The Lobster Elite Three is the third model from Lobster’s famous Elite line of products. It’s packed with all the functions featured on previous models, making it the most equipped model of them all. It also has a few features of its own, setting it apart from the rest of the Elite line.
With a typical Lobster design and the number of features it offers, the Elite Three is Lobster’s best value tennis ball machine, combining function with affordability. So, if you’re in the market for a tennis ball machine, the Elite Three might interest you.
It can provide great speeds, spins, oscillation, and a certain degree of customization. Coupled with fantastic battery life, the Elite Three will surely provide the workout you need. This incredible tennis ball thrower can be used to train highly advanced players, as well as beginners, improving their fundamentals, and cutting down reaction time.
We gathered the information that might help you decide if the Lobster Sports Elite Three is the best tennis ball machine you can get.
Features and specifications:
In terms of design, the Elite Three doesn’t differ much from the rest of the product line. The device features the same red chassis made of plastic, which attracts a lot of attention and can be recognized from a distance.
The plastic material used for the body decreases the weight of the machine, while still being durable and sturdy. Thanks to this design feature, the Elite Three weighs only 44lbs. It’s mounted on two 8-inch all-terrain wheels which allow for smooth pushing and pulling around the court. Though generally lightweight, the machine can be complicated for one person to carry, due to its oval shape.
And much like all Lobster models, the machine has an invertible ball hopper, which doubles as a cover during transport and storage. The hopper offers a 150-ball capacity, and has a slot on the front side, for monitoring the remaining number of shots.
The server wheel feeds the balls from the hopper to the machine at a time interval, ranging from 2 to 12 seconds. This setting is modified by turning the adjustment knob on the control panel, found at the back of the device. The panel offers several adjustment options, including speed, spin, oscillation, and several other options.
The ball speed ranges from 20 to 80MPH. Combined with other features the Elite Three has to offer, this speed range is enough, even for advanced tennis players.
The Elite Three has an electronic elevation system, with a 0° to 60° range. These randomly angled lobs are perfect for mastering overheads, allowing you to confront even the most aggressive tennis players in the future.
Like the rest of the Elite line, the Elite Three has no working memory, so it doesn’t come with preloaded drills as the Elite Grand line does. However, the machine has all the oscillation features included in the previous model, with the addition of wide and narrow 2-line function. Put all together; the device offers random horizontal, random vertical oscillation, the combination of the two, and a 2-line narrow and wide oscillation.
The sheer number of oscillation options available increases the variability of shots, which makes your training much more effective. With this model, you’ll be able to practice your forehands and backhands and challenge your footwork and reaction time.
Lobster Elite Three’s battery capacity offers 4 to 8 hours of court time. It’s not recommended for anyone to practice for that long, but this fantastic battery life can be beneficial for tennis clubs. It allows for four to five subsequent practice sessions, without recharging. Battery life depends on the features you use during your training session, and recharging the battery may take up to 24 hours.
Charging the battery via the standard charger, which comes with the machine, should be supervised since the charger lacks the overcharge protection. Forgetting to unplug your battery after it’s full can result in damage void by the warranty.
For that very reason, it’s recommended that you buy a fast or a premium charger. Both chargers are an optional purchase, and they can reduce the charging time to 6-8 hours. Of course, both come with overcharge protection, so you won’t have to worry about accidentally leaving the battery on a charger.Speaking of additional purchases, Lobster Sports does not provide a remote control with any of the Elite products. For an additional fee, you can buy a simple 2-button remote control, or an Elite 10 remote control. The Elite 10 remote is compact and affordable, with adjustments for ball speed, spin, oscillation, feed, and elevation. It’s compatible with both, the Elite Two, and the Elite Three models. Buying a remote is strongly advisable, as it can save you a lot of kneeling next to the machine trying to set it up. The Elite 10 is also available as an app on Apple’s iPhone.
The good:
- Full random oscillation
- Long battery life
- The best tennis machine in the Elite line of products
The Bad:
- Long charging time
- No pre-set drills
Final verdict:
Lobster Elite Three is the most equipped model from the Elite line. It’s one of their best tennis ball machines that will help you take your game to the next level. And like to most of the Lobster Elite machines, its suitable for beginners and intermediate players. However, the addition of triple full randomization also makes this tennis ball machine suitable for advanced tennis players.
On the downside, charging the battery takes too long, the charger has no overcharge protection, and there’s no remote control in the basic setup. These shortcomings can be resolved by buying additional accessories, like the fast charger, and an Elite 10 remote control.
Besides an astonishing number of features and excellent overall quality, the Elite Three offers long court time, ease of transport, and a ton of fun.
Recommended Reading:
Lobster Elite twoLobster Elite Grand
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