Best Bowling Ball Rejuvenator Reviews
Find a person who’s really serious about their bowling game, and you’ll find a player who doesn’t just have their own bowling ball and bowling shoes. They have other crucial accessories as well, and these include having the best bowling ball rejuvenator they can get.
The problem with bowling balls is that they inevitably get dirtier, even if you use a bowling ball towel after each throw. The oil can get embedded into the porous surfaces of your bowling ball, reducing the amount of grip you get on the lane. But with a bowling ball revivor, you can make sure that your bowling ball can perform just like it’s new and squeaky clean.
Top 3 Best Bowling Ball Rejuvenators in 2020
Here are your 3 best options when it comes to your personal bowling ball reviver:
1. Salmon Creek NuBall
It’s a clever name, because this rejuvenator does work as promised. Once you’ve used this to get rid of the embedded oil on your bowling balls, they all grip the lane as if they’re new.
Design
This is one of the more popular rejuvenators in the industry, and it’s easy to understand why. On the outside, you’ve got a container that resembles a medium-sized cooking pot. The bottom has several wide feet to keep in place, and they’re set low for greater stability. The top and the bottom are in red, while the side of the container is in black.
The very top of the cover is white, and it works as a sort of like a handle. On top you have a dial that allows you to set the temperature setting. The top cover is also where you’ll find the electrical cord. This cord has the on/off switch you’ll want, so that it doesn’t immediately work once you plug it in.
The inside has the stand for the bowling ball, which secures the ball in its proper place. The bottom of the container holds the oil that drips off the bowling ball.
Usage
The dial has a temperature range from 95 degrees F up to a maximum level of 155 degrees F. The labels near the dial mark the temperature settings at 10-degree intervals. The recommended setting is at 135 degrees, for which you need your bowling ball to remain inside for an hour.
There’s no timer, so you should just set an alarm on your smartphone to tell you when to turn off the heat. If it’s been a while since you’ve used a rejuvenator on your bowling ball, you’ll get quite a bit of oil in the reservoir at the bottom. Just take out the oil, and then clean the bottom of the container afterward.
There’s really no need to turn over the bowling ball in place when it’s on the stand. The heat will be uniformly spread around the ball. Just don’t set the heat too low, as the oil won’t drip off and you’d have to wipe it off the ball instead.
2. Innovative Personal Bowling Ball Revivor
This one has the same design as the others, though the cover is thoroughly white. That includes the dial for the heat setting, so it takes an extra moment to find it. But that’s not really all that big of a deal.
Using the Rejuvenator
If you’re getting one of the older models, just place the bowling ball inside and set it to the 132-degree setting. That’s actually the highest temperature setting, so there’s no danger of setting it too high.
The newer versions these days now just come with the preset temperature, so there’s no dial. That way, you always use the optimal temperature.
Plug it on, and then place the bowling ball inside. Then wait for it a bit to reach the desired temperature. After that, you’ll need to wait about 15 to 25 minutes to turn the bowling ball over as you wipe off the oil from the cover stock. Turn the ball over about ¼ of the way each time, and wipe off the oil each time too.
Others turn the ball over 180 degrees and then reheat for another 15 minutes. That’s enough for a mild oil problem. But if you’re using this for a bowling ball for the first time, you may have more oil to deal with. You can flip this 2 times more in these cases.
You’re probably better off if you don’t use this for longer than an hour for your bowling ball. Some say there’s a risk that your core will overheat and separate. You’re warned in the instructions not to use this for more than 2 or 3 heat cycles, and that’s a warning you should heed.
Some of the oil may then collect at the bottom of the chamber. You can then just clean this area off after using the rejuvenator. There’s no removable oil catcher, but it’s not so hard to clean the bottom area.
3. Pyramid Phoenix Bowling Ball Revivor
This wasn’t designed by engineers or by marketing officials, who think they can tell you what you need. Instead, the team of designers was all bowlers themselves, so they know what other bowlers need. Then they thoroughly tested this design for 3 years to make sure everything works before they launched it.
Now this looks more like a cooking pot, and it’s a bit more advanced too. You’ll have to assemble this first, but that’s not hard. Afterwards, you can even break it down so it’s easier to bring with you if you travel around for tournaments.
Digital Timer
What sets this model apart from the other units on this list is that it has a digital timer. The digital display actually tells you much time is left on the timer, along with the temperature it’s using.
Once the preset time passes, you won’t have to turn this thing off yourself. Instead, it automatically turns itself off. That way, there’s no risk that you’ll damage your bowling ball by heating it for longer than necessary.
Ball Cup
The team of designers also put a lot of thought into how the ball platform was designed. The design of the ball cap allows for adequate airflow around the bowling ball, and it maximizes the surface area that gets into contact with the heat.
This ball cup is even removable from the rejuvenator, so you can use this as your bowling ball stand outside the container. If you have fancy graphics on the bowling ball you want to show off.
Operation
Just plug this in after assembling it, and then press the on/off button. The preset 30-minute cycle will then start automatically. After the 30 minutes, the oil will cover the bowling ball and you’ll have to wipe it off.
Now turn the ball over and start another half-hour cycle. Now spray a bit of bowling ball cleaner on it, and then wipe off the oil from the bowling ball. You’ll notice that it’ll be a lot tackier than before.
Heat
This uses a heat of setting of 153 degrees F. That’s a lot hotter than usual, which is certainly why the auto shut-off feature is so important here.
The heat also comes from under the bowling ball, which is why you need to turn the ball over when you revive it. At the same time, warm air rises. That means you still get to warm the top part of the bowling ball during the time you use this.
Overall, this is made with rather high-quality materials, which should make this last a bit longer. It’s great that you can disassemble this for travel. Those who have DIY concerns shouldn’t be worried, as the assembly itself is easy even for non-DIY geniuses.
Things to Consider before Buying Bowling Ball Rejuvenators
Not all bowling ball rejuvenators may suit your specific needs and preferences. You can’t just get any random rejuvenator and call it a day. You should read various bowling ball rejuvenator review articles written by experts and customers, and check out the product specs.
Now you may be tempted to just get a cheap bowling ball rejuvenator, but that may not be your best option. It may be cheap because its quality is also cheap. It may not work as well as it should, and it may not last all that long either. You then just end up wasting your money.
Aesthetics are also almost inconsequential when you’re picking among rejuvenators. The function will be much more crucial, compared to how the gadget looks. Of course, it shouldn’t be ugly, but most rejuvenators look nice enough for most people. You’re not buying these things for their decorative aspects.
Instead, pay attention to the following considerations:
Temperature Setting
At this point, you know that the rejuvenator acts as an oven. It sets a high temperature to virtually melt the solidified oil so it drips from the bowling ball. But this temperature must be set at the right level.
If the temperature is too low, then it might not melt the oil at all. But if it’s too high, then the heat may actually end up damaging your bowling ball.
There’s a range of temperatures that ought to work fine, normally set at around 50 to 60 degrees C (122 to 140 degrees F). Remember that if you go with the higher heat levels, it won’t take as much time to melt the oil from the bowling ball. However, at higher temperatures you better be careful about using this for too long for your bowling ball.
It may be best to go with the recommended temperature setting listed in the instructions. Some models don’t even allow you to set a temperature anymore, to minimize the risk that you’ll use the wrong heat setting. Instead, they just put in a single preset temperature setting for you to use.
Ease of Use
Your rejuvenator should come with a clear set of instructions on how to use it. However, most of these rejuvenators aren’t overly complicated, so you should be able to figure it out quickly enough.
Check to see if it works at 110 or 220 volts. Most work at 110V, so you may need an adaptor if your home electrical system is set at 220 volts.
Convenience Features
It’s great if you have a timer for the rejuvenator, so that it automatically turns off the heat after a certain period. This minimizes your electricity consumption, and it won’t expose the bowling ball to too much heat unnecessarily. You won’t have to keep watch over the rejuvenator to turn it off after a certain time, and you may even use it overnight while you sleep.
Even an on/off switch would be nice, actually. However, many models automatically turn on once you plug them, which can be annoying.
It would also be convenient if you have a removable oil pan, so that you can get rid of the oil more easily while you also clean the pan with less trouble.
Material Quality
It’s best if the rejuvenator lasts a very long time, so you can get full value for your money. It’s great if it’s strong enough that it won’t easily get damaged as the rejuvenator is shipped to your home.
Often, the inside of the rejuvenator is made of plastic, and that’s to make it easier to clean. The plastic should still be durable and long-lasting.
Portability
Some of these rejuvenators are weighted, for greater stability. However, the extra weight does make it harder for you to bring it along when you’re going on a long trip for a tournament. You may even have to pay more in delivery charges for a heavier rejuvenator.
It’s better if it’s more lightweight. That way, you’ll find it easier to bring along with you when you go out of town for a bowling tournament. You can then use the rejuvenator to make sure your bowling ball in pristine condition when you compete for real.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some additional facts you may want to know:
What’s a bowling ball rejuvenator?
Even when you use a bowling ball towel diligently, you don’t prevent the oil and grime from the lane to settle on the porous surface of your bowling ball. The accumulated oil and dirt that get embedded on the bowling ball reduce the grippy-ness of your bowling ball, so it may not hook as well as you would like. That can then lead to lower scores and unsatisfactory bowling experiences.
You can, of course, just get your blowing ball into a pro shop and they’ll get rid of the accumulated oil and grime for you. This is a rather expensive option, though, since you have to pay for this service each time. It’s also too much of a hassle having to bring your bowling ball to a pro shop.
Having your own personal bowling ball reviver is much more convenient, and it’ll save you money in the long run. That’s because this gadget takes out the oil embedded on the bowling ball for you, which is why it’s also called a bowling ball oil extractor.
How do I use bowling ball rejuvenators?
The way it works is simple. You plug in the device in an electrical socket. You place your bowling ball inside, and then put the cover on the container back on. The container acts as a bowling ball oven, by making it very warm inside the device. The high temperature liquifies the hardened oil, which then drips from the bowling ball into the device’s oil container.
It’s that simple. Often, the entire process doesn’t take more than an hour. The precise operational steps may have a few minor differences depending on the model you got, but this is the basic procedure.
How often can I use the bowling ball rejuvenator?
That depends on your needs. Some people use the rejuvenator after each game, but that’s not really necessary. It takes more than several games for your bowling ball to absorb enough oil to reduce its grippy-ness.
It may be best to just use this after about 20 or 30 games. You may also want to use this whenever you notice that it’s not gripping the lane as hard as it used to. It may also be crucial that you use this right before an important game or tournament.
Final Thoughts
It makes a lot of sense to just get your own personal bowling ball rejuvenator rather than to go to a pro shop to clean your bowling balls completely. This way, you get rid of the dirt and oil that reduce how well your bowling ball grips the lane. You’re able to keep the oil from lowering your score, and that’s always a good thing.
After all, the point of bowling is to bowl the highest scores you can get. With the best bowling ball rejuvenator working for you at any time, you can make sure the accumulated oil on the bowling ball won’t affect your bowling scores.