You cannot win a war without the best weapons. Similarly, if you have to improve your performance in the match and improve the scores, you must get hold of the best ball. It is not much of a problem for seasoned players. However, it may be a serious concern for the amateurs. Finding the correct ball for yourself within your deemed budget is probably the most daunting task you will ever encounter. You can go to the local shops for making the purchase, but the quality concern still lingers as a relevant issue. Read the article to know more about the best budget bowling balls with proven performance. 

Top 8 Best Cheap Bowling Balls Reviewed

1. Pyramid Path Bowling Ball: Best Overall
2. Ebonite Maxim Bowling Ball: Best Budget
3. Brunswick TZone Bowling Ball: Best Premium Pick
4. Storm Mix Urethane Bowling Ball
5. Columbia White Dot
6. Brunswick Rhino Bowling Ball
7. Hammer Black Widow Assassin Bowling Ball
8. Pyramid Path Rising Bowling Ball

#1. Pyramid Path Bowling Ball

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Specifications

• Coverstock material:- Pearl Reactive
• Core: Pancake
• Finish:- 1500 Grit Abralon
• Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 9 inches
• Weight: 10 Pounds
• Warranty:- 2 years

If you are searching for a versatile bowling ball and can cater to a large variety of situations, this one is perfect. The pyramid is one of the most well-known brands that manufactures bowling balls. This brand has a wide array of options for you regarding color, weight, and prices.

The coverstock materials of the ball are plastic pearl reactive. This type of coverstock is specially designed for attaining low friction. With diminished clashes, you can achieve better control. It will also help you to throw the ball straight. The factory finish or the 1500 Grit Abralon finish is ideal for dry lanes.

This one is also an intact ball like the previous one, which means you have ample scope of drilling holes into it to comply with the perfect finger fit customization for yourself. The flare potential of the ball is medium that is around 3”-4”. The ideal scale for the ball is 180.30. It performs 2.54 on Rg and 0.032 on Differential. The ball’s core type is symmetric, which again is a perfect option for those bowlers lacking the confidence to keep the ball under control. 

#2. Maxim Bowling Ball by Ebonite

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Specifications

• Cover Stock:- Plastic
• Core:- Pancake
• Finish:- Polished
• Dimensions:- 21.844 L X 22.605 W X 24.13 H (Cm)
• Weight:- 3.084 kgs

If you are a novice and looking for some affordable yet well to do bowling balls, the Ebonite Maxim Bowling Balls can be a great option for you. The unique feature of the ball is a centrally placed weight in the form of a flat disc. This disc is known as the pancake type weight core because it resembles a typical pancake in shape and structure. This pancake weight core’s primary job is to counteract or nullify the weight loss that can arise in certain situations like holes in the ball. For beginners who want to experience supreme consistency, especially on the standard lanes, this ball is perfect because it has no-frills.

Coming to the finish and outlook of the ball, it is a high polish one. The ball features a polyester coverstock that protects it mainly from unwanted nicks and accidental scratches. The ball can be attributed as a tough one with high durability and consistent performance. The Ebonite Maxim Bowling ball also emits a cool neon glow in the darkness, and that is indeed a trendy look. It comes in Purple Haze color, and a printed version is available showcasing the design of the Captain Galaxy. It is also available in multiple weights. 

#3. TZone Bowling Ball by Brunswick

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Specifications

• Coverstock:- Plastic
• Core:- Bullet
• Finish: High Gloss
• Dimensions:- 9.02 x 7.99 x 7.99 inches
• Weight:- 6 Pounds
• Warranty:- 1 year

This ball is perfect for you if you do not want to invest much in your first bowling ball. This one will help you grasp your skills better. It is durable and robust. This ball works best on dry lanes. The specialty of this ball is the minimalistic friction that it offers. Many newbies are especially fond of such balls that offer minimum friction because they can keep it straight in the lane. 

The Bullet core type of ball is extensively useful for uniform weight distribution and will help you handle the ball for the first time because it helps control the ball better. The Brunswick ball is tolerant towards external wear and tear owing to its highly polished exteriors. This ball requires some pre-amendments such as drilling holes into it because it comes in an intact format. If you can manage to get some custom holes built, you can even create your finger fit on it. 

Brunswick TZone balls are cool and stylish. The minimum weight of the ball is 6 pounds, and it can go up to 16 pounds. If you want to try a hand at Cosmic Bowling, go along with this variety because it emits a glow when kept in the dark.

#4. Storm Mix Urethane Bowling Ball 

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Specifications

• Cover Stock: Urethane
• Core: Traditional 3-core Symmetrical
• Finish: 3500 Grit Polish Finish
• Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.7 x 8.1 inches
• Weight: 15.9 Pounds

Storm Mix bowling ball features a urethane cover specially designed to keep the ball away from mechanical torsions. You can have great control over the ball. Storm Mix ball is an excellent option for beginners who want to have a straight bowling experience. 

Unlike the other balls, this one works excellent both on dry lanes and low oiled lanes. Storm Mix bowling ball has a 3500 Grit Polish Finish. There are multiple options in terms of weight. You can also get the ball in different colors. The appearance is quite trendy and cool. Storm Mix also comes as an intact ball, and you have the liberty to drill holes into it as per your wish. Proper drilling can customize the ball for you to a large extent. 

#5. White Dot Bowling Ball by Columbia 300

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Specifications:

• Cover Stock: Plastic
• Core: Pancake
• Finish: 4000 Abralon finish
• Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 9 inches
• Weight: 6 Pounds

It is one of the best bowling balls that comes under affordable prices. Amateurs and Pros like this ball alike. It has certain unique features like the pancake core and Abralon finish that makes the ball even better. 

The pancake core is the disc-shaped weight in the center that keeps the ball in track, preferably consistently straight. The straight motion also maintains the optimum momentum of the ball for better performance. You can practically use it on all types of standard lanes though it might not perform equally well in all of them. 

The coverstock material is polyester that is quite robust and durable. Polyester coverstocks are a blessing when it comes to speed maintenance. It also prevents the hooking of the ball, which is an excellent property for straight ball bowlers. 

To prevent mechanical abrasion from damaging the ball, it features a 4000 Abralon finish. This is one of the best finishes according to international standards. The Abralon finish is especially renowned for making balls manifolds more rigid and durable. Columbia is an age-old brand in the world of bowling balls. They have been manufacturing quality bowling balls at affordable prices.

#6. Rhino Bowling Ball by Brunswick

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Specifications

• Cover Stock: R16 Reactive
• Core: Light Bulb
• Finish: Crown factory finish
• Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.9 x 8.4 inches 
• Weight: 10 Pounds

The perfect combination of quality and performance, this ball is loaded with multiple features to improve its functionality. It has an R16 reactive type coverstock. This is indeed one of the most advanced co-overstock materials that protect the ball and improve its efficiency. The core of the ball is light bulb type. The Brunswick Rhino ball is super stylish and trendy. 

It works best in dry lanes. All the features make the ball ideal for a consistently powerful performance and easy control. It is quite advanced in features in comparison to the price. It has crown factory shine. The different available color options are Black, Orange, Green. It has some rooms to be used as a hooking ball but not a pro hooking ball.

#7. Black Widow Assassin Bowling Ball by Hammer

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Specifications

• Cover Stock: Plastic
• Core: Gas Mask
• Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 9 inches
• Weight: 15 Pounds

If you are fond of using heavy balls, then this one is a perfect choice for you. The look of this ball is truly professional, and it is rough and tough. It is indeed quite heavy and features some of the fantastic qualities. It comes in an intact form. You can get the holes drilled on it according to your choice for better customization. 

This ball is quite versatile because it can move both in the straight direction and also suitable for people for pros who like corner pins. The coverstock material is polyester, and it protects the ball well against wear and tear. It is perfect for amateurs and pros both alike. It features a gas mask type core for better control and sturdiness. 

#8. Path Rising Bowling Ball by Pyramid

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Specifications:

• Cover stock: Reactive Pearl
• Core: New Era 139 Symmetrical
• Finish: 1500 Grit Abralon Factory Finish
• Dimensions:- 9*9*9 inches
• Weight:- 10 pounds

The rising range of balls from the house of the Pyramid is not ideal for novices. It is best suited for pro players. The core of the ball is the New Era 139 Symmetric type. This one is an intact ball, and you can get it drilled according to your preference and make it perfectly custom-fitted for yourself. 

The coverstock of the ball is a reactive pearl type. This is an excellent material for coverstock as it is durable, resistant, and sturdy. This coverstock also allows for angular and delayed reactions that can fetch you more runs and give you an extreme level of power-packed control over the ball. The Pyramid path rising ball is suitable for medium-dry lanes.

The finishing of the ball features 1500 Grit Abralon Factory Finish. The flare potential of the ball is medium that is 3”-4”. The perfect scale for the ball is 181.30. The superior next-gen technology used in this ball makes it ideal for any kind of bowler- two-handed or stroker. The ball has a beautiful design and finishes and exhibits a clean and chic look. 

Top Pick

The best overall product from the list of best cheap bowling balls is the Pyramid Path Ball. It is not the cheapest among all but is the most cost-effective bowling ball when you holistically consider the cost of the ball and its durability. The Pyramid Path bowling ball is one of the best things you will find in low budget balls. The fantastic properties of this ball make it a favorite of many. 

It features a 1500 grit Abralon finish exterior and a pearl reactive coverstock. Both of these features are ideal for the ball to move straight in a wide variety of lanes. The price is well under reach, and Pyramid is the most well-known brand in the world of bowling balls. The ball comes in a wide range of designs and colors. You can easily grab your favorite one. The two years warranty on this ball is indeed attractive. The ball is quite sturdy, robust, and durable. 

Best Cheap Bowling Ball Brands 

The following are the top brands that sell cheap bowling balls:-

Pyramid

Pyramid Bowling is a relatively new brand in the world of bowling essentials. It was established back in the year 2011 to meet the market demands for affordable bowling accessories. The path range of bowling balls was the introductory products from the brand. These are beautifully colorful, attractive, and consistently performing affordable bowling balls. A team of bowlers founded the brands and hence realized the need for bowlers at best.

Each of their products is of superior quality and finish. Durability matches the integrity of each bowling essential from this brand. This brand is truly revolutionizing in the bowling world and is growing better every day with the striving motto of serving the global bowler’s community in the best way possible.

Brunswick

Brunswick Bowling company no longer exists independently as all its shares have been sold to the BlueArc Capital company in the year 2014. The Brunswick company was one of the most significant bowling and essential bowling brands until the year 2014.

The products are now manufactured full-fledged by the BlueArc flagship, the company is still called the Brunswick Bowling Products. They offer the broadest range of bowling balls at affordable prices. They provide variety in tres of color or design and for the core material, coverstock material, and ball types. The best part of these balls is they have ample rooms for customization and can be used by a vast community of bowlers.

They produce loads of other bowling essentials like bowling pins, automatic pinsetters, and so on. The excellent expertise of the company is evident from the beautiful craftsmanship of the products. You can also grab lots of quality bowling shoes and bowling bags from their brand.

Storm 

This is one of the newly established brands in the world of professional bowling balls. It was founded back in the year 1985 in Birmingham City, Utah. It was established by the timeless bowler Chrisman. In the 1980s, Christmas witnessed multiple problems with the then prevalent urethane coverstock balls.

The company first manufactured a cleaning solution for the exteriors of urethane balls. This product was a massive hit, and the company ran into a fortune. After almost ten years of operation, Storm started to manufacture bowling balls, and needless to say, they were terrific. Chrisman was probably one of the first entrepreneurs in the bowling products industry, who came up with a bootstrapping idea for the balls.

He gave the concept that nobody can determine a perfect for a bowler through rituals written in manuals. He suggested that bowlers themselves know which ball is the best for them and that too by trial and error methods. They keep on changing their manufacturing processes only to produce better products every day. 

Choosing the Right Affordable Bowling Ball for Yourself – Buying Guide 

There are multiple regulations and prevalent theories regarding which ball is the perfect one for you. However, nobody other than you can decide the ideal ball for yourself. It entirely depends upon your ease of use, budget, and playing style. Let us have a look at the top 5 factors that should govern your choice of bowling balls:- 

The Coverstock Material

The material which covers the external surface of the ball is termed as coverstock. That implies this is the same material that will create physical contact between the ball and you. There are mainly three materials used as coverstock, namely: polyester, urethane, and reactive resin.

The preference for coverstock materials varies significantly among players. If you are a beginner, you can go with the plastic cover stock as it is the most disciplined coverstock material among all. It is also the most affordable cover stock among all the other options. If you want balls with high hook balls, then urethane coverstock and the reactive resin will be the best partner. Reactive resin works better than urethane, especially on heavily oiled lanes.

Weight of the Ball

The weight of bowling balls varies greatly, but most of them lie in the range of 9 to 16 pounds. For beginners, the 9 pounds balls work better. Almost every renowned brand has multiple options of weight for each variety of ball. An existing convention says that the ideal weight of a bowling ball is approximately 10 percent of your body weight.

Seasoned or pro players prefer using bowling balls in the weight range of 15-16 pounds. However, that does not mean it will be perfect for you. Try out a few balls before you purchase one. You can also practice bowling with balls of different weights to identify your comfort zone. The weight of the ball should be the heaviest one that you can throw comfortably. Never go by stereotypes when working on the perfect ball weight for yourself. 

Customization

It is always better to go for bowling balls that are intact, which means not pre-drilled. There is no point wasting too much money on balls that already carry drilled holes because your house ball may be the cheapest option for this category. Suppose you are interested in customizing your bowling ball, better to go with an intact one to get drilled and have a custom finger fit for yourself. Custom finger dramatically increases your control over the ball and reduces chances of injury by manifolds. 

Cores of the Bowling Balls

There are mainly three types of ball cores: pancake core, symmetrical, and asymmetrical core. The centers play a massive role in determining your performance. The pancake cores, for example, are the best ones for beginners because you can control them better. Pancake cores also allow straight motion, which is the preferred performance for the novices. Symmetric core, on the other hand, is perfect for the intermediate and pro players. If you wish to have angular motions in the game, you better go with the asymmetric core. Each type has its advantages; you need to choose the one you can control the best. 

Budget

It is not advisable to spend a whole fortune on your first bowling balls, so go for the cheap yet best varieties- like the ones suggested above in the list. Once you know your strengths and requirements, you can invest in an expensive ball. Also, look out for the features. Some features are indeed worthy and elevate the cost of the ball. You need to decide your purpose in buying the ball. For example, if you already have many balls of a specific core type, you can invest in a different core ball. But if you choose a ball for regular practice with overall satisfactory features, then go for the budget-friendly ones. 

Conclusion

Buying the first bowling ball is never going to be easy. You always have a concern about investing a huge amount in buying a bowling ball that you may not like after playing for some time in the alley. Therefore, it has to be an informed decision when you select an affordable bowling ball. 

The reviews of the top 8 affordable bowling balls along with the detailed buyer’s guide were shared to provide you the right information to select the most affordable ball suitable for your purpose. 

We hope that the inputs given here were helpful for you to select the best bowling ball within your budget. However, if you could not finalize the ball as yet, we recommend you go with the Pyramid Path bowling ball which is our top pick for all the features mentioned in the review. You can also select between the Ebonite Maxim and Brunswick Tzone as our best budget and a premium bowling ball.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Q: Why does the weight of a ball matter?

A: The weight of the bowling ball alone can tell you whether a ball is perfect for you or not. The reasons why the weight of a bowling ball matters are:- 

1. Control
2. Power
3. Accuracy
4. Safety

Q: Which Coverstock material is the best for me?

A: All the cover stocks have distinctive advantages over others. Reactive Resin and Urethane are the best materials for coverstock if you have already learned the skills of the bowling game and are at the intermediate and advanced skill levels. For the novices, the polyester cover stock is the best option. It is up to you which one suits your skills the best. The best material should be the one that suits your style and skill level and also provides resistance to all types of mechanical wear and tears and enhances the shelf life of the ball.

Q: Which core should I use? 

A: The choice of the core also depends on your style of bowling and your skill level. The pancake core or the other types of symmetrical cores are best suited for novices. For the pros, who enjoy the traditional style of bowling, the symmetrical core is the best choice whereas, for bowlers who love more aggressive hook potential in their bowling ball, the asymmetrical core is the best choice for them.

Q: Do bowling balls need regular maintenance and cleaning?

A: Yes. Bowling balls need regular care to ensure their performance, durability, and long shelf life. There are many types of dedicated cleaners for cleaning the balls. You can get hold of them easily. Many of the brands that manufacture the balls are the same brands that manufacture these cleaning stuff. The balls which perform on medium and heavy oiled lanes need special attention when it comes to cleaning.

Related Resources

• Plastic Bowling Balls
• Reactive Bowling Balls
• Bowling Ball Spinners
• Track Bowling Balls
• Motiv Bowling Balls
• Ebonite Bowling Balls
• Bowling Balls for Synthetic Lanes