Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
I used to try my kids' kick scooters and wondered if I could use one to get around. Enter the electric scooter. Electric scooters are convenient for running errands and commuting short distances. Although I haven't given up my car yet, I can't ignore scooters' advantages.
First, electric scooter ownership is definitely less expensive than automobile ownership. Because they are battery operated, electric scooters do not require trips to the gas station for costly fill-ups and have zero emissions to boot.
Also, you won't need to worry about finding or paying for a parking spot. Scooters are a small enough to park almost anywhere and most fold up for easy portability and storage. Finally, you can enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and wind (well, breeze) while coasting around on your electric scooter.
Advertisement
Before taking your scooter for a spin, don't forget to don protective gear like a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads. The US Consumer Products Safety Commission strongly recommends an appropriate helmet, especially if you're cruising along at 15 miles per hour or faster.
Also, check local laws regarding the use of electric scooters. In reaction to the invasion of fleets of electric scooter rentals, some cities have banned them, while others allow them. They are a boon to some people for personal transportation but a bane to other people dodging ones scattered around or avoiding them zooming in and out of traffic.
But if you ride responsibly and safely, you'll reap the rewards of an electric scooter. We read over ratings and reviews by many scooter aficionados and owners in order to present the best ones for different purposes.
Why you'll love it: Solid and durable, the Glion Dolly Adult Electric Scooter rides extremely well and folds up into a handy rolling unit for easy portability when not in use.
Appealing to students, commuters, and even riders age 60 and above, the Glion Dolly Electric Scooter earns great reviews. With eight-inch-wide never-flat tires, its ride is as smooth as silk with a maximum rider weight up to 255 pounds.
Topping out at 15 miles per hour, this electric scooter has versatile speeds and goes "as slow as a granny walking and as fast as a bicycle" as described by a user on Amazon, where it earned four-and-a-half out of five stars.
In fact, Amazon users attest to its good lithium-ion battery life that offers plenty of juice to power a 15-mile range. A couple of riders over 200 pounds climb hills on this model daily with little problem.
With a short charge time of three-and-a-half hours, the Glion Electric Scooter is perfect for scooting to campus or the office, recharging during the class or workday if necessary, and riding back home. And each way, you'll enjoy a quiet ride with its 250-watt engine that purrs.
The Glion Electric Scooter uses anti-lock electromagnetic regenerative brakes that are steady for some but jerky and a little slow for others.
Why you'll love it: A great starter model for newcomers to electric scooters, the Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter delivers power for a low price.
When most people think of kick scooters for kids, they think of the Razor brand. Don’t count it out in the electric scooter game, either. The Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter is a zippy and economical model. With a top speed of 10 miles per hour and a maximum ride time of up to 70 minutes, this fun and sturdy scooter is an excellent deal.
The Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter is a wallet-friendly way for novices to dip their toes in the electric scooter transportation pool. Reviewers describe it as easy to assemble, ride, and maintain.
In fact, Best Reviews named this model "Best Bang for Buck," Lifewire chose it as "Best Budget" scooter, and EnvyRide selected it as one its top five "budget friendly" models.
You might not expect much power from a budget model, but the Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter defies expectations. With a surprisingly long life per charge, the scooter’s battery allows for up to 70 minutes of continuous use. A lot of reviewers say they simply charge the lead battery overnight.
You kick-start the scooter to get it going, and then the in-wheel hub motor takes over. It also has a push-button throttle and hand brakes.
Most feedback from Amazon shoppers was from parents and grandparents about experiences of their kids and grandkids (ranging in age from five to 10 years). Nonetheless, many adults tried the scooter and loved it.
In fact, despite the scooter’s advertised maximum rider weight of 120 pounds, several grownups over 150 pounds found it quite peppy and rideable. We gathered from comments, however, that the Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter is best for kids or lighter, shorter adult riders.
Perfect for commuters and riders ranging from young adults to senior citizens, the Razor EcoSmart Metro Electric Scooter is designed for stability, convenience, and good looks.
Its solid bamboo deck and padded adjustable-height seat help you balance and rest your feet while traveling. A large detachable rear basket holds items for safe, accessible transport on errands. ThrillAppeal notes how this model sports a "vintage bike vibe" with its 16-inch pneumatic tube tires on spoke wheels.
Excellent for commuting, the Razor EcoSmart Metro Electric Scooter tops out at 18 miles per hour and has a ride time up to 40 minutes. Amazon shoppers report riding distances of seven to eight miles on hilly terrain and up to 12 miles on level roads on a full battery after charging it for 12 hours or overnight. With a 36-volt lead battery and a 500-watt motor, this model carries up to 220 pounds, including the rider and cargo in basket.
The Razor EcoSmart Metro Electric Scooter has a hand-operated rear disc brake that works fine on level ground but can get hot. Many riders wish this model had a front brake as well.
The best for electric scooter commuting while standing
Why you'll love it: Make your commute to work or class fun by zipping along on the sleek, sturdy, and powerful GOTRAX GXL Commuting Electric Scooter.
Enthusiastic feedback from students and commuters make the GOTRAX GXL Commuting Electric Scooter sound like a cool replacement for your car — well, sort of. Shoppers love traveling while avoiding traffic and parking hassles as well as saving money on gas.
For lengthy commutes, go green by combining this scooter with public transportation: ride the scooter to a transit station, lock it on a bike rack, and then hop on a train, bus, or subway to finish your journey. If you do ride it all the way to your destination, the scooter folds up into a compact, portable package that is easy to stash under a desk.
With eight-and-a-half-inch pneumatic tires, the GOTRAX GXL Commuting Electric Scooter delivers a smooth ride over bumpy roads. After just four hours of recharging, its 36-volt, UL-certified lithium-ion battery provides up to 12 miles of range or 12.5 hours of ride time. The 250-watt hub motor powers up to a top speed of 15.5 miles per hour and hauls a maximum weight of 220 pounds.
The GOTRAX GXL Commuting Electric Scooter is easy to assemble and constructed of high-quality material. Reviewers feel reassured by the scooter's dual hand and foot braking system that stops the scooter well. It also has a headlamp but no tail light.
Don't be dissuaded by the relatively low number of reviews for the GOTRAX GXL Commuting Electric Scooter on Amazon — 72% awarded if five out of five stars. It earned 4.7 out of five stars from a pool of thirty-four reviewers on Walmart's site.
Why you'll love it: Designed especially for kids, the Razor E100 Electric Scooter is fun, safe, and durable for little ones or anyone just starting out in the electric scooter world.
Recommended for riders age eight and up, the Razor E100 is a scooter you can feel confident about when your kid is zooming around outdoors.
With a top speed of 10 miles per hour and a kick-start feature — the scooter must be moving up to three miles per hour and the rider pushes a button before the motor engages — the Razor E100 Electric Scooter prioritizes safety.
The handlebar adjusts to different heights and houses the handbrake and twist-grip accelerator/throttle. Some people feel reassured by this scooter's slow acceleration while others think it accelerates quickly, but not too quickly for concern.
After twelve hours of charging, the 24-volt lead battery can provide up to 40 minutes of continuous ride time. Although the Razor E100 Electric Scooter has a maximum weight capacity of 120 pounds, many "big kids" weighing much more than that have tried this model for short rides with satisfactory results.
This model is easy to assemble, a godsend for parents of kids eager to hop on and ride right away. It has an eight-inch pneumatic front tire, a urethane rear wheel, a sturdy all-steel frame that holds up well, and a handy kickstand. A drawback of the frame's low clearance is that the underside and motor can scrape the ground when your kid makes sharp turns and rides over curbs.
If the Razor E100 Electric Scooter seems too small, try the highly rated Razor E300 Electric Scooter. Recommended for riders age 13 and older, this model is the next step up, with similar but some larger features: wider (nine-inch) pneumatic front and rear tires, a taller frame, and a greater maximum weight capacity of 220 pounds. Teens will love this model that zips up to 15 miles per hours and engages the motor from a standstill position (i.e., no need to kick/push start).
Pros: Safety features like a kick-start motor and maximum speed of 10 miles per hour; very good battery life
Cons: Low clearance; may be too small for growing tweens
