Mobility scooters are one of the most common forms of powered devices for people with mobility issues. From using them around your home to vacations scooters help those that cannot walk easily or at all still get around without the help of someone else. Choosing the best mobility scooters may be a little confusing with all the different types of scooters on the market. Don’t worry we will break everything down in this guide to help you.
This mobility scooter buying guide will explain what type of scooter is best for your situations and what to look for when purchasing a mobility scooter. Let’s get started.
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Different types of mobility scooters
There are different types of mobility scooters. You have three and four-wheel scooters that are used by most seniors and people with a walking disability that needs help with mobility.
Top 5 Best Mobility Scooters
| Our Pick: | Mobility Scooter: | Our Rating: |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drive Medical SFSCOUT4 Spitfire Scout 4 | 4.7/5 |
| 2 | Travel Pro Premium 3-Wheel Mobility Scooter | 4.6/5 |
| 3 | Vive 4 Wheel Mobility Scooter | 4.5/5 |
| 4 | Vive 3-Wheel Mobility Scooter | 4.6/5 |
| 5 | BUZZAROUND EX Extreme 4-Wheel Heavy Duty Scooter | 45/5 |
1. Drive Medical SFSCOUT4 Spitfire Scout 4 Our Best Mobility Scooter Choice
At the top of our list is the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 scooter. It will allow anyone to freely move around while sitting in comfort. The ergonomic throttle control with easy freewheel operation makes getting around a breeze.
This scooter includes a quick connect 12ah battery and charger that can move you up to 9 miles. You will not have to worry about flat tires because this scooter uses 8 x 2 inches flat-free nonmarket rear and front tires.
The top weight that this scooter holds will be 300 pounds and has a max speed of 4.25 mph. It can also climb a slope of 6 degrees.
(4.7 / 5)PROS
- 300 pound capacity
- Stable with 4-wheels
- Comfortable seat
- Travel 9 miles on single charge
CONS
- Difficult over pavers
2. Travel Pro Premium 3-Wheel Mobility Scooter
The travel pro Premium is a 3-wheel mobility scooter that is excellent for turning and moving in tight places that a larger scooter would have difficulties performing. This is a great scooter to travel with and has a full battery range of 6.3 miles. Even with its small size, this mobility scooter has a weight capacity of 275 pounds.
Transporting this is easy and can be dissembled fast into 5 lightweight pieces that can fit into almost any trunk or truck for easy transport for your next vacation.
You’ll get comfortable riding in this scooter because of its fully padded seat that can be adjustable for the proper height. If you need more padding be sure to check out our wheelchair pads that will work just as well on a scooter seat.
(4.6 / 5)PROS
- Good turning radius
- Comfortable seat
- Basket for holding stuff comes in handy
CONS
- Less miles per charge than other scooters
3. Vive 4 Wheel Mobility Scooter
The Vive 4 wheel mobility electric scooter is excellent in terms of getting you around a lot of different surfaces both indoor and outdoor. The design of this scooter can support up to 265 pounds and has non-marking tires that are 8″ flat-free.
You can venture far with this scooter as well with a maximum speed of 3.7 mph and a driving distance when fully charged of up to 12.4 miles.
We love that you can easily transport this scooter because it can be quickly dissembled into 4 separate pieces making it great for vacations like cruising and more.
The control panel is easily and thoughtfully laid out on the tiller console. This allows for easy seeing and controls of the electric scooter. You can even turn on the headlights directly for the console.
(4.5 / 5)PROS
- Excellent range and speed
- No-mark, no-flat tires
- Works great indoor and outdoor
CONS
- Could be difficult for some to dissemble
4. Vive 3-Wheel Mobility Scooter
The Vive three-wheel mobility scooter will get you around safely and quickly on all types of surfaces like pavement, tiles, carpeting, and more with a smooth tight turning radius.
This scooter can easily navigate through doorways and hallways allowing you to get where you need to go with ease. With a top speed of 3.7 miles per hour and a driving range of up to 12.4 miles per full charge, you’ll love this scooter.
It can also quickly be disassembled into four pieces for easy traveling and storage when you need to transport this scooter.
This scooter can safely operate up to 265 pounds and runs on flat-free non-marking tires.
The seat is comfortable as well which provides long-lasting support and has a wide 16.9″ seat. For those who need more cushion support, you read about our best cushions guide to find the best seat cushions for chairs.
(4.6 / 5)PROS
- Light weight and easy to use
- Great turning radius
- Great battery life and distance up to 12 miles
CONS
- Very low clearance from bottom of scooter to floor
5. BUZZAROUND EX Extreme 4-Wheel Heavy Duty Scooter
The BuzzAround Extreme Scooter might be lightweight but it packs a big punch as a full-size scooter would. This scooter comes standard with 2U1 batteries. Because of this, you get up to 18 miles on a full charge. You will also get LEd ultrabright taillights and headlights.
We also love the weight capacity and this scooter can hold up to 330 pounds. Even though this scooter is powerful it still is easy to disassemble and take with you on your next vacation.
It also has a high 4-inch clearance from the ground to the bottom of the scooter. The 4 wheels make this an excellent stable scooter.
(4.5 / 5)PROS
- 4 wheels for extra stability
- Super long drive time
- High clearance of 4 inches
- 5 mph speeds
- Drives over uneven terrain
CONS
- No reverse beeping
- Solid tires may make for a rougher ride
Best Mobility Scooters Buying Guide
You’re interested in getting a mobility scooter but how do you know what the best mobility scooter is for your needs? There are a lot of different factors you should look at before purchasing a scooter. The below will explain what to look for when purchasing.
Turning radius
Everyone that uses a mobility scooter will want to know about the turning radius. This is how tightly a scooter can turn.
It is useful when you are in tighter places and have turned to either get through a doorway or another spot. The tighter the running radius the easier it will be to move around tighter areas and corners.
Comfort
Comfort is another top compliment or complaint when speaking with people that use wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility devices. When you are sitting in a chair for long periods of time you will want to make sure you’re comfortable as possible.
It is also good to know that you can get seat cushions to make your experience sitting even better. Look for mobility scooters with chairs with backrests and arm supports as they tend to be more comfortable.
What type of tires does your mobility scooter have?
Tires on a mobility scooter are important in terms of what type of terrain the scooter can go over, can they go flat when you far from home, and if it will markup floors if you use them indoors. Most tires are non-skid so they don’t leave marks
Weight capacity
You will have to know the weight limit of a scooter. Most scooters can hold 250 pounds and up. But most do not exceed 275 to 300 pounds. If you need a scooter with a larger weight capacity be sure to check before you purchase a scooter. We always suggest giving yourself a little room
Speed of the Scooter
While speed might not be too important it should be known that the average scooter will never move faster than 5.5 miles per hour. Do not worry this speed is a lot faster than the average speed of a person walks. The idea of a mobility scooter is to give that person mobility again safely.
Batteries on a mobility scooter
The batteries of your mobility scooter are like the heart. Without it, your scooter will not move. The battery is what dictates how long your scooter will run, how far it will, and how fast it will move.
Most scooters that run on batteries have a range on a full single charge of anywhere from 7 to 15 miles. Most users will not use this distance in a day and some may not use this in a week.
When charging batteries they may need a few hours to overnight charging to complete. Most batteries in a mobility scooter are under the seat towards that back. This is placed in that spot because it’s out of the way and gives the scooter a center balance effect.
Cost breakdown of a mobility scooter
There are costs associated with a mobility scooter. They are more expensive than other mobility products like wheelchairs because of the parts associated with them. Batteries, engines, maintenance, and more all add when you purchase a scooter.
Undercarriage Space
Something most people may not think about its the ground clearance of the mobility scooter. This is the space that is between the ground level or the base of the tire and the undercarriage of the scooter.
Just like other mobility aids stability is important. The lower the ride the more stability you should have.
The double edge sword of this is the lower the ride the clearer the ground will have to be to navigate over these ubstructions
Incline degree matters
Did you know all mobility scooters have a limit to the include they can safely travel? Even if you do not live n hilly areas you will still need to know the maximum incline creating for wheelchair ramps, and other inclines you will face each day.
The Best Mobility Scooters Make traveling easier
Choosing the best mobility scooters is something that should be researched to make sure you are getting the best possible scooter for your needs.
The mobility scooter is meant to make life easier in terms of getting you out and about and gaining your independence again. Choosing the wrong one will lead to a lot of problems and frustration.
We hope our guides have shed light on the important aspects of what to look for when purchasing a mobility scooter.
These devices are meant to be controlled with just a few controls to move forward and backward along with a steering wheel to turn. These devices can move indoors and outdoors letting the elderly and adults with mobility issues free to some degree again.
These mobility devices can help with elderly get outside with friends, family, and pets to feel normal again when mobility issues have stopped the everyday things we used to do.
These types of scooters can enhance our lives every day and we hope this guide has helped you.
So, what is the best mobility scooter?
Choosing the best mobility scooters can be a challenging job. We hope this guide has pointed you in the right direction and showed you what to look for.
Our top choice for the best mobility scooter is…
Drive Medical SFSCOUT4 Spitfire Scout 4
This mobility scooter has 4-wheels, excellent range, and power with the right stability. The Drive Medical Spitfire is also easy to transport making it our top choice.
