Adrian Dimakis
Scooters! Do you remember the great times of riding a scooter down the street back in the days? Boy, it was fun! We were just kids those days, and scooters were mainly designed as toys for the little ones. If someone told you then that there will be an electric version of the same ideal for the adults too, you’d have probably laughed it off. But here we are — companies have invested time and resources to build amazing scooters that actually run on electric power (not muscle power).
Also known as electric commuters, these scooters are not only fun to ride, but also eco-friendly, making them a great alternative to cars. So whether you are looking to enjoy the freedom of open-air or simply have the urge to reduce the carbon footprint, you are right to purchase this little machine.
There’s one thing you need to do, though — find the best electric scooters for your needs. The market is flooding with these commuters, so you have to know what to consider and how to narrow down to the best option. Don’t worry, though; we have done that work for you. Read on and discover some amazing electric scooters and a buying guide to help you make a more informed decision.
Top 10 Electric Scooters for Adults of 2020 Reviewed
1. Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter
[wt_products id=”3304″ template=”5″]2. Razor E100 Glow Electric Scooter
[wt_products id=”3307″ template=”5″]3. Hikole Scooter for Adults Teens
[wt_products id=”3311″ template=”5″]4. ROCKETX 8″ Electric Scooter
[wt_products id=”3280″ template=”5″]5. NANROBOT D4+ Pro High-Speed Electric Scooter
[wt_products id=”3283″ template=”5″]6. Segway Ninebot ES2 Folding Electric Kick Scooter, Dark Grey
[wt_products id=”3286″ template=”5″]7. Shaofu Folding Electric Bicycle
[wt_products id=”3290″ template=”5″]8. Hover-1 Alpha Electric Kick Scooter
[wt_products id=”3293″ template=”5″]9. T, i anRun R3S Electric Scooter
[wt_products id=”3297″ template=”5″]10. Glion Dolly Foldable Lightweight Adult Electric Scooter
[wt_products id=”3300″ template=”5″]How to Choose the Best Electric Scooter – The Ultimate Buying Guide
Electric scooters come in handy not only as a source of fun for kids but also alleviating the hustle and bustle of rushing to and from work, bus station, lunch break, or when cruising the neighborhood. For the novices in the art, browsing for a scooter may as well feel like buying a car.
We understand it doesn’t become any easier, trying to decide on which scooter is best for you and your loved ones. Especially if you don’t have technical details at your fingertips. So we are going to look into some of the things you should probably keep in mind when looking for the best scooter for commute and you will be well on your way.
What is the ideal price?
Electric scooters come with alternating features and values that affect the price of each one of them. The quality and features of each scooter improve as the price goes higher and for that reason, you don’t expect to buy sports all road scooter for $200 bucks. You’d have to dig deeper into your pockets. Let’s look at various classifications.
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Budget (Under $300)
Scooters in this category are recommended for light activities. With this kind of budget, don’t expect anything more than just shady breaking system, low power motor, poor battery life as well as poor body build. Regardless of the fact, if this is your budget, then all hope is not lost. There are pretty good scooters out there in the market which are worth your while.
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Budget Commuter ($300-$600)
Scooters in this category are crafted to handle shorter distances and can withstand the conditions that come with a commute. They have a reasonable range as well. This scooters have a relatively short lifespan and demand several maintenance activities year in year out to keep them in shape. Also, they are best suited where your commute is flawless, relatively flat and smooth. One Key feature about them is that they are super light and you can carry them by hand just like a skateboard. This way you can maneuver around with them without any hassle.
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Commuter Premium ($600 to $1200)
With this category, everything is bigger and better. The wheels are larger, and the motors are larger and more powerful, the breaks can be any better than this and the batteries, well, more power for a better, longer ride. However, for this upgrades, there’s a catch, the upgrades weigh down on the portability of the scooter as the size increases making it more heavy and also somewhat difficult loading it onto vehicles or carrying it around with ease.
- High-Performance Scooter($1200+)
In this category, scooters cost a little bit more than the rest ($1200+), and you’d have to dig deeper into your pocket to take one home. The scooters in this category have the best of everything a scooter has in terms of the build as well as the best performance in exception of one criteria, portability. This has exceptional motors, at times even dual motors and can reach great speeds of up to 40mph. They come with superior batteries which last long for greater mileage of up to 40 miles. They also feature great suspension and hydraulic braking system for exceptional performance. They also feature-heavy wide tires suited for both offroad and on-road conditions. They are pretty heavy about 50lsbs.
At this point, we bet you have a rough idea of where you fall in this category and the kind of budget to prep for before you hit the road. If the scooter is for basic home use like for kids, then you probably want to invest in the budget and budget commuter with the latter having the biggest user base. In these two categories, you can get something worthwhile to keep your kids entertained.
Motor: Should you go for the big or small?
It’s a rule of thumb that cheap is expensive and especially for heavy investments such as the electric scooters. Electric scooters come in several motor power range starting from 200watts up to 6270 watts. So, what is the determiner for the motor power you need? The purpose and use of the scooter and also the context for use. If the scooter is going to be used by an adult, then you probably 250watts and beyond. This will work best in areas with relatively flat areas and minimal slopes. For more steeper hills, 350watts to 500 watts will do. More powerful motors will give you both more power to climb the hills and also top speeds for longer distances
Is top speed priority?
Speed is not always a priority for most provided the scooter can vamp up to 15mph. It is a regulation that scooters go no more than 15mph in some municipalities. It beats logic to say that 15mph is a good speed for a scooter using a bike lane. It will get you wherever in good time if you plan yourself well. In case you can’t shake off the hype of getting a superspeed scooter, we’d advise you make sure you are all geared up for a safe ride.
You should wear your helmet at all times when riding a scooter regardless of the speed.
You will need good mileage!
Mileage by in this context means the distance covered by the scooter per charge. Of course, this varies a lot, depending on the battery size and power. The cheaper models come with the batteries which means you have less distance to cover per charge and vice versa is also true. In the industry, it is a rule of thumb that you should slash whatever the manufacturer states concerning mileage into a half. They are fond of overestimating the range by 30%, to say the least.
You are also familiar with the concept that with time, products diminish, losing out their value, especially batteries. So with time, the more you push the scooter the limit, the faster it loses its value, especially the battery. Good thing though, you can always kick the scooter even after it has lost its battery power. So look for one with a good battery if you have to cover longer distances.
Weight: How Heavy is too Heavy?
This is a big factor to keep in mind when considering a scooter for whatever reason. If you are looking for commute scooter, then you will be carrying it with you most of the times. You, therefore, would be better of going for something that you can comfortably carry around in your hands when not in use. Remember, you will probably be walking up a flight of stairs, or during a bad weather day or even have a company. In each of these scenarios, you will need a scooter with negligent weight.
Scooters which come with a range of 15miles mostly weigh about 25lbs. Going for a scooter above 30lbs will most likely cause more trouble than good for commute purposes. Whether they come with extra accessories like a set of wheels for pulling behind you like a cart or even shoulder straps will help yes, but will be rendered useless when you are going up the stairs or loading it onto a vehicle. As you decide on what works best, run to the stoor and test a few dumbells to see what works for you.
Braking system: Are you looking for an instant stop?
There are different categories when it comes to breaking system. These breaks work for both front wheels, rear wheels or even on both tires. We have listed them in order of their efficiency starting from the least to the most effective. They include:
- Electric: These types of breaks are generally weak and need auxiliary breaks to work well when traveling at 15mph.
- Foot: Foot brakes work by pressing your foot against the rear fender. This causes it to rub against the wheel, consequently making it slow down up to a halt. Though it is also not the most effective method, this type of brake system is far more efficient compared to the electric system.
- Drum: This types of brake systems are found embedded in the interior of the wheel. They demand lower maintenance compared to other braking systems. They are also very consistent in the way they work even in wet conditions.
- Disc: these types of brakes are the most effective and are also very light. They have a lot more stopping power than any other. They are usually featured on high-performance scooters and premium commuter scooters. However, it’s not unlikely to find them in higher quality budget-friendly scooters.
We recommend that you get a scooter with the right braking system for your needs. Some will come with more than one braking system to complement the other.
Suspensions: A comfortable ride means everything!
Suspension in scooters works the same way they do in vehicles. They are effective in making the ride comfortable and smooth by smoothing out bumps and indentations along the road. Lack of good suspensions or even none at all, especially if you are using solid tires will render you having a very bumpy ride. Should you be planning to cover long distances with your scooter or even cover rough terrain, we strongly advise you get a scooter with suspensions. These suspensions are usually featured on the front wheel, back wheel or even both wheels in some of the models. Generally, premium commuter scooters feature either front or rear suspensions.
Headlamps
Much like bicycles, scooters also come with headlamps which are essential especially after dark hours. It is therefore important to make sure that your scooters feature both the headlamps and tail lights especially if you ride a lot after dark. Since it is not a paramount feature on this scooters, it would be advisable to have these features added to your scooter by purchasing alongside the scooter. If it is not possible to have the tail lights on the scooter, attaching on the back of the helmet would work as well.
Tires: A flat tire vs a bumpy ride
For scooters, tires come in two varieties. These include the following:
- Pneumatic: these types of tires are the ones you add air. They usually feature a tube inside. They are effective shock absorbers and are equally recommended for their traction even during adverse weather conditions. However, these tires require more maintenance compared to their airless/solid counterparts. They are prone to getting punctures and hence repair costs as well as refilling air whenever depleted.
- Airless: these types of tires do not come with any maintenance costs. However, the downside is that they are inferior in every way you can think of. If you have a scooter with these types of tires, having a very strong suspension system should be your ultimate priority.
A pneumatic tire is a sure bet in most categories of scooters in exception of the budget category where solid tires are more common.
Maintenance
It is a wiser decision having a maintenance plan In place before purchasing an electric scooter. Reason being, some electric scooters do not have spare parts in place. What does this mean for you? You may be obliged to send the scooter back to the manufacturer. Again, maintenance infrastructure for scooters is not a sure bet, so you may end up having to repair the scooter yourself.
You may find that once in a year, or after every 600 miles, you will most likely need to take your scooter for maintenance checks. Some of the parts that frequently need maintenance include wheels for flats, Brakes for pads and brake adjustments and also broken or lose fenders.
Things to be Attentive to When Purchasing the Scooters
- Battery capacity: The battery should be able to last long enough to get you to your destination. Battery capacity will also determine the range of the scooter. Should be able to have the range that will cover your entire commute.
- Weight/Portability: The scooter should easy to carry if you are planning to buy a commuter scooter. If it is too heavy, it will become a burden instead of alleviating the hustle of commuting.
- Braking system: The brakes should be effective enough depending on how you will use the scooter. Be on the lookout for disc brakes which are the most efficient.
- Motor power: The Motor will determine whether you will be able to maneuver through commute on that terrain. If the terrain is sloppy, you should acquire a more powerful motor.
Conclusion
Scooters are a great investment and require little maintenance when properly used. We have covered the basic about scooters and their pros and cons. Are you confident enough to browse for one? You should be! We have also looked at some aspects to keep in mind before you dive deep in your pockets and invest a lump sum for a scooter. Be sure to keep in mind the category of scooter you would like to purchase, the battery capacity, the power of the motor in wattage and also types of breaks installed.
Will you need to carry the scooter around in your arms? If the answer is yes, then be sure to settle for one that is less than 30lbs that way it will be easier to move around with it when you are not gliding through town with it. Keep in mind the maintenance plan before you purchase any scooter and you will be well on your way to a fantastic experience with the best scooters for adults.
