The Lobster Elite 3 Tennis Ball Machine is one of the leading portable tennis ball machines in the market and with vertical oscillation, two line drill and an optional multi-function remote control, it provides advanced tennis training features that the Spinfire Pro 1 simply can’t match.
That’s not to say the Pro 1 isn’t a competent machine with many features most players would be satisfied with such as internal movement, random mode & extreme topspin and backspin. It just isn’t in the same market segment as the Elite 3. If price is not an issue, then we'd recommend the Lobster Elite 3 over the Spinfire Pro 1.
Note, the Spinfire Pro 2 is our number 1 selling ball machine and would be a better machine to consider comparing against the Lobster Elite 3. You can read that comparison article here.
 Lobster Elite 3 $3,999.00 Buy now |  Spinfire Pro 1 $2,495.00 Buy now | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Speed Top speed possible when there is no spin. | 130 km/h | 130 km/h |
| Slowest Speed Slowest speed possible. | 32 km/h | 32 km/h |
| Interval The min and max time possible between balls being fired. | 2-10 seconds | 2-15 seconds |
| Spin Whether the machine is capable of producing topspin and slice. | ||
| Electronic Elevation Ability to raise and lower the vertical angle of the delivery. | ||
| Lobs Ability to offer smashing practice. | ||
| Horizontal Oscillation Ability to fire balls randomly anywhere within the horizontal span of the court (no variation in depth). | ||
| Vertical Oscillation Ability to offer random variation in depth to allow for practicing of short and deep balls. | ||
| Triple Oscillation Ability to turn both horizontal oscillation and vertical oscillation on at the same time, to allow for random width and depth balls. | ||
| Internal Oscillation Internal oscillation provides more disguised deliveries as the mechanical movements happen inside the machine making them harder to see by the player. Machines with external oscillation telegraph where the delivery will be made, making them more predictable. | ||
| LCD Display A screen on the control panel to allow easy adjustments to the settings. | ||
| Electric Option Can the machine be run directly from an AC power point, rather than via a battery? Running off AC can eliminate the headaches associated with batteries, charging them and replacing them when necessary. | ||
| Battery Can the machine be run off a battery? | ||
| Battery Life The min and max play time possible when using the battery. | 4-8 hours | 3-8 hours |
| Battery size | 18 A/h | 20 A/h |
| Charge Time Amount of time required to charge a flat battery using the standard charger. | 18 hours | 11 hours |
| Fast Charger Can a fast charger be purchased to reduce the charging time? | ||
| Ball Capacity The total number of balls that can fit into the hopper. As a general rule, we feel 150 is the minimum we would recommend. | 150 | 150 |
| Portable Has wheels and a handle to allow easy movement to and from the tennis courts (from the back of a car). | ||
| Weight The weight of the machine without tennis balls installed. Note, the Spinfire Pro 2 can be purchased with an external battery, so 18 kg represents the weight of the machine only without a battery inside. | 20 kg | 18 kg (24 kg internal battery) |
| Remote Does the machine offer a remote control to allow easy settings adjustments from the other end of the court? Note, all remotes are different, including the number of buttons and functions each can supply, so look for a photo of the remote you are considering to understand its features. Also, Tennis Tutor in Australia does not offer a remote control, but this may be possible to purchase in other parts of the world. | Optional - $399 | |
| 2 Line Drill This is a drill which shoots one ball to the forehand, followed by a ball to the backhand, and it repeats endlessly. It will keep you running from side to side until you can take it no longer. Some machines offer this in just WIDE and NARROW, while others offer WIDE, MEDIUM and NARROW for a bit more flexibility. It's also a great drill to use when two players are practising together with a ball machine, as it will alternate firing a ball between each player. | ||
| Pre-loaded Drills Practice drills designed to represent real match situations | ||
| Optional Spare Battery A spare battery is great for coaches or those heavy users who don't always have time to charge their battery between sessions, or may want even more play time than the standard minimum that each machine can provide. | ||
| Heavy Duty Battery | ||
| Optional Storage Cover These are great for protecting your machine from dust and debris, but we do not recommend you leave them out on court. | ||
| Warranty This is the standard manufacturer's warranty. Some machines do have the option to upgrade their warranty to up to 5 years for an additional fee. | 3 Years | 2 Years (Optional 5 years) |
| Pros |
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
| Rating |  |
 |
| Price | $3,999.00 Buy now | $2,495.00 Buy now |