When I turned eight, my parents had the difficult decision, bike or skateboard? They went with the bike. I still eventually became a skateboard fanatic! These days the decision is much harder. Bike, skateboard, scooter, electric scooter, hoverboard!
For my son’s eighth birthday it was a bike. At ten it was the skateboard. For his twelfth birthday, he wanted an electric scooter.
I was against it at first.
I wanted by son to have the more active experience of a bike or skateboard. But my son and husband wore me down. My son already knows how to ride a bike and is very active and plays a lot of sports. And we also live in a safe area that has lots of open spaces that he can explore. Eventually, I agreed.
Of course, deciding on an electric scooter was only the first step. Choosing the right electric scooter for my son was a whole other challenge. When choosing an electric scooter, these are the main things to consider.
1. Speed
In general, an electric scooter’s maximum speed will vary from around 7 miles per hour to about 15 miles per hour. This will vary a bit depending on the weight of the rider. It is up to you what speed you think is right for your child. Are they a bit younger or a bit of a timid rider? They will probably be happier on something a bit slower that gives them more control. Is your kid an adrenaline junkie? They will certainly want something at the faster end of the spectrum.
There are also some electric scooters that offer a safety mode for while your child is learning. This caps the top speed while learning and can be switched off when they are more confident.
2. Battery Life
Battery life can make or break a scooter. It is not great if just as your child is getting into it, the battery dies. Maybe they’ll have to carry it all the way home. And 40-minute battery life is pretty standard for most scooters. You certainly don’t want anything with a shorter life than that. If you are willing to pay more, you can get a battery that lasts around 100 minutes.
It is also important that the battery doesn’t need too long to charge. It is generally not safe to leave electric scooters charging overnight. This can cause damage to the battery, and damaged motor scooter batteries have been known to catch on fire. In order to avoid this, check the integrity of your scooter’s battery regularly.
When buying, make sure you get one with a battery that has been approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
3. Size and Weight
When choosing a scooter, select one that is the right size and weight for your child. If your child is 45 pounds, don’t be tempted to grab a scooter for kids 55 pounds and up in the expectation that they will grow into it. If your child is too light for the scooter, it will much faster and less stable, making it dangerous. Luckily, most scooters cater to a pretty wide weight range, some accommodating people between 50 and 200 pounds! You may even be able to pick up something that both you and your child can ride.
For an electric scooter, you really want pneumatic air tyres, like on a bike, and nothing plastic. Some people say that you only need these kinds of tyres if your child will be riding off-road. But considering the speeds that these scooters can reach, air tyres really are a must. Some cheaper models may have an air front tyre and a plastic back tyre. This might be OK if your child won’t be going anywhere too adventurous. Some pricier models now offer special rubber tyres. These offer all the grip of air tyres, but are puncture-proof.
As a result, I think they are worth the investment.
5. Features
Electric scooters will come with a variety of features. Basic features include a kickstand and lights for riding at night. Elaborate features can include a Bluetooth app for controlling sound and lights, in addition. For me, the most important feature is a solid handbrake for when real stopping power is needed. Electric scooters will generally feature motorbike-style handlebar accelerators or simple push-button accelerators. The first offers more speed control but can be frustrating when traveling long distances. Some models also offer cruise control.
6. Safety
Whatever kind of wheeled vehicle your child is riding, equipping them with the right safety gear is important. This is especially the case with electric scooters when they will probably be moving a bit faster. As well as a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads are a good idea, especially for younger kids.
Besides that, you should also prepare your child for the responsibility of riding a motored vehicle. Kids often have minor accidents on bikes or skateboards, accidentally knocking someone. It usually isn’t very serious. These minor mishaps can be a bit more serious with electric scooters. They are moving faster and so can do a bit more damage. Also, pedestrians are a little less accustomed to kids on motorized vehicles and may have a worse response.
Teach your child how to act and behave in these types of situations.
Best Electric Scooters for Kids
Based on my research, these are my top 10 electric scooters for kids. The list includes quite a few scooters from the Razor brand. This is not because I have a particular connection with the brand. It simply because they are a well-established brand that makes quality scooters. They have sold over 35 million scooters since they were established in 2010 and have won numerous awards. While Razor is dominating the market, there are some great scooters from other brands on the list.
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 Speed: 15mph Throttle: Twist-grip Brake: Hand-operated, rear Max weight: 220 lbs Mile Range: 10 mi |
 Speed: 15.5mph Throttle: Push type Brake: Disc Brakes Max weight: 220 lbs Mile Range: 18.6 mi |
 Speed: 15.5mph Throttle: Three riding modes Brake: Dual Braking System with Autoguard Technology Max weight: 220 lbs Mile Range: 14.2 mi |
 Speed: 12mph Throttle: Handy twist-grip Brake: Hand operated rear with Autoguard Technology Max weight: 154 lbs Mile Range: 8 mi |
 Speed: 12.4mph Throttle: Push type Brake: Hand operated rear Max weight: 200 lbs Mile Range: 8-13 mi |
 Speed: 10mph Throttle: Handy twist-grip Brake: Hand operated rear with Autoguard Technology Max weight: 120 lbs Mile Range: 6.7 mi |
 Speed: 10mph Throttle: Push-button Brake: Hand operated front Max weight: 120 lbs Mile Range: 13.3 mi |
 Speed: 15mph Throttle: Handy twist-grip Brake: Hand operated rear Max weight: 170 lbs Mile Range: 10 mi |
 Speed: 15mph Throttle: Handy twist-grip Brake: Hand operated rear Max weight: 220 lbs Mile Range: 10 mi |
 Speed: 6mph Throttle: Push-button Brake: Hand operated rear Max weight: 120 lbs Mile Range: 5 mi |
The E300 is one of the higher end scooters made by Razor. It travels at up to 15 miles per hour and can be used for about 40 minutes on a single charge. It also has a quiet engine and reliable acceleration control with its 24-volt battery. The scooter can be used by children as light as 45 pounds and can take up to 220 pounds. It features a good handbrake for when stopping power is needed. It has pneumatic air tyres for good grip.
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Another high-end scooter, the TOMOLOO is worth the investment as it is one of the best models on the market. Taking riders from 45-220 pounds, it has a 250W motor with a maximum speed of 15.5 miles per hour and a run time of close to 90 minutes. The battery can be fully recharged in three and a half hours. It has 8.5-inch pneumatic air tyres which are specially designed to be wear resistant as well as shock absorbing.
It has a folding designed to make it easy to transport and store. But at almost 30 pounds, it is too heavy for many children to carry.
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The Swagger Pro is one of the fastest electric scooters on the market, getting up to 15.5 miles per hour. That is to say the scooter can run for almost an hour or a single charge and fully charges in about 3 hours. It is built to accommodate riders as light as 45 pounds, but also up to 220 pounds. It can be folded up to be carried easily, but at almost 25 pounds is a little heavy for kids to carry. While it has handlebar acceleration, there is also a cruise control button for traveling longer distances. It also features solid rubber tyres that are puncture proof but offer the same grip as air tyres. Considering all its features, the Swagger Pro feels high-end but has a mid-range price tag.
One problem with the Swagger Pro is that some of the bolts can come to lose, and should be tightened regularly. The accelerator is also sensitive and can be a bit jerky when switching between its three speeds: four, eight and 14 miles per hour.
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A cheaper version of the E300, the mid-range E200 is slower, only traveling up to 12 miles per hour. Therefore, it is not good for riders weighing more than 150 pounds. It is also not appropriate for smaller children. This Razor really is designed for kids from 10-13 years.
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The EXPRIT is another folding electric scooter which means it can be transported and stored easily if used from getting from A to B. This model is a more affordable alternative to the Swagger Pro with the same excellent rubber tyres. It has a maximum speed of around 12 miles per hour depending on the weight of the rider. In addition, it runs for 40-60 minutes on a single charge and can be charged within 3-5 hours. On the downside, it has relatively slow acceleration and the brakes can be a bit jerky.
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The E100 is Razor’s affordable model. It has less power than the other Razor models with a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour. It has a 40-minute runtime. Because of its reduced power level, it is not appropriate for adults and has a maximum weight of about 120 pounds. While it has a pneumatic air front tyre for grip and control, the rear tyre is a lower quality plastic. (read more information here)
Note:
- Razor E100 must be traveling up to 3 mph before motor will engage. Kick start up to 3 mph while applying the throttle to engage motor.
- As an additional safety feature, the scooter is designed to cut power to the motor when the hand brake is applied.
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Another smaller model from Razor, it has a maximum speed of about 10 miles per hour. The E90 has a Power Core engine which offers a much longer battery life at about 80 minutes. Designed for kids from about 50-120 pounds, unfortunately the handlebars aren’t adjustable and are too low for taller kids. (read more information here)
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Something quite different from the reliable Razor brand, this is a vintage-inspired scooter designed for children. Looking like a classic European motor scooter, it has a wide, comfortable seat with storage unit. With a maximum speed of about 15 miles per hour, it is designed for kids from about the age of 13 weighing no more than 150 pounds.
It has high-quality 12-inch pneumatic tyres and a sophisticated rear suspension system. It can run for about 10 miles on a single charge. Despite being a more substantial scooter, it is still only costs about as much as a high-end electric scooter.
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Something between the traditional Razor scooters and the Mod Euro, this is scooter with a built-in bike seat. It has similar power to the E300, travelling up to 15 miles per hour and with a 40-minute battery life. It is able to accommodate riders from 50 to 220 pounds.
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If you are looking for something cheap, and specifically for younger kids, the Hoverstar it a great option. With its small 12V battery, it has a maximum speed of only 6 miles per hour, and about a 45-minute run time. It can carry from about 40 pounds to about 120 pounds and is a great starter scooter for smaller kids. The Hoverstar really is a toy, rather than a commuter scooter.
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Making your selection
There are a lot of things to consider when deciding on the right scooter for your child. As a result, that is useful to think about how they will use the scooter. Are you looking for something for a younger child to use at the park on weekends? Or a more affordable model with fewer features is probably fine. If your child will be using the scooter to get to and from school or friends’ houses, it is probably worth investing in a more durable model to minimize the chances of problems on the road.
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