Tennis Ball Machine Speed: Guide & Comparisons
When looking for a new tennis ball machine, one of the most important aspects is the speed. If the tennis ball machine lacks speed, it isn’t fit for advanced and pro players because they need to train as realistically as possible. In this article, I have compared tennis ball machines in terms of speed, feed rate, capacity, oscillation, and weight. But what is the average speed of a tennis ball machine?
I compared 23 tennis ball machines from 5 different brands and learned that the speed varies between 10-94mph (16-152kph), and the average speed of a tennis ball machine is 12-80mph (26-126kph).
As a general rule, a tennis ball machine fit for advanced players should go at least at the speed of 65mph (104kph), and as we have learned, the average speed of a tennis ball machine goes above that. Therefore most tennis ball machines are fit for advanced players, on average, that is.
Below I have compared different tennis ball machines from Siboasi, Lobster, Tennis Tutor, Spinshot-Player, and Wilson. There you can see the features of an individual machine and the average numbers of feed race, capacity, weight, and speed. Take a look!
| Tennis Ball Machine | Brand | Speed | Feed Rate | Capacity | Oscillation | Weight |
| W3 | Siboasi | 20-140kph | 1.8-6s | 160 balls | Vertical & Horizontal | 23kg |
| W5 | Siboasi | 20-140kph | 1.8-6s | 160 balls | Vertical & Horizontal | 23kg |
| W7 | Siboasi | 20-140kph | 1.8-6s | 160 balls | Vertical & Horizontal | 23kg |
| S2015 | Siboasi | 20-140kph | 1.8-8s | 150 balls | Vertical & Horizontal | 21kg |
| S3015 | Siboasi | 20-140kph | 1.8-8s | 150 balls | Vertical & Horizontal | 22kg |
| S4015 | Siboasi | 20-140kph | 1-8s | 160 balls | Vertical & Horizontal | 29kg |
| Elite Liberty | Lobster | 32-128kph | 2-10s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal | 16kg |
| Elite One | Lobster | 16-128kph | 2-10s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal | 19kg |
| Elite Two | Lobster | 16-128kph | 2-10s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal & Vertical | 20kg |
| Elite Three | Lobster | 16-128kph | 2-10s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal & Vertical | 20kg |
| Elite Grand Four | Lobster | 48-128kph | 2-12s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal & Vertical | 20kg |
| Elite Grand Five | Lobster | 48-128kph | 2-12s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal & Vertical | 20kg |
| Elite Grand Five LE | Lobster | 48-128kph | 2-12s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal & Vertical | 20kg |
| Lobster Phenom | Lobster | 56-128kph | 2-9s | 250 balls | Fully random horizontal & vertical | 45kg |
| Lobster Phenom Two | Lobster | 56-128kph | 2-9s | 250 balls | Fully random horizontal & vertical | 45kg |
| Tennis Cube | Tennis Tutor | 16-80kph | 2-10s | 70 balls | Random Horizontal & Vertical | 11kg |
| Tennis Tutor Ball Machine | Tennis Tutor | 16-136kph | 1.5-12s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal & Vertical | – |
| Tennis Tutor Plus | Tennis Tutor | 16-136kph | 1.5-12s | 150 balls | Random Horizontal | 21KG |
| Tennis Tutor ProLite | Tennis Tutor | 16-96kph | 1.5-10s | 125 balls | Random Horizontal | 10kg |
| Tennis Tutor Shotmaker | Tennis Tutor | 16-152kph | 1.5-6s | 300 balls | Vertical & Horizontal | 41kg |
| Tennis Tutor Tower | Tennis Tutor | 136kph | 1.5-10 | 225 balls | Random Horizontal & Vertica | 30kg |
| Spinshot-Player Tennis Ball Machine | Spinshot-Player | 30-110kph | 2-10s | 120 balls | Vertical & Horizontal | 18kg |
| Wilson Portable Tennis Machine | Wilson | 120kph | 1.5-10s | 110 balls | Random Horizontal | 17kg |
| – | – | Average speed: 26-128kph (12-80mph) | Average feed rate: 1.8-9.4s | Average capacity: 162 balls | Average weight: 23.3kg (51.4lb) |
This is fascinating data because I tried to find such comparisons elsewhere and really couldn’t. Below you can find all the tennis ball feature averages once again.
- Average ball speed: 12-80mph (26-128kph)
- Average feed rate: 1.8-9.4s
- Average tennis ball capacity: 162 balls
- Average tennis ball weight: 51.4lb (23.3kg)
Contents [show]
Are tennis ball machines worth it?
Generally, tennis ball machines are worth the price if you don’t always have a partner to play with; you want to add more drills and target various strikes in your training sessions or help in your tennis lessons. If you don’t have the money or don’t have the means to transport one, it might not be worth it.
Anyways, it’s a big decision to make. If you want more information about the subject in addition to a comprehensive buying guide, then you should read my article about are tennis ball machines worth it for you.
Are lobster ball machines good?
Lobster tennis ball machines are great because they offer many features that compete well with other brands, such as fast ball speed, consistent feed rate, large ball capacity, and versatile oscillation. All these features are packed in a lightweight body at a really fair price.
I also love the design of lobster tennis ball machines. They are well built with large wheels, good balance, and a big handle to drag it effortlessly with you.
How long does the power last on a tennis ball machine?
If your tennis ball machine is A/C powered, then the power will last indefinitely because it needs to be connected to an external power source. However, battery-powered tennis ball machines last 2 to 8 hours on average, depending on the battery size of that particular machine.
Is a tennis ball machine good for kids?
Generally, traditional tennis ball machines aren’t good for kids because they are too hard to operate without the help of an adult. Also, the power and distances are far too great for children. However, tennis ball machines such as Sports Tutor Twist are great for kids due to easy and simple usage.
My favorite ball machine: Spinshot-player is a great tennis ball machine for nearly every use. It is a battery-used machine with both vertical and horizontal oscillations, which makes the drill options limitless. Another thing that I like about it is that it’s effortless to transport with big wheels and a handle. It’s also phone app-controlled and has a 120-ball capacity, so you don’t need to run between the court and the machine at all times.
