Although hoverboards or self-balancing scooters as they are also known, look difficult to master, they are actually not. The fact that they are self-balancing makes them easy to learn so it’s a skill that your kids will master in no time. Give them a couple of hours and they’ll be confidently zooming about, no problem.
There is, it has to be said, a confusing array of choices out there, most have LED lights but some have Bluetooth technology too. Some have training modes, some don’t, they don’t all reach the same speed, run as far on one battery charge or take the same length of time to charge up, but don’t worry, we will be taking a detailed look the best ones for 2019 to help you make the right choice.
I know everyone is wondering if they will pose a fire risk but don’t worry we have only selected hoverboards that are UL 2272 Certified. This means that none of the hoverboards, we will be looking in this guide have any fire risks because they’ve been put through rigorous testing and have been certified as having reached the highest safety standards.
Let’s take a look at the very best ones out there for each price range.
The Best Hoverboards Reviewed
The Best All-Round Hoverboard for Kids: The Felimoda Self Balancing Hoverboard with Bluetooth
The Felimoda Self Balancing Hoverboard is our top pick in the hoverboard world because it’s the best all-round hoverboard that won’t break the bank and will appeal to younger and older kids alike:
It’s got the right balance between looking eyecatching and cool (without looking too childish or grown-up and boring) and having all the features you need to give you a great hoverboarding experience. For a start it’s pretty speedy, it’ll cruise along nicely at 9 mph and you wouldn’t want to go any faster than that – 10 mph is generally the upper limit for a hoverboard, many, even the higher-end ones, only reach 6.5 mph. It runs on powerful 300-watt dual motors, 250-watt being the average for this price range and this will get you up inclines of 15 °.
You’ll get around 7.45 miles on this hoverboard before you have to recharge your battery. This would give you 50 minutes of ride-time – if you are solidly going at top speed, but in reality, you not going to be doing that. You’ll probably be averaging around half speed which would give you around 1 hrs 40 mins of actual ride time. This a pretty decent amount of time and most kids would be happy to be out and about on it for a bit, go do something else and then come back to it later. During which time the battery could be recharging – and a recharge time of 2 -3 hours, is pretty quick, in fact, that’s faster than some high-end hoverboards but if it’s a deal-breaker and you want more ride time before your battery runs out, you should consider the Epikgo hoverboard below which will go for 30% longer. Do bear in mind though, this sounds a lot but it only comes to 30 minutes of extra average riding time and just to compare, the Lamborghini, our alt pick would give you 21 minutes longer ride time until your battery runs down.
Now for how it looks – because it’s gotta look good too. Right? The Felimoda comes in a wide choice of colors including a few multi-colored patterned ones. They all have LED headlights and bumpers and the wheels light up in a variety of dazzling effects too.
If you want to play your favorite tunes on it, you can with this Bluetooth version. You simply connect the hoverboard to your computer, laptop, iPhone or Android device.
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What We Like:
- Good Performance for Lower Price than Competitors – The Felimoda hoverboard compares well with other more expensive models. It has 6.5″ solid rubber wheels, 2 x 300-watt motors, reaches a speed of 9 mph and can cope with inclines of up to 15 °. It has a good charge time of 2-3 hrs and will let you travel 7.45 miles on a full charge. That’s not too far behind our high-end choice, the Epikgo, though the Felimoda is almost 4 times cheaper. Of course, the Epikgo is waterproof and semi-submersible whereas this model will only tolerate light splashes but if you’re sticking to concrete, grass, dirt or sand – this one can handle it all.
- Designed for Kids – These hoverboards are suitable for younger and older kids alike – as long as you’re 44lbs or over and less than 256lbs you can ride one of these. But they are designed with kids in mind and such they look really cool. There’s a color option or pattern for every taste and you can choose from a matt or metallic finish. The one shown is the Bluetooth version, so your kids can play their favorite tracks on the go. But there is also a no Bluetooth option, which is our Budget Choice.
- Warranty – The Felimoda Self Balancing Hoverboard comes with free lifetime technical support. Hoverboards don’t generally give you a long warranty so this is very reassuring to have.
Things to Consider:
- No Training Mode – This model doesn’t have a training mode for beginners. I’m pointing this out because some do. Training modes work by capping the speed until you are confident with riding the board but your child will only be going slowly at first anyway and it should go without saying you’ll be kitting them out with the essential safety gear. Once your child is up and running with the board the training mode is pretty much redundant anyway.
Dimensions: 24.6″ x 9″ x 9.25″
Weight: 22lbs
The Best Budget Choice Hoverboard for Kids: The Felimoda Self Balancing Hoverboard without Bluetooth
The Felimoda Self Balancing Hoverboard is not only our Top Pick but is also our Best Budget Choice. The only difference being that our Best Choice which costs around $40 more than this version, comes complete with Bluetooth and this version, which is a bargain at well under the $120 mark, doesn’t. You still get a nice choice of colors, LED headlights, and the flashing wheel lights that you get with the Bluetooth option – and, of course, the performance is just as good. Read our review above for full details if you haven’t already.
But if you’re on a budget or if a Bluetooth option isn’t something you are bothered about anyway, you can save your self a lot of money with this hoverboard.
The Best High-End Hoverboard: EPIKGO Self Balancing Scooter Hoverboard
The EPIKGO Self Balancing Scooter Hoverboard is a beast among hoverboards and our high-end choice.
As you’d expect, its performance beats its cheaper competitors. It has sturdy 8.5-inch solid rubber wheels backed by 400-watt dual motors that will easily take on grass, mud, dirt, and sand and get you up inclines of up to 18 °. You’ll get a max speed of 9.3 mph and a distance of 10 miles on a fully charged battery. The battery has a 2 hour charge time.
What really impressed us though, is the fact that it’s also waterproof to the point that it’s semi-submersible so you can ride it through puddles or shallow water, with no problem.
Looks-wise it’s more grown-up than our top pick, it’s definitely more “sporty” than “Disney” so we think it will appeal to older kids more. That said, as long as your child is 44lbs or over, they can ride this board and because it doesn’t have that “kids toy” look about it means your child isn’t going to outgrow it’s appearance anytime soon, as they might with the vibrantly colored hoverboards targeted at kids with their flashing light displays and sounds options. The sporty look of this hoverboard, which has a max weight of 240lbs, also makes it ideal for you to ride too if you like the idea of getting one that you can share.
You do get LED headlights with this hoverboard but no Bluetooth and it also doesn’t have a training mode. But your kids will find it easy and safe to ride.
What We Like:
- Waterproof and Any Terrain – This board is powerful and sturdy enough to handle most terrains, including sand, dirt, grass, and mud, and the fact that you can ride this board through shallow water goes above and beyond most of its competitors.
- Good Performance – It has 2 x 400-watt motors, reaches a speed of 9.3 mph and can cope with inclines of up to 18 °. It has a good charge time of 2hrs and will let you travel 10 miles on a full charge. That beats many others in terms of performance though, it has to be said, it doesn’t beat them by an impressive amount…
Things to Consider:
- Price – There’s no doubt this is a great hoverboard, it has a lot to offer in terms of looks and performance, however, at well over the $500 mark it’s pricey and in our opinion the spec doesn’t outrank our top choice by a particularly impressive amount and there are even faster models out there, the Tomoloo, for example, can reach over 11 mph, though when it comes to your kids, faster isn’t always best – you have to consider whether going that fast is safe for them. But back to this hoverboard – we’d say as good as it is, in our opinion, it would have to be a considered purchase. One that might be worth it if you want a hoverboard that looks more grown-up and sporty for an older child, though you should also check out the alt pick, Lamborghini hoverboard below. What makes this board stand out and worth going for in our opinion is if you not only want the sporty look but you want to be able to take it out in all weather and ride it through puddles.
Dimensions: 27.5″ x 8.7″ x.9.1″
Weight: 31 lbs.
The Best Hoverboard for Teens – Alt Pick: LAMBORGHINI TwoDots Hoverboard
Even if the car is a little beyond your budget, the LAMBORGHINI TwoDots Hoverboard which is well under the $400 mark is much more affordable. Although not actually made by Lamborghini, this Italian made hoverboard is backed by them and it certainly has that distinctive Lamborghini look to it. It’s pretty specific in its design and although with a minimum load weight of 44lbs, meaning it is suitable for young kids, it’s definitely going to appeal more to slightly older kids or those who are really into cars, and that’s why it’s our alt pick but, as you’d expect, it’s also a good all-round hoverboard in terms of its performance.
It has 8.5-inch solid rubber wheels, runs on 400-watt dual motors will take on inclines of up to 15 °. You’ll get a max speed of 9.3 mph and a distance of 9.3 miles on a fully charged battery. That means you’ll get 60 mins of ride time before your battery needs another charge – that’s if you go flat out, but more like 2 hrs if you go around half speed and realistically, unless it’s going to be used to actually travel somewhere, in particular, your kid’s more likely to speed up occasionally in between cruising around at a slower speed. The battery has a 3.5 hour charge time, which admittedly, is a little slower than others. It’s not waterproof the EPIKGO is but it does have Bluetooth and an App through which, you can make the hoverboard sound exactly like a real Lamborghini.
Let’s take a closer look:
What We Like:
- The Lamborghini Design/Theme – This hoverboard is the perfect choice for those who are into cars and the fact that it sounds just like a real Lamborghini engine is pretty cool in our estimation. And if a yellow Lamborghini isn’t to your taste there’s an alternative black or a red option available to choose from.
- Good Performance – It has 2 x 400-watt motors, reaches a speed of 9.3 mph and can cope with inclines of up to 15 °. It’ll take you a distance of 10 miles on a full charge. That beats quite a few others in terms of performance and just to compare you’ll get an extra 21 minutes run time than our top choice. We should point out that there is also a 6.5″ wheel version available which costs around $100 less than this one but with only 200-watt motors, a top speed of 6.2mph and a running distance of 6.2mph on full charge, it, unfortunately, falls below the average performance of other hoverboards in the price range so that’s why the 6.5″ wheel version isn’t our alt pick but the 8.5″ wheel version is.
Things to Consider:
- Price – Though it’s considerably cheaper than our high-end choice – around $200 cheaper, it’s still one of the more high-end hoverboards and as such, costs around $200 more than our top pick. But for those who are really into cars, this 8.5″ wheel Lamborghini model is a good choice.
- Slow Battery Charge Time – 3.5 hrs is slower than others, so it might require a little more planning ahead if you don’t want a big chunk of your day to be taken up waiting around to get this board fired up and ready to go.
Dimensions: 29.5″ x 11.5″ x 11″
Weight: 33lbs
The Best Extras and Essentials for Your Hoverboard
The Best Go Kart Conversion Kit: HoovyKart – Go Kart Conversion Kit for Hoverboards
The HoovyKart – Go Kart Conversion Kit is a great little add-on piece of kit that will fit onto any hoverboard and turn your hoverboarding experience into a go-karting one. This kit comes already 90% assembled – you only need to fix the seat to it and you’re ready to go.
It’s such a simple idea. Your kids will get twice the fun out of their hoverboard. But we also recommend one of these for slightly younger kids and beginners because, of course, they will be nearer the ground and so there’ll be less chance of a fall until they are fully competent at riding the hoverboard standing up.
What We Like:
- Universal and Easy to Fit – This kit will fit any standard hoverboard, and certainly any of the boards we have featured here.
- Twice the Fun –The kit will turn your riding experience into a completely different one. And priced at under $70, we think it’s well worth going for it. It’s good for reducing the possibility of a fall too.
Things to Consider:
- They’re Pretty Fast – You should bear in mind that these kits and pretty fast, they’ll hit the maximum speed of the hoverboard in no time and while your kids may be naturally more cautious and so go more slowly when learning to ride the hoverboard standing up, they might feel more confident sitting down and just go flat out on the go kart. Though these kits could reduce the chance of falling standing up, they still need a certain amount of skill to control and consequently your kids could still come off one of these. It goes without saying that safety gear is essential.
The Best Child Knee Pads Elbow Pads and Wrist Guards: JBM Adult/Child Knee Pads Elbow Pads Wrist Guards 3 in 1 Protective Gear Set
These knee/elbow pad and wrist guard packs are an absolute must. Why anyone would risk their kids getting cuts, scrapes or even broken bones by skipping on safety equipment is beyond us. Your kids’ safety always comes first.
They’re probably going to protest, of course, they’re not going to be happy all kitted out with safety stuff, they wanna look like a cool kid, not an overly protected little kid, right?
These sets are pretty cool looking and come in a choice of four colors plus a plain black set that older kids are more likely to go for.
They have adjustable elastic straps to fit various knee and arm sizes and the padded protective bit consists of tough plastic plates.
JBM Skateboard Helmet CPSC ASTM Certified Impact Resistance
Lastly, you should get your child a good helmet. JBM do helmets that match the colored knee and elbow sets above. The helmets are not the most high-end that you can get and if you want to invest in a higher quality one there are a few options out there. But these helmets are inexpensive and they’ll do a good job of protecting your child’s head from knocks and bangs.
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