In the past, people wondered how advanced robotics and technology might become. Although most people were hoping for walking, talking, human-like robots, what we have now in ping pong robots is still just as useful.
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Sure, you can practice with a friend or family member. You can even fold your ping pong table in half to play against yourself, but you are unlikely to experience a variety of shots. Arguably the best way to train your skills is with a ping pong robot.
Having a machine fire balls at you at a specific height, pace or with a certain spin for a long period is a quick-fire way for you to improve.
Here we are going to review 10 of the best ping pong robots around right now, exploring key aspects such as price, speed and reliability. The benefits of a ping pong robot are clear, however deciding which one to buy can be a struggle. Have a read and decide for yourself.
Let’s jump in!
Benefits of Using a Ping Pong Robot
Can Practice Solo
Practicing Ping Pong can be a real challenge – especially if you don’t live with or know anyone that enjoys playing as much as you do. But fear not, ping pong robots are a great companion that allow you to practice as often and as hard as you wish.
So whether it’s at 2am in your garage or outside your house in the winter, a ping pong robot is always there to test you.
With ping pong robots, you can hit around 10 times more balls than with a partner, meaning even a short practice session will train you better than an opponent. Also, the consistent delivery hones your ability and targets specific areas of your game for as long as you choose.
You can practice hour after hour and see some real improvements much faster than you might think. So, the next time you do come up against a real opponent, they won’t know what hit them.
Practice Specific Areas of Your Game
In some ways, ping pong robots can actually be a better training partner than a fellow player. They are capable of a wide range of shot variants, with adjustable spin, speed, and frequency all at your disposal.
This means you can target specific areas of your game over and over again until you begin to see improvements. For example, if you feel that your forehand drive is lacking in comparison to other shots, setting up a deep high ball will allow you to consistently target that chink in your armor.
Coordination is such a key element in this sport. Even without all the fancy features and different shot types, simply returning balls over and over again will drastically increase your skills at first.
Then, once you feel comfortable, you can start increasing the difficulty by modifying the speed, spin, and oscillation to improve those elements of your game also.
Best Ping Pong Robots
1. Newgy Robo Pong 1040 - Editors Choice
The Newgy Robo-Pong 1040+ is a good option if you’re looking to have a smaller-sized machine that is easy to move around, doesn’t take up too much space and is great to practice with.
You will get a great workout practicing with the 1040 machine; it has all the capabilities you might expect and is capable of helping you improve all your skills, providing you with a well-rounded game and enhanced footwork too.
The machine can handle over 40 balls at a time, unless you buy the extended cage which holds around 200 balls.
This is a simple machine that doesn’t have any groundbreaking technology, but it does the basics well and consistently enough for you to improve your shots and rhythm when returning balls consistently.
There may be the occasional jam in the ball delivery or some balls may not follow the settings you have programmed, but it’s important to note that this is the case for most, if not all, machines – nothing is perfect!
It performs better than some of the more basic models, whilst having a lot of similarities with some machines in a higher price bracket. Here you can expect a reliable machine, a mounted remote and a wide range of shots that will test everything from your backhand drive to your forehand push.
2. Newgy Robo-Pong 2040+ - Premium Choice
The Newgy Robo-Pong 2040+ resides in the more advanced level of machines available right now, with a higher price range and the advantages to go along with it. Everything about it feels worthy of the higher price tag
With topspin, backspin, right sidespin, left sidespin and combination spin all available, it has everything you might expect from a machine of this quality – simply turn the head of the robot 180° to alternate between topspin and backspin.
However, there are some additional factors that make this stand out.
The ball recycle system is a standout trait. This helps to keep the practice ongoing, lasting for as long as you are able to return your shots towards the net and not all over the floor!
The remote mounts onto the side of the table which is very useful – it clips on to the side and allows you to quickly adjust the knobs whilst playing.
The reliability and variation in the ball deliveries is great to practice with. These elements easily make it one of our favorites, yet the higher price tag may, understandably, still put plenty of people off.
If you are willing to spend that little bit extra, you can’t go wrong with this machine. it’s such a nice feeling knowing that if you return your shots well, the machine will pick up the balls from the net and fire them back at you until you choose to stop playing. It’s definitely one of the best ping pong machines around.
3. iPong V300 Table Tennis Training Robot - Budget Option
The iPong v300 really is one of the best ping pong robots out there. It’s an entry-level machine that comes with a relatively low price and good reviews.
With topspin, backspin, and oscillation, this robot outperforms its price range and you will be pleasantly surprised and how well this works.
The wireless remote is the standout addition – there is no need to run back and forth from the machine, just use the remote and adjust the settings to your taste. It also has a memory system where you can save your preferred setting for future use.
This is a great choice for those of you who are just getting into ping pong and looking to develop – it’s a basic machine that has enough shot variants to make you a well-rounded player. Equally, it’s a good investment for casual players who just want to return a few balls, improve their coordination and not spend a fortune.
Due to its portable design, as well as it being very easy to set up and incredibly lightweight, you can move it anywhere on your table with no issues and test a variety of shots and techniques, from short balls to backspin.
It also comes with a stand, making it easy for you to adjust the height and angle of the robot. This is another way to simulate the unpredictability of a real game!
From our experience, you are likely to encounter some jams – this is usually down to overloading the machine with balls. If you stick to roughly 50 balls at a time, it runs smoothly.
As it’s a very affordable machine, you would be correct in thinking that it isn’t the best one available – others on this list may perform better over time, but not many will be as great a value as the iPong.
4. CHAOFAN Ping Pong Ball Machine
As the price suggests, the CHAOFAN 36 Spins Machine is a high quality ping pong robot that is suited to players of all levels. The durability, functions and capacity of it is very impressive and there is no doubt it’s a good investment.
Being able to hold over 100 balls without jamming is a real bonus and it let’s you practice continually for a long time. You will be able to hone your skills and improve all elements of your game with this robot.
This machine comes with a table mount to hold it in place, meaning you can adjust the angle of the ball. The good news is that it can sit on the table just fine without being fixed in place, so it’s portable and simple to alter if you want to practice returning shots with different techniques – balls coming across your body allow you to practice your backhand.
The oscillation frequency is very easy to adjust, as is the arc of the robot head – this gives you complete control over how you want to practice. On top of this, with seven speed settings, and direct and indirect serve variants, tailoring this robot to your liking is incredibly easy.
We’ve found it to be a very smooth running machine – not bad for a relatively low-cost ping pong robot!
As with all things, you get what you pay for. In this case, the CHAOFAN 36 Spins Machine seems to be great value, reliable and perfect for those of you who are on the hunt for a top quality machine without breaking the bank.
5. Suz Table Tennis S102
The wide range of adjustable settings on the Suz Table Tennis S102 robot make it incredibly useful for challenging yourself. It gives you game-like practice consistently, allowing you to develop the shot range, power and footwork needed against human competitors.
The Suz machine comes with a mount, but also works well sat on the table – you have the choice of how you want it to be on the table depending on what works for you.
If you wish to focus on your backhand drive, for instance, a deep, high ball is easy to set up.
Altering the angle lets you receive either one or two bounce balls which will test you in different ways. A one jump ball will come at you faster, testing your reaction speed, while a two jump ball may drop short and improve your forehand and backhand push.
To alter the spin to your taste, all you have to do is turn the head of the machine, where the balls are dispensed from, to access the various different spin techniques available.
Wireless remotes are always an advantage in our opinion. Having control from a distance means less moving around the table to adjust the function.
There’s no doubt that this is one of the best table tennis robots on the market in its price range, taking into account the capabilities and how easy it’s to use. Casual players keen to improve their game will benefit from this robot, but highly-skilled players may want to invest a little more.
6. Practice Partner Butterfly Table Tennis Robot
The Practice Partner Butterfly table tennis robot is one of the more unique machines on this list. It has a slightly higher price than others, but that is reflected in the quality and reliability of it.
The materials used to construct the machine make it slightly more durable, with the alloy ball feeder generating stability in ball delivery.
It stands on its own platform, making it easy for you to move around the table.Depending on where you place it, the machine can deliver shots of different angles and lengths. Simply twist, angle or move the machine to get your desired trajectory.
Try out different machine locations and ball deliveries whilst changing your starting stance to work on your footwork, speed and positional play. The forehand push is easy to practice, just set up the machine to deliver short balls and you can improve this stroke in no time.
Like other machines, this one delivers both single bounce (returns) and double bounce (serve) and has adjustable speed, spin and oscillation. With an easy-to-use wheel mechanism, the angle of the machine can be altered very easily.
It comes with a simple wired remote, relieving any need for batteries, but it does mean you need to modify the settings from the robot itself.
The Practice Partner Butterfly machine definitely ranks highly on this list as it’s moderately priced, built to last and has a great array of features.
7. Suz Table Tennis Robot S302
For beginners looking for one of the best ping pong robots, the Suz S302 Table Tennis Robot certainly fits the bill. It’s more advanced than its counterparts and has the attributes, capacity and design to back up that statement.
With an incredible array of spin balls, the shot variation provided by this machine is hard to beat. From left underspin to right sidespin, it will be easy for you to develop your skills from beginner to pro.
The wireless remote has all the features you would expect, as well as other useful ones too. The ‘irregular service’ button, for example, adds the element of surprise and gives you a realistic experience that you might expect in a real game.
The ‘direct service’ button allows you to quickly remove all other active settings and simply fires balls in the direction you have placed it.
Obviously, it isn’t the cheapest ping pong robot out there so it’s up to you how much you want to invest.
But, you shouldn’t underestimate how quickly you might outgrow those entry-level machines if you train regularly. Having a machine like the S302 can be a great training partner from beginner level and is advanced enough to take you from novice to beyond your expectations.
This mid-range price level might be the right option for players who are hoping to get a lot of use out of their machine, test their whole ping pong arsenal and benefit from the impressive catalogue of shot options.
8. Suz Table Tennis Robot S201
The Suz Table Tennis Robot S201 is a really interesting machine. For a comparably low fee, it possesses all of the wonderful attributes you could possibly hope for and performs to a high level. All of this makes it a very good choice when searching for the best ping pong robot.
As always, a ball recycle system is a massive advantage for most players.
Being able to accommodate over 200 balls is also a massive plus, especially if you are a beginner and your shots don’t always hit the net and you miss the ball recycling mechanism.
The machine also comes with a wireless, digital remote that is easy to use and works well from a distance.
Setting up the net is very easy to do. Lift the machine onto the table, clip it underneath and pull down the net. Then simply stretch the net to meet the poles near the net on your ping pong table.
Turning the head of the machine modifies the spin used for the deliveries – another useful feature that is simple to use. Follow the picture guide to understand how to change from topspin, to sidespin and underspin with ease.
We found this machine to be really great practice for beginners and more advanced players, meaning it can be a great investment as you may not find the need to upgrade when your ability improves over time.
For the money you spend, and for how well it can develop your game, we can’t really recommend this machine enough.
9. Suz Table Tennis Robot S101
The S101 model in Suz’s range of ping pong robots is very budget-friendly considering it sits in the low price bracket, comes from an well-known brand and has enough attributes to really test you.
It has a similar set up to other robots on this list – a bucket that holds around 100 40mm balls and has the ability to produce a wide range of shots. Sidespin, topspin and underspin are all easy to adjust and give you a great workout.
A mount attaches the S101 robot to the table, but the adjustable attachment lets you change the angle at which the balls are delivered. Jump balls, 2 bounce balls and short balls can be used alternately to practice many different elements of your game.
Just be sure to have at least 15 balls in at any time, as having less than this can cause jams. Also, the remote is wired to the machine and is very self-explanatory, but does mean it’s harder to adjust the settings mid-session.
For the price, this is a great machine for beginners who are interested in stepping up their practice sessions and who are nervous to spend too much. It’s a simple to use machine that will test, improve and develop you in a short space of time.
10. ZXMOTO Ping Pong Machine
The final ping pong robot on our list is the ZXMOTO Ping Pong Machine which has a similar design to previous ones on this list and is equally as impressive as its competitors, especially when taking into account how much it costs and its various settings.
It can deliver up to 36 different kinds of spin, speed and length and holds over 100 balls at a time, but be sure to always have 15 or more balls in the bucket before you start your session.
This robot comes with a table mount, wired remote and is built to last. We have found it to have consistent ball delivery and it stands the test of time for a machine of this price.
For beginners just getting started with ping pong, we recommend starting off with the most basic spin, speed and oscillation settings to get used to returning a ball from a robot. Then, over time, play around the long deliveries, drop shots and high speed to keep improving.
Also, we recommend investing in a net to make your life a lot easier! This will help you collect balls quicker after each round, giving you a helping hand when you wish to play over and over again. Aside from not coming with a built-in net, this machine has everything you could hope for.
For the amount that you’ll spend, this machine comes with great reviews and a real reputation for being a great ping pong training companion – don’t just take it from us.
How to Choose a Ping Pong Machine
Ball Collection & Recycle
Machines that have built-in ball collection and recycle systems really set themselves above the rest. It all comes down to convenience. Rallying against a machine can be a pain if you have to chase ping pong balls around trying to pick them up to go again.
These ball recycling systems, featured on a few of the products in this article, allow you to play for hour after hour with minimal effort – unless you miss the net entirely!
It’s definitely not an essential part of any machine, but paying the extra money is likely to get you a higher quality machine as well as this great capability too. It’s a win win.
Speed
The best ping pong machines around all allow you to alter the speed at which balls are fired at you. This is very easy to do and you will be able to see clear progression in your game as you move up the speed levels over time.
Spin
You are able to adjust the spin of the deliveries, with many machines having the basic spin settings such as topspin and backspin. The more advanced machines have a whole host of spin variants, all of which are very simple to change and can test your skills to develop all areas of your game.
Placement
Mid-to-high-range machines can deliver balls at various different angles, heights and distances. This gives you a very realistic experience, as human partners will be returning balls in countless ways. Being practiced in returning a variety of shots tests your footwork, reaction speed and awareness.
Additional Accessories
- Catching net – We highly recommend having a net – having hundreds of balls fly all over the place just means you have to hunt them down afterwards! Some of the machines on this list come with a net as part of the price, whether it’s built-in or a separate part. Be sure to factor in the cost of a net if you don’t buy a robot that comes with one – analyse the total costs of all the different options to decide which is best for you.
- Balls – Also, some robots will come with balls and others won’t. See if the robot of your choice comes with a set of balls or if they need to be ordered separately; it’s certainly handy if balls are provided as you can begin playing instantly, but you may own enough balls already.
Machine Capacity
Ping pong machines have different ball capacities, meaning the maximum amount of balls they can hold at any one time. It’s important to note that robots with a ball recycling mechanism can usually hold a lot more as they are automatically dispensed until there are no balls left in the net. The more basic models, with their bucket system, have a fixed number of balls they can hold.
Ball Size
Most machines require a certain size ball to work, typically 40mm+, so it’s worth checking what size balls you have already or if you need to buy new balls of a specific size. Generally, 40mm+ balls work well with all machines, but we recommend you still read the small print just in case.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best ping pong robot can be a real challenge. In this list we have provided 10 great options in a variety of different price ranges that can suit players of all levels. Even the cheaper models still come with great features, reliability and from a reputable brand.
Whatever it is you are looking for, we believe you can kind it on this list. For example, if you are a true beginner with no experience, you might feel comfortable starting with the iPong v300 as it is great value and capable of giving you a real workout.
Your main deciding factor could also be portability and reliability. Others on this list, like the Practice Partner Butterfly and the CHAOFAN 36 Spins Machine, can take you from beginner to pro, keeping up with your development the whole way, and are very easy to move around.
Or, you could start with a basic model to see if you enjoy playing with a machine, then buy a more advanced model in the future, like the Newgy Robo-Pong 2040+ or the Suz S201 model, when you feel that you are ready for the step-up.
Whichever machine you choose, expect to get a great workout and become a much better player in no time.
Ping pong robots are a great way to develop your skills and make you an avid player. You will find yourself wanting to play more as you don’t have to rely on someone else wanting to play with you. You may even prefer training with a machine as you can tailor it to your taste with a whole host of different shot, speed and spin options available to you.
For more information about ping pong, please take a look at our other articles or feel free to drop us a question in the comment section below.
If you have any further questions about ping pong tables and ping pong in general, please explore our other articles or leave us a question in the comments below.
