Having reached a stage where a table tennis player wants to take that next step up and look to improve on certain aspects of his/her game under the watchful eyes of a coach, it makes for a lot of sense to do that using table tennis machines. Below is our list of our five best table tennis machines you might want to look to consider before making a decision on which one to buy.
While nothing can take away from practicing against a real-life opponent or with a coach guiding you through your mistakes, table tennis machines provide one big advantage.
As a player looking to improve certain aspects of your games, it would be very difficult to find a replacement for something like a table tennis robot which can feed you hundreds and at times, thousands, of balls to you in that endeavor.
Got a weak backhand and are looking at the machine to keep hitting those till it becomes second nature, a part of your muscle memory? Or unable to consistently keep the ball in play against topspin? Or any other such technical issue you want to rectify with hours of repetitive practice?
The easiest way, albeit slightly expensive to go about it is to get yourself a table tennis machine and practice against it.
Before you scroll down further to look at our recommended list, what you could also do is check our exhaustive guide here on the factors to consider before you buy a table tennis machine. This is a solid eye-opener on factors which one might not have taken into account.
Done with that reading? Here goes then…
Table of Content
Our Best Recommended Table Tennis Machines & Robots Reviews
Five of our top recommended table tennis machines have been mentioned and reviewed below. Their pros and cons along with some of their best features explained will help you make a quick decision on which machine to go for.
- ZX Moto Table Tennis Machine
- Butterfly Amicus Prime
- iPong V300 Table Tennis Training Machine
- Chaofan 36 Spins Ping Pong Machine
- Newgy Robo-Pong 2040+
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Here’s a deeper analysis on why we have opted for the aforementioned table tennis machines and robots.
ZX Moto Table Tennis Machine
ZX Moto is a very easy to set up table tennis machine that can store up to 120 balls at a time and nine different types of spin. The robot comes with a wired controller from which the speed, reverse spin and frequency of the balls can be controlled. The player can adjust the way the ball jumps, its oscillation frequency, as well as the delivery frequency.
ZX moto comes with a rotating head which can adjust the angle of the head to meet a player’s specific training requirements.
The ball frequency section of the robot controls the angle, left to right, fast to slow and various kinds of spins.
One of the best features about the machine is that the length of the cable is long enough for the controller to be kept near the player and adjust it as frequently as one wants.
The machine provides various heights of ball dispatch as well as options of the direct and indirect method of serving.
The player can adjust the loop of the ball as well to practice playing against different types of players. The robot is extremely easy to set up and remove, the angles of the machine are flexible to adjust and the player can set up different types of catches.
The machine comes with a very detailed setup manual which is easy to understand and implement. The robot uses balls with a diameter of 40mm which is an international standard, this means that the machine shall be compatible with most types of balls available in the market.
The machine will come with one robot, a ball net, control set up, ball ruler, serving wheel and a user manual. The machine weighs around 19.6 lbs and works on 100-240 v power. It is a very useful machine to practice, improve the basic strokes and learn topspin and backspin strokes.
Pros
- The machine has a 120 balls capacity and is easy to set up with lots of options to adjust the speed, spin and angles to practice according to the player’s requirements.
- The machine is priced reasonably and will last for years if taken well care of and the dust and particles are wiped out after each use.
- Ideal machine for players who are playing at the beginners or intermediate level.
Cons
- Even at lowest ball frequency, the machine sends out around 20 balls per minute which may be too much for some basic players who will tire out within minutes at that speed.
- At low-speed setting, the machine struggles to send the ball beyond the net without the net being adjusted to very high which makes the balls very loopy.
Butterfly Amicus Prime
Butterfly’s Amicus Prime is a table tennis machine that will provide precise and high-quality practice to players of all skill levels. Its customizable modes provide the kind of practice that no practice partner can match. The robot is very portable & lightweight and is extremely easy to carry around.
The controller of the machine can be scary to look at first with multiple controls and switches but is very easy to use once the user gets the hang of it.
Until the time one gets used to how the machine works, they can use many pre-saved and configured drills which are built on the premise of improving player’s footwork, strokes, attack, defence and other skills. The user can just select any of them and start playing.
The robot has a capacity of holding 120 balls at a time and the manufacturer gives a high-quality carry bag along with 120 butterfly easy practice balls with the machine. The machine can create and store up to 99 custom drills.
Even if that is not enough, the user can use the random mode where the player won’t know where the ball will be thrown next or the landing spot on the table can be enlarged. It is a robot that can be used by a player playing at any level of sport and if used correctly can replace the need for a practice partner or a coach.
Pros
- The machine provides an excellent level of precise practice to the users. It has many modes to focus on a specific skill.
- It is very portable and lightweight at around 24 lbs. It comes with a good cover to store it.
- It is rather easy to operate once the user uses it a few times and can work for hours at a stretch without requiring any break.
Cons
- The quality of the machine considering its price feels rather cheap and made of lower quality plastic. Many parts of the robot feel fragile.
- The instruction manual seems to be written by a non-native English speaker. Grammar mistakes and poorly worded sentences can make it difficult to understand the setup and that is where the pre-assembled drills can be a saviour.
iPong V300 Table Tennis Training Robot
iPong is a Chinese manufacturer who has been producing some very unique and high-quality table tennis machines for a while now. The V300 is a high quality and best of the line robots that the manufacturer has made. It comes with many unique features that one may not find in many other machines in the market.
The machine can hold 100 balls at a time and has a range of 30 to 70 balls per minute. The robot comes with a wireless remote which enables the user to control the speed, spin, oscillation and frequency of the balls.
The ideal balls to use with this robot are the international standard 40 mm ones but even the modern plastic balls will work just fine.
One of the biggest advantages of this robot is its almost plug and play system of operation. It is one of the easiest machines to work with and takes less than a few minutes to be up and ready.
It has got a well-designed body and unique set up that minimizes the chances of balls getting jammed up inside the machine.
Unlike most other machines that weigh around 15 to 25 lbs, the iPong V300 weighs only 2.5 pounds and works on 100-240 v input. It does come with a one-year limited manufacturer’s warranty and comes with a robot, remote control, adapter and instruction manual.
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Pros
- The robot is extremely lightweight as well as priced reasonably and has tons of features that are expected out of a much more expensive professional machine.
- It provides options of frequency and speed for players who are amateur to the ones playing the sport seriously. It is a perfect one size all fit table tennis machine.
- It is very easy to set up and remove the machine once it has been used. One of the biggest issues that customers face with regards to a table tennis robot is its difficult and complicated setup process. The iPong V300 removes that bottleneck.
Cons
- The remote of the robot has a very limited range which doesn’t even reach up to the other side of the table. So one has to go near to the machine, carefully aim it and press the button, at times more than once to change the settings.
- Sometimes the trajectory of the machine are much different to its actual setting and requires manual trial and error to reset it, which can be annoying for players who are playing the sport at a higher level.
Chaofan 36 Spins Ping Pong Machine
The Chaofan 36 spins is a great option for players at any level of the sport. It has enough modes to help out a player who wants to practice and improve their basic strokes and it also has great options for players playing a lot advanced. Whether one The robot has a very high capacity machine with various settings for speed, loop and motion.
The machine has a maximum capacity of 110 balls and the frequency of the robot is between the range of 40 to 70 balls per minute. The robot takes very little time to set up and can be used to generate various kinds of spins – sidespin, backspin and topspin. The robot weighs around 9.4 pounds and works on 100-240 v rated voltage.
The machine almost costs half of what most other professional robots with over 100 balls capacity costs and thus it makes it a very attractive option to buy.
The biggest drawback of this machine is that there is no manual of instruction available in English and it can take a bit of a trial and error to set up the machine.
The machine may not be the most suitable option for players playing at a high level because after a point the machine doesn’t provide the stiffest of challenges but it is a good option for most players regardless.
Pros
- Extremely cost-effective and gets the job done for a much lower amount than most other similar machines.
- Simple to set up and operate and takes less than a few minutes after a few attempts.
- Provides excellent spin, speed and frequency options to practice at a very competitive level and all this without any issues of ball jamming.
Cons
- The machine doesn’t have a ball recycling option so extra effort goes into collecting and putting the balls back into the reservoir.
- Programming with regards to the ball placement is rather limited and the machine despite its relatively lightweight the machine can be cumbersome to move due to its shape.
- The robot does not come with an English user manual which can be tricky to set up the machine for the first time.
Newgy Robo-Pong 2040+
Robo pong 2040+ is one of the five machines that Newgy offers in its Table Tennis Robot series.
Every machine in the range is focused on providing the best possible practice to players at every single level of the game as well as keeping in mind the buyer’s budget.
The robo pong 2040 comes with analogue controls and a built-in net that catches the balls hit by the player. On the other hand, the net covers the edges of the table so that the balls don’t fall off.
This is one of the biggest advantages of this machine as this feature allows the player to continuously play without having to worry about balls running out in the basket.
The balls that are hit back are returned back to the main machine which recycles the ball and takes it in the reservoir. The machine offers topspin, backspin and sidespins on left and right sides.
Along with that the player can choose the shot they want to focus on and the balls will be thrown to set up a lob, fast loop, serve, chop or counter. It also has head angle adjustments that shall allow the player to practice against low and high serves.
Unlike most other machines that have a range of throwing up to 70 balls a minute, the Newgy Robo Pong 2040 can throw up to 90 balls in 60 seconds. This really helps the player in improving their footwork and hand-eye coordination.
The robot has a lovely escalation feature which provides eight different options to set up really complex angles, speeds and spins to practice against.
The machine is also extremely easy to set up and only takes around five minutes to start playing. It requires tools to set it up and just requires a simple plugin and net catches to set up to go.
It is one of the most advanced table tennis machines out there in the market and is a great option for players who are willing to spend a little extra but want high-quality practice.
The product comes with a one-year limited warranty and five years of service warranty as well as two complimentary paddles and 48 white colours 40 mm Robo balls.
Pros
- Provides high-quality practice with tons of spin, speed, loop and frequency options to customize as per individual needs.
- Comes with a ball recycler which means the player doesn’t have to go and fetch the balls manually and can keep playing as long as the return balls stay on the table.
- Has a very simple plug and play system which does not take a complex set up or lengthy instructions to start playing.
Cons
- It is an expensive product which may not be in the budget for many players.
- The balls can jam up in the robot every now and then when it has to be stopped and restarted after clearing the jam.
