It never has to cancel with you because of sickness or a family emergency. It never gets frustrated hitting with you, no matter how many shots you miss in a row. It can probably keep running longer than you can, doesn't mind hitting as fast or as slow as you want it to, and can hit every ball to your backhand because your trying to strengthen that shot.
You can probably imagine a dozen other reasons why it would be really cool to have access to a ball machine. If you don't belong to a club that has a good ball machine and you don't own your own court, you will probably be looking for one of the many new portable ball machines available today. The great news is that unlike portable computers, portable ball machines actually cost less than their larger and more stationary counterparts. There are currently 21 different models of ball machines available that sell for less than $1,500.00. That might still sound like a lot of money, but if you used the machine just once each week for a year, it would cost less than $29 per week, and after that all the fun would be free.
If you think you might be in the market for a ball machine, there are 4 main features you will want to look at to decide which machine is best for you; Propulsion, Oscillation, Power, and Remote Control.
PROPULSION refers to how the machine actually throws the balls. Most of the machines made today use two or more spinning wheels to propel the ball. However, there are still a few machines available that use air pressure to shoot the balls through a cannon-like tube. The spinning wheels make it easier to control the type of spin that gets put on the ball by increasing or decreasing the speed of one wheel relative to the others. However, these wheels do tend to wear the felt off of the ball faster than the cannon-type machines. Other factors to consider when evaluating a machine's propulsion system are its feeding intervals, the machine's top speed, the ability to feed lobs, and the ability to apply topspin and underspin to balls.
OSCILLATION refers to whether the machine can be set to feed the ball in different directions on its own, or if you have to actually move the machine to shoot balls in different directions. This feature comes in handy if you want to practice forehands and backhands or if you want to practice your movement to the balls in different positions. Most of the machines today do offer oscillation. But if you decide you want a machine that oscillates, you will want to consider how it oscillates. Some machines will only oscillate between two specific locations. Others will oscillate in a random order, meaning that it might feed the ball anywhere, which feels like playing a real match. Other machines will also offer the option of a programmable oscillation. This means that you can tell the machine where you want each ball sent before it starts over. If you're looking at a machine with programmable oscillation, you will want to consider how many shots it can hit in its program. Some machines will only let you pick two positions to shoot balls before the pattern starts over, while others will offer more than two shots before the pattern repeats itself. Finally, consider whether you want the machine to change the depth, spin, or height of each shot during the pattern. Only a few machines offer this level of programmability.
POWER refers to whether the machine has to be plugged in or if it will run on a battery. Some machines will even offer the option of both. Obviously machines will run almost forever if you can plug them in, but a battery-operated machine comes in real handy if the court your playing on doesn't have an outlet. If you decide to get a battery-operated machine, you will want to make sure that battery is designed to last at least as long as you will want to use the machine. It's also nice if the machine gives you some kind of indicator when the battery is running low, so you don't get surprised when the machine just decides to stop feeding.
REMOTE CONTROL refers to whether the machine comes with a remote to control the machine. This is not a necessary feature, but it sure is cool. Some remotes just tell the machine to start and stop feeding balls. So, you can wait until you get to the other side of the court to start feeding balls or take a break without having to run over to the ball machine. Other remotes can be used to control the oscillation and/or the program settings.
Finally, there are a few other convenience factors to consider. Some of these include machine warranty (and for how long), dimensions of machine (will it fit in your car), ball capacity (how often will you have to refill it), and weight (how strong will you have to be to put it in and out of the car). In addition, it is important to know is the machine comes with a cover, or with wheels (so you don't have to carry it everywhere), and if it offer any other optional accessories. Last but not least, there's also the all-important cost of the machine.
This probably seems like a lot to consider when you're just trying to buy a ball machine. But keep in mind that if you find the machine that offers all the features that are best suited for you, you will truly have found The Perfect Partner. We've featured five machines here that are worth taking a look at.
I-SAM Model 1 - $549
www.mastersports.com
1-800-837-1002
The I-SAM Model 1 is the least expensive machine to offer spinning wheel propulsion and random oscillation, but it does not offer topspin or underspin feeds. It weighs 29 pounds, holds 250 balls, and comes with a 1-year warranty. It is small enough to fit in most car trunks and its ball hopper acts as a protective cover when in storage. It even allows you to adjust the speed of the balls and the time between shots. It comes standard as a battery-only machine with a smart charger and a battery-life indicator. Options include a power converter to allow you to plug it in to an outlet, an extra duty battery, and a cloth storage cover.
Tennis Tutor - $989
www.sportstutor.com
1-800-448-8867
The Tennis Tutor is an inexpensive, solid machine with some nice standard features and a lot of optional ones. It uses spinning wheel propulsion and random oscillation, but does not feed topspin or underspin. It weighs 42 pounds, has wheels so you don't have to carry it from the car to the court, can hold 150 balls, and comes with a 1-year warranty. It's smaller than the I-SAM Model 1 and it offers a wider range of adjustments for time between feeds and a higher top speed. Plus, it offers electronic elevation control, which means it can feed lobs without needing to put something under the front of the machine. It comes standard as battery-only with a battery-life indicator. Optional features include programmable oscillation with up to 4 shots in a program, smart charger for the battery, power converter to plug into an outlet, wireless remote control that even turns oscillation on and off, and a cover.
Silent Partner Pro - $1,199
www.sptennis.com
1-800-662-1809
The Silent Partner Pro offers another step up in terms of standard features and options. It uses spinning wheel oscillation and it can feed topspin and underspin. It weighs 48 pounds, comes with wheels for portability, holds 200 balls, and comes with a 1-year warranty. It offers an even higher top speed and a wider range of settings for time between feeds. It has electronic elevation control for feeding lobs, and it comes standard with a wireless remote control that even turns the oscillation on and off. It comes standard as a battery-only machine with a battery-life indicator and a removable battery. Options include programmable oscillation with up to two shots per program, a power converter that lets you plug it into an outlet, a power converter that lets you choose between battery or outlet each time you use it, and extra batteries so you can swap out the battery when one gets low.
Lobster Elite Model 2 - $1,299
www.lobsterinc.com
1-800-526-4041
The Lobster Elite Model 2 is the least expensive machine on the market to offer spinning wheel propulsion and adjustable depth and height within the random oscillation. The random oscillation this this machine provides makes it feel even more like you're playing a real point. It also comes with a 2-year warranty - twice as long as the other portable machines. The machine weighs 44 pounds, has wheels for portability, holds 150 balls, and its hopper acts as a protective cover. It offers a wide range of ball speeds and times between feeds. It has electronic elevation control to feed lobs and it can feed topsin and underspin. It is a battery-only machine with a battery-life indicator and comes standard with a smart charger. Options include a wireless remote that can even turn oscillation on and off, a cover, and a faster battery charger.
Playmate Grand Slam PC - $8,995
www.playmatetennismachines.com
1-800-776-6770
The Grand Slam PC is not a portable machine like the others listed, but we thought it would be fun to highlight one of the really amazing machines that can do just about anything. This machine even comes with a little "indestructible" wireless pocket PC to control all the amazing features. It has wheels allowing you to roll it around, but at 110 pounds, you probably won't want to try to lift it into a car or van by yourself. It can hold 300 balls, comes with a 3-year warranty, offers a wide range of times between feeds, and boasts the highest top speed of any machine on the market. It has spinning wheel propulsion, which can feed topspin, underspin, and even sidespin. It features electronic elevation to feed lobs. You can set it for random oscillation or programmable oscillation with up to eight shots in each sequence. The programmable oscillation allows you to store countless combinations using adjustable depth, spin, height, and feed intervals. It runs on a power cord only and comes standard with the pocket PC remote that controls power, oscillation, and all of the program settings. Options include a serving tower that lifts the machine high enough to simulate serves, a cover, and a built-in transformer for international power standards.