Portable ball machines for tennis have been around for a bit, giving players a more compact alternative to the large, heavy, and bulky commercial machines that you can rent at your local tennis club. Over the years, these portable ball machines have been getting smaller and lighter, too. How small and light? Well, the Nisplay L1, for instance, crams an entire tennis ball machine in a size no bigger than a weekender duffel.
They call it the “most compact and portable ball machine ever.” While we don’t know every make and model of machine that’s come out in recent years, we wouldn’t be surprised if they’re actually right. Not only does the tennis aid look like a mid-size tubular gym bag, it also weighs just 11 pounds, which is a far cry from the typical 30-pounds or more we usually see in other portable options.
The Nisplay L1 has a tubular shape that measures just 15.7 x 10 inches (height x diameter), with straps that let you sling it over your shoulder vertically or horizontally, depending on which one feels more comfortable. Combined with the 11-pound weight, this makes it incredibly easy to bring anywhere, whether you’re visiting the local public courts or you want to practice hitting at an empty park.
It can take up to 50 balls at a time, so you can do over four dozen repetitions before refilling. Yes, that’s a far cry from what you’ll normally get with a commercial machine, but it’s a worthy tradeoff for the portability. It’s dead simple to operate, too. To set up, simply set down the launcher, open the lid, and attach the extension basket on top (the basket is folded right under the lid). From there, you lift the opening out front (it has a magnetic closure) to reveal the actual launcher, fill the basket with tennis balls, and use the remote to choose what kind of drills you want to do.
The Nisplay L1 has adjustment settings for the ball speed (10 to 50 mph), ball interval (one to nine seconds), launch angle (15 to 55 degrees), and oscillation (on or off). All these available adjustments should let you practice different types of shots, from baseline groundstrokes and volleys to sweeps and overhead shots to a whole host of others. According to the outfit, It has a maximum launch range of 52.5 feet, a maximum launch height of 25 feet, and a maximum ball spin of 6,000 RPM.
It powers using an external battery pack that’s designed to fit in an exterior pocket. Sadly, it appears to use a proprietary connector, so you can’t just swap in any USB-C power bank you already own. A single battery holds enough charge to keep it running for up to 2.5 hours, although you can always swap in a second one if you want more time on the court. Recharging the battery takes 1.5 hours. There’s also a companion app that you can use for stats tracking, remote control, and get coaching content.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Nisplay L1. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $349.
