Last Updated on July 5, 2024
Don’t you have a partner to practice with? Are you searching for ways to practice alone? If you are out of ideas about what to do, then a ping pong robot is exactly what you need, even if you’re a professional table tennis player. If you are already good at this game, then having one of the best ping pong robots can help you elevate your playing style and improve weak spots. It is also beneficial for beginners to practice their shots.
Top 6 Ping Pong Robots
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Ping Pong Robot for You?
You should consider many factors before buying a ping pong robot. These certain things determine whether the robot is ideal for you to suit your needs. Let’s get a look at them.
Power source
If you set your robot far from your power socket, it is better to buy a battery-powered robot. Plug-in ping pong robots have no issues with the battery amount. Just make sure you are charging it enough or you will be ready for a practice session and end up seeing no power in the robot. Also, AC-powered robots can function faster and at a higher speed than battery-powered ones.
Wireless control
Some of the advanced table tennis robots have wireless remote control mechanisms that help you regulate the settings and programs from a distance. So you don’t need to walk around the table to switch between the modes each time.
Instead, you can simply change it with a single click on the wireless remote and select your shots. Some ping pong robots offer mobile apps to operate the settings remotely but they tend to be costly.
Easy to assemble and portability
Search for ping pong robots that are easy to set up. For example, a simple ping pong robot is straightforward to assemble and could take 2-3 minutes to set up, whereas a complex robot with more features could take more effort to build.
Battery-powered ping pong robots are relatively easy to carry around and have great portability but the downside is you need to charge them frequently.
Capacity
Having a large capacity in your table tennis robot is a blessing if you are set for a long practicing session. The robot’s capacity is the size of the container that holds the balls.
The bigger the container, the more balls it could contain. As a result, you don’t have to pick the balls and fill the container frequently, thus saving you time and energy.
Noise
If you are using the ping pong robot indoors, you don’t want to disturb others while practicing. Also, some ping pong robots can be quite noisy while operating. If you don’t have any problem with the noise, you can skip this part.
Companion App
Some high-end ping pong robots provide a dedicated companion app to customize the settings and control the programming drills. In addition, it will help you to locate your weaknesses and track your progress. If you take this game seriously or have any plans to join the competition, this feature will benefit you.
Memory
Memory is another thing you should consider while buying a ping pong robot. Look for the top ping pong robots that allow you to restore all the drill programs and settings for later use in memory. Create files of your drills and preferences and change between them anytime you want, no need to adjust the settings every time you practice. It’s better to work smart than work hard.
Net
This is a handy feature you should look for in ping pong robots. It stays behind your robot and prevents the balls from making a mess for you to clean later.
Ping Pong Robot Reviews: Which Table Tennis Robot Is the Best?
There are plenty of ping pong robots in the market, but you need to know which one is perfect for you. In this segment, we will introduce you to some of the best ping pong robots out there. So you don’t need to get lost in the market searching for the right one. Here are some of our suggestions-
High Range:
1. BUTTERFLY AMICUS PRIME
#1 Strength: Fantastic ping pong trainer.
#1 Strength: Expensive
Product Specs
- Brand: Butterfly
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
- Assembly Needed: Yes
- Dimension LxWxH: 34″ x 14″ x 15″ (including box)
- Weight: 20 pounds
Product features
- Capacity: It can contain up to 120 balls in its vault and ball frequency up to 120 per minute.
- Frequency: Individual frequency control (IFC) allows fine-tune timing between any two consecutive balls.
- Spin: Provides all types of spins.
Detailed Review
Get acquainted with Amicus prime, a flagship product of Butterfly. This innovative table tennis robot can be controlled wirelessly with a tablet via Bluetooth and you can regulate several robots from a single device.
It offers excellent portability to the user as it is effortless to attach and remove from any standard ping pong table. With its 3 barrel design, Amicus can produce any spin without rotating its body.
It is wholly made with plastic and a dimension of 34″ x 14″ x 15″ (including the box). It weighs 20 pounds making it very lightweight and portable. Individual frequency control (IFC) offers fine-tune timing between two consecutive balls. It can produce every type of spin.
Moreover, this table tennis robot comes with integrated videos of each pre-programmed drill, making it easy for you to practice. You can change or customize the pre-programmed drills any time you want.
The advanced deflector system offers quick ball replacement faster than a re-cycling net where the ping pong ball can jam.
Suppose you ask for the best ping pong robot out there. Amicus- you got the answer. However, this item is said to be one of the expensive ping pong robots.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Pre-programmed drills
- Very premium quality and top-notch features
- Suitable for both beginners and experts
- Superior ball mechanism
- 3 years warranty
CONS
- Challenging to locate the balls
- Too expensive
- It relies on the app; if the app crashes robot is no longer functional
Alternate products:
1. Practice Partner Table Tennis Robot | Fun Ball Machine-Launcher
Mid Range:
2. NEWGY ROBO PONG 2055 (Best robot with a catch net)
#1 Strength: Has adjustable settings from beginner to pro-level
#1 Weakness: Some buyers complain about technical issues
Product specs
- Brand: Newgy
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
- Assembly Needed: Yes
- Dimension LxWxH: 36.73 x 15.75 x 14.09 inches
- Weight: 17.64 pounds
Product features
- Capacity: 48 balls and comes with 2 free paddles
- Frequency: Up to 90 balls/minute
- Spins: It can deliver spin like topspin, backspin, sidespin, combination spin.
Product details
Newgy Robo Pong 2055 is another best table tennis robot we think is worth considering. It is an upgraded version of the previous model Robo pong 2050+ manufactured in the USA.
The Newgy Robo Pong has a dimension of 36.73 x 15.75 x 14.09 inches and weighs almost 18 pounds. This robot is our top recommendation if you are a professional player.
It can be an alternative to a coach as sometimes hiring a coach might be expensive. Newgy Robo Pong comes with 64 pre-programmed drills for various playing levels that will help you stay on top of your game.
It gives you an option to customize the drills depending on your preferences. You can also randomize the spins, speed, frequency, placement to make the drills more unpredictable, which will help you to improve your stroke, transition, footwork, and game sense.
Newgy Robo Pong has a wireless control system with an optional advanced use that allows users to create, save and share custom drills RP 2 PC software with USB connectivity.
Here is some good news, it comes with a re-cycling net that captures and feeds the ball back to you, so non-stop play is guaranteed. But we advise you not to buy Newgy Robo Pong if you are a complete beginner.
Pros and cons
PROS
- The Newgy Robo pong comes with a re-cycle net
- Customizable drills
- Controllable ball speed
- Very durable and built sturdy
CONS
- Not ideal for beginners
- User complaints that balls jam when it is new
- Bit of noisy
Alternative products:
1. Newgy Eagle Eye Robo-Pong (2040+)
3. Suz Table Tennis Robot S201 (with net and 40+ ping pong balls)
#1 Strength: Provides ball collection facility
#1 Weakness: Hard to assemble
Product Specs
- Brand: Suz
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
- Assembly Needed: No
- Dimension LxWxH: 34.1 x 16.1 x 16 inches
- Weight: 21.61 pounds
Product features
- Capacity: It has a ball capacity of 200 with an automatic ball collection system.
- Frequency: Ball frequency of 35-80/minute and a ball speed of 4-40M/S.
- Spin: It can generate 9 different spins with different frequencies and speed.
Product details
This S201 MODEL OF Suz series comes with a re-cycling net that can hold up to 200 ping pong balls, so whenever you are practicing, you don’t need to think about the balls getting lost which makes it suitable for continuous play.
You can control the speed, frequencies, spin either manually or remotely. It has a dimension of 34.1 x 16.1 x 16 inches and weighs around 22 pounds and is a little heavier than other ping pong robots on this list.
The good thing is that you can elevate the robot’s head to generate different kinds of bounce. Suz S201 can conveniently generate 9 different spins with adjustable frequency and speed, allowing you to improve your skillset.
You will get 200+ ping pong balls, a re-cycle net, a control box, a ball ruler, and a serving wheel in the package box. This table tennis robot is very durable, and you can use it for a long time if you can maintain it properly.
pros and cons
PROS
- Re-cycling ball collection system
- Very durable
- It can set 9 kinds of spin.
CONS
- It is hard to set up
Alternative products:
1. Suz S302 Table Tennis Robot with Net Irregular Random Landing spot Ping Pong Ball Machine
4. Practice Partner Table Tennis Robot (Budget Pick)
#1 Strength: Cost-effective
#1 Weakness: Very noisy while operating
Product specs
- Brand: Practice Partner
- Color: Off white
- Material: Metal
- Assembly Needed: Yes
- Dimension LxWxH: 19 x 12 x 15 inches
- Weight: 12 pounds
Product features
- Capacity: It can hold up to 200 balls
- Frequency: 25-80balls/minute
- Spin: It can create topspin, backspin, or sidespin
Product details
This model of practice partner is ideal for both intermediate and expert level players. It is the budget-friendly pick on our list. To be precise, it is quite a heavy model because it is made of metal and built sturdy.
Due to its durability, it can be your practice partner for a long time without any repair and maintenance. This ping pong robot allows you to store 200 balls in it, and also, the adjustable features let you control the speed, spin, frequency, placement of your will.
The good part about this robot is you can set this robot in any corner of your table tennis table and get different trajectories, whereas most affordable table tennis robot models are fixed in the center. It has a dimension of 19 x 12 x 25 inches and weighs 12 pounds. This table tennis training robot, suitable for basic models, allows you to practice receiving serves by tilting it down, just like you will get from a training partner.
The ball feed unit is made of alloy and resistant rubber that stabilizes the direction and placement of the balls in drill mode. No tools are required to fit this robot to any table tennis table, making it convenient for a clean interface with many customizable options.
pros and cons
PROS
- Suitable for practicing serving returns
- Durable and long-lasting
- Any type of ball would fit
CONS
- Heavy
- Some users complained that the spin seems unadjustable
- Too noisy
Alternative products
1. Newgy Spirit Robo-Pong Ping-Pong Robot
Low Range:
5. ZXMOTO Ping Pong Robot Machine with 36 Different Spin Balls (Runner-up)
#1 Strength: Perfect for expert-level training
#1 Weakness: No instruction manual in the box
Product specs
- Brand: LFMOTO
- Color: JT-A
- Material: Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
- Assembly Needed: Yes
- Dimension LxWxH: 34 x 16 x 16 inches
- Weight: 19.6 pounds
Product features
- Capacity: It has the capacity of 120 balls
- Frequency: 40-70 balls per minute
- Spin: Produces 36 different spin
Product details
The ZXMOTO is an easy to assemble, lightweight table tennis robot that produces 36 spins for your perfect training session. It is manufactured by LFGS, a very well-known Chinese table tennis manufacturing company.
This one also offers a wireless remote control feature; now, you don’t need to walk to the other side of the table to make changes. It is a bit larger than other ping pong robots in the market, but it is very easy to assemble on any tennis table.
ZXMOTO has an integrated ball container that lets you store up to 120 balls. You can tilt the barrel of the robot at different angles to produce various degrees of bounce.
This table tennis robot offers you to practice against 36 different spins and improve your stroke mechanism and footwork. So, you will stay ahead of your opponent in real-life matches.
With its incredible speed of 40M/sec and a frequency of 70 balls/minute, indeed perfect for professional training. From intermediate to expert, this robot is perfect. This can be considered as one of the best robots considering the ball capacity.
pros and cons
pros
- Easy to set up
- Produces 36 different spins
- Adjustable spin speed and direction
CONS
- The manual comes in the Chinese language
- Customers complain it loses speed midway through
Alternate products
1. iPong Original Table Tennis Trainer Robot
6. Kweetle 36 spins Ping Pong ball machine (Best for Beginners)
#1 Strength: 7 Arc angle settings.
#1 Weakness: Oscillating feature (motor) is not good enough.
Product specs
- Brand: Kweetle
- Control: Wired remote control
- Assembly Needed: Yes
- Dimension LxWxH: 15 x 15 x 14 inches
- Weight: 7.72 pounds
Product features
- Capacity: High capacity, can hold up to 110 balls; load capacity of 3.5 when empty.
- Frequency: Up to 70 balls/minute
- Spin: Can generate topspin, backspin, sidespin both ways and combination spin.
Product details
Chaofan has a high capacity and can accommodate about 110 balls. It is a perfect choice for beginners but may not be ideal for professional players because features limit it compared to other table tennis robots on our list.
It comes with a wired remote control to regulate various functions without leaving the table. It has a dimension of 15 x 15 x 14 inches and weighs only around 4 kg. It has a serving frequency of 40 to 70 ping pong balls per minute and a service speed of 4-40 meters per second.
Chaofan allows the user an oscillation range of 15 degrees and adjustable oscillation frequency from 0 to 5 levels, making it a perfect table tennis training robot for pro players to practice their game and improve their skillset. It can generate different types of spin (topspin, backspin, no-spin, side-spin, multi-spin), allowing you to work on your reflex and respond to any shots from your opponent. You can adjust the robot head up and down according to your preference for a comfortable playing experience.
For those concerned about the instruction manual, some customers noted it’s primarily in Chinese, which may pose a challenge. However, this table tennis robot, one of the outstanding ping pong machines, is also well-suited for intermediate players thanks to its adjustable frequency.
Whether you’re aiming to enhance your ping pong skills with constant practice or seeking training balls at an affordable price, Chaofan 36 spins won’t disappoint you.
pros and cons
PROS
- High capacity
- Easy to install on table
- Customizable drills, speed, frequency, placements
- Perfect for amateurs
CONS
- Not ideal for experts
- Some of the customers faced spin failure after 3-4 months of use
- No English instruction manual
Alternative products
1. iPong Original Table Tennis Trainer Robot
Can a Table Tennis Robot Help You Improve?
Of course, it can. You can use this table tennis training robot to improve your specific areas such as Flicking, Backhand topspin, or backspin. In addition, you can use it to practice as long as you want until you get proficient in a specific technique.
Once you start practicing a shot more and more and after numerous repetitions, the action would automatically fit into your muscle memory and you won’t need to bother about that anymore. You can also flourish your footwork. There are robots with certain features that help you get better in this field.
Once you start using the robot as your partner, you will generally get sharper and flexible during a competitive match. But only a robot won’t make you like Tom bell or Ma Long. Surely you will need a coach or partners to practice at some point. But for a starter, it is a very nice option to make a grip on your shots.
How Do They Work?
Table tennis robots are a ground-breaking innovation in the table tennis industry. It was commercially available in 1988 after its 16 years of research and development.
A table tennis robot can automatically fire table tennis balls from one side of the table to the other end in a pre-controlled way, offering a versatile range of shots. A table tennis robot might have three key features in them. The first and the most vital one is having the mechanism of loading and firing the balls, catering to different levels of players, including amateur players who seek basic features.
Next, a wireless remote or control box to program the speed and frequency of the firing balls adds an extra layer of customization for players looking for additional features. Last, nets are included to catch the returning balls.
You can choose between different types of spins such as Topspin, backspin, and practice against them as long as you want, making it a valuable tool for skill development at various player levels while offering a comprehensive range of shots.
What Can a Robot Do?
These table tennis robots bring so many features to the table that will surely make your practice session more fun. Some top-notch models offer spin variations, mobile/tablet apps to optimize the settings and programmable training drills.
Let’s look into some features a basic table tennis robot can offer:
Spin Variation
You have the power to choose between spins such as backspin, topspin, sidespin, or no-spin and practice shot selection as long as you want using digital controllers. This cool feature can be found in almost every mid or top-range robot, allowing you to improve your gameplay against any spin.
Random Play
You can make your robot send the balls in different directions randomly in a pre-controlled manner. This will give you a more realistic table tennis experience, simulating the unpredictability of a real opponent’s shots, and help you respond to any balls the opponent throws at you. Low ranged robots may not provide such randomized playing options, but the top ones surely will meet up to your expectation.
Service
You can replicate the real-life table tennis serve by tilting the robot head downwards, so whenever a ball is shot through the barrel, it will bounce on the other side of the ping pong table, providing a realistic experience for both practice and service practice.
Pre-set Training Drills
In pre-set training drills, robots will fire the balls in a sequence. Some pre-set training drills will randomize the ball frequency. Try to buy robots that consist of this feature mainly.
Programmable Training Drills
You will find an option to create your training drills. Some of the top-tier robots allow you to do so. You can program the speed, placement, and spin and create your sequence. You can store these training drills and sequences in the robot’s memory for the next session of practice.
Ball Recycling
Some robots, probably the mid or top-tier ones, provide a ball recycling facility with a net tied behind the robot to funnel the ball back into the robot. This allows you to keep a continuance in your gameplay without any interruption.
You won’t get all the facilities in a single robot for sure. So you need to fix your priority first and select which features are significant to you. You can get the best out of a robot if you have the option to change the placement, speed, spin and play some random sequences.
Conclusion
A ping pong robot can be your perfect partner to improve your gameplay. That’s why it’s essential to buy the ultimate ping pong robot for you so you can rise to the challenges.
Among the robots we mentioned above, we think Butterfly Amicus is the best one out there. If you are a professional player, then Newgy Robo Pong is the answer you are looking for.
If you are on a tight budget, go for the Kweetle Table Tennis Robot.
FAQs
What are the current trends in Ping Pong robot technology?
Current trends in Ping Pong robot technology involve increased connectivity and smart features. These robots can be controlled via mobile apps, allowing players to customize training sessions and track their performance. Additionally, there’s a focus on more realistic ball delivery, simulating the spin and speed variations encountered in actual games.
What are the key features of the latest Ping Pong robots?
The latest Ping Pong robots come equipped with advanced ball delivery systems, offering adjustable speed, spin, and placement. Some models include a serve-recognition feature, which can mimic serves from professional players. Portability and user-friendly interfaces are also common key features, making them suitable for players of various skill levels.
How has technology advanced in Ping Pong robots?
Technology in Ping Pong robots has advanced significantly, primarily driven by improved motor control and AI integration. This advancement enables robots to replicate various shot types, imitate different opponents, and adapt to the player’s skill level. Better materials and engineering have made these robots more durable and precise in ball placement.
How do Ping Pong robots help players improve?
Ping Pong robots assist players in improving their skills through consistent and repetitive practice. Players can fine-tune their strokes, footwork, and response to different spins and speeds. This repetitive training aids muscle memory development, resulting in more refined techniques and better game performance. The range of features in modern Ping Pong robots, including controls for ball speed and spin, allows players to simulate a variety of game scenarios. Additionally, the “random mode” feature adds an element of unpredictability to training sessions, enhancing a player’s ability to adapt to different ball placements and spins.
What are the control options in Ping Pong robots?
Control options in Ping Pong robots have become highly customizable, making them suitable for both beginners and advanced players. Users can adjust settings for spin, speed, and placement to replicate specific training scenarios. Many robots offer programmable sequences, allowing table tennis players to simulate entire game situations or focus on specific shot types. These versatile control options make training sessions highly tailored to individual player needs and skill levels.
Top loading robot has less maintenance, the ball route does not need action of other pieces, it goes to the route by its path design. For the price, those are better buy for the beginners.