If you are a burgeoning bowler, you must learn to take care of your bowling equipment. Treating your equipment as an extension of your body and keeping them in good condition must become second nature.
Bowling balls and shoes, in particular, must be given enough attention as they are often exposed to offensive elements. You must clean your bowling balls as often as possible.
Quick cleaning does not always cut it though and sometimes a deep clean is much, much needed. Today, I will talk about bowling ball rejuvenators which are a very handy device to have in your bowling arsenal.
There are many bowling ball rejuvenators on the market, with each claiming to be better than the next. Regrettably, the ones worth purchasing are few and far between.
Because bowling ball rejuvenators are also often steeply-priced, you must hit the bullseye with your first purchase. Fortunately, I am here to reduce your risk to bare minimum and guide you towards some of the best bowling ball rejuvenators money can buy.
Before I do that though, you need to understand first what a bowling ball rejuvenator is.
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Bowling Ball Rejuvenators – The Basics
What is it?
In a nutshell, a bowling ball rejuvenator can be described as the mini version of the ovens pro shops use to bake the oil out of the bowling balls, a process called “bleeding”.
It is effective beyond belief, using circulating heated air to extract the oil and dirt that may have accumulated or gone deep inside the pores of a bowling ball.
Should you use it often?
Like all things in life, you should only use your bowling ball rejuvenator sparingly. Frequent use can impact the bowling ball negatively, weakening its coverstock and framework.
If your bowling arena has heavy oil patterns, you can use the rejuvenator after every 35 games.
What does a good rejuvenator have?
A good rejuvenator will have many outstanding features including temperature control, easy-to-use timer and switch, etc. It will be constructed of durable material and will be powerful enough to reach and maintain desired temperature levels.
That said, here are some rejuvenators that have my seal of approval.
At A Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Bowling Ball Rejuvenators
If you’re in a hurry, you can jump straight into our top picks (these are the bowling ball rejuvenators that most people buy).
- Pyramid Phoenix Personal Bowling Ball Revivor Top Pick
- Salmon Creek NuBall Runner-up
- Innovative Personal Bowling Ball Revivor Runner-up
Top 5 Best Bowling Ball Rejuvenators – Our Reviews:
1. Pyramid Phoenix Personal Bowling Ball Revivor
Budget-conscious bowlers will surely be overjoyed with this product’s pricing, but don’t let its attractive price tag fool you into thinking that it isn’t any good.
The Pyramid Phoenix Ball Revivor has heat circulating from the bottom, preventing the extracted oil and dirt from seeping back into the pores of the coverstock.
What I also love about this rejuvenator is its easy set-up and disassembly. You can store it away or have it ready for use with minimum fuss.
Like all high-quality rejuvenators, this product also has a digital timer with automatic shut-off.
Pros
- Digital display to provide accurate temperature and keep you aware of the time
- Easy to set-up and disassemble
- Affordable price point
Cons
- The construction is a bit flimsy
- Some have complained of its uneven heating
2. Salmon Creek NuBall
The Salmon Creek NuBall does a fairly decent job of heating and bleeding a bowling ball uniformly.
How does this machine work? Well, you’d have to place this ball on a cup.
Thankfully, there is a stand that helps secure the ball.
Take note that the ball isn’t rotated on this machine; instead, the heated air is circulated to ensure that the oil is extracted from all parts of the ball.
The extracted oil falls into the cup, making the device easy to clean as well. An hour in this rejuvenator will do wonders for your bowling ball.
Pros
- User-friendly setup and easy to use
- Fairly uniform heating
- Uses precise temperature, preventing your ball from being overbaked
Cons
- No switch or timer
- The high pricing can turn you off
3. Innovative Personal Bowling Ball Revivor
The Innovative brand of bowling equipment has done well to build its reputation and goodwill. They have managed to become successful largely because of their dependable products.
The Innovative Personal Bowling Ball Revivor is one such product, among many, that is worth its weight in gold.
Capable of reaching temperatures up to 132°F, this rejuvenator is well-known for its even distribution of heat on the ball. It particularly excels at removing oil and dirt from reactive and proactive coverstocks.
It has some drawbacks though, including lack of temperature dial and a missing oil holder. Without an oil holder, cleaning the machine can be messy.
Pros
- No chance of overheating
- Easy to set up and use
- Does its job of extracting oil and dirt
Cons
- Doesn’t have a temperature dial
- No oil holder means that cleaning can be tricky
4. Vertex Personal Bowling Ball Revivor
The Vertex Personal Bowling Ball Revivor is a fairly simple machine to use.
All you will need to do is place your bowling ball inside the machine. By applying thermal reaction, the rejuvenator heats the ball uniformly and extracts oil and unwanted dirt.
What you will be left with is a clean ball visibly free of oil and dirt.
To be on the safe side, you can use this product after every 25 games.
Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Works as advertised
- Easy to use
Cons
- Dial temperature not included
- The framework looks cheaply made
5. Innovative Revivor Oil Extraction Unit
Easily the most expensive rejuvenator on the list, the Innovative Revivor Oil Extraction Unit is for those who wish to process two bowling balls simultaneously. This unit has an electronic controller through which you can control the temperature.
This product works similarly to other rejuvenators.
The forced air ensures that the heat is distributed evenly to completely extract oil from the bowling balls. The sorbent pads inside collect the oil for easy disposal.
Pros
- Has a 2-hour timer
- Safe to use
- Sorbent pads help make cleanup easy.
Cons
- Expensive
Conclusion
A bowling ball rejuvenator, as its name suggests, breathes life into bowling balls by extracting oil and dirt from them, making them shiny and clean.
A clean ball can be advantageous for you. It glides through surfaces effortlessly, has higher hook potential, and offers predictable movement, thus helping you bowl well consistently.
If you are still confused about which to purchase from the list of best bowling ball rejuvenators above, I would suggest the Pyramid Phoenix Personal Bowling Ball Revivor. It is affordable, works as marketed, and has all the features you’d want in a rejuvenator.