Best Portable Tennis Ball Machine (2020)

Best Portable Tennis Ball Machine

There are so many components to take into consideration when buying a tennis ball machine. Whether it be cost, composition, speed, or portability, there are many factors to consider before you buy a tennis ball machine.

Portability and being able to transport your ball machine from point A to B should be an absolute priority when choosing a machine. Inevitably, tennis ball machines are heavy and consist of ball launchers, batteries, and mechanical parts that are cumbersome and can make portability impossibility. Some tennis ball machines are more portable than others and come equipped with easy to transport cases and wheels, so be sure to do your research before buying a portable tennis ball machine.

Luckily for you, we’ve have all the measurements and weights of the most popular tennis ball machines. Technological advancements in ball machine construction over the past few years have seen more machines made in a compact style, so look out for newer models if you need to be able to access your machine whilst on the move.

In a Hurry? Here Are Our Top 3 Picks:

Best Overall

4.7/5

Best Runner Up

wilson portable tennis ball machine
4.6/5

Best Value Pick

tennis tutor cube tennis ball machine
4.4/5

How to Choose a Portable Tennis Ball Machine

  1. Compact Dimensions: The dimensions of a portable tennis ball machine are crucial. It needs to either be able to fold down or compact small enough to fit inside the trunk of a sedan.
  2. Weight: Weight is a huge consideration because you’ll likely be picking up this tennis ball machine and putting it inside the trunk of your car. It’s very difficult for most people to pick up a tennis ball machine that is over 50 pounds. We’ve taken this into consideration.
  3. Battery Powered: If you’re constantly transporting a tennis ball machine, chances are the courts won’t also have wired power. You’ll have to get a tennis ball machine that is battery powered an ample amount of time to get in a good practice session.
  4. Features: The whole point of purchasing a tennis ball machine is to help improve your tennis game and practice with something that is your skill level. All of our top machines can support beginner play all the way to advanced play. The lower-cost models will be limited in features such as pre-programmed drills and oscillations. You’ll want to factor in your skillset before purchasing a portable tennis ball machine.

Best Portable Tennis Ball Machines Reviewed

With so many portable tennis ball machines on the market, finding the right one for you can be a tough.  Luckily, we’ve tested and measured a majority of the newest tennis ball machines to figure out which ones are portable and which ones are not. We’ve found the best tennis ball machines that you can easily transport, yet have all the great features such as top spin, back spin, oscillations, and high speed: 

The Spinshot Player Tennis Ball Machine is the best-selling ball machine in the world, with its combination of portability and performance making it a winner for all levels of a tennis player.

Weighing only 41 pounds, the Spinshot Player Tennis Ball Machine is perfect to be taken on the move with you, allowing you to use it on any court surface you wish. In addition, the patented de-jam design is super effective, meaning you won’t be wasting time crossing back over the net to deal with any backlog of balls.

The sturdy fiberglass frame of the Spinshot Player Tennis Ball Machine allows for optimum safety levels in combination with great performance. With a square shape and extendable hopper, the machine is super easy to transfer and store. When the ball hopper is folded down, the machine measures only 18 inches x 12 inches x 20 inches which is pretty compare and portable. It can be easily stored in any car’s trunk and the metal design will always make your machine shine on the court.

The Spinshot Player Tennis Ball Machine comes loaded with features that can be controlled from an app. The best feature of the Spinshot Player Tennis ball machine is the pre-programmed drills. Few ball machine manufacturers can contend with the range of drills and variations on offer by the Spinshot Player, making it super versatile for beginners and advanced players alike.

Given the number of features of this tennis ball machine, the cost is in-line with other mid-tier models. It is a super reliable tennis ball machine and it is an excellent choice for those who want to improve their tennis game on the move.

Few names in tennis have the reputation and credibility of Wilson. With a range of equipment spanning pretty much every aspect of tennis, their brand is renowned worldwide and they offer one of the most reliable tennis ball machines on the market.

Weighing just over 40 pounds, Wilson has created one of the lightest and most compact tennis ball machines available on the market. When it comes to portability and feature set, this machine can’t be beaten. So if you frequently have to travel with your tennis ball machine, then you should the Wilson.

Compact in size, the Wilson Portable Tennis Ball machine is super easy to transport but still offers plenty of innovative features. The strong plastic frame holds up in most playing and weather conditions whilst the ball launcher and hopper are robust enough to deal with the rigors of the rapid-fire rate.

Wilson has worked hard to ensure plenty of their innovative features that are offered on their regular tennis ball machines transfer over to their portable tennis ball machine. With a top speed of 75mph, remote control, and a ball capacity of 110 tennis balls, the portable ball machine holds up very well in comparison to some of its market competitors.

Rechargeable batteries have become an integral part of a tennis ball machine users’ armory and Wilson offers one of the best battery packs on the market. The extra long-life battery makes them hugely important for players of all levels.

With a three-year warranty and a name you can trust within tennis, the Wilson Portable Tennis Ball Machine is one of the best options on the market and is a great choice as a portable tennis ball machine.

Portability takes up many forms and the Sports Tutor Tennis Cube is one of the most compact options available to tennis players at a very reasonable cost.

The patented cube design is super easy to store, but limited features and ball speed is lost through the relatively small piece of equipment.

Sports Tutor has worked hard to ensure that the cube is not only compact in size but also in weight. At 35 pounds, it is one of the lightest tennis ball machines on the market – making it ideal to transport with you to and from your practice session. You’ll be able to easily lift this tennis ball machine in and out of your trunk.

Despite its small stature, the Sports Tutor Tennis Cube offers a wide range of changeable speeds, oscillations, and directions – making it the perfect tool to improve all aspects of your game with.

Perhaps the best part of the Sports Tutor Tennis Cube is it’s easy to navigate controls – all of which can be done remotely or on the ball machine itself. Not to mention the excellent ball capacity of 100 tennis balls makes it a real competitor in the portable tennis ball machine market. It’s not the largest tennis ball capacity, but it suffices given the dimensions of this machine.

Size is at the heart of the operation and with no complicated cables to navigate, the Sports Tutor Tennis Cube is perfect for those who want to get out there and whack a few balls – without having to worry about portability.

In terms of price, it is competitively placed in the market, and whilst the Sports Tutor Tennis Cube doesn’t offer the broad spectrum of options some of their competitors do, there are still plenty of features to enjoy. If portability and budget are important to you, then this is the ball machine for you.

Sports (or Tennis) Tutor has developed into one of the most reputable brands on the tennis ball machine market. With a mantra of delivering very good quality products at extremely reasonable prices, they have a wide range of tennis ball machines that really do provide something for everyone.

The Tennis Tutor Prolite is comfortably one of the lightest pieces of ball machinery around, weighing in at just 30 pounds, making it perfect for any tennis playing occasion, regardless of where and when you want to hit some tennis balls.

Whilst a lot of work has gone into the compactness of the Tennis Tutor Prolite ball machine, no corners have been cut with durability as it is one of the most robust tennis ball machines on the market today.

In addition, the extra-long battery life on the Tennis Tutor Prolite ball machine makes it perfect for those who want to get out and practice all elements of their game, without having to find a hitting partner to pair up with.

Not offering a topspin option is an obvious downside of the Tennis Tutor Prolite ball machine but aside from that, there are very few faults to pick up on. It has an impressive ball capacity (125), a top speed of 60 mph, and a huge array of directional and oscillating features that make every session extremely realistic. Given its low price range, it offers competitive features. However, if you’re an advanced tennis player or an intermediate player who wants to advance their game, you should spend more money for more features.

It is by far one of the lightest and smallest ball machines on the market that offers a wide choice of hitting and playing options and it won’t break the bank. The Tennis Tutor Prolite ball machine the perfect choice for those just getting into tennis and wanting to hone their skills.

Lobster Sports are one of the most reputable brands in the tennis ball machine world, having been prominent on the market for decades.

The Lobster Elite Three is one of the most innovative ball machines within their lineup and coming in at just 44 pounds in weight. Given its feature set, it’s actually on the lighter side of tennis ball machines.

Despite its relatively lightweight profile, the Lobster Elite Three offers plenty of hitting options – with a top speed of 80mph and an impressive battery life of between 6 and 8 hours.

Perhaps the best part about the Lobster Elite Three is its impressive ball capacity of 150, making it one of the largest capacity ball machines on the market. This allows you to find your rhythm without having to worry about restocking your balls.

Lobster is one of the market leaders when it comes to ball variety, direction, and oscillation. The Lobster Elite Three is one of their lightest models and nothing has been compromised in terms of innovative features that are available.

Remote control options are available on the Lobster Elite Three, making it one of the most user-friendly machines on the market. It comes in at a reasonable price that is backed with a 2-year warranty. The Lobster Elite Three is a great choice for all levels who want to improve to the next level.

Most tennis ball machines are superb for practicing every element of your tennis game but whether you like it or not, they are notoriously noisy pieces of machinery. You don’t want the glare of the entire tennis community every time you fire it.

The Scoop Silent Partner Tennis Ball machine is a market-leading option for those who are looking to keep noise to a minimum when going through their tennis ball machine practice regime.

Whilst noise reduction is at the heart of their operation, Silent Partner Scoop has also put a lot of work into designing a compact, portable ball machine that weighs in at just 40 pounds.

It is easy to store and durable, making it perfect for transporting from venue to venue. You will maximize your practice session every time you step out on to the court.

The Scoop Silent Partner Ball Machine has an incredible control panel. With 24 buttons, offering over 40 different features, it is comfortably one of the most diverse machines on the market with virtually unlimited capabilities.

The intelligence of the Scoop Smart Partner Ball Machine that it has a built-in memory feature, allowing you to practice specific drills and practice any known weaknesses. In addition, the specific match-play feature makes it a perfect machine for those looking to take the competitive element of their game more seriously.

The heavy-duty battery is not only durable but can withstand up to 10 hours of use in one particular sitting. This makes it perfect for those who are busy and want to squeeze in a practice around their own schedule.

For the number of features it offers, the Scoop Silent Partner is one of the very best tennis ball machines on the market. Whilst it isn’t the cheapest option or the lightest, it is extremely diverse and can be transported easily. This makes it a great choice for those who want to take their game to the next level.

As mentioned, Tennis Tutor is one of the best ball machine manufacturers on the market, so it is no surprise that they have plenty of top-class portable tennis ball machine options.

Whilst the aforementioned Tennis Tutor Prolite is a superb lightweight option, the Tennis Tutor Plus is a well-rounded ball machine that can also be very portable as well with slightly more features.

At around 40 pounds, it is a slightly heavier ball machine, but it is still compact and easy to transport with by a single individual.

With a top speed of 85mph, it is one of the quickest machines on the market, making it the perfect choice for those who want to work on all aspects of their game – particularly returning a fast serve.

Random oscillation, varying speeds, and varying directions are all easy to navigate features on the Tennis Tutor Plus, making it a great tool to practice all elements of your game.

With one of the best rechargeable batteries on the market, the Tennis Tutor Plus offers at least 6 hours of batter life on every charge. It is ideal for those who don’t have access to a power point when out on the court.

The Tennis Tutor Plus has a whopping ball capacity of 150 balls, making it perfect for developing consistency and rhythm across all your strokes.

Offering a 3-year warranty and excellent customer service, the Tennis Tutor Plus is an excellent choice of a tennis ball machine for those looking to really advance their game.

Whilst it isn’t the most compact or lightweight option on the market, it is reliable with a great feature set for every tennis player.

As with any product, there is a wide spectrum of options available to consumers. The Precision Systems Tennis Ball Machine is comfortably one of the most expensive offerings available to punters – but it is certainly worth it in terms of features and portability.

With a highly intelligent system that is designed to create bespoke tennis workouts, the Precision Systems Tennis Ball Machine offers pretty much everything you could ever want from a tennis ball machine.

Designing your own plan and synchronization is at the heart of the Precision Systems operation, making it perfect for those who are looking to get creative with their tennis practice sessions. Each practice session can be personalized and you can improve the weaknesses in your game.

Control over elements such as the number of repetitions, length of time between delivery of each ball, and the oscillation are all variables that can be changed remotely. Having such control over the machine is hugely beneficial when looking to hone particular aspects of your game.

Weighing over 60 pounds, it is one of the heavier options on the portable tennis ball machine market, which could be a problem when using public transportation. However, if you can drive to the courts – it is not an issue at all if you can lift the weight of the machine.

As mentioned, the cost of the Precision Systems Tennis Ball Machine will immediately be off-putting for punters but if you have the disposable income and really want to see a significant improvement in your tennis playing performance quickly, it is the perfect machine for you. 

Conclusion for Best Portable Tennis Ball Machine

 Being able to take your tennis ball machine on the move with you is extremely important if you don’t have a tennis court in your backyard. Choosing a portable tennis ball machine contains many variables such as weight, dimension size, battery power, and feature set. Our list will help you choose the best portable tennis ball machine for your skill level and budget.

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