Tennis Technology and Training
Tennis ball machines hold a special place in my heart. I personally own two full fledged ball machines as well as a toy that has been repurposed to effectively work as a ball machine. My local tennis club has a commercial grade ball machine that I also frequently use. I love them all. I have decided to write about them in order of acquisition which means that my Lobster Elite 2 which was purchased back in 2009 is the first out of the chute.
If you are going to purchase a personal ball machine, I highly recommend going with a battery powered device. You can’t rely on having a working power outlet at public courts, and even if there is it still means that you will be lugging an extension cord around. If memory serves me correctly, I have had to swap out the battery in my Lobster three times as the charging capacity degraded. That is not too bad, especially considering that my unit is stored in my garage.
I strongly urge anyone who is considering the purchase of a personal ball machine to consider the size and storage. I have found that the two portable devices that I own are heavy and unwieldy enough that I don’t want to be lifting them over a lip of a trunk. It is much better to have a SUV or a truck for transporting the device. When I was driving a very small car, I had a small trailer hitch installed for a cargo deck that I used to move my ball machines around. Just because a device is portable doesn’t mean that it is easily portable.
At the 12 year mark of owning my Lobster, I can credibly attest that it is a durable piece of equipment. I have had to open it up from time to time to perform basic maintenance. In addition to swapping out the battery, the other routine maintenance I have performed is cleaning out the ball fuzz and lubricating the movable parts. Additionally, a couple of the the rubber legs broke off at one point and I was able to purchase the replacement part for a reasonable price from the manufacturer.
While I can only speak to the features of my Elite 2 model, I have found that the Lobster provides only basic functionality. If your heart’s desire is to program complex shot patterns, this is not the machine for you. The Elite 2 is best for feeding balls to a consistent point or across a sweeping arc. It does that very well and very reliably.
If you purchase Lobster ball machine you will be able to use it for years to come. Ordinarily this is where I would insert a manufacturer’s link, but the machine appears to be on universal back order right now to the tune of 2-3 months. If you decide this is the machine for you, you are going to be waiting a while for it and it is probably best to find your own source.
If you are looking for a basic machine that will last more than a decade, the Lobster Elite is worth the wait.
