The Mark Valeness mini basketball hoop gave us a lot of pleasure. Our practical test certainly confirmed this. At the same time, the product shines with its accessories (ball pump and four balls in two sizes) and above all with its very stable and robust design. Even though it can be mounted on the wall without drilling, we preferred to mount it on the door. However, an additional layer of foam on the brackets would be desirable and useful to protect the door from damage.
Overall, however, the basketball hoop left a very positive impression. It is not only suitable for a children’s room, but can also be mounted very well in the (home) office or living room to prevent boredom in everyday life.
Advantages
✅ For door and wall
✅ Extensive range of accessories
✅ Very stable product design
✅ Easy installation
Disadvantages
❌ Additional foam for door holder desirable.
The first impression
Packaging and contents
ℹ️ Here we take a closer look at packaging. Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important factor. In addition, adequate protection of the product must of course also be guaranteed. Are the contents of the packaging complete and does the manufacturer make it as easy as possible for me to use the product straight away?
| Criterion | Remark | Score achieved* |
|---|---|---|
| Product protection | Carton is sturdy, product sufficiently protected | 100 points |
| Sustainability Packaging | Compact product packaging, some unnecessary plastic wrapping | 90 points |
| Package contents & scope | All parts and screws available as specified | 100 points |
| Instructions for use | Written in German, easy to understand | 100 points |
| Total | 98 points |
*The maximum score is 100 points
The Valeness mini basketball hoop arrives in a sturdy cardboard box. The inside of the product is protected by a separate film on the basket top and another film on the metal brackets. Recyclable materials would be desirable here.
The scope of delivery is complete as specified by the manufacturer. In addition to the brackets for door or wall mounting, the package includes two balls in two sizes and a small air pump. The manufacturer also provides very detailed and illustrated instructions for use and assembly, which leave no questions unanswered regarding the use of the product.
The first time in your hand
Product processing and appearance
ℹ️ Before we start the practical test, we take a close look at the workmanship of the products. How high quality are the materials used? Are the look and feel satisfactory?
| Criterion | Remark | Score achieved* |
|---|---|---|
| Visual appearance | flawless and appealing | 100 points |
| Processing | Good workmanship of the basket, no visible defects | 100 points |
| Stability | Robust product design | 100 points |
| Sustainability of the product | No information from the manufacturer, product suitable for long-term use | 70 points |
| Total | 93 points |
*The maximum score is 100 points
The product makes a positive first impression. The basket is visually appealing and the colors look vibrant. On closer inspection, the workmanship is also flawless, so that no flaws can be detected in the surfaces. Overall, the basket looks very sturdy and of high quality, which is underlined by the steel frame of the basket. The foam surround at the back, on the other hand, makes a well thought-out impression and underlines the clever product design.
The only drawback is in terms of sustainability. Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not provide any information, which is why we can only infer long-term use from the robust design.
This is what our practical test showed
Does the manufacturer keep its advertising promises?
ℹ️ Our practical test has the highest relevance and therefore weighting. Here, the product has to undergo a wide range of criteria and tests. We check the functions and product promises of the test article.
| Criterion | Remark | Score achieved* |
|---|---|---|
| Assembly | Easy installation on wall and door possible, tools included. | 100 points |
| Stability | Robust product design | 100 points |
| Security | Wall bracket not necessarily suitable for children. Scratches on the top of the door possible | 80 points |
| Accessories | Air pump very good, balls satisfactory, slight color defect | 90 points |
| Transportation & storage | Space-saving storage | 100 points |
| Total | 94 points |
*The maximum score is 100 points
First things first: we had a lot of fun in our practical test of the mini basketball hoop. We attached the basket to both the wall and the door and after a small throwing tournament from various distances, here is our conclusion:
Installation was very easy, both on the wall and with the door holders. After the net has been pulled through the steel basket, three screws are enough to attach the frame to the board. The door brackets can be attached with two further screws. Wall mounting is possible using self-adhesive hook s. However, as the basket is only hung on these hooks, we prefer the door mounting option in our test because the basket has significantly less room to move here. At the same time, the brackets provided for this purpose are unfortunately not protected by a foam surround like the rest of the basket, meaning that the door could possibly be scratched from above. At least a thin layer of foam would be desirable here.
The basket itself looks very sturdy. The unbreakable throwing board and the steel frame as well as the spring on the frame look solid and resistant. At the same time, the spring allows the frame to flex up to 60°, which makes the basket much more flexible . In terms of safety, we also recommend mounting on the door. The adhesive holders supplied are not designed to compensate for additional weight and should therefore only be used for children with this knowledge. The door brackets, on the other hand, are very robust and can withstand the odd tug and hold.
The included accessories are generally more than adequate. The air pump works perfectly and the four plastic balls also seem appropriate for their intended use and can withstand the air pressure. Unfortunately, one of the balls we received has a color defect so that the black line is not straight, but looks a little crooked. However, this does not affect its function or the fun of playing.
It should also be emphasized that the basket is easy to assemble and disassemble and can also be stowed away to save space thanks to the foldable frame. The basket can also be dismantled if necessary, for example if the door cannot be closed together with the basket due to the design. However, this was not the case with the doors we tested anyway.
Disappointingly, we did not really hit the basket reliably in our test tournament. However, this is 100% down to the user and not the basketball hoop, which in our opinion qualified for a very good rating based on the above criteria.
Price/performance ratio
and ratings from consumers
ℹ️ Finally, we examine how the product compares to the competition. Can it keep up with the competition in terms of price and quality? Would we generally recommend buying it? We also look at the consumer reviews and check whether the critical and positive reviews are actually justified.
| Criterion | Remark | Score achieved* |
|---|---|---|
| Price / performance ratio | Very good performance in the mid-price segment | 80 points |
| Rating cut | 4.6 out of 5.0 on Amazon | 80 points |
| Total | 80 points |
*The maximum score is 100 points
On the Amazon platform, consumers rate the product with an average of 4.6 stars. One common criticism is that the product is too expensive. Many customers like the fact that the product is stable and very easy to assemble. In our practical test, we were able to confirm that the product was very easy to assemble. Our price comparison shows that the product falls into the middle price segment.
Prices of up to €44.99 are charged on the Internet for equivalent products. Very inexpensive products are available from as little as €29.99. With a price of €39.99, the Valeness basketball hoop is currently in the middle price segment. The price-performance ratio isreasonable for the quality and performance received.
Overall result
| Weighting | Score achieved* | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. packaging & contents | 20% | 98 points |
| 2. product processing & appearance | 20% | 93 points |
| 3. in the practical test | 45% | 94 points |
| 4. price/performance & consumer ratings | 15% | 80 points |
| Total | 93 points |
