Sports Tutor is one of the leading manufacturers of tennis ball machines. The Wilson tennis ball machine is now also manufactured by Sports Tutor. And if you have been on the lookout for a tennis ball machine, the chances are you have considered, or are still considering, a Sports Tutor tennis ball machine.
Sports Tutor (and Wilson) tennis ball machines are definitely worth it. Tutor delivers one of the best and most versatile and highly customizable tennis ball machines. If you are looking for high-quality tennis ball machines, Tutor tennis ball machines are worth considering.
Sports Tutor is a company that means business, and everything about them is very straightforward as they focus on delivering high-quality products.
Continue reading below, if you want to find out more about the company and their best products in order to find out if what they can offer will meet your requirements.
All About the Company
Both Wilson and Sports Tutor are well-known names in the tennis community. Sports Tutor is a well-known manufacturer of different throwing machines and equipment. Not just tennis ball machines, we are talking about baseball, soccer, volleyball, and pickleball machines.
In other words, Sports Tutor has been in the business long enough to really know its machines.
This manufacturer places a great deal of importance on several key factors when it comes to tennis ball machines.
Portability. The vast majority of the Tutor tennis ball machines are very portable and easy to carry. A lot of attention is placed on making these machines compact and lightweight while delivering outstanding quality and consistency. You will find out that many of the models take very little space.
Customizability. Of course, the machines offer all the features that you can expect from a tennis ball machine depending on the different models, but this is not what I am talking about here. Sports Tutor offers a lot of different customizations that can be bought separately—additional batteries, AC modules, towing carts, remote controls, various oscillation capabilities, fast chargers, and so much more. This adds an unseen layer of customizability, which means that you may not necessarily need to pay for something that you will not use or need.
High-quality. The Tutor tennis ball machines are made in the USA. They place a great deal of importance on each machine being high-quality. After all, this is what the company specializes in. They are so confident in their machines that you will find that the tennis ball machines come with a three-year warranty which covers not just the parts but also the labor costs.
And when it comes to Wilson, I am sure, anybody can recognize this name. They are a manufacturer of anything tennis (and more particularly tennis racquets). In fact, they manufacture a great variety of different sports equipment for all kinds of sports, not just tennis.
A pleasant surprise comes from the fact that Wilson and Tutor teamed together to produce one excellent tennis ball machine. We will get to that in a bit.
Tennis Twist is as simple a tennis ball machine as they come. It is aimed at delivering basic tennis practice for kids that are just getting into tennis. A beginner tennis player can also use it, but it may offer limited functionality.
The machine’s capacity is 28 balls, which is by no means a lot but enough for a kid new to tennis to get some good practice and feel for the ball.
When you turn on the machine, it will shoot the balls between 12 to 20 feet in length feeding them in 5-second intervals. This means that your kid can play and practice tennis even in the comfort of your own backyard or home.
You can choose between a battery-powered and electric model.
The battery-powered model uses six D batteries—this will translate into roughly 10 hours of playtime on the court.
The machine is very lightweight, weighing about 11 lbs (5 kg), and easy to carry around.
The tennis cube looks exactly what it sounds like, a cube, but don’t let that mislead you. It is an excellent small and compact tennis ball machine suitable for 2.0 to 3.0 players.
It has a modest capacity of 70 balls and is able to feed balls at up to 50 mph (80.4 kph) at anywhere between 2 to 10-second intervals. The altitude can be manually adjusted depending on what kind of shots you want to practice.
It is a battery-powered unit that will last up to 2 hours on the court.
There is an optional oscillation that can be purchased separately if you want to add some extra variety to your training drills.
The compact size (15″ x 12″ x 13″), the fairly low weight (24 lbs / 11 kg), and the low price make this tennis ball machine an excellent tool for any beginner that is serious about wanting to improve their game.
The Tennis Tutor is one of the best portable tennis ball machine product lines that you can get for the money.
The dimensions of the Tennis Tutor are impressive: it is 12″ tall, 19.5″ long, and 20″ wide. The ball capacity is also good, although a little on the low end, as it can hold about 150 balls.
Some players may consider it to be a little heavier as it weighs 42 pounds (19 kg). But that includes the battery, which is designed for extended playtime and can last up to 6 hours. It is a little heavier, but this also comes at the cost of not having to worry about the battery dying on you mid-practice.
It is capable of shooting the balls at up to 85 mph at intervals between 1-1/2 and 10 seconds.
It comes with an oscillator already built-in for more realistic practice.
The altitude and trajectory are electronically adjustable.
There is also a Tennis Tutor Plus version, which comes with a few extra features and improvements over the standard Tennis Tutor.
The first thing that deserves our attention is the Player Mode. This mode allows the machine to adapt and simulate a real-life tennis match. It chooses between different speeds, spins, and the side and the depth at which it shoots the balls. The machine is programmed to simulate what it would be like if you were playing against a real opponent.
The machine also comes with a randomized two-line oscillation option, and you can also adjust the spin of the ball.
The Tennis Tutor Plus has the same long-lasting battery as the original Tennis Tutor, which lasts up to 6 hours, and just in case, it can also be plugged in an electric socket which will keep the machine running while simultaneously recharging the battery.
Are you looking for a very compact tennis ball machine? Well, look no further. Let me present to you the Tennis Tutor ProLite. It is 12″ high, 19.5″ long, and 18″ wide and weighs only 29 pounds (13.1 kg).
And this is one of the Tutor’s best value tennis ball machines. It is designed to meet the requirements of more experienced—up to 3.5—tennis players.
Despite its smaller frame, this machine can deliver tennis balls at speeds of up to 60 mph at feed rates between 1-1/5 up to 10-second intervals.
The elevation and trajectory can be manually adjusted depending on the player’s needs.
It is a battery-powered machine, and you can expect it to deliver about 2 to 3 hours of continuous playtime. With a ball capacity of 125 balls, this machine is suitable for putting in some good and high-quality practice.
The Tutor ProLite Plus is for the players that don’t mind spending a little more on getting some extra features.
It takes the standard ProLite and improves it in several areas.
It is capable of shooting balls at speeds of up to 75 mph (120 kmh).
It can deliver extended playtime of up to 4 hours.
A can deliver balls with either top or flat spin.
It comes with a built-in oscillator.
It is slightly larger (20″ x 22″ x 14″) than the standard ProLite and a little heavier, too (weighing 38 pounds or 17.2 kg). Despite the larger frame, the ball capacity has been reduced to 110 balls.
The good thing about the ProLite Plus is that it has a built-in handle and wheel for easier transportation.
And lastly, if the 4 hours of battery time is somewhat of a concern, there is an electric version available, too.
This is where we meet with another well-known behemoth in the sports industry—Wilson. Wilson and Sports Tutor have partnered to create one fantastic tennis ball machine.
But how does it perform?
This is one of the best portable full-feature tennis ball machines.
The Wilson Portable is capable of delivering balls at 75 mph (120 kmh) at intervals between 1-1/2 and 10 seconds.
It can add a heavy top and backspin depending on the player’s preference.
The capacity of the machine is a little on the lower spectrum capable of holding only 110 balls.
This is a battery-powered model that can last up to four hours on the court. The neat thing, however, is the fact that this playtime can be extended by using an external battery.
All the tennis ball machines usually take a lot of time to charge fully. This is why they are typically charged overnight. This is usually completely safe because charges can detect when the machine is fully charged and stop charging it. But this machine can also be purchased with a fast charger, which takes the charging time down to no more than six hours.
This machine has a built-in oscillator, which adds variety and randomness to how the balls are shot. If you want a two-line oscillation, you have to purchase that separately.
The machine is slightly heavier than most basic Tutor machines weighing about 38 pounds (17.2 kg). Its dimensions are 22″ x 14″ x 20,” and it comes with a handy carrying handle.
As additional optional features, there is a two-function remote that can be bought separately, and the machine can be equipped with an AC module instead of the battery.
With the Tutor Shotmaker, we are finally stepping into the professional tennis ball machines realm.
With a ball capacity of 300 balls, ball speeds of up to 95 mph, and highly durable and corrosion-resistant construction, this little fellow is one of the best machines out there.
This machine is built to deliver all the features that a tennis player can wish for while at the same time being able to deal with almost any weather condition.
The spin, the altitude, the ball feeding speed, timing, and even the direction of the shots can be all adjusted.
The extra durable aluminum and hard plastic construction in combination with the control panel plastic cover and the extra weather protective cover work in conjunction to give you a machine that is built to last.
The Shotmaker Deluxe, on the other hand, offers even more neat features.
There is a fully programmable six-ball drill that can be adjusted to shoot the balls at seven different predetermined locations on the court. Then you can save your drills and use them later.
The machine also comes with the Player Mode function (like the one on the Tennis Tutor Plus), which gives an unmatched realistic training experience.
Both the Shotmaker and the Shotmaker Deluxe come with an optional two-button remote. Still, only the Deluxe model can be purchased with a multi-functional remote, which will be useful to players that want to be able to fully adjust their machine from a distance.
Both Shotmaker models are electric only as there are no battery-powered options.
The Tower product line is designed as a commercial tennis ball machine.
The construction of all Tower models is sturdy and weather resistant.
The Tower has 225 ball capacity. It can shoot the balls at speeds of up to 85 mph and add top or backspin to the balls. There are no battery options, as all Tower models are electric.
The Tower model has several different variations, each with its unique features; the top-end models are rocking the Player Mode, better two-line oscillation, spin control, and even internal oscillation.
It all looks great on paper, but part of the necessary due diligence is always to examine what the customers say about these machines. So let’s take a look.
Pros
Okay, there is no doubt that one of the best things is the Player Mode. A lot of customers really enjoy and praise it for one simple reason. It delivers a very realistic and fun match experience. This also allows the players to work on different strokes and footwork. It adds a lot of variety to one’s training drills as they will not be doing the same shot over and over again.
Other customers also applauded the fact that the machines are very durable and deliver consistent shots.
The majority of customers also mention how easily portable the machines are. They take little space, especially the smaller models, and are very easy to carry or move around the court.
Something that a lot of customers liked is that the machines are very easy to disassemble. This should not be underestimated because this small detail can make your life so easy. When it comes to repairs, adjustments, or replacements, a machine that is easy to disassemble is indispensable.
Cons
Some players were not happy with the fact that the remote controls have to be purchased separately. However, this may not necessarily be a bad thing as it makes the machines cheaper for players who prefer to skip on the remote.
On some of the smaller models, some customers found it frustrating that the wheels were not of high quality and needed replacement sooner than expected.
Final Thoughts
Sports Tutor tennis ball machines are one of the best on the market.
Especially when we compare the features you get for the dollar. What you will love is the fact that they do not try to upsell and offer you multiple accessories and features that you will not need. These machines are highly customizable, which means that you can tailor them to your own personal needs.
Not a lot of companies offer that kind of product and service.
Hey there, my name is David Lee and I am the person behind this website. I started playing tennis over 20 years ago and on this site I will show you how to enjoy tennis.
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