Jugs Small-Ball Pitching Machine

I bought this to use primarily with my son who is almost 6 and we have a blast together. When his cousins come over they want to use it too. We haven't really used it for hitting but more for ground balls, line drives, and fly balls. I ended up coaching his team and this machine is by far the easiest and most efficient way to get the entire team meaningful fielding reps that translate to gameday success. They don't fear the foam balls and if they can track and catch a ball that small it's easy when it comes time to track the a much larger baseball in a game. The machine itself is very well built, high quality parts, and it looks and feels like it will last decades with proper care and storage.*Update - 2 and a half years later we've definitely benefited huge from this machine! We've used it almost exclusively for fielding. Older son is now 8 and he's pretty much a vacuum cleaner in the field and has great ball tracking skills at the plate. Younger son is 5 and it's helping him track the ball and not be afraid of the ball at an early age. The machine is still in great shape and looks new except for the wheels which I just ordered replacement parts directly from Jugs. I spoke to the Jugs service department and they told me how to take the machine apart, replace the wheels, and put it back together. I'm sure it will be a cinch and if not I'll call them again and they'll walk me through it.

I have a young son that loves anything sports. Although it is a bit much to spend (in my opinion) for a b-day present, I figured I would bite the bullet since he and his brother seem to have a lot of years of baseball ahead of them. This arrived right on time and was very well packed. We unboxed it and put it right to work. The balls will travel quite a ways but are quite soft...thankfully. Grandma found out the hard way when my 7 yr old lined one back at her face. It left a red mark but she insisted she was fine. All in all, my kids love it and now I have a few of their friends asking to use it as well. It is a lot of fun and even Dad gets to use it sometimes. It is a great trainer but I would suggest getting an additional bucket of balls. The machine only comes with 3 or 4 balls and that won't get you very far. We have been very diligent about keeping track of them even though I bought the bucket and have still lost one of them.

Great machine and I’d suggest buying it for anyone that has kids in little league baseball. Also the whole family really does have fun using it. We’ve taken it out during a few parties and everyone has fun hitting on it. Balls are a pain to chase but I’d definitely get the lime green ones as they are easier to see in the grass. Why the machine comes with 3 white balls seems pointless. They should include at least 25 at a minimum. I would say that’s my only knock to the product.

I purchased this machine after looking at a ton of different machines and I am glad I did. It is "jugs" quality which is a good thing and it a resonable investment for my 10 year old son. The machine is made of mostly metal - other than the cord, plastic tube, and rollers. It has been a lot of fun. It only came with 3 balls so you will need/want more.I followed Uncle_Punks recommendation and bought the Intech balls. They are ok, but spend the extra and get the jugs balls. They are much more dense and will deliver a more consistant pitch experience. The Intech balls will start fast out of the machine and slow considerably as they travel due to their light weight. On the advanced setting, they actually might flutter a bit due to the force they are shot out.We've used the machine in the house (long hallway), garage, and just recently, outside. I am 48 and love to bat these balls. My sons (10 & 17) have enjoyed it too. It is a challenge at the recommended 20 feet to hit, solidly the balls when they are coming at the normal rate. At the advanced rate, it is even more so. I have noticed a better swing and more consistant contact for my 10 year old.There are none of these on CraigsList in my area. If I take care of it, I bet I can use it for 3 or so years and then sell it for 70-80% of what I paid for it. Much better than a video game, legos, etc!I wish I lived in a warmer climate so I could enjoy it outside more often. The jugs ball jump off the bat and it is fun to play home-run derby.

No regrets on this purchase. Affordable way for 8-yr old son to get lots of batting practice at home when no one is available to pitch to him. The balls are soft (wont dent your car or break windows) but they still fly pretty far when hit solidly. Only cons I can think of is that is slightly more erratic than I would like. Some variety is good, but it definitely throws some outside the strike zone. Also you cannot change the speed it throws. There are just 4 pitch types you choose between. They recommend moving the machine back farther from the batter if you want to simulate a slower pitch. That does work, but each time you move the machine you have to work on re-aiming it... so its not easy to vary the speed from pitch to pitch. Still love it though. Especially at this price point.