Jugs Lite Flite Machine

Was looking to get the Jugs Lite Flite machine. What are pros and cons for this machine? Any good prices out there if so please post the website.

If you're hunting the used market, look for the First Practice Fencebuster machine, too. It's the same machine as the Jugs LF, and can often be found at a lower price.

At moderate and higher speeds, the rapid backspin on the light ball caused by the small wheel makes the flight trajectory not quite right for hitting. However, I have used the LF machine frequently for blocking work with catchers. It's also good for fly ball work with young players. The foam balls are a little less scary than real softballs.

Eric F said:

If you're hunting the used market, look for the First Practice Fencebuster machine, too. It's the same machine as the Jugs LF, and can often be found at a lower price.

At moderate and higher speeds, the rapid backspin on the light ball caused by the small wheel makes the flight trajectory not quite right for hitting. However, I have used the LF machine frequently for blocking work with catchers. It's also good for fly ball work with young players. The foam balls are a little less scary than real softballs.

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Eric thanks for the idea on using the Lite Flight balls for blocking drills. DD is also a catcher and I feel bad for her at times when getting beat up while doing higher velocity blocking drills.

The major pro for the Lite Flite is that the lighter balls allow you to use the machine indoors without a cage. So if you're in a gym or even in a basement you can avoid damaging walls, windows and such. You just have to make sure it's close enough to the hitter that it doesn't cause the ball to rise, which it can do as pointed out earlier. It would be a must-have for every team if riseballs actually did what so many people seem to think they do.

Another plus for the Lite Flite is that it's cheaper than a wheel machine. Pretty easy to cart around and set up too.

Negative (other than the rising path) is the ball loses a lot of speed over a full pitching distance. So you have to set it up closer to the hitter to make it more realistic, which can be a bit dangerous for the feeder. The wheel also tends to grind the Lite Flite balls so you end up with lots of yellow-green dust as the end of a session.

Team last year used the LF machine for hitting over the winter. While I think the concept was good, the machine was too close to the batter that is seemed like it messed up their timing. The pros were its portability and foam balls.

I would avoid this machine if possible. I am an equipment junkie and I would not spend the money on this.

Buy the light flight balls and a Bownet pitch through net. Liteflights are fun and easy to pitch and they will break nice. You will get better results imho.

^^^^^ This. The balls float badly when the machine launches them. I had this machine a few years back. Sold the machine and kept the balls. Also had/have other machines and my advice is:

I'd avoid the temptation to buy any machine in favor of doing what WW suggested.

Think I will hold off getting this machine unless I come across a good deal. Appreciate the comments.

Anybody use the jugs small ball pitching machine? Wasn't looking for one but just happened to run into a guy who is selling one as his DD is off to college. Thought about buying it but looking for opinions. Probably would use this in my basement.

DiamondDad316 said:

Anybody use the jugs small ball pitching machine? Wasn't looking for one but just happened to run into a guy who is selling one as his DD is off to college. Thought about buying it but looking for opinions. Probably would use this in my basement.

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Yes. Hated it. No method to time the ball before it shot out. You could literally see mechanics erode by the pitch. No speed control. It was either too fast or if you moved it back it dropped too much.

I bought a sandlot slugger that shot golf whiffles. Had a light to warn you of the impending pitch. I loved hitting off that thing! My dd's hated it. It was the best of the small ball type machines and we didn't use it.

About the LiteFlite, I really want to say that some smart people found good use for them and detailed it above. I hate that I Had to diss it for hitting. I'm glad there there are good uses for it if one is already available.