Unsure of which mini basketball hoop to buy in 2021?
Don’t worry, because we researched and compared many mini basketball hoops on the market so you don’t have to.
In this guide, you’ll learn about:
- The five best mini basketball hoops you can buy
- How to choose the right mini basketball hoop to enjoy the best experience
- The best brands to watch out for when shopping for mini basketball hoops
And more!
You’ll see a quick list of our top-rated products below. Continue reading, and you’ll see other relevant information, such as our mini basketball hoop buying guide, for your benefit.
IMAGE
PRODUCT
OUR TOP PICK
#1 – SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop
- Lights up in the dark
- Durable construction
- Easy to install
BEST BUDGET
#2 - Rawlings NBA Game Mini Basketball Hoop Set
- Designable backboard
- Solid build quality
- Less expensive than other competing products without sacrificing quality
BEST HIGH END
#3 – Spalding NBA Jam Over-the-Door Mini Basketball Hoop
- Durable basketball should last a long time
- Sturdy backboard
- Tools to install are part of the set
#4 - NERF Sports Dude Perfect PerfectShot Mini Hoop
- Height adjustment feature is ideal for kids
- Different difficulty options
- A complete mini basketball hoop set with all the necessities like the hoop, rim, and net
#5 - Franklin Sports Over-the-Door Basketball Hoop
- Superior durability
- Protects against scrapes
- Includes an air pump
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop
The SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop comes with all the essentials needed for installation and play. It provides convenience and value to its players, thanks to the items in the set and its overall performance.
We tested with different mini basketball hoops, ranging from mounted to over-the-door models. Our team found that this hoop from SKLZ excels in many aspects. One of the reasons is that this product can provide immense value without making shoppers break banks.
What's In This Guide?
Our Top 5 Best Mini Basketball Hoops in 2021
If you’re looking for the best mini basketball hoops in 2021, you’ve come to the right place!
Here’s a list of our top 5 miniature basketball hoops that you can install in your home or other preferred locations:
What are the Best Mini Basketball Hoop Brands?
SKLZ: SKLZ is a leading brand in performance training products for different sports. Today, this company supplies products designed in collaboration with EXOS’s Performance Innovation Team. This partnership is in effect since 1999, and both SKLZ and EXOS have been pioneering and providing products to enhance the skills of athletes, military forces, and global corporations.
Rawlings: Also called Rawlings Sporting Goods, Rawlings is a leading producer of sports clothing and equipment. The company’s product line includes bats, gloves, and other equipment for baseball. But it also produces equipment like footwear, belts, and wallets. In 2018, it was acquired by Seidler Equity and Major League Properties. At the time of writing, Rawlings is the most chosen glove brand for many MLB players.
Spalding: Founded by Albert Spalding in Chicago in 1876, Spalding is a highly-known sporting equipment company known for its balls. Throughout the years, this company has been producing basketballs, volleyballs, and other sporting goods. For many sports enthusiasts, it’s tough to go through a conversation talking about different equipment without mentioning this brand.
Nerf: Nerf is a toy brand formed by the Parker Brothers in 1990. Perhaps the company’s most notable product is its foam dart guns. However, the company also sells other sporting equipment for kids and adults, which includes their line of mini basketball hoops.
Franklin Sports: Irving and Sydney Franklin founded Franklin Sports in 1946. The brothers originally focused on creating a complete line of sports equipment and apparel for Joe Namath, a former football quarterback. Since then, Franklin Sports became the primary partner and supplier of sporting goods for world-class athletes, including David Robinson, Dan Marino, and Sugar Ray Leonard.
What are the Different Types of Mini Basketball Hoops?
You can reduce the effort and time needed to buy a mini basketball hoop if you know the different types. Choose among over-the-door, mounted, or full hoop systems for your preferred basketball setup.
- Over-the-Door: This type is simple to set up and is usually the least expensive option out of all the other categories in its class. Over-the-door hoops are also great for kids.
- Mounted: As the name implies, a mounted mini basketball hoop allows for mounting on a flat, vertical surface. It provides a more ‘realistic’ feel than the over-the-door model.
- Hoop system: A mini basketball hoop system is highly similar to the hoop you can find on a real basketball court. However, these full sets are quite expensive, with some variants going over $100 for their costs.
What Games Can You Play with a Mini Basketball Hoop?
The only limitation you have when playing with a mini basketball hoop is your imagination. Use your preferred setup to play a small 1v1 match with a family or friend. Otherwise, you can install the mini hoop above your garage door for some 2v2 action.
Check out the following video for a quick sample of what you can play with a mini basketball hoop:
What Should You Look for When Buying a Mini Basketball Hoop?
At this point, you might be feeling the excitement of buying a mini basketball hoop for your home. But before you can spend your hard-earned cash on that product, you should understand the essential factors that you need to think about while you shop.
Size
Always consider the size of the mini hoop before buying it. After all, you don’t want to spend money on a mini basketball hoop, only to find out that it doesn’t fit the preferred location.
Take note that these hoops come in a broad range of sizes. The best way you can deal with any potential sizing issues is to measure the installation first before finalizing your buying decisions.
Material
Let’s face it – some materials used in the development of mini basketball hoops are tougher than others. Choose variants made from hard plastic, polycarbonate, or even metal. You can also choose mini hoops made of foam, especially if you’re going to use it for purposes like passing the time in your room shooting baskets from your bed.
Attachment Method
Some installation methods are easier than others. Consider the install process, especially if you don’t plan on spending the entire afternoon setting up the mini hoop.
Price
It’s safe to say that the myriad of options available on the market has different price tags. With that said, aim to buy a mini basketball hoop that won’t make you break the bank. The good thing about searching for mini hoops today is that you can use online retail websites that allow you to filter by price.
Pick #1 - SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop
This mini basketball hoop screams quality in about every way you look at it. I bought mine a few years ago, and it’s still hanging on my bedroom wall to this day.
The hooks that come with the package are highly durable, even though they only fit standard-sized doors.
Therefore, if you’re planning on buying this model, you’ll most likely install it on a wall and forget about it until you want to shoot some hoops. Also, I can’t stress how easy it is to install this product because it only took me a few minutes.
Another great feature that I liked about this mini basketball hoop is its glow-in-the-dark. Let’s say that there’s a power outage in your area and it’s night. Now, you think that there’s nothing left to do but shoot some hoops. If you’re using other basketball hoops, chances are you’re going to hit something other than the ring because of the darkness. But with this product, you can play for the entire night if you want, even if you can’t see your hand in front of your face.
- Cons
- The hooks only fit standard-sized doors
Pick #2 – Rawlings NBA Game Mini Basketball Hoop Set
I always wanted a basketball hoop at home that will give me the excitement of watching my favorite team as if I’m in the arena. Thankfully, Rawlings made this mini basketball hoop because it has a bold logo of the NBA team I prefer at the backboard. Now I can mimic being LeBron James as he makes each 2-point shot count right at home.
Speaking of the backboard, the build is quite solid, and it also attaches to the metal rim without wobbling significantly. The assembly process is also reasonably straightforward, as it didn’t take me an entire afternoon to set up.
Perhaps the only caveat I found with this product is the ball. The basketball that the set comes with is lighter-than-average, and it feels like it has a toy-like rubbery construction. Still, I can’t complain significantly because this mini basketball hoop set is one of the least expensive on the market that doesn’t skimp on the quality.
- Cons
- Basketball has toy-like properties
Pick #3 – Spalding NBA Jam Over-the-Door Mini Basketball Hoop
At first, I was taken aback slightly after seeing the price on this mini basketball hoop. I bought the 18 x 10.5-inch model, and it’s more expensive than most mounted mini hoops on the market. Thankfully, the doubts came to an end when I brought this product home.
The higher-than-average price tag was justified in more ways than one. First, the basketball that comes with the kit is a 5-inch rubber mini ball that feels like a real basketball. Then, there’s the padded backboard, which has a tough polycarbonate construction that feels like it’ll last several years.
Still, I wished that the set comes with an air pump for the ball. Thankfully, I have a pump at home to use in inflating the ball. However, some buyers might be slightly disappointed with the extra effort they have to make to purchase an air pump for the basketball.
- Cons
- More expensive than many mounted mini hoops
- It doesn’t come with an air pump
Pick #4 – NERF Sports Dude Perfect PerfectShot Mini Hoop
I bought this mini basketball hoop for my nephew, and he was excited to use it the moment he opened it. One of the reasons why he loves this product is because of the adjustable hoop height. Additionally, I can safely say that many mini hoops on the market don’t have this feature. With it, my nephew can increase the challenge of his shots at any time.
The build quality is also fairly reasonable, and the kit includes all the essentials needed for a proper installation. These items include the backboard, rim, and net. The kit also comes with a flexible hanger that’s also easy to disassemble if needed.
Although the durability is sufficient, I wished that the connection between the backboard and the rim is stronger than provided. At times, the rim disconnects if my nephew slam dunks the ball.
- Cons
- The rim disconnects sometimes
- It doesn’t come with an air pump
Pick #5 – Franklin Sports Over-the-Door Basketball Hoop
Saying that this mini basketball hoop can last the test of time might be an understatement. I could feel the durability immediately after taking this product out of its packaging. The company that made this mini basketball hoop didn’t choose to cut corners in creating this product because of its mostly steel construction.
Aside from its incredible durability, the backboard also fits all regular-sized doors. Additionally, it doesn’t scrape the door’s surface, thanks to the inclusion of a protective EVA foam. Plus, the set includes a basketball and an air pump.
Despite its durability, it’s not the cleanest-looking mini basketball hoop on the market. After using it for a few hours, I can already see scratches forming on the backboard. I’m not significantly worried that this product will break soon. But the scratches might bother some users.
- Cons
- The backboard is a scratch magnet
Our Top Pick – SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop
Out of all the mini basketball hoops mentioned, our top pick is the SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop.
It has the features of a top-notch miniature basketball hoop at the right price point. Plus, it gives the added benefit of allowing players to play basketball in the dark.
This option is also easy to install. Therefore, you can set it up quickly as soon as it arrives at your home. That way, you’ll waste no time enjoying basketball in your preferred indoor or outdoor spot with this hoop.
Overall, this product offers excellent value for money!
Check out the lowest price on Amazon here.
