A Guide to Best Pickleball Machines

The recent popularity boom of pickleball forced all tennis equipment manufacturers to explore this segment. It is not surprising that they come with solutions and equipment that are known to tennis players. The tennis ball machines are very helpful in practice for tennis players and the same can be said about pickleball machines too. Here is a list of the most popular Pickleball Machines with a detailed review of their features, playing characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase through our links. However, our editorial content is not influenced by the commission.

Best Pickleball Machines

SPINSHOT PLAYER PickleballSlinger Pickleball Slam PackThe Pickle by LobsterThe Pickle Two by LobsterOnCourt OffCourt Pickleball Tutor SpinOnCourt OffCourt Pickleball Tutor Plus
n/an/a
Pre-programmed and customized drills for extensive practice for Intermediate and Advanced playersAbsolutely new modelAdvanced model for all playersNewest model with upgraded functionsBasic model for BeginnersAdvanced model for Intermediate players
Best-equipped machine and only programmable pickleball machine on the market
Pros:
+ 12 pre-programmed drills
+ custom drills availability
+ phone remote control with the option to save custom drills for later
+ all basic features (spin, speed, feed interval, oscillation, electric elevation) included
Pros:
+ price
+ ball capacity
+ variable speed, spin, oscillation, elevation, feed interval
Cons:
- manual elevation
Pros:
+ price
+ ball capacity
+ variable speed, spin, oscillation, elevation, feed interval
Cons:
- remote control for an additional fee
- manual elevation
Pros:
+ battery court time up to 8 hours (best on the market)
+ ball capacity
+ two-line oscillation added
+ electric elevation added
Cons:
- remote control for an additional fee
- weight
Pros:
+ price
+ 25 free balls included
Cons:
- no remote control
- just basic features
Pros:
+ two-line oscillation
+ 9 levels of spin and backspin
+ remote control
+ electric elevation
Cons:
- weight
READ FULL REVIEWREAD FULL REVIEWREAD FULL REVIEWREAD FULL REVIEWREAD FULL REVIEW
PRICE TIER: $$PRICE TIER: $PRICE TIER: $PRICE TIER: $$PRICE TIER: $PRICE TIER: $$
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONCHECK PRICE HERECHECK PRICE ON AMAZONCHECK PRICE ON AMAZONCHECK PRICE at OnCourtOffCourtCHECK PRICE at OnCourtOffCourt

Slinger Pickleball Ball Machine

Slinger introduced their new pickleball machine in April 2023 and we believe it will be a hit as their Slinger tennis ball machine already is.

Slinger Pickleball Ball Machines (source: Slinger)

The design of the Slinger pickleball machine is the same as its tennis predecessor, with the exception of colour.  It is made of bright orange.

The batter should last up to 3 hours, elevation is in the range from 10 to 40 degrees, and ball frequency can be set between 2 and 7 seconds. Ball speed varies from 10 to 45 mph and the ball capacity is 120 pickleball balls.

The part of the package available for $899 is a remote control, ball tube, camera holder and charger. Check all the details of this deal here.

SPINSHOT PLAYER Pickleball Machine

Spinshot Player is the bestseller among tennis ball machines and is ranked #1 by our readers and experts. It is no surprise that Spinshot Sports picked this model as a template for its pickleball machine.

The Spinshot Player Pickleball machine is probably the most advanced/equipped machine on the market. It shares similar features with its tennis predecessor.

The obvious features are height control, speed control (30 to 90 km), optional feed interval, adjustable spin, and oscillation. The ball capacity of the feeder is 120 balls. But Spinshot Player Pickleball brings much more.

Pre-programmed drills and the possibility to customize drills is the highlight of this pickleball machine. The machine has 12 pre-programmed drills (each set is for 6 sequential shots) with different speeds, oscillations, deepness, and feed intervals. Moreover, you can adjust those drills and save your personalized drills for later.

Android and iPhone applications for remote control are free to download. You can save your customized drills in the application for later use.

That makes Spinshot Player Pickleball unique on the market. The practice experience is very close to real match simulation and every practice is not just fun but also very efficient.

The only downside is that the battery can last for up to 3 hours. That is a bit less than competitors’ machines. But it is fully understandable as Spinshot Player needs to feed a lot of features other machines lack. The charger is included in the shipment.

The machine weighs 19 kg and its rectangular shape (50 cm x 40 cm x 35 cm) makes it easy to store. Towing wheels and built-in handles ease the transport.

Spinshot Player Pickleball is the machine for all who take Pickleball practice seriously.

Pros:
+ offers the most features of all machines
+ 12 pre-programmed drills
+ custom drills available
+ phone remote control with the possibility to save custom drills
+ all features like spin, speed, feed, oscillation, and electric elevation included
Cons:
– battery capacity

CHECK THE PRICE OF SPINSHOT PLAYER PICKLEBALL ON AMAZON HERE.

The Pickle by Lobster Pickleball Machine

The characteristic design of Lobster Sports Tennis Ball Machines can not be overlooked. The same appealing design was used also for pickleball machines.

The Pickle is the basic and most common Pickleball machine manufactured by Lobster Sports Inc. The ball feeder and handle can be folded for easy storage. At the same time, the oversized wheels attached to the machine make transport easy too. The weight of the Pickle by Lobster is just 35 lbs (15 kgs), so anybody (even kids) does not have any problem with moving the machine on the court.

The ball capacity of the Pickle is 135 balls and that makes it number one on the market. The battery can last up to 4 hours of practice time and a basic charger (12 to 24 hours of charge time) is included in the shipment (a fast charger can be bought for an additional fee).

The remote control is available for an additional fee (the same policy as with Lobster tennis ball machines).

The offered features cover all you would demand from the pickleball machine for less than $1000. The Pickle by Lobster has variable spin, random horizontal oscillation for practicing forehand and backhand, manual elevation up to 50 degrees, and speed in the range from 10 to 60 mph.)

Pros:
+ price
+ weight
+ all features like spin, speed, feed, random oscillation, and manual elevation included
+ largest ball capacity on the market (135 balls)
Cons:
– remote control just for an additional fee

CHECK THE PRICE OF THE LOBSTER PICKLEBALL MACHINE ON AMAZON HERE.

The Pickle Two by Lobster Pickleball Machine

Pickle Two is the newest addition to the pickleball machines market. Lobster Sports took all features from the Pickle and added a bit more to make the machine more appealing to the players.

The biggest improvement is a two-line oscillation feature. Pickle Two is able to deliver balls to two alternating pre-set spots. The Pickle machine has just random horizontal oscillation.

Other improvements consist of upgrading the manual elevation to the electric one and a bigger battery with a court time of up to 8 hours (twice the Pickle has).

The Pickle Two is a little bit heavier at 42 pounds than its cheaper predecessor, but with oversized towing wheels, it does not cause any problems.

Pros:
+ battery court time up to 8 hours
+ two-line oscillation added
+ electric elevation
+ All features like spin, speed, and feed included
+ largest ball capacity on the market (135 balls)
Cons:
– remote control just for an additional fee
– weight

CHECK THE PRICE OF LOBSTER PICKLE TWO ON AMAZON HERE.

OnCourt OffCourt Pickleball Tutor Spin Machine

check how it looks here

On Court Off Court Pickleball Tutor Spin Machine is the product of Sports Tutor company, the producer of tennis ball machines. It is one of the most popular pickleball machines on the market thanks to providing a basic set of features for a great price below $ 1,000.

Pickleball Tutor Spin is the basic model with simple yet useful features. You can switch on or off the random oscillator, which will shoot the ball randomly over the net. There is a possibility to adjust the speed of the ball (15 to 60 mph) and feed interval (2 to 10 seconds).

The elevation control is manual and you can choose all variations of shots from groundstroke to lobs. The capacity of the ball feeder is 125 balls, which makes every practice really extensive.

It does not include remote control, but there is a start-up time delay included. That means that after you switch on the machine, you have a few seconds to go to another side of the court before the first ball is shot.

Pickleball Tutor Spin is light and easy to carry on even for ladies or kids. Its rectangular shape makes it easy to transport and store during the off-season.

Additionally, the Pickleball Tutor Spin comes with 25 Penn 40 Outdoor Pickleballs and a small portable cart for even easier transport.

Pros:
+ Price
+ Easy to transport and store
+ Ball capacity up to 125 balls
+ 25 free balls included
Cons:
– just basic features
– no remote control
– manual elevation

CHECK THE PRICE OF THE PICKLEBALL TUTOR SPIN AT OnCourtOffCourt HERE.

OnCourt OffCourt Pickleball Tutor Plus Machine

check how it looks here

The second pickleball machine model from the Sports Tutor company is a bit more expensive but provides an excellent set of features.

The Pickleball Tutor Plus machine has all the features of the cheaper Spin model (variable ball speed and feed interval) and adds a lot more. It offers also 4 different levels of backspin and topspin. That makes it nine possible variations of shots altogether (4 topspin, 4 backspin, 1 flat shot). Instead of manually adjusting the elevation of shots, Tutor Plus has an electronic elevation switch on the control panel.

The oscillator has a random model (as in the Tutor Spin)  and also a two-line oscillation function. That enables one to practice forehand and backhand in one practice set.

The start-up delay is included but Tutor Plus has also a two-button remote control for switching on and off the ball feed and oscillation. That is an outstanding feature to have.

Instead of a towing cart, Tutor Plus has two wheels built-in and handles for easy transport. This machine is a bit heavier than Tutor Spin, but with towing wheels that should not cause any problems.

The ball capacity is just 110 balls (125 balls for Tutor Spin), but it is still enough for feeling exhausted after playing all of them when a shooter is in 4-second intervals. The built-in battery has a capacity for up to 4 hours of playing time and a smart recharger will prepare your machine for a new practice overnight (an automatic overcharge switch is included).

Pros:
+ Remote Control
+ Two Line Oscillation
+ 9 different levels of Spin
+ Electric elevation
+ 25 free balls included
Cons:
– price
– ball capacity up to 110 balls

CHECK THE PRICE OF PICKLEBALL TUTOR PLUS AT OnCourtOffCourt HERE.

Posted in Pickleball, Pickleball Machines, Reviews and tagged , .

Tennis Pro Guru

Simon is the leading editor of TennisProGuru.com from 2015. He is an avid tennis player from age of 5, however, he never reached the pro level. Still, he likes playing tennis on different courts, with different rackets, and against different opponents. In his free time, you can find him watching all possible tennis matches he can find on the web or tv. Challenger or Grand Slam? It does not matter, just tennis matters.

He currently plays with:
Racket: Wilson Shift 99 V1
Strings: Babolat RPM Blast
Grip: Head Xtreme Soft
Shoes: Asics Gel Dedicate 7 (for hard outdoor and indoor courts) & Asics Gel-Game 5 Clay (for clay courts),
Balls: Dunlop Fort All Courts and Head Championship
Bag: Axiom Backpack

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *