall of Fame
Jonny Klobber said:
Looking for a good, reliable ball machine for under $1000. Does such a thing exist? I'm looking at stuff like the Slinger, the Tutor ProLite Plus and stuff in that range, but there's such an abundance of lousy reviews for most of these machines... I'd like something that's portable, has the option to oscillate and can produce some pace. Height adjustment too of course... Am I kidding myself to think this is possible at this price point?
Click to expand...
The hard part about buying a ball machine is that it is almost impossible to test it out before buying. What I've found is:

1) Spin is essential. Without spin, the machine is virtually worthless

2) Once you use the topspin feature, the ball speed slows down A LOT. Making most machines worthless.

3) Don't spend extra for the fancy "players features" that are supposed to replicate "actual match play". They don't. Ball machines can't replicate match play. All you are doing with a ball machine is grooving basic strokes.


  • For example, I have an old MatchMate (big club machine from the 1980's). It's great. It's like a DIY version of a Playmate. Using topspin, the balls come plenty fast. Underspin is virtually worthless. The underspin ball delivered is nothing like any kind of ball a human would ever hit. And it's nearly impossible to have it hit make it over the net and hit the court. At least with much speed.

  • I've also used Tennis Tutor portable battery machines. The ones without spin are basically worthless. Yes, the balls can come fast, but if you have it at top speed without any spin, you can't hit the court with the feed. It sends it into the back fence at top speed. It's also a very unrealistic feed.

  • The Tennis Tutor with spin (I used the Model 4) is worthless. Once you add spin, the ball comes out too slow. Painfully slow.

  • I've hit off the "Slinger". It's like a carnival toy or something. The weird spin it produces is nothing even close to what any human has ever hit. I can't believe they've sold a single one.

I guess my advice to you would be, even though it is really hard, try to some way test out any machine before you buy it. And plan on spending more than $1,000 for one you actually want.
 
J

Jonny Klobber

New User
tennis3 said:
The hard part about buying a ball machine is that it is almost impossible to test it out before buying. What I've found is:

1) Spin is essential. Without spin, the machine is virtually worthless

2) Once you use the topspin feature, the ball speed slows down A LOT. Making most machines worthless.

3) Don't spend extra for the fancy "players features" that are supposed to replicate "actual match play". They don't. Ball machines can't replicate match play. All you are doing with a ball machine is grooving basic strokes.


  • For example, I have an old MatchMate (big club machine from the 1980's). It's great. It's like a DIY version of a Playmate. Using topspin, the balls come plenty fast. Underspin is virtually worthless. The underspin ball delivered is nothing like any kind of ball a human would ever hit. And it's nearly impossible to have it hit make it over the net and hit the court. At least with much speed.

  • I've also used Tennis Tutor portable battery machines. The ones without spin are basically worthless. Yes, the balls can come fast, but if you have it at top speed without any spin, you can't hit the court with the feed. It sends it into the back fence at top speed. It's also a very unrealistic feed.

  • The Tennis Tutor with spin (I used the Model 4) is worthless. Once you add spin, the ball comes out too slow. Painfully slow.

  • I've hit off the "Slinger". It's like a carnival toy or something. The weird spin it produces is nothing even close to what any human has ever hit. I can't believe they've sold a single one.

I guess my advice to you would be, even though it is really hard, try to some way test out any machine before you buy it. And plan on spending more than $1,000 for one you actually want.
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Yeah, that's the thing - if I could just go test some out, this would be a lot easier. But I think I'd probably have similar reactions to yours for the machines you mentioned. I was hoping to keep this under $1000, but I certainly don't want to be stuck with a crappy machine...

I'll have to look the Hydrogen Proton up - I hadn't heard of that one either (this is literally the first time in the nearly 50 years I've been playing tennis that I've been in search of a ball machine). Thank you all for your input - I really appreciate it. And any other suggestions or recommendations would be equally appreciated. (y)
 
T

tennis3

Hall of Fame
Jonny Klobber said:
Yeah, that's the thing - if I could just go test some out, this would be a lot easier. But I think I'd probably have similar reactions to yours for the machines you mentioned. I was hoping to keep this under $1000, but I certainly don't want to be stuck with a crappy machine...

I'll have to look the Hydrogen Proton up - I hadn't heard of that one either (this is literally the first time in the nearly 50 years I've been playing tennis that I've been in search of a ball machine). Thank you all for your input - I really appreciate it. And any other suggestions or recommendations would be equally appreciated. (y)
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I'd be very careful buying a machine just based on opinions from the internet. I'm not really sure what else you can do though. Personally, I've never seen a "portable' machine that's worth a darn. You really need to get something that is "club level" to have a decent ball machine experience.

That said, most people love their Tennis Tutor, Slinger, Proton, Spinfire, Silent Partner portable machines.

Based on your comment "this is the first time in 50 years of playing I'm looking for a ball machine", if I were you, I'd go down to the club and pay to rent their machine first. Hit off it for 10 sessions or more. Honestly, most people who buy ball machines never use them. I'd be sure that you are a "ball machine guy" as my very first step. Meaning, after the excitement of just having a new toy wears off, do you think you'll actually use it?

You also have to ask yourself if you are willing to go through the "hassle" of dragging the machine and balls to the public court. Most people aren't. At least not very often. Not something you can really try out doing before you buy, but definitely something worth thinking about.

If you actually end up buying one, you'll have to keep it stocked with balls. Tretorn pressureless balls are about $180 shipped for 72 balls. And these will only last for about 50 - 75 sessions before the felt is gone. And having a good ball is key.

Truthfully, a wall can be a great option too. Obviously cheaper and easier than a machine. And the skill to keep a ball going for 50+ shots on a wall is great practice. I'd say not many guys can do it.
 
J

Jonny Klobber

New User
tennis3 said:
I'd be very careful buying a machine just based on opinions from the internet. I'm not really sure what else you can do though. Personally, I've never seen a "portable' machine that's worth a darn. You really need to get something that is "club level" to have a decent ball machine experience.

That said, most people love their Tennis Tutor, Slinger, Proton, Spinfire, Silent Partner portable machines.

Based on your comment "this is the first time in 50 years of playing I'm looking for a ball machine", if I were you, I'd go down to the club and pay to rent their machine first. Hit off it for 10 sessions or more. Honestly, most people who buy ball machines never use them. I'd be sure that you are a "ball machine guy" as my very first step. Meaning, after the excitement of just having a new toy wears off, do you think you'll actually use it?

You also have to ask yourself if you are willing to go through the "hassle" of dragging the machine and balls to the public court. Most people aren't. At least not very often. Not something you can really try out doing before you buy, but definitely something worth thinking about.

If you actually end up buying one, you'll have to keep it stocked with balls. Tretorn pressureless balls are about $180 shipped for 72 balls. And these will only last for about 50 - 75 sessions before the felt is gone. And having a good ball is key.

Truthfully, a wall can be a great option too. Obviously cheaper and easier than a machine. And the skill to keep a ball going for 50+ shots on a wall is great practice. I'd say not many guys can do it.
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Thanks - good points. I have played with ball machines quite a bit at various tennis centers over the years, so the ball machine experience is not new to me. Obviously those were big, expensive machines, and perhaps one of these portable ones would be a big disappointment. But the repetition and the cardio is something I really enjoy. And it definitely helps me build the consistency that I occasionally lack... So I have no doubt that I'll use the machine a lot. Unless it sucks and I end up selling it, of course!
 
USMC-615

USMC-615

Hall of Fame
OP…if you decide to go top shelf I can attest to the fact that the Spinfire Pro2 V2 is an absolute Cadillac of a machine. It’s a pricey, buy once cry once kinda machine but worth it in my book.
 
T

tennis3

Hall of Fame
Jonny Klobber said:
Thanks - good points. I have played with ball machines quite a bit at various tennis centers over the years, so the ball machine experience is not new to me. Obviously those were big, expensive machines, and perhaps one of these portable ones would be a big disappointment. But the repetition and the cardio is something I really enjoy. And it definitely helps me build the consistency that I occasionally lack... So I have no doubt that I'll use the machine a lot. Unless it sucks and I end up selling it, of course!
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Sounds good. Good luck.

My final "tip" is to buy the 2-tone Tretorn balls for any machine you buy. Tretorn are excellent ball machine balls (both in terms of performance and durability). And the 2-tone ball are unmistakable. Nobody is going to "mistakenly" take them when your balls roll on to the neighboring court.

020200_1_720x.jpg
 
dak95_00

dak95_00

Hall of Fame
You cannot go wrong with a Tennis Tutor. Their customer service is fantastic and unmatched.

The ones with spin have plenty of power. The person earlier must’ve used one with something wrong. That’s rare! Search the forum for Tennis Tutor.

As far as balls go, the Tretorn balls have more felt and that’s why they’re softer. They’re not worth the extra cost though. Seriously, I’ve used them all. The next new set of pressureless balls I buy will be the Gamma two tone. My Tretorn balls are now three years old. I got them in Dec 2019.

I’ve used just about every machine out there. I agree with people on the programs. Unless you’re programming it for certain shots, they’re a waste of time. You won’t use them.

My favorite feature is the 2 line. I think you should always have a remote control.

If you can find used, try it out before you buy.

I’ve owned a Lobster Grand 4. I’ll never buy another Lobster.

I’ve owned a number of Tennis Tutors. I can usually find one used and cheap. They’ll send me free parts to refurb them. Then I resell them for $$$.

I owned a Silent Partner. It was a nice no nonsense machine. I bought it on here from another member. It was new and $400. I owned it 4 years, replaced the batteries, and sold it for $600.

I currently have a Playmate Volley. I would only replace it if I could get something programmable.

TENNIS TUTOR!!!! It’s the only good inexpensive option you can trust.
 
J

Jonny Klobber

New User
dak95_00 said:
You cannot go wrong with a Tennis Tutor. Their customer service is fantastic and unmatched.

The ones with spin have plenty of power. The person earlier must’ve used one with something wrong. That’s rare! Search the forum for Tennis Tutor.

As far as balls go, the Tretorn balls have more felt and that’s why they’re softer. They’re not worth the extra cost though. Seriously, I’ve used them all. The next new set of pressureless balls I buy will be the Gamma two tone. My Tretorn balls are now three years old. I got them in Dec 2019.

I’ve used just about every machine out there. I agree with people on the programs. Unless you’re programming it for certain shots, they’re a waste of time. You won’t use them.

My favorite feature is the 2 line. I think you should always have a remote control.

If you can find used, try it out before you buy.

I’ve owned a Lobster Grand 4. I’ll never buy another Lobster.

I’ve owned a number of Tennis Tutors. I can usually find one used and cheap. They’ll send me free parts to refurb them. Then I resell them for $$$.

I owned a Silent Partner. It was a nice no nonsense machine. I bought it on here from another member. It was new and $400. I owned it 4 years, replaced the batteries, and sold it for $600.

I currently have a Playmate Volley. I would only replace it if I could get something programmable.

TENNIS TUTOR!!!! It’s the only good inexpensive option you can trust.
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Thanks! Maybe the Tennis Tutor ProLite Plus is worth a try then.
 
dak95_00

dak95_00

Hall of Fame
Jonny Klobber said:
Thanks! Maybe the Tennis Tutor ProLite Plus is worth a try then.
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Yes, I think so. It looks good to me. I would like to tryout or see the ultra version in person. Those look really, really good to me.

Tennis Tutor has been around a very long time. Their machines are just now getting more advanced in their offerings. They have more features, are coming down in cost per feature, and are getting smaller and lighter.

I saw the Nisplay machine's ad months ago when it came out. The market seems to be saturated with small machines that cannot oscillate without an attachment. The Proton is innovative and the initial cost was a great deal. The Proton's smart ability to be programmed is impressive. At the current price, I'm much less interested.
 
B

Benf15harp3000

Semi-Pro
Jonny Klobber said:
Looking for a good, reliable ball machine for under $1000. Does such a thing exist? I'm looking at stuff like the Slinger, the Tutor ProLite Plus and stuff in that range, but there's such an abundance of lousy reviews for most of these machines... I'd like something that's portable, has the option to oscillate and can produce some pace. Height adjustment too of course... Am I kidding myself to think this is possible at this price point?
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Check out the bay
Silent partner quest only 6 months old
 
c-had

c-had

Rookie
I'm still loving my Silent Partner Edge Lite R. Not too expensive, capable of more power and spin than any human could want, basic remote control, handle and wheels for moving it, fits in the back of my hatchback. I bought it on the auction site from Silent Partner (they sell their demos there for a bit off). Been using it for 4 years now. The battery is a pain to replace, but replacement batteries are cheap (under $30).
 
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