As a self-proclaimed clumsy person, I know firsthand that balance is key. I tested and ranked the best balancing hoverboards on Amazon to keep you riding safely into the future.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Segway Ninebot - 2 Wheel Self Balancing Scooter
Highlight: Single charge runs over twenty miles.
Helpful review: As a disabled person, I can’t tell you how difficult it was to find solid research on using self balancing scooters. I didn’t want a regular hoverboard, mainly because I knew I’d need the ability to balance and I lack the leg and back strength needed to make them work. Finally, I found this Segway, and I honestly can’t be happier. It took me about five minutes to get comfortable on it.
I honestly think this might be a miracle cure for people who have issues walking. I used to not be able to walk twenty feet without being in pain, and then I rode this for almost three miles and seriously felt no pain. Then the next day, I rode it for almost eight miles. Not only that, but I rode it through my gravel driveway and managed to open my gate without even stepping off of it.
Being able to stand again is so good for my body too, and riding this is even allowing me to strengthen the muscles in my legs. I can feel my muscles getting sore in that good way.
Having a steering wheel to hold really aids in making this comfortable and I don’t have any issue with getting closer to the speed limit. I tested out a lot of different terrains and even found that I could move it into my bathroom! If the wheel can fit, then you can get in.
The speed tops out at 12.2 miles per hour and that's just perfect for me. I don’t feel like I’m going too fast where I may lose control, but I also am moving fast enough that I feel like I’m closing the distance to where I want to go without crawling like a snail.
When my back ached, all I did was lean over onto the steering wheel for support, and that took some of the pain out of my legs. Finally I feel like my mobility issues are no longer limiting.
It is on the heavier side, about fifty pounds, but it’s so compact that I have no issue lifting it and carrying it around in my trunk.
The battery is pretty solid too. Even after eight miles, it still showed over fifty percent charge. It also has so many lights on it, I can even use it at night.
The digital speedometer is super helpful too. I will say that I will eventually plan to update the tires Comfort tires as they have a tread that ensures it won’t slip on wet surfaces. I think the customer service could be better, but it’s not enough of an issue for me to deduct a star. This has truly been life changing for me. 100 out of 10 recommend! — Stephen Campbell
Get it from Amazon now: $549.99 & FREE Returns
2. Gyroor Warrior - 8.5 Inch Scooter Without Handles
Highlight: Rugged eight and a half inch tires.
Helpful review: I have two other hoverboards that are less expensive than this one, but when the seller offered me to try this one out on a promotion in exchange for a review, I decided to go for it. I’d say the quality and build of the Gyroor is way better than other hoverboards. It's not a coincident it's considered the best hoverboard brand. It really is unique is a sense.
I could tell it was made for rugged environments as soon as I pulled it out of the box. I followed the instructions and made sure it was fully charged before I used it. It only took about half an hour to charge them. For reference I’m 5 foot 7 inches and I weigh about 165 pounds. 167 near the holidays lol. I've used it on everything from rugged trails to grassy fields, and it performed flawlessly, and I think it’s mainly because of the oversized tires and the motors. I love the self-balancing technology, and it makes it so you adapt quickly and really get the most out of the thrill of an adventure.
PROS:
– Long Battery: The battery is the real winner in my book. It lasts for about four hours of riding, which is pretty solid and doesn’t require frequent charging like other models I’ve tried.
– User-Friendly: It’s pretty intuitive to use. If you’ve never ridden one, you might be a little intimidated, but I like this model because it comes with an auto-balance feature that makes the riding even smoother. You can also take your time adjusting the speed to get confident going fast on it.
– Rugged Build: The wheels on this thing really allowed me to test out different terrains. I had no issue switching from sidewalks to dirt trails, and it even went over rock and sticks without issue.
– Lights: It comes with lights that you can turn on at night, but I’m thinking that this is more for show and not so you can actually see well at night.
– Built-in Speaker: I love that it comes with a built in speaker that you connect to your phone with Bluetooth. It’s not super-crisp sound, but it's definitely good enough so you can ride it without headphones.
– Customizable App: The app offers a lot of useful features. You can toggle between child or adult modes, switch between self balancing or manual, and you can limit your speed between 3.7 to 12.4 Miles per hour. Oh, and you can also change the colors of the LED lights.
CONS:
– Heavy: It weighs around thirty pounds, which might be heavy for younger users, but it is durable.
– Wheel Cleaning: You’ll need a good scrub brush to clean the wheels
– The ads on the app are annoying
– To really get the battery to go the full distance you’ll want to make sure that you charge it after every use.
Overall, I’d say the pros definitely outweigh the cons! This is a wonderful self balancing scooter for adults, and I highly recommend it. It's genuinely worth the money. — Robert Stewart
Get it from Amazon now: $359.00 & FREE Returns
3. Gotrax - Dual 200W Motor Balancing Hoverboard
Highlight: Super high quality tires.
Helpful review: I got this for my nephew and he loves it so much that I have to say that I like using it for myself too! It’s so great for maneuverability, and that’s definitely the case if you have a large house. I’ve ridden a lot of e-bikes and e-scooters, and hoverboards were definitely a new word for me and were completely a new thing for me. In terms of functionality, it really hits the marks. If you’re a beginner, if you’re advanced, it doesn’t really matter–it’s top of the line and definitely awesome. Here’s my opinion:
PROS:
– Ride is super stable and smooth and is intuitive to use.
– Max speed is just over six miles an hour, which is definitely fast enough for kids or beginners.
– A full charge can give you just over three miles.
– The non skid rubber platform offers extra grip.
– LED lights are great and even the pedals glow.
– Build quality is strong and solid.
– No assembly required.
– Hoverboard is on the lighter side.
– Detailed instruction manual.
– Comes with six month warranty.
– Affordable for the quality.
– Comes in solid packaging.
CONS:
– No Bluetooth connectivity.
– Tires could be better for rough surfaces or slopes.
AFTER USING IT MYSELF:
Honestly, I love it so much I almost stole it from my nephew haha. The self balancing features are so awesome and really what makes it easy to learn. You can tell the design is just solid, and that the whole thing is well-built. — Cody Bryant
Get it from Amazon now: $129.99 & FREE Returns
4. Hover-1 i100 - Hover Scooter With Infinity LED Wheel Lights
Highlight: Dual lights add extra visibility.
Helpful review: This was a birthday gift for my nine year old granddaughter. She originally wanted a hoverboard, but I figured that this would be more safe. I also read a lot of reviews that described how hoverboards stop calibrating after the ninety day warranty. It was enough of a concern that I chose this one instead. Safety is of priority for her after all.
PROS:
– Can withstand over two hundred pounds.
– Includes built in Bluetooth speakers.
– App shows current speed, battery life, and GPS location.
– Has three difficulty levels that control the top speed.
– Foot board lights are customizable.
– Durable.
– Fun colorful lights.
– Good tread on the wheels.
– Intuitive and easy to learn.
CONS:
– When not in use, it rolls in circles that make it hard to get on and off when you’re first learning how to use it.
– App is limited.
– The colors and effects of lights are customizable, but only half of them work.
– Unable to change the difficulty level via the app when using it. You have to get off the board to do that, which is stupid.
– Instructions lack details on the modes and levels.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
Although the tech support was mainly through email, I found that they responded within a day and helped me figure out how to decommission the older hoverboard so I had a replacement delivered. I definitely recommend getting the extended warranty, but just keep in mind that any warranty is only as good as the company behind it. — Jessica Edwards
Get it from Amazon now: $109.99 & FREE Returns
5. Jetson All-Terrain - Hoverboard For Kids Ages 12+
Highlight: Runs half an hour on full battery.
Helpful review: This is definitely more sturdy than my hoverboards made by Razor. I love that I can ride it on rough terrain, and it’s definitely more rugged than a lot of the cheaper ones on the market. It makes me feel confident, and I just have a lot of fun riding it. And it’s fun to see where else I can go with it.
I will say that I tested out different models around the same price point and I found that this one is a little less responsive than other ones, it kind of lacks that elegance if you know what I mean. So yeah, you’re going to get a bit more rough moves, and it can be harder to do cooler tricks, so keep that in mind.
The charge time is about what I expected and I’d say it holds a charge really well. It’s not as eye-catching as a lot of the chargers on the market, as it lacks those lighting kits beneath it, but there are some lights on the wheels that add a cool effect.
It comes with headlights, but the ones we got only had one working and customer service didn’t immediately respond. I’ll probably just fix it myself honestly. I think if you’re looking for something to use over rougher terrain, this is definitely it. It’s a nice addition to my collection and while it doesn't have the same fluid movements of other brands, I like that it can handle uneven surfaces better than most of them.
A FEW WORDS FROM A MAXIM SPARROW:
I got this hoverboard for my son as a Christmas present. My son dove into the box and was ecstatic. He rode it non stop, and then we charged the battery overnight so he could fully use it the next day. Welp. This thing turned on and didn’t stop. Like it wouldn’t shut off, until the battery died. I ended up contacting customer service, and explained the issue and she gave me instructions on how to ship it back to the manufacturer so they could send me a new one. And wouldn’t you know it, the new one came and worked just fine! I’d say a solid purchase, good customer service, and something my kids will make tons of memories for years to come! — Melinda E. Russel
Get it from Amazon now: $149.99 & FREE Returns
6. Gotrax Glide - Hoverboard Tested For 44-176 lbs.
Highlight: Intuitive and easy to learn.
Helpful review: I bought this for Christmas for my twelve year old son, and although I gave him a little help when he was first learning, I found that he had no issue getting comfortable with it after a little bit of effort. In fact, he mastered it in fifteen minutes! It did take him a little bit of time to get confident to go full speed on it, but once he got moving, he loved it so much, and it was so much fun to see how happy it made him.
It’s sturdy and durable but still smooth enough that it did fine on our wood floors. I like that the weight is enough that kids and teens can use it alike, and I also had fun playing on it, too. My husband is about 175 pounds, which is the weight limit, and he had no issue riding on it. In fact, he loved it just as much as they did.
PROS:
– The battery lasts really long, even with lights on and music playing.
– The lights and bluetooth speaker are just really nice additions.
– Sound quality is great, too.
– Has lights for safety.
– Color is unique and style is modern.
CONS:
It initially made a squeaking noise, but that eventually went away. Honestly, that was about it. Really just the best thing I could have gifted my kid. Now my husband and I want to get our own! Definitely great as an affordable but still valuable hoverboard option.
MY NEIGHBOR'S REVIEW, TRENT WALKER:
Wow, just wow! That’s about all I can say. These things are so freaking sturdy! My twin girls got these as birthday gifts, and they love them so much. And when I say durable, I might as well say childproof, which you know what that means! No child can break it! My little one left it out in a rainstorm, and I was so worried that it wasn’t going to make it. But after we poured the water out, and then charged it back up, it worked amazing. I couldn’t believe it honestly. Best value for what it costs. Highly recommend! — Jay Collins
Get it from Amazon now: $169.99 & FREE Returns
7. LIEAGLE - Bluetooth Wheels Hoverboard For Teens
Highlight: Comes with built in wireless speakers.
Helpful review: I got this hover board on Amazon, and I’d say that there are a lot of different brand options with different colors, and lighting options, and they’re all delivered in the same box with similar material.
I’d say that for the most part, it works exactly as I’d hoped, but I will say that it’s definitely not designed for heavier riders, aka, most human adults. Seventy pounds will get about an hour of battery life outside, but anyone over a hundred and fifty pounds? Yep. Cut that in half.
I’m not entirely sure that the manual is legit, and I personally plan to take it apart and see if the batteries can be upgraded on their own.
A few points that kind of enhance while I’m annoyed:
– The listing on Amazon says the max weight capacity is two hundred pounds, with the ideal weight around one hundred fifty, but I don't see any way anyone who is over two hundred pounds is going to be comfortable on this.
– The Amazon listing says the max speed is eight miles an hour, while the manual says the max speed is six miles an hour. The board can do 8mph, the manual says 6mph.
Despite that, my kids thoroughly enjoy these things, and I like that the learning curve is pretty easy for kids. The worst part is definitely the battery life, and I’d say that the suspension isn’t great for different terrain, and will do better on smooth ground, but it is what it is. I still think it was a good deal.
A FRIEND’S REVIEW, CORY GREEN:
I’ve only had this for about a month, and the first thing I can say is that the battery life only lasts about two to three hours, which is less than what I expected. I can’t ride through gravel or grass, but even so, it’s pretty durable and sturdy. It charges in a few hours, self balances, and definitely gives you a bit of a core workout, which is a nice plus I didn’t see coming! My kids range in age from seven to ten and they all seem to be enjoying it a lot! I think for kids, the speed is good, and at least I won’t have to worry about them spending all day outside forever–the shorter battery life means they will eventually come home haha. Makes a great gift and for the price it’s about what I expected. — Bibi Kelley
Get it from Amazon now: $109.99 & FREE Returns