Xiom Vega Europe has an overall rating of 9.3 on TableTennisDB.com and is one of the most popular Xiom rubbers.

Grab a bargain and buy from Tabletennis11.com today!

• Tabletennis11.com: Buy Vega Europe for just €26.93 per sheet.

You can check out the other weekly special offers from Tabletennis11.com here.

The post Buy Xiom Vega Europe for €26.93 (Special Offer) appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

Here are the rubbers that have been given ITTF approval starting April 1st, 2016. In total, 53 new rubbers have been added.

• Andro Rasant Chaos (Long)
• Andro GTT (In)
• Andro Good (In)
• Butterfly Impartial XS (Out)
• Butterfly  Impartial XB (Out)
• Der-Materialspezialist Hellcat (Out)
• Der-Materialspezialist Rebellion (Long)
• Der-Materialspezialist Diabolic (Anti)
• Derwind Stolz (In)
• Derwind Rayhe (In)
• Donic Acuda Blue P1 Turbo (In)
• Donic Bluefire Big Slam (In)
• Donic Desto F4 (In)
• Donic Slice 40/CD (In)
• Dr Neubauer Power Attack (Anti)
• Dr Neubauer Viper Soft (Long)
• Dr Neubauer Aggressor (Out)
• Dr Neubauer Bison (Anti)
• Eakent Eiwaz (In)
• Eakent Rad (In)
• Gewo Proton Neo (In)
• Gewo Hype XT Pro (In)
• Joola Samba Tech (In)
• Juic Gekitetsu (In)
• KTL Torrent (In)
• Loki T III (In)
• Mizuno TH-0.35 (In)
• Mizuno GF Pro (In)
• Mizuno Q3 (In)
• Mizuno Q4 (In)
• Nittaku Do Knuckle (Out)
• Nittaku Super Do Knuckle (Out)
• Red and Black X35 (In)
• Soulspin Project Sixteen (In)
• Soulspin Project Sixteen ST (In)
• Spinlord Sandwind (Anti)
• Stiga Mantra S (In)
• Stiga Mantra M (In)
• Stiga Mantra H (In)
• Stiga Structure (Out)
• Stiga Sculpture (Long)
• Synectics Stormaxe (In)
• Synectics Tachyon (In)
• Three Sword Red Dragon (In)
• Three Sword Zeus (Long)
• Tibhar Evolution EL-S (In)
• Tibhar Evolution FX-S (In)
• TSP Gambit (In)
• Tuttle 55A (In)
• Tuttle 66B (In)
• Tuttle South Pole (In)
• Tuttle North Pole (In)
• Yulu Sports Jadedeer III (In)

There are quite a few big name releases in this list. I’m particularly excited to try the Stiga Mantra series of rubbers. Stiga added the Genesis rubbers to the LARC back in October 2015, and these are yet to be released also. So we’ll have five new Stiga rubbers in 2016!

I have been a big fan of the Tibhar Evolution rubbers for a while now – I particular like MX-P. Tibhar have two new ones coming out in 2016, EL-S and FX-S. During the English National Championships a couple of weeks ago I noticed that Paul Drinkhall had FX-S advertising on his shirt. I wonder if he will be transitioning to these rubbers from MX-P?

There are quite a few new brands added to the list this time around. These include; Derwind, Eakent, Loki, Red and Black, Soulspin, Synectics, and Yulu Sports. It will be interesting to see if any of these take off in a big way. I know that Eakent, Red and Black, and Soulspin are already known for producing blades.

Donic have four new rubbers out. Haven’t got any information on these yet. It will be interesting to see how Bluefire Big Slam compares to previous Bluefire models.

The only other rubbers that really interest me are the new ones from Gewo and Mizuno. I’ve never used Gewo or Mizuno rubbers before but I’ve heard good things.

The prize for the best name goes to Mizuno TH-0.35 – I’m joking! There’s an almost unbelievable number of awful names here. Tuttle must be on something. Seriously! I have no idea what Nittaku are thinking with “Do Knuckle” and “Super Do Knuckle”. Even Andro have let me down with “Good”. Never mind, there’s always next list…

The post New Table Tennis Rubbers for April 2016 (LARC 2016A) appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

Dan won the men’s team competition, alongside fellow Welshman Chris Griffiths; came runner-up in the Band 1 singles event, losing a close match to Scottish international Niall Cameron; and lost to Welsh legend and #1 seed Ryan Jenkins in the quarters of the men’s singles.

As 5th seed for the tournament it would appar he got a bit of a rough draw in the main event but I’m sure he will be happy with his performances, especially beating 4th seed Danny Lawrence twice (in the men’s team and Band 1 competitions).

Dan looks likely to move up the rating list when the points from Jersey are added in April.

The post Dan O’Connell Shines in Jersey appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

Newgy Industries is a US company that is well-known for producing high-quality table tennis robots. Newgy has their own factory in China and all their robots are exclusive to them – they aren’t sticking their logos on other Chinese robots. You can buy from Newgy via Amazon.

NEWGY ROBO-PONG 2040

Here’s everything you need to know about the Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 table tennis robot…

The Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 is a robot that is able to deliver every spin (except float/no spin) and can place the ball to one spot, or multiple spots on the table. The remote control gives the player control over the speed and frequency of ball delivery, and the oscillation of the robot head. It is identical in features to the Robo-Pong 1040 but has a different design and net to recycle the balls.

The following description comes directly from Newgy…

The Robo-Pong 2040 – great ping-pong robot to improve your game or for family fun! This model has analog controls to adjust ball speed, frequency and oscillation. Available spins: topspin, backspin, left sidespin, right sidespin, combination spin. Available shot selection: push, chop, serve, counter, lob, fast loop. Head angle adjustments: from low (serves) to high (lobs). The Robo-Pong 2040 includes Ball Thrower w/oscillation, Recycling Net System w/side nets to capture your returns and recycle the balls for non-stop action, Analog Control Panel, 4 Dozen 40mm Robo-Balls, Set-Up DVD and Training Manual.

And here’s a promotional video produced by Newgy highlighting the features of this robot.

This is a basic table tennis robot that is aimed at players looking to use a robot for developing simple stroke technique and regular footwork. It is also good for teaching beginners at clubs and schools.

THE REVIEW

The Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 table tennis robot is one of the older-style Newgy robots. It is analog instead of digital – and therefore doesn’t have any modern features such as a built-in memory for drills.

This is the cheapest Newgy robot with a design and net to recycle balls. This is quite a useful feature as it means you don’t have to spend loads of time collecting the balls and refilling the robot. Provided your aim is good you should be able to play against the robot forever!

It has the same oscillator functionality as the Robo-Pong 1040. This means it can move the ball around to eight different locations on the table, instead of being fixed to one spot like some cheaper robots. Unfortunately, it isn’t able to place the ball randomly like the newer 1050 and 2050 models.

All Newgy robots come with the easy-to-use rotating spin head. This makes it simple to choose between one of eight different types of spin by simply twisting the mechanism on the front of the robot. I like this way of selecting the spin as it can be changed really easily.

Another great feature of the Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 is the ability to practice receiving serves from it. You can angle the robot down so that it shoots the ball into its own side of the table. This is a really cool feature and it’s easy to position the robot and set the spin so that it is identical to receiving serves from the training partner. You can also angle it up to practice smashing against high balls.

The only negative when it comes to this robot is the possibility of “jamming”. Jamming refers to when a ball gets stuck in the robot and therefore it stops feeding. When this happens you need to go over and fix the issue, perhaps remove the ball, and then start again. Some Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 owners have complained of this problem. It isn’t serious, but it can be annoying.

Finally, I’m pleased to say that the Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 table tennis robot works well with both the old celluloid 40mm balls and the new plastic 40+ ones. For a while, I know a lot of players were worried that the new balls wouldn’t work in their robots due to the small increase in size – but they do. You can read our ball reviews here.

BUY THE ROBOT

You can buy the Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 from Amazon;

• Amazon.com: Available for $579 (roughly £400).

Or why not check out our favorite table tennis robot, the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050. The Robo-Pong 2050 is the top-of-the-range robot from Newgy. It is very reasonably priced and can do everything you might want from a table tennis robot.

• Amazon.co.uk: Available for £650. It is imported from the USA.
• Amazon.com: Much better value at $749 (roughly £500).
• Tabletennis11.com: Available for €890.00, with free shipping worldwide.

You might be interested in reading Ben’s popular article The Best Table Tennis Robots, which is available on his Expert Table Tennis blog. And don’t forget to check out all of our other Table Tennis Robot Reviews as well.

Have you used the Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 robot yourself? What did you think of it? Please share your experiences and leave a review below in the comments.

The post Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 Table Tennis Robot Review appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

Newgy Industries is a US company that is well-known for producing high-quality table tennis robots. Newgy has their own factory in China and all their robots are exclusive to them – they aren’t sticking their logos on other Chinese robots. You can buy from Newgy via Amazon.

NEWGY ROBO-PONG 1040

Here’s everything you need to know about the Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 table tennis robot…

The Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 is a tabletop robot that is able to deliver every spin (except float/no spin) and can place the ball to one spot, or multiple spots on the table. The remote control gives the player control over the speed and frequency of ball delivery, and the oscillation of the robot head.

The following description comes directly from Newgy…

The Robo-Pong 1040 – ping-pong robot to improve your game or for fun and fitness! This model has analog controls to adjust ball speed, frequency and oscillation. Available spins: topspin, backspin, left sidespin, right sidespin, combination spin. Available shot selection: push, chop, serve, counter, lob, fast loop. Head angle adjustments: from low (serves) to high (lobs). Position the robot anywhere on top of the table to get a variety of angles and trajectories. The Robo-Pong 1040 includes Ball Thrower w/oscillation, Ball Bucket with Extender Cage (holds approximately 200 balls for several minutes of non-stop play), Analog Control Panel, 4 Dozen 40mm Robo-Balls and Owner’s Manual.

And here’s a promotional video produced by Newgy highlighting the features of this robot.

This is a basic table tennis robot that is aimed at new players looking to use a robot for developing simple stroke technique and regular footwork.

THE REVIEW

The Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 table tennis robot is almost identical to the Robo-Pong 540. There are just two differences.

Firstly, the Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 has a ball basket extensions which means it is able to hold 200 table tennis balls instead of just 90. This is quite useful as it means you need to refill less often.

Secondly, the Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 has the oscillator functionality. This means it can move the ball around to eight different locations on the table, instead of being fixed to one spot like the Robo-Pong 540.

As the Robo-Pong 1040 is only a little more expensive than the Robo-Pong 540 I feel like it would be silly to buy the 540. You might as well pay a little extra and get the upgrade!

The Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 is small and portable. This makes it ideal if you are going to need to keep moving it between locations.

All Newgy robots come with the easy-to-use rotating spin head. This makes it simple to choose between one of eight different types of spin by simply twisting the mechanism on the front of the robot. I like this way of selecting the spin as it can be changed really easily.

One great bonus to this robot being able to sit on the table is that it means it can deliver balls from lots of different positions. Most robots are fixed and can only shoot out balls from the center of the table. With the Robo-Pong 1040, you can place the robot close to the net or right in the corner of the table.

Another great feature of the Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 is the ability to practice receiving serves from it. You can angle the robot down so that it shoots the ball into its own side of the table. This is a really cool feature and it’s easy to position the robot and set the spin so that it is identical to receiving serves from the training partner. You can also angle it up to practice smashing against high balls.

The only negative when it comes to this robot is the possibility of “jamming”. Jamming refers to when a ball gets stuck in the robot and therefore it stops feeding. When this happens you need to go over and fix the issue, perhaps remove the ball, and then start again. Some Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 owners have complained of this problem. It isn’t serious, but it can be annoying.

Finally, I’m pleased to say that the Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 table tennis robot works well with both the old celluloid 40mm balls and the new plastic 40+ ones. For a while, I know a lot of players were worried that the new balls wouldn’t work in their robots due to the small increase in size – but they do. You can read our ball reviews here.

BUY THE ROBOT

You can buy the Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 from Amazon;

• Amazon.com: Available for $329 (roughly £225).

Or why not check out our favorite table tennis robot, the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050. The Robo-Pong 2050 is the top-of-the-range robot from Newgy. It is very reasonably priced and can do everything you might want from a table tennis robot.

• Amazon.co.uk: Available for £650. It is imported from the USA.
• Amazon.com: Much better value at $749 (roughly £500).
• Tabletennis11.com: Available for €890.00, with free shipping worldwide.

You might be interested in reading Ben’s popular article The Best Table Tennis Robots, which is available on his Expert Table Tennis blog. And don’t forget to check out all of our other Table Tennis Robot Reviews as well.

Have you used the Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 robot yourself? What did you think of it? Please share your experiences and leave a review below in the comments.

The post Newgy Robo-Pong 1040 Table Tennis Robot Review appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

Newgy Industries is a US company that is well-known for producing high-quality table tennis robots. Newgy has their own factory in China and all their robots are exclusive to them – they aren’t sticking their logos on other Chinese robots. You can buy from Newgy via Amazon.

NEWGY ROBO-PONG 540

Here’s everything you need to know about the Newgy Robo-Pong 540 table tennis robot…

The Newgy Robo-Pong 540 is a tabletop robot that is able to deliver every spin (except float/no spin) and can place the ball to one spot on the table. The remote control gives the player control over the speed and frequency of ball delivery.

The following description comes directly from Newgy…

The Robo-Pong 540 – Newgy’s fun and easy-to-use ping-pong robot. This model has analog controls to adjust ball speed and frequency. Available spins: topspin, backspin, left sidespin, right sidespin, combination spin. Available shot selection: push, chop, serve, counter, lob, fast loop. Head angle adjustments: from low (serves) to high (lobs). Position the robot anywhere on top of the table to get a variety of angles and trajectories. The Robo-Pong 540 includes Ball Thrower, Ball Bucket (holds approximately 120 balls for several minutes of non-stop play), Analog Control Box, 4 Dozen 40mm Robo-Balls and Owner’s Manual.

And here’s a promotional video produced by Newgy highlighting the features of this robot.

This is a basic table tennis robot that is aimed at new players looking to use a robot for developing simple stroke technique.

THE REVIEW

The Newgy Robo-Pong 540 table tennis robot is small and portable. This makes it ideal if you are going to need to keep moving it between locations.

All Newgy robots come with the easy-to-use rotating spin head. This makes it simple to choose between one of eight different types of spin by simply twisting the mechanism on the front of the robot. I like this way of selecting the spin as it can be changed really easily.

One great bonus to this robot being able to sit on the table is that it means it can deliver balls from lots of different positions. Most robots are fixed and can only shoot out balls from the center of the table. With the Robo-Pong 540, you can place the robot close to the net or right in the corner of the table.

Another great feature of the Newgy Robo-Pong 540 is the ability to practice receiving serves from it. You can angle the robot down so that it shoots the ball into its own side of the table. This is a really cool feature and it’s easy to position the robot and set the spin so that it is identical to receiving serves from the training partner. You can also angle it up to practice smashing against high balls.

The only negative when it comes to this robot is the possibility of “jamming”. Jamming refers to when a ball gets stuck in the robot and therefore it stops feeding. When this happens you need to go over and fix the issue, perhaps remove the ball, and then start again. Some Newgy Robo-Pong 540 owners have complained of this problem. It isn’t serious, but it can be annoying.

Finally, I’m pleased to say that the Newgy Robo-Pong 540 table tennis robot works well with both the old celluloid 40mm balls and the new plastic 40+ ones. For a while, I know a lot of players were worried that the new balls wouldn’t work in their robots due to the small increase in size – but they do. You can read our ball reviews here.

BUY THE ROBOT

You can buy the Newgy Robo-Pong 540 from Amazon or Tabletennis11.com;

• Amazon.co.uk: Available for £199.99, with Donic branding.
• Amazon.com: Available for $279 (roughly £200).
• Tabletennis11.com: Available for €295, with free shipping worldwide.

Or why not check out our favorite table tennis robot, the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050. The Robo-Pong 2050 is the top-of-the-range robot from Newgy. It is very reasonably priced and can do everything you might want from a table tennis robot.

• Amazon.co.uk: Available for £650. It is imported from the USA.
• Amazon.com: Much better value at $749 (roughly £500).
• Tabletennis11.com: Available for €890.00, with free shipping worldwide.

You might be interested in reading Ben’s popular article The Best Table Tennis Robots, which is available on his Expert Table Tennis blog. And don’t forget to check out all of our other Table Tennis Robot Reviews as well.

Have you used the Newgy Robo-Pong 540 robot yourself? What did you think of it? Please share your experiences and leave a review below in the comments.

The post Newgy Robo-Pong 540 Table Tennis Robot Review appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

iPong is a US brand that specializes in producing low-cost, tabletop table tennis robots. iPong robots are sometimes rebranded as “Joola Buddy”. iPong robots are made in China.

IPONG V200

Here’s everything you need to know about the iPong V200 table tennis robot…

The iPong V200 has some advanced features. It is able to produce two different types of spin (topspin and backspin). It can hold over 100 table tennis balls, which is a lot more than the iPong Mini or Expert. It also gives you the ability to change the frequency of ball delivery.

The iPong V200 will replace the iPong Original.

The following description comes directly from iPong…

The iPong Pro V200 combines everything you love about the original iPong. This quality table tennis practice partner comes in a radiant green color and provides a world-class workout. With the remote, players can set their own pace, from a casual to blistering ball feed, without having to leave their side of the table! There is no more waiting for a practice partner. This compact machine is more like a live opponent than a playback feature, and it can continuously shoot more than 100 balls before reloading.

This is a basic table tennis robot that is aimed at new players looking to use a robot for developing simple stroke technique.

THE REVIEW

The iPong V200 table tennis robot is small and lightweight. It is made of plastic and designed to be super portable.

I think it’s best to say right from the start that this is a fairly cheap robot. Some robots, like the Butterfly Amicus Professional, cost close to $2,000! The iPong V200 is on sale for $150. Therefore, you can’t really expect the two robots to be anywhere near comparable.

However, if you are looking for something simple, and don’t want to spend loads of money, the iPong V200 could be a very good option.

I like that it is big enough to be able to hold a decent number of balls. Nobody wants to have to keep stopping to refill the robot every 30 seconds. I also really like that it can produce both topspin and backspin balls. Learning to loop against backspin is one of the best uses of a training robot – as it’s difficult to find beginners you can chop or push backspin consistently. I personally would always advise players to buy a robot with the ability to create backspin balls.

The iPong V200 is also a great way to “test the waters” when it comes to training with a robot. If you find you enjoy it, and you keep up the motivation to practice, then you can always upgrade for a fancier robot. If you decide training with a robot isn’t for you, or you lose interest – at least you haven’t wasted too much money!

Finally, I’m pleased to say that the iPong V200 table tennis robot works well with both the old celluloid 40mm balls and the new plastic 40+ ones. For a while, I know a lot of players were worried that the new balls wouldn’t work in their robots due to the small increase in size – but they do. You can read our ball reviews here.

BUY THE ROBOT

You can buy the iPong V200 from Megaspin.

• Megaspin.net: Buy the iPong V200 for $150.

Or why not check out our favorite table tennis robot, the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050. The Robo-Pong 2050 is the top-of-the-range robot from US company Newgy. It is very reasonably priced and can do everything you might want from a table tennis robot.

• Amazon.com: The best value at $749 (roughly £500).
• Amazon.co.uk: Available for £650. It is imported from the USA.
• Tabletennis11.com: Available for €890.00, with free shipping worldwide.

You might be interested in reading Ben’s popular article The Best Table Tennis Robots, which is available on his Expert Table Tennis blog. And don’t forget to check out all of our other Table Tennis Robot Reviews as well.

Have you used the iPong V200 robot yourself? What did you think of it? Please share your experiences and leave a review below in the comments.

The post iPong V200 Table Tennis Robot Review appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

iPong is a US brand that specializes in producing low-cost, tabletop table tennis robots. iPong robots are sometimes rebranded as “Joola Buddy”. iPong robots are made in China.

IPONG V100

Here’s everything you need to know about the iPong V100 table tennis robot…

The iPong V100 is a very basic table tennis robot. As the name suggests it is only able to produce topspin balls. This is an improvement to the iPong Mini and iPong Expert that produce only no-spin balls, however. The iPong V100 is also considerably bigger and can hold up to 100 table tennis balls.

The iPong V100 will replace the iPong Topspin.

The following description comes directly from iPong…

Learn table tennis the right way with the iPong V100 Table Tennis Ball Robot. This robot is ideal for beginners and anyone looking to hit against a consistent shot. Fitting to its name, the iPong Pro V100 shoots out customizable V100 balls so that you can master your table tennis skills. Just use the wired remote to get your desired spin. There’s no more waiting for a practice partner to be available. This compact iPong V100 Table Tennis Ball machine is more like a live opponent rather than a playback feature since you can adjust the shots as much as you want, and it can continuously shoot more than 100 table tennis balls before reloading. Simply set the machine up on the opposite side of the table, take the remote, and hit back the serves.

This is a basic table tennis robot that is aimed at new players looking to use a robot for developing simple stroke technique.

THE REVIEW

The iPong V100 table tennis robot is small and lightweight. It is made of plastic and designed to be super portable.

I think it’s best to say right from the start that this is a very cheap robot. Some robots, like the Butterfly Amicus Professional, cost close to $2,000! The iPong Topspin is on sale for $60. Therefore, you can’t really expect the two robots to be anywhere near comparable.

There is a lot the iPong V100 can’t do. Any serious player will probably struggle to get a lot of use from this robot. However, if you are a recreational player looking for something fun to use to entertain the kids, then the iPong V100 could be perfect. It’s cheap enough that everyone can afford it.

I would probably advise the iPong V100 over the Mini or Expert models because it is quite useful to have the ball coming at you with topspin on them, instead of no-spin. The iPong V100 is also able to hold a decent number of balls. So you don’t need to stop a refill quite as often.

iPong does have some more advanced table tennis robots that you should check out if you are looking for something quite cheap, but with a few more features. The iPong V300 is the best model. You can find more information on those here.

Finally, I’m pleased to say that the iPong V100 table tennis robot works well with both the old celluloid 40mm balls and the new plastic 40+ ones. For a while, I know a lot of players were worried that the new balls wouldn’t work in their robots due to the small increase in size – but they do. You can read our ball reviews here.

BUY THE ROBOT

You can buy the iPong V100 from Megaspin.

• Megaspin.net: The iPong V100 retails for $60.

Or why not check out our favorite table tennis robot, the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050. The Robo-Pong 2050 is the top-of-the-range robot from US company Newgy. It is very reasonably priced and can do everything you might want from a table tennis robot.

• Amazon.com: The best value at $749 (roughly £500).
• Amazon.co.uk: Available for £650. It is imported from the USA.
• Tabletennis11.com: Available for €890.00, with free shipping worldwide.

You might be interested in reading Ben’s popular article The Best Table Tennis Robots, which is available on his Expert Table Tennis blog. And don’t forget to check out all of our other Table Tennis Robot Reviews as well.

Have you used the iPong V100 robot yourself? What did you think of it? Please share your experiences and leave a review below in the comments.

The post iPong V100 Table Tennis Robot Review appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

iPong is a US brand that specializes in producing low-cost, tabletop table tennis robots. iPong robots are sometimes rebranded as “Joola Buddy”. iPong robots are made in China.

IPONG PRO

Here’s everything you need to know about the iPong Pro table tennis robot…

The iPong Pro has a number of advanced features. It is able to produce two different types of spin (topspin and backspin). It can hold up to 110 table tennis balls, which is a lot more than the iPong Mini or Expert. It also gives you the ability to change the frequency of ball delivery. And it has an oscillation feature for changing the ball placement.

The following description comes directly from iPong…

The iPong Pro is the perfect training robot for practicing advanced strokes without a partner. With quick and simple assembly, get ready to play table tennis in seconds! It holds up to 110 balls and casts at an adjustable frequency ranging from 12 to 70 balls per minute. With the wired remote control, ball frequency, spin control, and oscillation are easily adjustable from your end of the table. Choose between topspin and underspin, set your own pace, adjust the oscillation to a comfortable setting and start training like a champion! This simple, affordable, and fun table tennis robot brings recreational table tennis to a new and higher level of competitive play.

And here’s a promotional video from iPong…

This is a basic table tennis robot that is aimed at new players looking to use a robot for developing simple stroke technique.

THE REVIEW

The iPong Pro table tennis robot is small and lightweight. It is made of plastic and designed to be super portable.

I think it’s best to say right from the start that this is a fairly cheap robot. Some robots, like the Butterfly Amicus Professional, cost close to $2,000! The iPong Pro is on sale for less than $100. Therefore, you can’t really expect the two robots to be anywhere near comparable.

However, if you are looking for something simple, and don’t want to spend loads of money, the iPong Pro could be a very good option.

I like that it is big enough to be able to hold a decent number of balls. Nobody wants to have to keep stopping to refill the robot every 30 seconds. I also really like that it can produce both topspin and backspin balls. Learning to loop against backspin is one of the best uses of a training robot – as it’s difficult to find beginners you can chop or push backspin consistently. I personally would always advise players to buy a robot with the ability to create backspin balls.

The iPong Pro is also a great way to “test the waters” when it comes to training with a robot. If you find you enjoy it, and you keep up the motivation to practice, then you can always upgrade for a fancier robot. If you decide training with a robot isn’t for you, or you lose interest – at least you haven’t wasted too much money!

The only complaint I have heard regarding the iPong Pro is that it has a tendency to jam. This stops the flow of balls and can be rather frustrating. I believe it might be linked to the oscillation feature. Perhaps the simple iPong robot struggles to deal with so many features!

Finally, I’m pleased to say that the iPong Pro table tennis robot works well with both the old celluloid 40mm balls and the new plastic 40+ ones. For a while, I know a lot of players were worried that the new balls wouldn’t work in their robots due to the small increase in size – but they do. You can read our ball reviews here.

The iPong Pro is a bit dated now. It has since been replaced by the iPong V300. From what I can tell the newest iPong V300 doesn’t suffer with the same jamming issues. It has been improved significantly.

BUY THE ROBOT

You can buy the iPong Pro from Amazon or Megaspin.

• Amazon.com: Buy the iPong Pro for $70.
• Megaspin.net: Buy the iPong Pro for $99.

Or why not check out our favorite table tennis robot, the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050. The Robo-Pong 2050 is the top-of-the-range robot from US company Newgy. It is very reasonably priced and can do everything you might want from a table tennis robot.

• Amazon.com: The best value at $749 (roughly £500).
• Amazon.co.uk: Available for £650. It is imported from the USA.
• Tabletennis11.com: Available for €890.00, with free shipping worldwide.

You might be interested in reading Ben’s popular article The Best Table Tennis Robots, which is available on his Expert Table Tennis blog. And don’t forget to check out all of our other Table Tennis Robot Reviews as well.

Have you used the iPong Pro robot yourself? What did you think of it? Please share your experiences and leave a review below in the comments.

The post iPong Pro Table Tennis Robot Review appeared first on Equipment Junkie.

iPong is a US brand that specializes in producing low-cost, tabletop table tennis robots. iPong robots are sometimes rebranded as “Joola Buddy”. iPong robots are made in China.

IPONG ORIGINAL

Here’s everything you need to know about the iPong Original table tennis robot…

The iPong Original has some advanced features. It is able to produce two different types of spin (topspin and backspin). It can hold up to 110 table tennis balls, which is a lot more than the iPong Mini or Expert. It also gives you the ability to change the frequency of ball delivery.

The following description comes directly from iPong…

The iPong Original is the perfect training robot for practicing without a partner. With quick and simple assembly, get ready to play table tennis in seconds! It holds up to 110 balls and casts at an adjustable frequency ranging from 12 to 70 balls per minute. With the wired remote control, ball frequency and spin control are easily adjustable from your end of the table. The possibilities are endless, from playing with friends to playing solo, eliminating the need to fold up the other half the table. Choose between topspin and underspin, set your own pace, and start training like a champion! This simple, affordable, and fun table tennis robot brings recreational table tennis to a new and higher level of competitive play.

And here’s a promotional video from iPong…

This is a basic table tennis robot that is aimed at new players looking to use a robot for developing simple stroke technique.

THE REVIEW

The iPong Original table tennis robot is small and lightweight. It is made of plastic and designed to be super portable.

I think it’s best to say right from the start that this is a fairly cheap robot. Some robots, like the Butterfly Amicus Professional, cost close to $2,000! The iPong Original is on sale for less than $100. Therefore, you can’t really expect the two robots to be anywhere near comparable.

However, if you are looking for something simple, and don’t want to spend loads of money, the iPong Original could be a very good option.

I like that it is big enough to be able to hold a decent number of balls. Nobody wants to have to keep stopping to refill the robot every 30 seconds. I also really like that it can produce both topspin and backspin balls. Learning to loop against backspin is one of the best uses of a training robot – as it’s difficult to find beginners you can chop or push backspin consistently. I personally would always advise players to buy a robot with the ability to create backspin balls.

The iPong Original is also a great way to “test the waters” when it comes to training with a robot. If you find you enjoy it, and you keep up the motivation to practice, then you can always upgrade for a fancier robot. If you decide training with a robot isn’t for you, or you lose interest – at least you haven’t wasted too much money!

Finally, I’m pleased to say that the iPong Original table tennis robot works well with both the old celluloid 40mm balls and the new plastic 40+ ones. For a while, I know a lot of players were worried that the new balls wouldn’t work in their robots due to the small increase in size – but they do. You can read our ball reviews here.

The iPong Original is a bit dated now. It has since been replaced by the iPong V200.

BUY THE ROBOT

You can buy the iPong Original from Amazon.

• Amazon.com: Buy the iPong Original for $85.

Or why not check out our favorite table tennis robot, the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050. The Robo-Pong 2050 is the top-of-the-range robot from US company Newgy. It is very reasonably priced and can do everything you might want from a table tennis robot.

• Amazon.com: The best value at $749 (roughly £500).
• Amazon.co.uk: Available for £650. It is imported from the USA.
• Tabletennis11.com: Available for €890.00, with free shipping worldwide.

You might be interested in reading Ben’s popular article The Best Table Tennis Robots, which is available on his Expert Table Tennis blog. And don’t forget to check out all of our other Table Tennis Robot Reviews as well.

Have you used the iPong Original robot yourself? What did you think of it? Please share your experiences and leave a review below in the comments.

The post iPong Original Table Tennis Robot Review appeared first on Equipment Junkie.