What everyone must know about Best Paintball Hoppers

Hey, paintballer. Wondering if you should buy a manual or automatic paintball hopper? Or How to choose the best hopper in the market? Well, there are a lot of choices out there, and it can get confusing. 

To help clear up the confusion, I’ve done thorough research on what makes a good paintball hopper, and I’m extremely excited to tell you. I have also listed some key points to consider before buying a suitable hopper for yourself. The best paintball hoppers allow you to fire paintballs as fast as you can pull the trigger.

The main function of a paintball hopper or a loader is to store enough paintballs so that you don’t run out of ammo while playing the game. With a good paintball loader, you can play a whole game without having to stop and reload. 

Hoppers can be divided into two main categories: mechanical, and electronic!

And here I’ll help you find your perfect match; one that fits your style of play matches your budget and ultimately isn’t going to break the bank.

So, which one is best for you? Find out below!!

Top 8 Best Paintball Hoppers/Loaders

PREVIEW	PRODUCT	PRICE
FAST SPEED GEAR	Dye LT-R Electronic Paintball Loader Features: Dye bright LED indicator adjustable torque and Constant feed technology.	Check on AmazonCheck on Ebay
SMOOTH PAINTBALL LOAD	Virtue Spire IR² Electronic Paintball Loaders/Hoppers Features: Virtue Paintball flexible rubber fingers and a very bright LED indicator	Check on AmazonCheck on Ebay
FOR MID-LEVEL PLAYERS	Empire Paintball Halo Too Loader, Matte Black Features: Empire Paintball 180 ball capacity lightweight polycarbonate hopper	Check on AmazonCheck on Walmart
BEST FOR ENTRY-LEVEL	Maddog 200 Round Paintball Hopper Loader – Black Features: Maddog a split shell onstruction Spring loaded flip-top for faster reloadingc	Check on AmazonCheck on Wlamart
FOR BASIC HOPPER PLAYERS	Empire 200 Round Loader Regular Features: Empire Paintball Sturdy design gravity fed basic hopper	Check on AmazonCheck on Ebay
LARGE CAPACITY LAODER	JT Paintball Hopper, Black, XX-Large Features: JT XX-Large (200 balls) 0.15 Kilograms clear spring loader lid.	Check on AmazonCheck on Ebay
BEST FOR BEGINNERS	Proto Primo Paintball Hopper / Loader Features: Dye 200 balls Unique ramp design compatible with mechanical and electronic markers	Check on AmazonCheck on Ebay
FOR PRO PLAYERS	Bunkerkings CTRL Electronic Paintball Loaders/Hoppers Features: Bunker Kings 200 rounds Stronger nylon lid and optional ramps soft on paints and toolless disassembly	Check on AmazonCheck on Walmart

Types of Hoppers

There are many different types of hoppers available in the market. You can choose any one of them depending upon your requirements and budget.

Gravity Paintball Hopper

The gravity-fed hoppers are the most reliable choice for players of all levels. Also, they are cheaper and much easier to maintain than a cheap paintball loader. And they can support a full day’s play on one filling.

Mechanical paintball hoppers

Mechanical hoppers are usually manual with spring and don’t need batteries. They are cheap and reliable but weigh more.

Electronic Paintball Hopper

Electronic hoppers automatically feed paintballs into your marker without you pulling the trigger, making it easier to play. Electronic hoppers also have other features such as adjustable feed rates and low paint detection capabilities.

Mini Hopper

The mini hopper goes on your marker so it’s always ready. It’s lightweight too, at only around 1 lb., so you’ll hardly even know it’s there. Plus they won’t block your vision during the game. But like all other mechanical loaders, they can get jammed up.

Tested and Approved Choices

Here I have some of the highly reviewed reliable and approved selections of best paintball hoppers in 2023 for you in each category.

🔹For Beginners 

My top recommendation for all entry-level players is this Empire 200 Round Loader Regular. You can surely buy this for a great onset to the sport of paintball. 

🔹For Pro Players

This Bunkerkings CTRL Electronic Paintball Loader is a great choice in the market for mid-level or pro players. Clearly it’s a value for the money. 

🔹Best Gravity fed hopper

I recommend Proto Primo Paintball Hopper / Loader for you if you are looking for a gravity-fed basic hopper. It is ideal for mechanical paintball guns. 

🔹Best electronic loader

The best tested and approved loader in this category is Empire Paintball Halo Too Loader. It is slightly less expensive than other standard electronic hoppers and great in terms of functionality. 

🔹Best Quick Release Loader 

This is the loader for the players who are always on the hunt for the best quick-release hopper. 

Dye Rotor 2 Paintball loader is surely worthy of trust for you.

Top 8 Product Reviews

The best paintball loaders are designed to last for a long time. They are durable and are made using sturdy materials. There are various factors that determine the type of hopper you should buy. The right size, ease of use, and jam-proof capabilities are some of the factors you should consider when buying a hopper.

You should also keep in mind that different hoppers have different features and functionality. If you are looking to purchase a paintball loader, here I’m going to help you out. 

I have compiled a list of the top paintball hoppers in the market that will suit your budget and demands.

I’ll also show you what are the positive and negative points of each one, so you can choose the right one, without overpaying or buying a knockoff.

If you want to invest in a standard electronic hopper with good shooting speed, this is a choice for you. This Dye LT-R hopper has another updated Rotor R2 version with more advanced features. But I chose the LT-R electronic loader as it is more popular among players. The updated version is more expensive and more advanced in terms of its quick-release function.

I really liked this hopper because of its ease of use. Turning it on and off during the game is super easy. 

One primary advantage of buying this rotor is its tool-less assembly and disassembly. You really won’t have to carry tools on the field to assemble or disassemble it. 

Another plus point about this loader is that it handles the fragile paints well. So if you are using low-average quality paints generally, this Dye LT-R is just suitable for the job. 

I found it durable and worth the money spent. 

The only major drawback of this paintball loader is that it jams more often during the game. I tried to keep it clean and mounted properly to avoid jamming up during the games. 

But still, sometimes balls just don’t come out of it. God knows what the exact reason is. But it jams more often on humid days while using advanced markers. But I have a pro tip to clear the jam; simply turn the marker upside down, or pull the tab. And it’s back to work.

Considering my detailed review and experience with the hopper I recommend it as a fast-speed piece of gear. It’s well priced and serves the purpose. 

Virtue spire series is one of the most prominent brands on my product list for today’s article. One of the major reasons to buy this hopper was its jam-free functionality. Because most of the hoppers I bought before were jamming more often. And its no jam quality is really a big plus for me. As I can continue my game without trying to hide behind the bunkers to fix my hopper.

Another good thing to mention here is that it works fine with most guns. Though changing or switching to a quick feed mechanism during the play can be hard. Still, it worked fine for me. 

One major negative aspect is that this hopper doesn’t come with a rotor and you face trouble sometimes with the feeding system. So buying a rotor separately would be a good decision.

I faced another issue during my matches the upper lid simply sticks sometimes and doesn’t open or close with one hand. 

I extensively used this hopper during my testing and found it a good choice overall. If you understand its feeding mechanism and make some appropriate fixes to its lid, it could be a pro-level hopper for you. 

I recommend this hopper to all these players who hate the continuously jamming hoppers. It’s also suitable for you if you are searching for a more quiet and smooth paintball loader. 

I chose this electronic hopper to use along with my newly bought electronic marker. And trust me they both went exceptionally well together. I found this hopper a decent choice for an intermediate-level player because of its durability and convenience.

Its capacity is slightly lower than other good quality hoppers but it’s just fine for routine use. 

Most hoppers I used had sensors or eyes but this one is sound-activated. However, the good thing is that the sound sensitivity level is customizable and works well if set at around 3 of 6.

Another plus point is its battery life. If you use good-quality AA batteries, they’ll probably last longer. I personally used Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries and they worked well. 

One thing to mention here is that this too had some shortcomings. One of the major drawbacks is it’s tricky to disassemble, especially on the field. The programming part is a bit irritating as there are no buttons to operate or adjust the functions except one on the backside. 

Despite these few drawbacks, this Empire Halo Too loader outperformed my expectations in so many ways. 

I recommend this hopper to mid-level players. This is a nice, inexpensive, and jam-free loader for your paintball markers. 

This is the first entry on my list from the category of gravity fed hopper. I bought this one for testing and reviewing it for you all. As expected from a lightweight, gravity fed hopper, this is an inexpensive choice for beginner-level players. 

Due to the growing popularity of paintball, many younger kids are participating in the sport. So I recommend this to all 8-14 year olds who are thinking about starting paintball. I found it compatible with my Tippmann marker with .68 Cal. 

Assembling and disassembling this loader on any standard gun is easy. 

I didn’t like the design and construction of the hopper because unlike other expensive choices it’s less sturdy. And I personally prefer more sturdy gear for my tournaments and matches. 

Another drawback of this loader is that it’s not an electronic or automatic one. So it doesn’t work well with advanced guns or auto/semi-auto markers. 

I assume if you are searching for a reasonable choice to present as a gift to your kids or grandkids, go for Maddog Hopper. 

But if you are a pro-level or a mid-level player. And you don’t want to invest some hundred bucks on a hopper still it won’t make a good choice for advanced gameplay. 

I recommend this hopper to all entry level players, especially kids. It’s lightweight and operates without a battery. I expect younger players would be happy using it.

If you are searching for a low-priced and basic hopper as a backup for yourself, it’s for you. 

Gravity-fed hoppers are always fine for me unless they are not sturdy. An Empire Regular loader is compatible with all .68 caliber mechanical paintball guns. But it certainly won’t fit your 0.50 or 0.43 caliber markers. 

It can have up to 200 rounds of paintballs. So capacity is just fine for a basic hopper. Again I would say that paying hundreds of dollars for an advanced hopper is simply unwise if you can work with a basic one. 

The only issue you would feel is that manual feeding makes it slightly slower. And this sometimes causes the marker to jam. During the match, it could be irritating. But I managed to use it effectively by cleaning it properly after every use. 

Its easy to use and easy to clean technology gives it an edge over the other gravity fed loaders.

So don’t overthink before buying it to get started with your paintball journey.

I definitely recommend this to all players who are okay with a basic hopper. But keep in mind that it won’t fit your 0.50, and 0.43 caliber guns. 

This is another basic hopper on my list of best paintball hoppers/loaders in 2023. JT hopper comes with a large capacity of 200 rounds. 

It was made of thick and durable plastic material and overall looked sturdy. I didn’t have to pay big money for that either. So overall a well priced and well-built hopper for beginner level players 

This hopper has another big plus for me. That it didn’t jam until I fired some 1500 shots with it. Its spring loader makes the reloading a bit faster than gravity hoppers. 

I did another experiment with it by installing a fast auto reloader and after some minor issues, it started working fine. 

So if you want faster reloading, you can make a bit of customization by adding a fast reloader. 

But it does have some negative points or cons as well. One of the major and primary drawbacks of this hopper is it is ill-fitting with some of the hoppers. 

It did not fit my automatic .50 caliber marker. Though it was recommended to be suitable with .50 cal paintball guns. But luckily I have a variety of paintball guns from emo automatic to automatic and manual ones. So I tried it with my standard .68 Cal gun and it just worked well. 

I recommend this to all entry-mid level players. It’s a well-built and sturdy hopper that works well as intended. 

The added kickback of the mechanical guns helps the hopper to feed at a faster rate. And seeing its performance with the mechanical Gun, I decided to try it with my electronic marker. And it worked unexpectedly well. 

Another positive feature of this loader is its quiet working mechanism. It doesn’t make a lot of noise, unlike electronic hoppers.

Spring loaded lid barely remains shut during one whole game. And it was quite surprising for me. Otherwise, it worked well with my mechanical and electronic markers. And to solve the pop issue with the upper lid, I’m using rubber bands to keep it in place. 

I can safely say that Proto primo is one of the best gravity fed hoppers I have ever used.  

I recommend this hopper to all enthusiastic beginner-level players of paintball. Its sturdy and durable design lasts longer for frequent players helping them save some money too.

This hopper is for all of you who are looking for a top-notch paintball electronic hopper that works flawlessly. Bunker Kings has offered this Loader in a variety of colors and designs.

Its designs are all elegant and catchy. So if you have a knack for stylish paint gear, this is the choice for you. 

Another major plus is it’s equally functional for all game formats including woodsball and speedball. I really admired its ease of use and installation. I didn’t have to keep track of nuts and screws to mount and dismount it. Because it offers toolless assembly and disassembly. 

The only drawback I faced while using this hopper is that it doesn’t support low-quality paints. If you are planning to use very low-quality paintballs, it won’t be a wise decision.  And you would probably end up spending 10-15 minutes cleaning your hopper thoroughly. 

Overall it’s a very good choice to spend some money. But I want to make one thing explicit, you won’t have to worry about general hopper issues with CTRL hopper.

I highly recommend this advanced paintball hopper to pro players who don’t mind spending some extra bucks on high-quality gear.

FAQs

Before we get into our buying guide, let me answer some of the most frequently asked questions about paintball hoppers…

My detailed Buying Guide 

Choosing the right loader for your exact needs and requirements is really a hassle but…

You should equip yourself with the best paintball equipment possible. I know you might want to save money, but don’t go for cheap imitation products; they may seem like a bargain at first but they’ll prove unreliable and ineffective at the crucial moment when you need your hopper most.

There are tons of different choices, but not all are created equal. This guide will walk you through the most common factors to consider while buying a loader/hopper. And will help you decide which one will best suit your needs.

Size

The most common factor is the size of the paintballs used during play. The size determines whether the hopper can hold enough balls for a game or more games. Usually good hopper have a capacity of around 180-200 balls. 

Weight 

It’s important for a hopper to be lightweight and compact so it won’t feel awkward when carried for long periods of time. Gravity fed and mechanical hoppers are lighter in weight than electronic ones. 

Price

Overpriced paintball hoppers are a rip-off. So you just know how to spot bad paintball hoppers and save money!

Hoppers can range anywhere from a few dollars to several hundred dollars, depending on their quality and the type of paintball gear inside them. These days, most players are able to find good buys by shopping around online or looking at local field retailers or online paintball stores that offer occasional discounts. 

Material

The hoppers come in different designs and shapes but they all perform the same function. Some are made with clear plastic so that you can see how much ammunition is left in the hopper while others are made with opaque plastic so that they cannot be seen through.

Many other materials are also used depending upon the type and category. 

Anti-jam features 

The best paintball hoppers would be those that have a high capacity and can feed the balls at high speeds. Some models also have an anti-jam feature that prevents jamming from occurring due to paintballs being too large or small for their intended use inside the chamber.

Fact: Mechanical hoppers jam more due to the absence of anti-jam features.

Accessories

Some hoppers come with extra accessories, such as additional carrying handles, hard cases, hopper covers or even camouflage covers so players can take their gear out on the town without drawing attention to themselves.

Battery life

Some people prefer battery-powered hoppers because they don’t have to worry about the weight of the battery pack when traveling and teleporting. Electronic hoppers come with batteries and work automatically.

Ease of use

Hoppers have a variety of different styles and designs. Some have skids or handles that make it easier to carry; others are more streamlined, hidden on a belt or in a backpack. Choose one that feels comfortable to hold and easy to grab when the game is on.

Durable and Sturdy

An ideal loader should also be sturdy and durable so that it can withstand many years of use.

Other Features

If you’re new to paintball, there are several features that you’ll want right away. For example, if you plan on playing cover-based games (like woodsball), then probably the most important feature is the ability to quickly pop off your barrel and replace it with another without taking off your marker and attention from the game.

If you keep these events in mind before making a final decision, it’ll surely help you make an informed decision.

Additionally there is no single best hopper, so it’s important to take the time to research your choices before you hit the field with your gear.

Note: Choosing high-quality and cheap paintball hoppers is the best way to go.

Final Verdict 

The paintball hopper is the heart of your paintball gun.

Hopper options can range from a simple device that holds one tank of paint to a complex system that lets players carry multiple tanks of paintballs at once.

Best paintball hoppers are available in various brands and models. You should first select the best one among them and then buy it from an online market like Amazon using the link provided.