Unless you’re graced with having your own tennis court, you play at a public court or at a club. And if you’re thinking of using a tennis ball machine, portability will be a major factor. Sure, some clubs will have a ball machine for you to rent or if you’re lucky you can store yours there but in most cases you’re going to need a portable tennis ball machine. But what do you need to look for in portable tennis ball machine? Do the disadvantages outweigh the advantages?

The first thing to look at with portable tennis ball machines is the size of the machine. The two major factors are the physical dimensions and the weight.

The physical dimensions are important because the ball machine needs to fit into the vehicle. For this it helps if you have an SUV or station wagon that will allow you to easily put the portable tennis ball machine into the vehicle. But if you’ve only got a sedan then you’re going to have to consider the size and if it will fit into your trunk or backseat. Most of the portable ball machines have collapsible hoppers to help reduce the size. Because of the reduced size you would think that the portable machines would have less power and fewer features. Surprisingly, most portable tennis ball machines on the market are able to deliver consistent balls at high speeds and incorporate features such as horizontal and vertical oscillations as well as spin and 100+ ball capacity.

The weight of the tennis ball machine will factor in to how portable it is. You will want a ball machine that is robust and not flimsy but at the same time it has to be light enough to be carried around, or at a minimum lifted into and out of the vehicle. Most portable tennis ball machines weigh between 30 – 50 pounds. One of the things that plays into the weight of the ball machine is the battery. Because it’s portable, a battery is absolutely necessary and the bigger and longer lasting the battery is the more it will weigh.

Ease of transport is another factor

Not all portable tennis ball machines have transport in mind. Some of portable ball machines have large wheels and a handle built right in. Some have small wheels (think old-school luggage) and a collapsible handle. Some have handles designed for lifting but are extremely close to the ground meaning that you’d have to bend over farther to pick it up.

These are all things you should take in to consideration when looking at portable tennis ball machines. There are many good ball machines on the market but each person will have things they like and things that won’t bother them so much. Make sure to weigh each disadvantage against the advantages that a portable tennis ball machine offers.