Pickleball Tutor Plus Review
Consensus score
The Tutor Plus exists because of a naming problem. The Tutor Spin sounds like it does topspin. It does not. The Plus is the Tutor that actually does, with a single dial that sweeps from topspin through flat to backspin, a 65 mph top speed, and the best warranty in the business at three years. At $1,319 it is a genuinely good machine with one awkward habit: everything you assumed was included costs extra. Do the remote math before you fall in love.
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The consensus verdict
Best for
Tutor loyalists who need real spin. If you already trust Sports Tutor, want the fastest ball in the class, and value a 3-year warranty over a bundled remote, the Plus is your machine. It is also meaningfully lighter than the Lobster options.
Not for
Anyone who has not done the add-on math. A Plus with the wireless remote is $1,519, and at that number the Lobster pickle two, remote and 2-line oscillation included, is $80 more. If the remote matters to you, price both before deciding.
Consensus 81/100 · Very Good
Weighted from retailer listings, comparison roundups (including an Oct 2026 analysis of remote pricing across brands), and Sports Tutor's spec pages. Real topspin and the warranty are the consensus strengths; the add-on pricing structure is the consensus knock.
Specs
| MSRP | ~$1,319 (remote, 2-line, elevation all extra) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 27 lbs (AC model) / 34 lbs (battery model) |
| Ball capacity | 110 pickleballs |
| Ball speed | 10–65 mph (fastest claimed in class) |
| Ball feed | Every 1 to 10 seconds |
| Spin | Topspin and backspin, single dial |
| Oscillation | Random included; 2-line oscillation $200 add-on |
| Elevation | Manual; electronic elevation $100 add-on |
| Battery | Rechargeable, up to 4 hours; AC model also available |
| Remote | Two-button wireless remote $200 add-on (feed and oscillation only) |
| Origin | Made in USA |
| Warranty | 3 years, best in class |
Specs from Sports Tutor and retailer listings. Add-on prices from current retailer option sheets; confirm at purchase since bundles change.
What reviewers agree on
Strengths
- The topspin is real this time. One dial, topspin through flat to backspin, and it is the entire reason this machine exists. If you play against heavy topspin drives and backspin drops, this is the Tutor that prepares you for both.
- Fastest ball in the class. Sixty-five mph on the spec sheet, and while nobody needs that for dinks, headroom matters when you are grooving drive returns. Nothing else near this price claims more.
- The warranty is the industry's best. Three years versus two everywhere else. Sports Tutor has built machines for decades, and the warranty reads like a company that expects to honor it.
- Lighter than the Lobster crowd. Twenty-seven to thirty-four pounds with a handle and towing wheels. If the machine rides in your trunk daily, you will feel the difference against a 42-pound Lobster every single time.
Weaknesses & caveats
- The remote math is brutal. Two hundred dollars for a remote that only toggles feed and oscillation. Lobster includes a ten-function remote free. A recent comparison worked the numbers: once you add the remote, the "cheaper" Tutor is $1,519, and the value story inverts.
- Everything is an add-on. Two-line oscillation $200, electronic elevation $100, remote $200. The sticker says $1,319. The machine you actually want is $1,619 and up. Price the configuration, not the headline.
- Smaller hopper than the Lobsters. One hundred ten balls versus 125 on the pickle line. Fifteen balls does not sound like much until you are reloading mid-drill for the third time.
- The pickle two looms. At $1,599 with remote, 2-line, electronic elevation, and an 8-hour battery all included, Lobster's step-up makes the fully loaded Plus look expensive. The Plus wins on weight and warranty. It loses on the invoice.
Synthesized from retailer listings, comparison reviews, and Sports Tutor spec pages. How we rank →
Who it's for
Who it's for
- You want real topspin from a Tutor and nothing else will do
- The 3-year warranty matters more to you than a bundled remote
- You carry the machine daily and every pound counts
Who should skip it
- You want a remote. Add $200, then compare against the pickle two
- You want 2-line drills out of the box. That is another $200 here
- You are cross-shopping on total price, not sticker price
The value question
Here is the whole review in one paragraph of arithmetic. The Plus is $1,319. The remote you will want is $200, making $1,519. The Lobster pickle two is $1,599 with a ten-function remote, 2-line oscillation, electronic elevation, and twice the battery already in the box. That is an $80 gap for a meaningfully better-equipped machine. The Plus still wins for buyers who prize the lighter frame and the 3-year warranty, and it wins outright on sale. But at list price with the remote added, the smart money keeps walking past it to the Lobster. Buy the machine, not the sticker.
Where to buy
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← Best ball machines by price tier · Lobster the Pickle review · Pickle Two review · Erne review
Pickleball Tutor Plus FAQs
Plus vs Spin: which Tutor?
The Plus does genuine topspin and backspin; the Spin does sidespin only. About $200 apart. If topspin practice is the goal, the Plus is the one.
Is the $200 remote worth it?
It only controls feed on/off and oscillation on/off. Worth it if you hate walking to the machine; hard to swallow when competitors include more remote free.
AC or battery model?
Same price. Battery runs up to four hours and goes anywhere; AC never dies. Battery model is about 7 pounds heavier.