I’ve examined a ton of scooters. Not all of them deserve a spot above, however some are nonetheless price contemplating.
Niu KQi3 Professional for $599: Over many rides, I grew to become fairly keen on the KQi3 Professional, and it was our high decide on this information for fairly a while. It gives nice vary for the cash. Regardless of using over steep bridges round New York Metropolis, I regularly acquired round 15 miles out of it, however you possibly can in all probability count on 18 to twenty miles (except you are additionally a tall big like me). It goes 20 miles per hour, the 9.5-inch tubeless tires provide a snug trip, and the disc brakes reliably carry it to a fast cease. You get perks like a bell, lights, and house on the handlebar for attaching a telephone mount. It is tremendous simple to fold, nevertheless it weighs 45 kilos, so it is not what I might name light-weight. I additionally want the handlebars may fold down since they’ll snag on stair railings. It is barely older now and has been changed by the Niu KQi 300X and 300P, so be sure to catch it on sale.
MiniMotors USA Dualtron Mini Particular for $1,699: The directions to assemble this scooter are imprecise, and some steps aren’t even talked about within the instruction booklet. (I discovered the handlebar grip onerous to placed on—rubbing alcohol is your pal.) That is additionally the primary time I attempted the MiniMotors Dualtron app, and truthfully, it is not beginner-friendly. Not one of the phrases and capabilities are properly defined. It isn’t a scooter I might counsel for newcomers, however when you get every part up and working, the using expertise is kind of good. It has a high velocity of 35 mph, and whereas the corporate claims a 40-mile vary, you possibly can count on nearer to 25 to 30 miles. It’s going to deal with slopes simply wonderful, however I do discover it bizarre that regardless of being pretty hefty (59 kilos), it has a max load capability of 200 kilos.
Segway P100S for $1,297: This Segway (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is 73 kilos however has a max velocity of 24 mph, so it is rather less intense than the Apollo or Dualtron Mini Particular. At that velocity, I used to be capable of get 16 miles in with 35 p.c left within the tank. In case you restrict the velocity to twenty by way of the app, you need to simply be capable of get shut to twenty or 25 miles. I simply hate the loud flip sign.
Fluidfreeride Fluid Mosquito for $899: If the light-weight Unagi Mannequin One Voyager does not curiosity you however you continue to need an ultra-lightweight scooter, then try the Fluid Mosquito (7/10, WIRED Recommends). At simply 29 kilos, it is one of many lightest scooters on this information and has a snug, built-in seize deal with for simple toting. It is quick to fold and is highly effective, with a high velocity of 24 mph. However shaving down the burden on this nimble scooter does have drawbacks. The suspension is simply OK—you will really feel most of these bumps—and the wheels are slim. The braking system works wonderful, however you would possibly encounter some skidding in the event you make a sudden cease, and the vary is lackluster (round 9 miles in my testing, going over the Brooklyn Bridge). There’s additionally no simple approach to change velocity modes on the fly; you set it earlier than you trip.
Niu KQi Air for $1,249: I used to be so excited to check this scooter, however my expertise with it over a number of months is combined. I nonetheless prefer it, however a number of quirks maintain it again from being a high decide. The KQi Air has a carbon fiber body, permitting it to be a mere 26 kilos with a 20-mph high velocity. That makes it the lightest scooter I’ve ever examined. It is easy to fold and has flip indicators, a slick app, and dependable regenerative braking. The vary is a bit lackluster—I often acquired just below 10 miles on a single cost, nevertheless it’s so light-weight that when it died on my manner house as soon as, I strapped it to a Citi Bike’s entrance basket and cycled house (do not do that!). The trip high quality is nice, however I had points with it refusing to connect with my telephone till I disconnected the interior energy cable within the stem. There is a theft safety that sounds an alarm and slows down the scooter if somebody tries to roll it away, however bizarrely, when you can completely flip off the alarm, the one approach to cease it from braking as you roll it’s to show the scooter on. My preliminary mannequin additionally stopped working fully and would not activate, so Niu needed to ship me a second mannequin. Oh, and generally, throughout rides, the scooter slows down and does not hit its high velocity till a couple of minutes later. I think there’s some thermal situation inflicting this. Total, there’s a whole lot of promise, nevertheless it’s simply annoying.
TurboAnt M10 Lite for $300: It is a completely wonderful funds scooter finest for folk below 200 kilos. (I wasn’t capable of hit its high velocity of 16 mph.) The meeting requires a number of further steps (extra issues to screw in, just like the rear mudguard). I used to be solely capable of get round 8 miles using it, however I like that the folding system is fast, the show is vivid, and it is fairly mild at 31 kilos. Simply do not take it up any steep hills.
Gotrax Apex for $350: The Apex is 32 kilos and straightforward to fold up. It has an built-in bell and a digital show that exhibits your velocity and battery life, and it may well go as much as 15 mph. The Apex is dependable—I’ve gone to espresso retailers, distant video shoots with a backpack stuffed with digital camera gear, and the grocery retailer—although it is not the smoothest trip. The 250-watt motor struggles with any slight incline, and slopes drain the battery quick. The battery often doled out round 9 miles for me. I am additionally tall, and I needed to continuously outstretch my arms to succeed in the handlebars. You will need to tighten the rear disc brake; it really works wonderful, however I would not have minded extra stopping energy.
Gotrax GX2 for $1,399: The GX2 is akin to the Apollo Phantom and Segway P100S in that it is 76 kilos and packs a whole lot of energy and vary. This gunmetal scooter appears to be like a bit like a Transformer and may hit a max velocity of 35 mph by way of the twin 800-watt motors, however I often rode it at 20 mph. It took me to midtown and again to Brooklyn (a complete of 18.4 miles) with some juice left over. I hate carrying it up and down the steps, as a result of the stem is tremendous thick, making it tough to understand. Whenever you’re ready at a lightweight, the GX2 additionally switches to Parking mode after a number of seconds, so that you continuously have to recollect to press the mode button to change it to the driving gear. It is tremendous annoying, and Gotrax says there is not any approach to disable it. I’m slightly involved about construct high quality—the motor makes a noise as if one thing is brushing towards it, and this sound disappears if I flippantly press the left brake lever whereas using. The latch to maintain the stem upright comes down too simply, regardless of a sliding lock mechanism to maintain it in place; Gotrax says it’d simply be that it is put in too tightly. In case you see any of those points, I like to recommend reaching out to Gotrax and going to an area scooter store to have them have a look.
Navee S65 for $960: Navee is a comparatively new model rising its presence within the US, and I had a good time utilizing the S65 (7/10, WIRED Recommends). I used to be capable of usually full 16-mile spherical journeys at 20 mph, however that just about depleted the battery. It has nice acceleration, due to its geared hub motor, and it climbs slopes with ease, however this additionally makes it very loud. The motor’s sound disappears in the event you’re in a loud metropolis like New York, however it may well make you self-conscious on quiet streets. It is 53 kilos, so it is heavier than our high decide regardless of an identical vary, and its customer support is up within the air since it is so new. Nonetheless, I had enjoyable using it.
Evolv Terra for $1,212: I loved my time with the Evolv Terra (7/10, WIRED Recommends). It is 53 kilos and due to the skinny stem, not too annoying to hold. It is highly effective, with the potential to go as quick as 31 miles per hour while you interact each 600-watt motors (test your native velocity legal guidelines first!). In any other case, you possibly can cruise alongside at 20 mph as I did on the second gear velocity setting (there are three in whole) with the one motor. Vary is fairly common, with round two bars left on the meter after 15 miles, so it may well doubtlessly final greater than 20 miles, particularly in the event you’re conservative with its speeds. The suspension is OK however the stable tires on rougher roads can really feel fairly bumpy. The fenders additionally appeared fairly ineffective to me as, after a moist trip post-rain, my again was coated in specks of filth kicked up from the rear tire. The stem’s angle was additionally slightly too near my physique, and the dearth of a thumb throttle meant my wrist damage after lengthy rides. You’ll be able to tweak the angle of the throttle and brakes to enhance this although.
Radio Flyer S533 for $599: Actually, I am stunned at how properly this scooter did in my checks. The folding mechanism is only a latch and a sleeve you pull all the way down to preserve the latch from coming undone when you trip. It is tremendous simple to fold and unfold, and light-weight at 30 kilos. It isn’t a commuter scooter by any means—my vary hovered below 8 miles on a single cost—and regardless of exceeding its 220-pound load capability, I averaged round 14 mph of its 16 mph high velocity. It is a good little scooter for going to the publish workplace, grocery retailer, or Cinnabon when my spouse asks for a cinnamon roll. Nonetheless, its worth does not match its energy and efficiency; it ought to be cheaper. It is also price noting that the primary mannequin the corporate despatched me did not activate and the second mannequin had a deflated entrance tire. Inflating it was a fast affair and I have not had issues since.
Apollo Air Professional (2022) for $949: I’ve not examined the brand new 2024 mannequin, however the Apollo Air Professional (2022) was a superbly wonderful scooter (6/10, WIRED Evaluate); I simply do not assume it is definitely worth the excessive worth. It goes as much as 21 mph, and I used to be capable of trip it for about 13 to fifteen miles earlier than it died. You get all of the accouterments, like a entrance mild and bell, and there is app connectivity to tweak settings to your liking. Nonetheless, the app is required to unlock the Air Professional’s true velocity—in any other case, you are restricted to 12 mph. I am extra miffed on the folding mechanism, which is extra work than it ought to be. It additionally does not speed up too quick and, regardless of its 39-pound weight, is uncomfortable to hold because of its thick stem.