Facts About Tennis Ball Machines

There is no need to arrange for a hitting partner to practice your tennis strokes when you have access to a tennis ball machine. Of course, using a ball machine is no substitute for a tennis instructor or a practice partner, but it's a great way to groove your strokes and improve your consistency.

  1. Cost

    • Tennis ball machines can range in cost from $230 to $28,500. Ball machine features dictate the price of the machine. Basically, the more bells and whistles a machine has, the more expensive it is. Some important features are A/C or battery power, weight, ball capacity, ball speed, spin and oscillation.

    Portability

    • Some ball machines run only on direct current, requiring a 110-volt electrical outlet. This feature does not make these machines portable as not all tennis courts are built with electrical outlets. Many ball machines are powered with batteries and will last up to eight hours when fully charged, however, the recharging time can take up to 20 hours. Weight is a consideration when looking at portability. They can weigh as little as 11 pounds to well more than 100 pounds. Wheels are a nice feature that makes some machines more portable than others, making it easy to move and position.

    Ball Spin Options

    • Advanced tennis players have the ability to hit the tennis ball with extreme spins. Learning how to return balls hit with spin is crucial to being a successful player. Better ball machines will have this feature. They can be set to propel a ball with no spin, one with topspin or one with a backwards spin while varying the speed.

    Oscillation

    • The better ball machines have an oscillation feature that can be either horizontal, vertical or both. The oscillation can be set for a regular pattern or in a random pattern. This feature will propel the tennis balls from side to side while varying the heights, allowing players to practice ground strokes, drop shots, lobs and any type of ball in between.

    Miscellaneous Features

    • The number of balls a machine holds can vary from 28 to 300 balls. The more balls it holds, the less time you will spend picking up balls. The speed of the ball and the interval at which the ball is propelled are features on most ball machines. Being able to adjust the speed or interval is a consideration for players of different skill levels and ability. Some ball machines are pneumatic and use air pressure to propel the balls, while others use spinning wheels. Remote controls are also available on some models.