Tennis Ball Machine Buying Guide


There are so many features available on a tennis ball machine today that narrowing down the models can be a huge undertaking. It doesn’t have to be. With a little guidance you can zero in on the one best for you. Here’s that guidance.

Budget
Naturally, like every other product around, tennis ball machines come in a range of prices. Some are as low as a few hundred dollars. Others sell for more than a few thousand. The first cut to slim down your list is simple: how much do you want to spend?

In general, you get what you pay for. Or, more accurately, you don’t get what you don’t pay for. That can be ok, though. Often, you don’t need a lot of things you’d pay the large differential for. Do you care whether you have pro-level speeds or completely random oscillation? Does it have to have such a large capacity you don’t have to re-fill it for an hour? Last, but not least, how often will you use it?

Feeding Interval
The rate at which your machine fires tennis balls can vary from a couple of seconds to half a minute. The latter setting might be useful for novices who really don’t need (or want) to be challenged at the level of an expert.

Still, remember, even the lowest price tennis ball machine is a hefty investment. Get one that won’t become obsolete as you improve. On the other hand, realize that an interval of two seconds is faster than top players could exchange volleys from baseline to baseline.

As important, how easy is it to set the feeding interval, and can you do it remotely? Some have a switch with a couple of selections like “Fast” or “Slow”. That’s almost useless. A switch that at least lets you select “2”, “5”, “10”, “20” is a must. Better still, a dial that lets you zero in on the exact interval you want is best.

Naturally, you want a machine that feeds them reliably. Look for user reviews that state a machine had no more than 1-2 hung balls per hour. Just about any machine can hang sometimes. But you don’t want to have to free up the feeding mechanism often. That interrupts the flow of your practice session.

Speed
Your tennis progress is roughly correlated with the speed of a ball you can handle. If you’ve ever played someone very skilled, you know they can fire something you could never hit, even if the ball zoomed past reach.

A tennis ball machine should be able to simulate that, or approach it. The fastest tennis serve recorded is just over 160 mph (~263 km/h). A good tennis ball machine should be able to do at least half that.

Believe me, if you’re not familiar with tennis ball speeds, even that smaller figure is plenty fast enough for most players. Still, as you improve, you want a unit that will continue to challenge you. A superior one would reach 120 mph, but that will cost you more, natch.

Spin
Even relatively slow balls can be a tremendous challenge if they’re accompanied by hefty spin. Most balls will spin a little just from air friction and slight out-of-round imperfections in the ball. That’s particularly true in real play, since a hit ball is inevitably squashed a little bit (sometimes a lot) by the pressure from the strings. After all, it’s that rebound that produces a portion of the forward motion.

Spin can take many forms but the two basic ones are topspin and underspin. Either type, and their combinations or variations, can give you grief on the court. But, they’re also a healthy challenge and part of every real game. A machine that allows you to specify the type and amount is a big benefit.

Many models will let you select one or the other type. Typically, to get one that lets you vary the amount will cost you more. Sometimes “more” is a little, sometimes a lot. Just one more area where you have to balance your budget against your long-term tennis development goals. Your machine will last a long time, though. Consider spending a little more upfront so you don’t get better than your machine within a few months.

Oscillation
To get much benefit out of a ball machine, even a novice will need to do more than simply return balls the same way every time. Hitting a fired ball over and over again using the same swing is beneficial, but only to a limited extent. Best to simulate a real game as closely as possible. That’s where oscillation comes in. It means, essentially, the ability of the machine to fire balls in different directions, both horizontally and vertically.

But, like a lot of things, “different” – or better still, “random” – comes in degrees and varies from model to model. Some will launch a ball in any of 2-6 directions, which is still somewhat limiting if it repeats the pattern. Some can be set to serve in practically any spot on your side of the court.

The latter, of course, is more beneficial for the experienced. But the dedicated novice will soon find they need that ability, too. That’s the best way to up your game to the next level.

Best of all is the type of machine that lets you program the oscillation. “Program”, here, doesn’t mean anything as sophisticated as the software on your cell phone. Though, there are models whose selections can be set with your iPhone, using it like a remote control! It does mean you can set it in advance to change “unpredictably”, which is another fine way to simulate a real game.

Height
Hit balls move not just left and right but up and down, obviously. So, since once again the idea is to simulate real play, a tennis ball machine should allow you to adjust the angle of the hit. You want to practice handling lobs as well as ground strokes.

Some units, even good ones, are as simple as one of two settings, such as 50 degrees or 60 degrees. A cheap one will allow only one setting of, say, half that. Like speed or spin, the best machines let you select any degree you want. Once again, you typically pay more for that. Only you can decide how important this feature is to you.

Propulsion
Not surprisingly, there are different ways to produce all those aspects of the ball trajectory. One is effected by the manner of “propulsion”. A machine that uses air pressure just shoots the ball out via the force of compressed air. A different type uses spinning wheel propulsion, a pair of spinning wheels that launch the ball.

Which is better? Well, in part it’s matter of manufacturing cost and complexity and not something the buyer has to care about. But on average machines that use spinning wheel propulsion tend to be higher end models. The method used influences how much speed the machine can provide for a given amount of spin. It also influences how much spin it can produce in the first place. A mechanical wheel can exert more rotational force more easily than air flow around the ball’s surface.

Beyond variations in how the ball is launched, there are other features of a tennis ball machine that influence convenience and value. Here, I’ll cover a number of them.

Capacity
First and foremost among the convenience features is capacity. If you had to refill the hopper every 10 balls, you would quickly tire of using a tennis ball machine, just to exaggerate to make a point. More realistically, frequent refills interrupt the flow of your practice session. You need enough play, a long enough session, to simulate a real game, at least partly.

A cheap unit may hold only 50 balls. That might sound like a lot but consider some elementary arithmetic. Launched every 10 seconds (which is slower than it sounds), it would take 500 seconds to empty the hopper. That’s just over eight minutes. A more realistic interval of five seconds halves that to four minutes to empty the hopper.

Even the longer total is not very long, even for a novice player. Hard to develop a good rhythm or simulate even a short game that way.

A medium-to-good machine will hold 150 balls or more. A lot more than that and you’re talking a high-end machine. Naturally, we’d all love to have one that could hold 500 balls, enough to have a truly long workout without having to refill at all. But even a more realistic 300-capacity machine is going to cost you big bucks. Only you can say where to draw the line, based on your budget and workout goals.

Size & Portability
The dimensions and weight will obviously affect how easy it is to pack, transport, and unpack / setup your tennis ball machine. A big one might not fit in your trunk or through the SUV hatch, and not everyone has a flatbed truck available to move one. Even if you can fit the unit, a heavy one is clearly going to be tougher to move. Very few tennis aficionados are also weightlifters.

Here, only your personal qualities and circumstances can be your guide. Personally, I like a machine that’s under 50 lbs. I like, too, to have a hopper that’s reversible so I can flip it over for easy storage and transport.

Portability & Power
Dimensions and weight are two important aspects of portability, but not the only ones. Another is whether the machine is battery powered or requires a cord and electrical outlet.

You might think at first glance that a battery-only model would always be preferred. Overall, that might be true. But batteries today last only so long, usually around 4 hours max. Recharging one can take more than 24 hours. So, if you want to use your machine for a long time every day that can be a limitation.

Also, a battery-powered machine will require a new battery after a while. That can be as short as two years or as long as four, but eventually they all wear out. Rechargeables can only be recharged so many times. Replacements can run anywhere from $40 to $100 or more. Factor that in to your total cost of ownership over the lifetime of the machine.

If you do get a battery-powered machine – and most buyers will want to because of the convenience and potential difficulty of finding an outlet near the court – look for one with a battery life indicator. Good to know if the unit is about to run out of juice before you put it in the car.

There are several power accessories available. ;Some are replacement batteries. Not bad to have a spare if you want to be able to swap one out and continue playing. Some models let you plug even a battery-operated machine into an outlet using an onboard connector. You generally have to buy a transformer separately, though. They can run anywhere from $100-$200.

Remote Control
Another accessory may or may not come with your model: a remote control. Whether it’s needed, and worth the cost, is strictly a personal decision. Keep in mind that you don’t want to interrupt your rhythm to make changes at the machine. On the other hand, using a remote control is going to do that to an extent anyway. A good one will let you set speed, spin, oscillation, and more.

Summary
Those are a lot of factors to consider in buying your tennis ball machine. The main ones, apart from price, are speed and oscillation with spin a close second. Still, the more you know the better choice you can make. That knowledge lets you optimize your investment and maximize your practice.



How Much Does It Cost to String a Tennis Racquet?

 While some tennis racquets come complete with the strings attached, taut, and ready to play, you can buy racquet frames without the strings. When you do this, you have to string the tennis racquet on your own. If you’re an avid tennis player, you know that there comes a time when you also have to restring your racquet in order to keep it performing properly. Since you’ll most likely go to someone to have either done, you have to fit it into your budget. In order to do that, you need an idea of how much it costs to string a tennis racquet.

 

The Cost of Stringing/Restringing Your Racquet

The cost of the actual strings isn’t very expensive especially if you’re using standard racquet strings. In general, tennis strings can cost as low as $4 and up toward $50. Remember, you get what you pay for and the cheaper brands might be poor quality.

After buying the strings, you’ll have to pay for the service since it’s likely you don’t have the equipment to string the racquet yourself. On average, a sporting goods store will charge you around $15 to string a tennis racquet with normal strings and an additional $10 for labor. If you’re looking for professional strings, the price can jump to as high as $100. If you go somewhere other than a sporting goods store, the price will likely go up as independent stringers tend to charge more. The price can also vary depending n the brand of your racquet as certain frames might require specialized care.

If you are an avid tennis player and have to restring your racquet more often than the average player, you may want to invest in a stringing machine to save you money down the road on labor. By having your own machine at home all you have to do is buy your strings after the initial investment into the machine. You won’t have to pay for the service and labor which will save you money in the future.

A quality stringing machine can cost you anywhere from $300 to $2,000 depending on what type of machine you get. There are tabletop machines that are more affordable and larger ones on pedestal stands that cost more. You’ll also have to pick up accessories like cutters and awls, but those are relatively inexpensive and can be found for around $5. You’ll then have to learn how to string your racquet properly. Luckily, there are videos on the internet to help you do this. Some machines even come with instructional software to help you. While the machines are expensive, if you’re used to restringing your racquet a few times a month, it might be worth the investment.

 

When to String or Restring Your Racquet

If you just have a racquet frame, you obviously need to string it in order to play. However, knowing when to restring your racquet isn’t as clear. This can be subjective and is dependent on how much you play and your level of play. For example, if you play often and make consistently hard shots, the likelihood of your strings losing tension is higher than those of someone who only plays a few times a month and doesn’t smash the ball as much.

One of the main ways to tell if you should restring your racquet is if you feel a difference in the way you’re playing. When your strings lose tension, the ball will hit a little flatter and may take higher or wider trajectories when you make a shot. This translates into less control which will, ultimately, hurt your game.

You can also look for visible signs of wear and tear on your racquet. You’ll be able to see broken or noticeably loose strings easily. That is a sure sign that you need to have your racquet upgraded. If there are no obvious issues, you‘ll have to examine your racquet a little closer. To do this, look at the center of your racquet known as the “sweet spot.” The strings in this area should be as tight as possible. In fact, they should feel tense to the touch with little to no slack. If you feel the strings in this area and notice that they aren’t as tight as they should be, restring your racquet. You can also look for thinning strings or strings around the center or inner edge of the frame that move. Those are another sign that a repair is necessary.

For a better idea of when you should restring your racquet, there is a general rule in the tennis community: take the number of days you play tennis on a weekly basis and use that number as the number of times you should restring your racquet in a given year. For example, if you play three times a week, you should restring your racquet three times a year.

Now, this doesn’t always hold true as people who tend to smash the ball will wear out their strings faster than someone who doesn’t hit as hard. Similarly, if you play on a competitive circuit and need to be playing at your highest level at all times, you may want to restring your racquet more frequently as to not lose tension and hurt your game and ranking. In these cases, some take the number of times they play a week and double it to get their annual restringing frequency.

In general, restringing your racquet will help you play your best game while saving you the trouble of overcompensating on the court for loose strings. At the end of the day, everyone is different so keep your own preferences and needs in mind when figuring out when to restring your tennis racquet.

 

Preventing Frequent Restringing

If you don’t want to restring your racquet more than you have to, take certain steps to keep your racquet in top shape by properly maintaining it. Always store your tennis racquet in its zippered cover when you’re not using it. This will keep dirt and dust from settling in the string holes where they can cause premature wear and tear. Doing this will also keep your tennis racquet frame from getting nicked and scraped.

You should also watch where you store your covered racquet. Your tennis racquet is made of metal and is very susceptible to temperature and humidity fluctuations which can compromise the metal and cause it to soften. This will affect your performance since the frame won’t be as stiff as it needs to be. The weakened frame can also cause the strings to loosen prematurely. Similarly, these temperature fluctuations can cause the strings to contract and expand which will also cause them to lose tension. Avoid storing your racquet (covered or uncovered) in your basement, garage, attic, or in the trunk of your vehicle to prevent this.

 

The initial price of stringing your racquet is fairly inexpensive especially if you go to a large sporting goods store that offers the service. However, if you frequently restring your racquet, this can add up annually. Consider your own needs and choose a restringing method that will work best for you and your budget.

Thanks www.sportten.com for all great reviews.