Top 10 Best Hoverboard Reviews 2021 – Comprehensive Guide

Hoverboards are one of the trendiest vehicles of this century but that does not make them super expensive. In fact, even the best hoverboards are quite affordable these days. Also, the safety issues which were a matter of concern a few years back have been carefully dealt with by the Consumer Product Safety Commission of the United States or CPSC. If a hoverboard comes with safety certifications from this authority, it’s completely safe to ride, besides being exceptionally entertaining.

With these safety certifications and growing competition among manufacturers to bring the perfect model into the market, finding the top rated hoverboards  isn’t as hard as it once used to be. However, you cannot trust every model of electric hoverboard you lay eyes on. They are all constructed differently and there are so many features that you need to be looking into before you can decide which hoverboard to pick. Through this comprehensive guide and hoverboard reviews, you’ll learn all about these trendy vehicles and also gain some very useful insight into buying the best one.

Why should I buy a hoverboard?

Almost every teenager dreams of owning this latest toy. Even many adults find it a convenient, eco-friendly and inexpensive way for travelling small distances. Before going into the details on how to buy one, let’s look at some of the reasons why self balancing scooters are so popular among all age groups. It will help convince you what a fun and beneficial means of transportation it is to justify your purchase to yourself and to others if you need to:

Keeps your child active:

With the growing popularity of Smartphones, tablets and similar electronic devices, it’s hard to find a teenager without one of these devices in their hands. These devices are the biggest reason for the lack of physical activity in their daily routine. Physical activities are very important for your child’s health and hoverboards are a great means for bringing some of it back into their routines. An enjoyable activity such as this will help motivate them to step outside the house, move around a bit and exercise their muscles.

Cost efficient:

Even adults will love this vehicle since a hoverboard is a fun and inexpensive way to commune small distances as compared to most other vehicles. Making a small initial investment on a good hoverboard will pay off very quickly when you’ll be saving hundreds of dollars every month that would otherwise have been spent on fuel for commuting by car or bike. Hoverboards do not run on fuel since they are battery powered and can travel up to 15 kilometers when completely charged. This means that you don’t have to take out your car every time you want to visit the grocery store that’s just a few blocks away.

Eco-Friendly:

With the growing population, global warming and climatic changes due to the burning of fuels are also important concerns that require our attention. One way to cut down on pollution and its effects on the environment is to invest in an eco-friendly hoverboards so that there are fewer cars and bikes on the road. Since hoverboards are powered by batteries and not by fuels, they do not emit any gases or pollutants to effect the environment unlike most of the other vehicles.

Compact and Portable:

With the compact design and portability of hoverboards, you can easily carry them on your shoulders or in your car to your school, office or even on a camping trip. You don’t even have to find a parking space for these lightweight vehicles. When you have reached your destination, simply pack your ride in your backpack and carry it along.

Fun for Everyone:

Probably the biggest reason why everyone loves them so much is that hoverboards are such fun to ride! They are not just meant as a toy for the kids but something that anyone can enjoy regardless of what their age might be. It’s a simple skill to learn which you can master in just a couple of hours of practice after which you can start having loads of fun!

Hoverboard Reviews

Hoverboard Buyer’s Guide

As we have already pointed out, hoverboards aren’t something you can easily pick off a store shelf without any prior research. Especially if you’re buying one for your kid, you only want what’s completely safe, durable and of course, lots of fun to ride. Here are a few features that you would want to consider in the hoverboard so that you select to bring home something that is totally worth your time and money:

Safety:

Safety is the most important bit to consider and not something that can be compromised upon even in the least. There have been incidents reporting hoverboards which caught fire since they did not meet the safety requirements. You obviously don’t want something like that to happen, particularly if you are purchasing it for your kid. Worry not since such incidents can be completely avoided by one simple check. Check for UL 2272 certification of the hoverboard which you are planning to purchase. A UL2272 certified hoverboard is the one which has passed all the necessary safety checks and has been certified by the authorities as completely safe to use.

Speed:

Most hoverboards are quite similar with respect to the minimum and maximum speeds that they offer ranging from a minimum of around 2 mph to as high as 12 mph. The actual speed will not only depend on the model of the hoverboard but also on the condition and quality of the wheels and the weight of the rider. High speeds aren’t always a plus point especially if you are buying a hoverboard for your child. You would want to consider how fast you would want to let your kids ride. For younger kids, you might appreciate a hoverboard with a smaller top speed for safety concerns.

Range:

Among other things, the distance that your hoverboard will take you on a single charge is also an important consideration. The greater the range of a hoverboard you can find the better. Most good hoverboards will take you up to 10 to 12 miles on a flat surface on a single complete charge. Apart from the quality of the batteries of the hoverboard, the distance it can cover will also depend on other things like terrain, weight of the rider and the speed at which the rider is going.

Charging time:

The charging time that the batteries will take is closely linked to the range that the hoverboard offers. A hoverboard that is capable of covering a greater distance should take a greater amount of time to charge its batteries but the good hoverboards will try to keep their charging times to a minimum. A lower charging time means you’ll have to wait less to be able to use it again after it has been discharged. In general, most of the good quality hoverboards will have a charging time of around 2 to 3 hours. You will want to offer a hoverboard which can offer a greater range with as low a charging time of its batteries as possible.

Wheel size:

What’s also vital in determining the quality of your ride is the size of the tires on the hoverboard. Some will have smaller wheel sizes than others and their size will determine how stable your ride is and also what terrains you can take while you are riding on the hoverboard. A smaller wheel size will make the hoverboard more compact and lightweight which are both great attributes when it comes to portability but they are not a good choice at all for off-road cruising. If you’re only planning to take your hoverboard on flat, smooth surfaces, smaller wheels of 6.5 inches in diameter are a great choice. However, if you are planning to ride on more difficult terrains like green patches or hills, a 10 inch wheel should do the trick. Larger wheel sizes are always better for rough terrains

Quality:

Especially when buying a hoverboard online, it’s important to do thorough research and read some customer reviews to be reassured of the quality before you actually order one. You want a solid, frame and tough tires which will last even through the roughest of terrains. Many hoverboards are constructed out of scratch resistant materials for this purpose. A stronger hoverboard will mean it will last longer and you can enjoy more years with this cool ride. The warranty that the product’s manufacturer offers is the best indication of its durability so look for a longer warranty. It will also mean that the company will cover for any damages that the hoverboard might experience during the extent of the warranty. In addition to being strong, the hoverboard should also be lightweight as not only would it be easier to carry but will also offer a smoother and faster ride.

Power of the motors:

Generally, two motors will power the hoverboard, one for each wheel. When looking for a good hoverboard, you should consider a minimum of twin 250-watts motor to give you an adequate speed. The greater the power of its motors, the better will be the speed and the quality of performance of the hoverboard.

History Behind Hoverboard

These small vehicles called hoverboards which have taken over the world by storm in recent years have a rich history like any other invention. Of course for something that you find so attractive, you would want to know how it all began and where its origins lie. We will answer all your questions in this section. Let’s look at a brief overview of the history of our favorite self-balancing scooters:

Hoverboard is a very recent invention. If you track its origins, some concept of hoverboard if not its existing design dates back to 1921. This was the year when foot-powered scooters appeared in the market which used the rider’s energy rather than using a battery to power the scooter.

It was Gino Tsai from Taiwan who felt that the design of these scooters needed to be upgraded with the use of batteries so that the riders could ride long distances using these vehicles without tiring themselves. The hoverboard that he worked on is known as Razor hoverboard today.
After being used for a while in Japan and China around the year 2014, hoverboards had become increasingly popular around the world by the year 2015. They were first seen in use by celebrities and the elites for fun and style but quickly became popular among the general public as well when the companies started building models with affordable prices.

The Controversy Associated with Hoverboards

Nothing that becomes famous can hide from a little controversy and similar was the case with these new vehicles called hoverboard. However, truth be told, these controversies which came in the way of the popularity of the hoverboards in recent years of its invention had solid grounds. The earlier models of hoverboards which were released weren’t exactly the safest in design and US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that there had been over 250 accidents related to the use of hoverboards all of which were either related to fire or overheating of the vehicle.

Some were reported to catch fire while charging of the batteries while others even caught fire while they were being ridden. Since the concerns were extremely serious in nature, authorities like CPSC recalled thousands of models of hoverboards to put them through all sorts of the toughest safety checks and banned over 15,000 brands of hoverboards as a result.

The incidents related to the hoverboards also resulted in the introduction of new safety standards associated with the use of these vehicles under Underwriters’ Laboratory or UL. UL tests the products for all kinds of safety aspects and then certifies them with UL2722 certification only if they comply with all of the safety standards. Nowadays, selecting a safe hoverboard which does not have the slightest chance of causing any accident is easy since you simply need to check for UL2722 certification while buying a model. If the model you choose comes with this certification, you don’t need to worry at all and buy the product with complete confidence regarding its safety.

How to Use a Hoverboard?

After you’re done with the hard part which was to purchase a good hoverboard, the next step is comparatively much easier. Learning how to ride a hoverboard is so easy that almost anyone can learn to do it with just a little practice. You might feel nervous stepping on to the hoverboard for the very first time but it doesn’t have to be that way. Follow these few steps mentioned below and you’ll be a pro in no time at all:

Make sure it’s charged:

Before stepping onto the hoverboard, make sure it’s fully charged. If it’s not charged, wait a while before starting to ride it and plug it into an electric supply to charge the batteries. It’s important to always ride a fully charged hoverboard so that you do not encounter any hindrances in the way.

Place your dominant foot on to the hoverboard:

After you have charged the hoverboard, turn the power on and place it in front of you on the ground. If the hoverboard has multiple modes, set it to the beginner mode. Make sure that the lights are facing forward before stepping on to it. Place your right foot on the hoverboard (or left if that’s the one that is dominant in your case) and make sure it’s as far from the center as possible. Keep the foot as close to the wheel as possible for better balance.

Place your second foot on the hoverboard

Now carefully place the other foot on the hoverboard and stand straight. Once booth your feet are on the hoverboard, it will balance you automatically but if you are still feeling a little nervous the first time you are using it, you can hold a nearby wall for some extra support and confidence.

Moving in a straight direction:

Now that you are standing on the hoverboard, let’s start riding already! Moving in a straight path on your hoverboard is a simple thing to do and you will get the hang of it in just a couple of tries. You simply have to lean in the direction that you want to move in. For instance, if you want to move forward, lean a little forward applying some pressure on the front part of the hoverboard using both your feet and you’ll start to move forward. However, the amount of pressure you apply or the extent to which you lean translates into the speed of your hoverboard so be careful not to lean too much during the initial stages of learning to keep the speed manageable for yourself. Too great a speed for beginners can cause you to lose balance and even experience a fall.

How to Turn Using a Hoverboard:

Now that you have mastered riding in a straight line, there are some exciting new experiences waiting for you. Let’s learn how to turn on the hoverboard! Turning on a hoverboard is just as simple as moving in a straight direction after you have practiced it a couple of times. Since each wheel is independent, you would want to rotate the right wheel while keeping the left one stationary in order to turn left. To rotate the right wheel only, you need to press your right foot forward while keeping the other foot still until the left turn has been achieved. Similarly you’ll push your left foot forward while keeping the other foot stationary so that only the right wheels rotate to make a right turn. During the learning stages, it is recommended that you take turns slowly and carefully by applying a controlled pressure on the hoverboard with your feet to prevent yourself from falling. Once you are confident that you can do it right, you can try faster turns.

Spinning on the hoverboard:

After you have mastered the turns, there is something very exciting that you can try next. Spinning on the hoverboard is something you would love to learn and show-off to your friends once you have mastered this skill too. Although it might not seem like a simple thing to do, once you have perfected your turns, it’s not that hard either. A step further to making a turn in which you only use one foot, to spin on the hoverboard you will need to press one foot forward and the other foot backward so that the wheels rotate in opposite directions. To make a left circular spin, you have to apply the pressure forward using your right foot and backward using your left foot while for spinning right apply forward pressure using your left foot and backward pressure using your right foot. That’s sounds simple, doesn’t it?

Stepping Off the Hoverboard:

Stepping off your hoverboard is similar to the procedure for stepping on to it but you’ll have to follow the steps in reverse order. Simply shift your weight to the foot that’s dominant in your case and place the other foot carefully on the ground. Now place your dominant foot on the ground and you are off the hoverboard. To prevent yourself from falling, avoid applying any forward pressure on the hoverboard while dismounting so that the device is not pushed forward by accident.

Tips for a Safe Ride on your Hoverboard

Riding a hoverboard can be a very exciting thing to do but even a little carelessness can result in casualties. Since you want a safe ride for yourself and your kids, familiarize yourself with all the safety measures regarding a hoverboard. Make sure that you follow them too, every time you step on it. Here are a few tips you can follow and see to it that your kids are following them too if they are using a hoverboard:

* Read the instruction manual of the hoverboard carefully before starting to use it.
* Check with your local police department if there are any rules and regulations regarding the use of hoverboards in your region.
* Wear all the necessary safety gear so that you are safe from any fractures or sprains even if you do experience a fall. A helmet, knee pads, wrist guards and elbow pads are adequate to protect you from any injury in case you fall off the hoverboard.
* Speed thrills but it’s wise to start slow with your hoverboard in the initial learning stages. If your hoverboard has multiple modes, use learning mode the first few times that you use it until you are completely convinced about your skills.
* Practice every movement as many times as possible until you have mastered it completely before trying out a new movement.
* Check the weight limitations on your hoverboard. They will specify a minimum and maximum weight that they can hold. Make sure that your weight lies within this weight limit before deciding to purchase the hoverboard. Sometimes younger kids might have difficulty balancing on the hoverboard because they are underweight.