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Best Batting Tees

Updated September 2021
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Jugs 5-Point Hitting Tee
Jugs
5-Point Hitting Tee
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Bottom Line

Interesting design that goes well beyond the standard hitting tee.

Pros

Base has 5 posts positions, allowing you to work on hitting in different contact zones. Works great for advanced hitting drills for experienced players. Lightweight and comes apart for easy transport.

Cons

Very expensive. Design is more extensive than what young players need.

Best Bang for the Buck
Franklin Sports MLB Heavy-Duty Batting Tee
Franklin Sports
MLB Heavy-Duty Batting Tee
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Bottom Line

A low-priced batting tee that comes with some user-friendly features as well as the possibility for a few quality and durability issues.

Pros

Affordably priced. Easily adjusts up to 40-inches in height, and reduces to a compact size for transport. Made for players ages seven and older. Base is constructed of steel to keep it from tipping.

Cons

Some concerns of longevity, as components have been reported to break with regular use.

Tanner Tee Hitting Tee
Tanner Tee
Hitting Tee
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Bottom Line

High-quality batting tee that gives older players the durability they need for practice.

Pros

Hand-rolled design ball rest is designed perfectly to allow for maximum contact with the ball. Use with either baseballs or softballs. Easy to make height adjustments for all ages of players. Shrinks down to a small size for portability.

Cons

Expensive. A higher price point than you'll want for young players.

Crown Sporting Goods Adjustable Height Hitting Tee
Crown Sporting Goods
Adjustable Height Hitting Tee
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Bottom Line

Excellent price point for a basic hitting tee that works well for all ages.

Pros

Features 100% rubber materials. Materials will stand up to repeated practice sessions. Great unit for young players. Can't damage the tee. Easy to adjust height in a 14-inch range for different sizes of players.

Cons

Kit has an odd smell. No advanced features for hitting drills.

Franklin Sports MLB Adjustable Batting Tee
Franklin Sports
MLB Adjustable Batting Tee
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Bottom Line

This inexpensive batting tee is a suitable choice for beginners, but probably won't hold up well over time.

Pros

Designed for novices. Offers adjustable height for players of various sizes. Base resists tipping. Extremely easy to set up. Price falls on the lower end of the spectrum.

Cons

Not the most durable option, so it's not a good choice for experienced players.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Models
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60
Consumers
Consulted
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Researched
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Buying guide for best batting tees

For decades, batting tees have been popular as training equipment in the baseball and softball communities. Besides being a great tool for adults and children alike to build muscle memory, batting tees are also used, primarily by children, in the game of tee ball.

Indeed, when it comes time for baseball or softball training, a solid batting tee is an essential. Because a batting tee is used primarily as a training tool, it needs to be durable enough to handle hits from adults as well as children who have not yet mastered the skill of batting. Besides durability, you will also need to consider its adaptability, size, weight, and other features (for instance, some batting tees have an anti-tip design) before making your purchase. Additionally, whether you plan to use a tee for batting practice or a traditional game of tee ball will determine which tee you should ultimately buy.

Ready to get into the swing of things? To learn more about which batting tee is right for you, read on. When you’re ready to buy, consider one of our highly recommended models.

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Buying a portable folding tee is a great way to take your tee and practice your swing on the go.

Key considerations

Height

Most batting tees available on today’s market are adjustable. Unlike the standard batting tees of the past, tees now are able to adjust in order to meet the individual batter at his or her height. When choosing your own batting tee, consider the various heights of the players who will use it. Most adjustable tees will vary between 22 and 48 inches.

Build material

The most common material for a batting tee is rubber. That’s because rubber is durable and pliable. Rubber is also a less expensive material than metal. Most of the non-rubber batting tees are produced from aluminum, which is lightweight and durable. The build material of a batting tee is important because it impacts both the weight and durability of the tee. Take into consideration the age of the players when choosing a material. The younger the player, the more likely they are to hit the tee rather than the ball. This may make you lean toward rubber as a suitable material.

Base design

The base design of a batting tee is important because it dictates how the tee will be used. If you will be using it for many players of different sizes, then an easily adjustable telescopic design is optimal. If it will be used primarily by the same person, then you don’t need to worry so much about the base design because you won’t be adjusting it often. Although some batting tees are based on a tripod design, the majority are telescopic poles affixed to a solid base that sits on the ground at home plate.

Cradle design

Some cradles are simple cylinders while others have a more open split design. Whether you choose one over the other is more of a personal preference than anything else. There doesn’t appear to be any major difference in user experience between the two. However, a split design may be better for use by children, because when hit with the bat, it is less likely to fall over than a cylinder-designed cradle.

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Did you know?
If you bring your batting tee inside after every use, it will last longer than if you keep it perpetually exposed to the elements.
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Features

Batting tees are far more complex pieces of equipment than they were even a decade ago. Once just a rubber tube, batting tees are now made of space-age metal and rubber and are highly engineered. They also come with additional features not previously available on such a simple piece of sports equipment. Check out the features below to determine if any of them are what you are looking for.

Anti-tip design

The last thing a player wants if he or she accidentally hits the tee is for the whole unit to tip over. That’s why some batting tees are now designed with an anti-tip design. The anti-tip tees are usually the ones with the heaviest bases, so you’ll need to consider your portability needs when choosing one of these, as they can sometimes weigh up to eight pounds.

Multiple post positions

You can now purchase a batting tee that has multiple post positions for hitting balls in different areas of the strike zone. This is more of a useful tool for advanced players than small children. Nevertheless, it’s never too early to start practicing all aspects of your batting game.

Supplemental instruction

Because batting tees are primarily used for training, it’s helpful to get some additional instruction on how to use the tee and how to get the most out of training with it. Some tees come with their own instruction booklets. Others, however, have information-packed videos to help you learn about your tee and train with it. There are even some that have scannable codes on the base, so you can pull up their videos on your smartphone in the middle of your training session.

Batting tee prices

Inexpensive: From $20 to $50 you can find batting tees that will give you the basic build and functionality for training. Most of the units in this range will not have any extra features and will be the most simple designs.

Mid-range: The items in the range of $50 to $80 will be made of more high-test materials and will have more features available. These are more likely to be intended for the training of adolescent and adult athletes rather than small children.

Expensive: Pricey batting tees, which cost between $80 and $200, are for the most serious athletes who want to perfect their swing. These tees come with the heaviest bases and the most sophisticated cradle materials for high-level practice.

Tips

  • Make sure your batting tee is set at the right height for the person using it. Practicing at the wrong height can do damage to your swing.

  • When practicing at home plate, place the batting tee within the strike zone, so you can get accurate practice on your stance within the batter’s box as well.

  • If you plan to be carrying your batting tee regularly to and from practice, try to get one that’s not too heavy for you to manage.

  • Don’t bat carelessly with the security that a batting tee is meant to be hit regularly. Although they are designed to sustain hits, try to avoid too much of it.

Other products we considered

In the inexpensive range, the BaseGoal Batting Tee is a great option. Its easy-to-fold tripod base makes it as portable as it is durable. A mid-range choice you might want to look into is the Jugs T Pro Style Batting Tee. This model has a solid anti-tip design that will guarantee you don’t miss. Finally, if you plan to purchase in the expensive category, you should consider choosing the Schutt Swing Rite Batting Tee. This tee has a faux home plate and a dual-stem, 48-hole design that lets you practice your swing all over the strike zone.

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Don’t be afraid to swing for the fences when using a batting tee. They are designed to take some punishment.

FAQ

Q. Are batting tees just for little children?

A. No, batting tees are for players of all ages who want to sharpen their batting skills.

Q. Will using a batting tee instead of a pitching machine harm my batting?

A. Not at all. A batting tee is used as a tool to augment any other batting training that you plan to do.

Q. Aren’t all batting tees highly portable?

A. Not necessarily. Some batting tees are designed in such a way that they are very difficult to transport due to their weight or size. Review the specs if you want a highly portable batting tee.

Q. Am I less likely to get injured with a batting tee than a pitching machine?

A. No. In the same way that improperly using a pitching machine can result in injury, if you do not use a batting tee properly, you are just as likely to hurt yourself. The more you educate yourself on how to use a batting tee correctly, the safer you will be.

Q. It is safe to use a batting tee in any environment?

A. No. Just like any sporting equipment, a batting tee must be used in the appropriate space where people cannot be injured. Do not use a batting tee in an open area where others are present. They can become easily injured.

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