Tired of picking up table tennis balls? I sure am! My back just hurts thinking about it! Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: table tennis ball catch nets. For those of you who are not familiar, I’ll cover what exactly they are and recommend the top models you can currently buy.
| Image | Name | Dimensions | Buy | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
JOOLA iPong Table Tennis Ball Catch Net | 66" L x 28" W x 18" H | CHECK PRICE | Budget |
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Yaegoo Table Tennis Ball Catch Net | 66" L x 28" W x 18" H | CHECK PRICE | Budget |
|
Butterfly Collection Net 1 | ~66" L x ~18" W x 24" H | CHECK PRICE | Premium |
|
Butterfly Collection Net 2 | 17" L x ~89" W x 48" H | CHECK PRICE | Premium |
 |
JOOLA Rolling Table Tennis Ball Catch Net | 21.7" L x 69" W x 60" H | CHECK PRICE | Intermediate |
Table of Contents
What is a Table Tennis Ball Catch Net?
A table tennis ball catch net is a court add-on that helps to enhance training. You use it for exercises where you only play one shot before using another ball (players who play alone will make great use of it). The main exercises that come to mind are:
- Multi-ball training
- Robot training
- Service training
Without a ball catch net, all of the balls you strike end up on the floor and before long you have to pick them up. It’s an annoying process, so a capture net comes in handy. It significantly minimizes the number of balls you have to pick up which means you can spend more time on the drill itself. Nearly all table tennis practice nets even have a funnel area in the middle. This allows you to recycle balls back into a robot or bucket so there’s no delay to the action!
Table Tennis Ball Catch Net Buyer’s Guide
Fitted vs Non-Fitted
There are two types of table tennis ball catchers. Fitted and non-fitted. Fitted nets attach directly to the table. This makes them very secure. They also wrap around right up to the edges of the actual table net so they are very effective at capturing wide balls. Non-fitted table tennis catch nets, on the other hand, do not attach to the table. They instead sit behind the table tennis table. As they are further away they need to be wider and taller, otherwise, they will fail to consistently catch balls.
Assembly & Disassembly
This leads nicely on from fitted and non-fitted nets. While both require initial assembly, non-fitted table tennis ball catchers generally do not need disassembling. They are instead stored ready for your next session. Most usually have wheels to make this process hassle-free. Fitted nets, on the other hand, need disassembling when you are finished with your training (provided you want to play with a partner next time/be able to fold up your table). The process is pretty quick and easy as there are not too many parts.
Size
Bigger table tennis training nets are more effective at capturing balls. You’ll tend to find fitted nets are around the same size as one another, while non-fitted nets vary a little more. As mentioned earlier, non-fitted nets have to be wider and taller to ensure they capture most of the balls.
Our Favorite Ping Pong Catch Nets
JOOLA iPong Table Tennis Ball Catch Net
Specifications
- Type: Fitted
- Size: 66″ L x 28″ W x 18″ H
- Weight: 4lbs
Pros
- Amazon Choice product
- Trusted table tennis brand
- Reasonably priced
- 1-year warranty
Cons
- Takes a little while to assemble & disassemble
- Balls often ricochet off of metal pipes
- The collection area should be more slanted
One of the top ping pong practice nets is the iPong net. It comes packed in a very small box and setting it up can be a little challenging —if you need help check out the video below. As it is a fitted catch net, it has four clamps that affix it to the table. The best thing to love about this catch net is its price. It’s far cheaper than Butterfly’s offerings and is pretty effective at capturing balls. The main issue it has is the tendency for balls to ricochet off of the metal frame.
This is an overlooked design flaw that they could have easily remedied which is a bit of a shame. However, this issue is not unique to the iPong net, and you can always buy some foam tubing to eliminate the problem. I also always recommend buying a ball collector so that you can quickly retrieve the balls that the collection net failed to capture.
Yaegoo Table Tennis Ball Catch Net
Specifications
- Type: Fitted
- Size: 66″ L x 28″ W x 18″ H
- Weight: <5.5lbs
Pros
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Take a little while to assemble & disassemble
- Balls sometimes ricochet off of metal pipes
Next up is another fitted collection net. This model is by Yaegoo — an unknown brand in the table tennis space. However, we are pretty satisfied with the quality of this collection net. It provides a lot of value for money and there’s not much to complain about. It does have a little issue with balls ricocheting away because of the metal bar, but not really as much as the iPong net.
Butterfly Collection Net 1
Specifications
- Type: Fitted
- Size: ~66″ L x ~18″ W x 24″ H
- Weight: Unlisted
Pros
- Trusted table tennis brand
- Very effective at capturing balls
Cons
- Take a little while to assemble & disassemble
- Expensive
For Butterfly’s first net we have the Collection Net 1. It’s no surprise that it’s more expensive than JOOLA’s, but for more than three times the cost, even we have to say we are a little surprised. It is, however, more effective at capturing balls. This is due to the vertical metal pipes being slanted into the back of the net. However, we feel it’s hard to justify such a high price tag. One to avoid unless you are well-off.
Butterfly Collection Net 2
Specifications
- Type: Non-fitted
- Size: 17″ L x ~89″ W x 48″ H
- Weight: Unlisted
Pros
- Trusted table tennis brand
- No disassembly required
- Easy to maneuver
- Minimal ball ricocheting
Cons
- Not great at capturing wide balls
- No funnel to collect balls
- Expensive
For our second Butterfly capture net, we have a non-fixed model. The Butterfly Collection Net 2 is a much wider net than those we have previously included at 89″ wide. While it’s very effective at capturing central balls, it is not so great at capturing wide balls. This is because the net does not wrap around the table like the other models. Therefore it’s best used for drills where you don’t vary your placement all that much.
A benefit of purchasing this collection net is the ease of use. It’s on wheels so it’s easy to move around, and you also don’t need to disassemble it. Just store it out of sight, out of mind.
JOOLA Rolling Table Tennis Ball Catch Net
Specifications
- Type: Non-fitted
- Size: 21.7″ L x 69″ W x 60″ H
- Weight: <18lbs
Pros
- Trusted table tennis brand
- No disassembly required
- Easy to maneuver
Cons
- Balls consistently ricochet off of metal pipes
- Not great at capturing wide balls
- Expensive
We were unsure as to whether to include this model as we were very let down by how ineffective it was at capturing balls, but ultimately decide to include it as you can turn it into perhaps the best net.
The biggest issue the JOOLA Rolling net has is its 5 metal bars which span right across the middle of the net. This is a far easier target to hit than the other nets which only have two vertical bars at the sides. As a result, tonnes of balls ricochet out of the net which you have to pick up. Frankly, it’s a sloppy oversight on JOOLA’s part.
To combat this, you can use the solution we mentioned earlier. By attaching foam tubing to the bars, far more balls will stay in. It’s not a perfect solution, but a huge upgrade in our opinion. Of course, you may not want to spend extra on this net given it’s already pretty pricey. However, if you’re after a maneuverable net that is easy to store then this catch net may be your best bet. It is easy to move around due to its wheeled base like the Butterfly Collection Net 2, but unlike that model, it’s a folding catch net for table tennis. It folds to just 21.7″ L x 32″ W x 74″ H.
Conclusion
So there you have it, table tennis ball catch nets are great additions to your table that can help to enhance your training. While I’d be happy with any capture net on this list (I’d add foam tubing to a lot of models), there is one net in particular that I’d choose about the rest and that is the iPong catch net. The reason for this is the price — plain and simple. Spending over a hundred dollars on a ball catcher just doesn’t seem worthwhile to me. The iPong may not be perfect, but it certainly does the job, and its value is too good to overlook.
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Warren Davies
