Best Ping Pong Robots (Reviews)

Expert: Kevin James, Last Updated: 8th Mar, 2023

Ping Pong Robots - Reviews & Ratings

1. iPong Original

{Simple yet practical}

Suitable for: Beginners, Amateurs

Manufactured by one of the leading table tennis equipment brands Joola, this is an excellent starter robot for beginner players who are looking to hone their skills. This lightweight robot is simple to operate and setup. Place the robot on one side of the table, feed in the 40mm balls on the top tray, power on the supply, and you are all set.

It comes with a wired remote to set the spin and speed setting. The robot can throw up to 70 balls per minute and can produce only one spin (either top or under) at a time. To produce a no-spin ball, set the topspin equal to the underspin. However, on the downside, the robot lacks random spin and random placement options.

You can place the bot at various locations to practice different aspects of the game. For example, placing the robot at the corner of the table, you can practice forehand/backhand returns. Place the robot at a downward angle, and you can practice returning serves.

The iPong Original is an excellent robot for kids, beginners, or anyone who is starting with the sport. You can work on your forehand/backhand strokes, counter-spin, chops, and looping. Additionally, due to the simple yet practical design, this robot would surely give you a trouble-free ownership experience.

Yes occasionally, you may face ball jamming or multi-ball release, but that's mainly due to the unclean and distorted balls.

To summarize: iPong Original is an excellent robot for beginners/improvers, and the price point is irresistible.

2. iPong V300

{A step up from iPong Original, comes with oscillation feature}

Suitable for: Beginners, Improvers

A step up from its predecessor iPong Original, the iPong V300 comes with a more powerful motor, oscillation feature, and upgraded hardware design. Also, the recent firmware upgrade has resolved the issue of occasional ball jamming and improved ball accuracy.

Additionally, the iPong V300 offers a side to side oscillation, memory feature to save settings, and a wireless remote. With improved wheel design and powerful motors, the ball shoots out with higher speed and spin. However, in the lower speed setting, I found the ball trajectory was a bit off, but that's the case with any beginner robot.

iPong V300 is $50 costlier than the iPong Original. But the extra functions like random oscillation, memory setting, and wireless remote justifies the increase in price.

To summarize, iPong v300 is my top pick in the beginner's category.

Check out detailed coverage of this particular model here.

1. HP-07 Robot

{Value for money, realistic ball trajectory, customizable}

Suitable for: Beginners, Intermediate, improvers

The original manufacturer of this robot is Huipang, which is a reputed Chinese manufacturer. However, in the US, the same robot is sold under different brands like - Popsport, Promoter, Yaetek, Gdae10 etc.

HP-07 is a battle-tested robot.

No kidding! It is one of the top-selling robots in China. And if you don't know, Chinese people take there ping pong game very seriously!

This robot is ideal for players looking to train and improve their game seriously. Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate player, this robot will serve you well. The robot can produce 36 varieties of spin. Broadly it is a combination of topspin, underspin, right/left spin, and no spin.

The head of the robot can be tilted up and down in seven different angles to produce a varying degree of bounce. Especially useful for practicing serve returns. The oscillation function can place the ball at 8 different locations (corner, 2/3rd, or 3/4th distance from corner and middle). And using the wired remote, you can adjust the speed, spin, and ball placement.

To summarize, HP-07 is a solid intermediate level robot. With its exhaustive list of features, above par build quality, and reasonable price point makes it our top budget pick in the intermediate category.

We've done an in-depth review of this model. Check it out here.

2. JT-A Robot

{Comes with Auto ball feeding}

Suitable for: Beginners, Intermediate, improvers

The original manufacturer of this robot is again Huipang, but it's sold in the US under brands like GDAE10, Nopteg etc. This robot packs in a lot of firepower for its size and competes with some of the top robots from well-known brands. But, as the parent company, Huipang does not actively market the product, and this has led to poor visibility of such a wonderful robot.

The biggest USP of the product is the recycling net and auto ball feeding mechanism. This means uninterrupted practice without needing to pick the balls manually. The recycling net in itself costs ~$70, if purchased separately.

The second differentiator is customizations. The robot can produce 42 varieties of spin (requires manual head adjustment), including the no-spin ball and seven degrees of ball bounce. The robot can emulate human-like stroke play, and the ball follows a realistic trajectory. The point of fall of the ball can also be randomized, which makes the practice even more challenging and non-monotonous.

On the negative side, the manual and the remote are in Chinese. But the manufacturer provides links to the Youtube videos for the initial setup.

Overall, JT-A ping pong robot can definitely help you practice all-round gameplay and improve your game. Priced at around ~$400 (at the time of writing this post), this product offers excellent value, both features and price-wise.

1. Newgy Robo-Pong 2055

{Value for money, Pro Quality}

Suitable for: Intermediate, Advanced

First, on the list of professional robots is the Newgy Robo-Pong 2055. This robot is manufactured by Newgy Industries, which has been in the business of manufacturing table tennis robot for the last 31 years. As the company only deals in table tennis robots, you can count on the quality and reliability of the product.

The robot comes with a recycling net and auto ball feeder for uninterrupted play. The whole process of setting up the robot takes less than 10 mins, which includes setting up the robot, installing the catch net, frame, and feeding the balls. Once set up, everything else can be controlled using the digital remote.

By default, the robot comes with 64 pre-programmed drills. I found the default drills well designed and practical. You also have the option to design and store up to 99 custom drills. The drills can be programmed using the digital control box or using the PC.

The robot head can be manually adjusted to produce different types of spin. While the parameters like speed, spin, and placement can be adjusted to exact precision using the supplied remote. In random mode, the ball is shot at random locations with varying speed and spin, which is quite an effective way to practice.

The lag between each ball throw is similar to the one you see in real gameplay. Similarly, the oscillation is swift, fast, and accurate — this is where the major difference between professional and intermediate robots lies. Intermediate robots struggle with accuracy, and the lag between each shot is higher.

The Robo-Pong 2055 comes with exhaustive training material and setup guide. You get a training DVD, a starter manual, and instruction support manual.

While making such a costly purchase, you need to also account for the continued support from the manufacturer. In this department, Newgy stands out. The product comes with a five-year warranty, and spare parts are readily available. Moreover, the product firmware is regularly updated, which is a plus.

Overall, Robo-Pong 2055 is a feature-rich robot suited for intermediate to advanced players. With the robust build quality, continuous support, and wide array of features, I feel confident to recommend this product.

2. Butterfly Amicus Expert

{The very best table tennis robot, you can lay your hands on}

Suitable for: Intermediate, Advanced

Amicus series is the flagship lineup of the Butterfly brand. These state of the art table tennis robots are designed to provide competitive training experience to professional players.

Unlike other robots, Butterfly Amicus uses a deflector plate system for ball placement. This mechanism is faster and more efficient than the full rotating head system. The other major differentiator is the use of three wheels compared to two wheels. The third-wheel allows the robot to impart sidespin, slow-spin, and no spin on the ball.

The height of the robot head is adjustable to four different levels, which allows changing the ball release height. Also, the robot can imitate match like situations with each ball following a realistic trajectory.i

Each of the ball parameters (spin, speed, and placement) is controllable with a high degree of accuracy. It comes with 20 professional pre-programmed drills, which are designed by Butterfly Coach Richard Prause. You can also program and store up to 99 different drills, each with a maximum of seven ball sequence. The automatic frequency control dynamically adjusts the time of the next ball throw based on the previous throw. If the robot is shooting slow balls, then the time interval between the next ball throw would be more.

The robot comes with a wired control box that shows real-time information such as speed, spin, location etc. It can also be used to adjust the ball parameters on the fly. Additionally, a wireless RF remote is provided to start/stop/pause the drill. In random mode, the robot randomly varies the speed, spin, and location. Additionally, the scatter functionality varies the ball placement by +- 20 cm.

There are three variants in the Amicus range- Start, Expert, and Prime. I feel Butterfly Amicus Expert is the best product in the lineup combining top features of both the low and high-end variants.

If you're looking for a professional table tennis robot, look no further than the Butterfly Amicus Expert.

 Oukei TW-2700-S9

{Independently controllable dual-head offers competitive training experience}

Suitable for: Intermediate, Advanced

This is another well-designed robot made by the reputable Chinese company Oukei. Although the machine does not offer automatic sidespin due to two-wheel design, the dual heads can be rotated to a varying degree to produce the desired level of sidespin.

The Oukei can be an excellent training partner for you. Its dual-head two-wheel design can throw top and backspin at the same time with a realistic time gap, thus allowing you to practice for real match-like situations. The robot can throw the ball at 18 locations, produce nine varieties of spin, and comes with six serving modes. We also liked the intelligent random mode, which can randomly shoot different balls at you.

Oukei TW-2700-S9 is a well-built, sturdy table tennis robot with most of the parts made out of metal. Additionally, the dual head and competitive training features justify the price tag of $1499. We recommend the product!

Ping Pong Robot: Ultimate Buyer's Guide

Who- These machines are for players looking to take their game to the next level. You have been playing the sport for a while now, have mastered the basics and have your own playing style and now want to hone these skills, as well as improving your overall game.

Price- For these intermediate machines, you can expect it to cost between $200 and $500. This may seem like a lot, but for the intermediate player looking to become an expert and play serious tournament table tennis, you know you’ll get your money’s worth in practice hours.

Positives- Intermediate robots are often programmed with set training drills to really test your game. They also feature ball collection and recycling features for longer sessions of uninterrupted practice.

Negatives- These are often a bit larger than the beginner machines and can be harder to transport and store. They can produce either top spin, back, or no spin. But for sidespin, manual adjustment of the head is required. The ball placement, spin, and speed are very accurate on these robots.

Basic features- These more advanced machines can change ball frequency, offer higher speeds, different types of spins - side, top, and back, as well as random placement to keep you on your toes.

Recommendations- Huipang Hp-07 and Huipang JT-A

Who- These top of the range robots are designed for the most serious of players. We are talking about advanced athletes looking to make a real name for themselves on the table tennis scene. You shouldn’t really be shelling out for one of these if you’re just a casual player.

Price- With all their added features, the top of the range machines can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $2,500. This is a figure that many will rub their eyes at, but if you’re a professional, or a player looking to go pro, you will get hundreds and thousands of hours of use out of this kit.

Positives- These machines come with advanced pre-programmed training drills set to challenge even the top players. These programs can be customized to challenge yourself, test your weak points, or even mimic the style of an upcoming opponent. They produce all types of spin imaginable and work with pinpoint accuracy.

Negatives- Obviously, they are far more expensive than some more beginner pieces of kit. They are also harder to set up, transport, and store.

Basic features- Can change ball frequency, speed, and placement, as well as spin.

Recommendations- Butterfly Start Amicus Expert and Newgy Robo-Pong 2055

Here are the top 6 benefits of using a robot:

1) A fun-filled cardio workout - The robot keeps you on your feet, throwing random balls at different locations with varying speed, spin and time delay. You need to move quickly to hit the ball and adapt to the different degrees of spin. Practicing as much as 20 mins on the robot can help you shed up to 200 calories and sets your heart beating at up to 150 beats/mins. A great way to be fit and at the same time, improve your game.

2) Suits players of all skill levels - Whether you're a pro, just starting with table tennis, or somewhere in the middle, the table tennis robot makes a great choice. The robot can be programmed to suit the training needs of all types of players.

3) Builds Consistency and Accuracy - The robot can tirelessly feed the balls at you with the same speed, spin, and location, helping you practice the same shot over and over again. Practice by repetition helps in building consistency and accuracy in your stroke.

4) Your 24x7 Training Partner - The best part of owning a robot is that you can practice whenever you want, and the machine never gets tired. It can feed balls at you for as long as you want.

5) Programmable - We all have weaknesses. Maybe you're unable to put sufficient power in your topspins, or you find it challenging to return super spinny serves? Not anymore! You can program the robot to throw specific balls at you, helping you improve your weak areas.

6) Improves your reaction time, footwork, and strokes - Overtime practicing with a robot, results in a faster reflex action, improvement in your footwork, and more power/consistency in your strokes.

There is no denying that these robots can help you in improving your game, but it's important to remember not to overdo it. Depending totally on the robot for your training needs may not be a great idea, and its best to mix coaching sessions or training with a partner from time to time.

This helps in monitoring your progress, and a coach can give feedback on how to improve your technique and posture.

Help Us Improve

While writing the review, we analyzed the top ping pong robots in the market. But we may have missed some. If you would like to suggest a robot which you've personally tried and tested, we're all ears.

Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.