The 6 Best Electric Scooters for Adults on the Go, Tested

Forget your car at home. Instead of driving for every short trip to the store or commute to work, hop on an electric scooter and zoom through your neighborhood with ease. With an e-scooter, you won’t need to pay for a parking spot or drive around endlessly looking for open curb space—simply pull up, flip down your kickstand, and you’re ready to go. Electric scooters are easier to ride than electric skateboards and more portable than electric bikes, so they’re a great alternative for city-dwellers who don’t have the space for a car or would prefer a smaller mode of transportation for short distances.

These days, there are plenty of affordable and durable electric scooters available. Options range from electric scooters built for just a few miles of daily commuting to ones designed to handle uneven trails, high speeds, and long distances. We tried out electric scooters on our own commutes to find the best electric scooters for adults out there.

The Best Electric Scooters for Adults

• Best Overall: Segway Ninebot Kickscooter Max
• Best Value: Gotrax XR Ultra Electric Scooter
• Best Storage and Comfort: Gotrax Flex Ultra Electric Scooter
• Best Safety Features: Segway Ninebot KickScooter ES4
• Best Suspension: NaveeElectric Scooter Off-Road S65C

What Are the Laws for Riding E-Scooters?

In many areas, electric scooters aren’t allowed on sidewalks, so check whether you need to ride in bike lanes before you jet around. Some areas have speed limits on small electric vehicles like scooters and e-bikes. For instance, in Florida, e-scooters with seats must be registered and have a title and license plate, so check your local laws before you opt for one of our seated options.

Range

An electric scooter’s range is based on battery and motor size, and is impacted by a number of factors, including rider weight, weather conditions, surface type, and incline of the roads you travel on. The ranges listed below are based on manufacturers’ claims.

Many scooters get up to 10 miles per charge, while some can last for up to 40 miles or more on a single charge. Some have various drive settings that help you get the most juice out of your battery based on the type of ride you’re on. For instance, if you’re trying to conserve power for a longer trip, many options have a low-power or eco mode which reduces exertion on the battery by slowing you or your acceleration times, down.

Speed

Most of the e-scooters on our list top out between 15 and 20 mph. That should be fast enough to zip along city streets and paths without feeling like you’re falling behind.

The only exception to this speed range is the Apollo Scooters Go Electric Scooter, which reaches a top speed of 28 mph. However, if you’re seeking a quicker commute or more of a thrill, there are other e-scooters that reach speed up to 60 mph, though we didn’t feature any of these options on our list because many states and cities have banned them, or require you to gain an additional license to use them.

Motors

Electric scooters often have motors with a power rating between 250 and 350 watts. This is enough for most daily city commuting. If you’re a heavier person or expected to ride up steep inclines, you may want to opt for a scooter with a larger, more powerful motor. These motors offer significantly more power and acceleration but typically cost much more. Their size also makes them heavier than lower wattage motors, which can make the scooter more cumbersome to carry or transport when not in use.

Tires and Suspension

Almost all electric scooters have rubber tires, whether they’re solid rubber, tubeless, or tires with inner tubes. Solid rubber tires are the longest-lasting and are ideal for those making shorter rides on smooth streets, but they also absorb less shock than their tubeless counterparts.

Tires with inner tubes were more common in the past, but we’re starting to see more tubeless and tube-ready tires today. Both tubeless and tube-ready tires can suffer punctures, but offer more cushioning during a ride than solid rubber models.

Safety Features and Extras

If you plan on riding a scooter in the early morning or night, look for a scooter with good front and rear lights. It’s also a good idea to look for a scooter with a horn or bell to warn bikers, pedestrians, and other scooter riders that you’re approaching.

All scooters should have good brakes as well. Some only have them on one wheel, but more powerful scooters that need to decelerate quickly should have front and back brakes, and possibly a motor brake so you don’t go flying down a hill faster than intended. Motor brakes can also provide some regenerative braking, extending the scooter’s range slightly as you ride.

Some other extras to look for on electric scooters are items like seats or baskets. These are great to have if you prefer a seated ride and/or if you plan on using the scooter for errands, like grocery shopping.

In selecting these electric scooters, we tested out multiple options. For this testing, we used the scooters in daily work commutes to test their power, speed, range, and comfort over distance. This included trips over multiple lengthy bridges, on steep inclines, and many times, on streets without bike lanes. Alongside basic factors as mentioned above, we tried to get a sense of the feel and ride itself. We gauged how the acceleration and brakes felt in our hands, and how smooth the scooter stayed when riding over bumps or uneven asphalt.

For scooters we did not personally test, we based our picks on research, evaluating the opinions and ratings of professional reviewers, as well as checking out customer reviews and rankings, and evaluating each model’s most important specs like wattage, range, and safety features. We chose reputable brands, selecting electric scooters that are not only the highest-performing models on the market, but also the easiest to find in stock.