Lobster Elite 2 Tennis Ball Machine Review (2020)

lobster elite two tennis ball machine

Lobster Elite 2

All of the same features as the Lobster Elite One, plus the triple oscillation feature which will take your tennis game to the next level. The Lobster Elite 2 tennis ball machine will significant improve your tennis game.

Features 8/10
Design 9/10
Overall 8.5/10

Editors Overall Rating

9.5/10

Detailed review of Lobster Elite 2 Tennis Ball Machine

The Lobster Elite 2 tennis ball machine offers feature rich tennis game improving technology at an affordable price. The Elite 2 is for all players types looking to significantly improve their game.

Lobster Sports offers five tennis ball machines in the Elite category: the Elite Liberty economy model, and the Elite 1, 2, and 3, and the Elite Grand 4. For more information on Lobster, see our Lobster tennis ball machine page. The Lobster Elite 2 tennis ball machine offers all of the essential features to satisfy players of all ability levels, and is sold at a reasonable price. Tennis ball machines generally range in price from $230 to over $7,800 and vary significantly in terms of features offered. The Lobster Elite tennis ball machine Model 2 comes in at the mid-point on price, and is feature rich in terms of what we feel you need in a tennis ball machine. The Elite 2 also scores very high in consumer ratings from people who have purchased and used the ball machine.

In this review, we look at the features offered by the Lobster Elite 2 tennis ball machine and how they compare to relative to other similar tennis ball machines, overall customer satisfaction, ratings, reviews, and pros and cons. We then offer our own rating and recommendation on whether to purchase the Elite 2 ball machine.

Best Lobster Elite 2 Features

lobster elite 2 battery pack

Battery Powered

The Lobster Elite 2 tennis ball machine is battery powered, with a battery life of 4-8 hours. There is an optional fast charger and premium fast charger available as well.

Triple Oscillation

This is a key feature when analyzing tennis ball machines and one of the major factors affecting the cost. You need to look at how the machine throws tennis balls around the court. All but the most basic ball machines offer random oscillation, which means the machine will fire balls at random spots on the court. You then have to look at whether the machine will fire just horizontally, which means only from side to side at the same depth, or vertical as well, which means you’ll get shots dropping short and long, baseline and in front of the service line. Our preference for a ball machine is one that offers all of these types of oscillation, random, horizontal, and vertical. We feel that it is essential for variety in shot practice, and the best way to simulate an actual live opponent. The Lobster Elite 2 tennis ball machine offers all three oscillation types.

triple oscillation feature
lobster-elite-2-spin-control-knob

Spin Control Knob

Another of the basic needs in a ball machine is its ability to fire balls with top spin and under spin, which further helps to simulate a real life opponent. The Lobster ball machine Elite 2 Model offers both types of spin at a heavy degree. The top spin shots land about shoulder level and the slices will have you running full speed to catch them.

Other Key Benefits of the Lobster Elite 2

Elevation – To practice hitting lobs you need a machine that fires tennis balls at an angle of at least 50 degrees. The Lobster ball machine Elite 2 Model offers an angle firing range of between 0-50 degrees. Many other ball machines are only at 30 degrees or less.

Weight – The Elite 2 weighs in at 44lbs (19.96kg), which puts it in the midrange of ball machines in terms of weight. The ball machines we’ve reviewed on this site range in weight from 11 lbs (5kg) for a very, very basic ball machine to 90lbs (40.82kg) for a heavy duty commercial type model. 44lbs is not terribly difficult to pick up and put in your car and the Lobster ball machine Elite 2 Model has some easy grip handles to help. It is also very easy to wheel around the tennis court with its large 8 inch wheels.

Dimensions – The Elite 2 measures a very compact (Length x Width x Height) 24 x 16 x 32 inches (.61 x .46 x .81m).

Speed Range – The Lobster tennis ball machine Elite 2 Model fires tennis balls between 10-80 mph (16.10-128.75 kph). The ball machines we have reviewed range in speed from 10 mph to 95 mph (152.89 kph), so the Elite 2 falls within the optimal range for speed. Children and beginners can easily practice with balls at a speed of 10 mph, and advanced players will certainly feel challenged by balls coming at 80 mph.

Ball Capacity – The Elite 2 holds 150 tennis balls. Economy tennis ball machines will hold 50 balls, whereas ball machines in high usage situations, such as clubs or tennis camps can hold up to 300 balls. We feel that a 150 ball capacity is sufficient.

Feed Rate – this is how fast the balls are fired out of the machine. The Lobster tennis ball machine Elite 2 Model fires at a rate ranging from 2-10 balls per second. The fastest firing time we’ve seen in a tennis ball machine is one ball every 1.5 seconds and the slowest is one ball every 12 seconds. The Elite 2’s feed rate is more than adequate for working on rapid-fire volleys coming at you every 2 seconds, as well as beginners who may need the slower feed rate of 10 seconds to prepare and set up.

Warranty – The Lobster ball machine Elite 2 Model comes with a two-year warranty on parts and service. Most tennis ball machine brands offer a 2-year warranty although some offer only a one year warranty. We have found only one deluxe model that offers a 3-year warranty, and that model is over $3,500.

Lobster Elite 2 Extras

Extras – Optional extras that cost money for the Lobster Elite 2 tennis ball machine include the following:

lobster elite 2 remote for tennis ball machine

  • Wireless Remote: One of the new aspects when buying a Lobster Elite 2 tennis ball machine is that you can upgrade to the Elite 10 remote. This allows you to use an Apple Watch, iPhone, or iPad to control every aspect of the tennis ball machine including: feed rate, topspin, backspin, elevation, speed, oscillation, and sweep. You must purchase it with the machine as they install a WiFi transceiver into the Lobster Elite 2.
  • Storage cover – A heavy-duty, lined vinyl cover
  • Fast charger – Charges up the Lobster Elite 2 in 3 to 9 hours
  • Premium fast charger – Charges in 1 to 3 hours
  • External battery pack – Extends battery time an additional 4-8 hours and includes a large 18-amp sealed lead-acid battery, battery cord with connector, adaptor, 1-amp fast charger, and canvas carrying bag with shoulder strap
  • Two-function wireless remote – Controls the feed rate and sweep/oscillation type.

Lobster Elite 2 Customer Ratings

Customer Ratings and Comments

  • Sites with Customer Reviews Posted (16)
  • Number of Reviews (28)
  • Average Score (4.10 out of 5)

Summary of Positive Comments: Most of the customers who have bought the Lobster ball machine Elite 2 Model talk about how much their game has improved by using the machine as a practice tool. One gentleman went from a 3.0 to a 3.5 rating in his league. Others talk about how easy the machine is to use and how long the battery lasts. Most say it provides a great workout. The top speed and spin functions offer a challenge for even top players as mentioned in a review by a 4.0-4.5 player.

Summary of Negative Comments: There were a couple of negative comments about the machine being a little heavy to lift into the car trunk. Unfortunately by going with a lighter machine, you sacrifice many of the features we consider essential for a high quality tennis ball machine. So if you can have someone help you get the machine in and out of the car, it is well worth the extra weight to get the extra features. There were also some negatives about the optional remote not working very well. At $199 we’d probably pass on this extra item.

 

The Verdict: Strongly Recommend

We strongly recommend the Lobster Elite tennis ball machine Model 2. Not only is this ball machine packed with features for players of all ability levels, but it is also a great investment in your tennis game for an affordable price. We especially like that it has all of the oscillation options as well as spin control and a full-speed range. This makes it great for beginner and intermediate players to advance up through the features as they improve their games, without the need to upgrade to a new ball machine. Plus, when looking at other ball machines, what you get for the price with the Lobster tennis ball machine Elite 2 Model makes it a very good deal.

If you have tried out this tennis ball machine for yourself, let us know. You can write a review in the comments section and give it a rating below.

Where to Buy the Lobster Ball Machine Elite 2 Model

Amazon sells everything, including tennis ball machines. You can find some really great deals here on other tennis accessories as well. If you’ve ever bought anything on Amazon you also see suggestions based on your previous purchases, as well as numerous consumer product reviews. Amazon is a great resource for shopping for just about anything.

 

Still not convinced? Here's a video of the machine in action:

Copyright 2017 by The Landing Factory

Leave a Comment