What is the Best Mobility Scooter to Buy?

Choosing the Right Scooter

It’s important to choose the scooter that’s right for your individual needs and way of life.

Some people prefer the smaller travel scooters because they disassemble to fit easily in their vehicle’s trunk and can be taken on daily shopping trips. Other people favor the larger, more heavy duty mobility scooters because they can be used as a main transportation vehicle in place of a car. Larger scooters also tend to offer more luxury and comfort features as well as longer battery ranges. Regardless of which type you choose, you’ll feel a renewed sense of energy and independence when you get out there with your new mobility scooter.

There are 4 main categories of mobility scooters: folding scooters, travel scooters, full size scooters, and heavy duty / high weight capacity scooters. Each type has benefits and unique features that can’t be found in the other categories. So let’s dive into the differences and see if we can help you choose the best mobility scooter for your lifestyle.

 

Folding Mobility Scooters

Folding scooters are compact, portable, and travel ready. Many foldable scooters are automatic and can be folded or unfolded with a user-friendly remote control. Since folding mobility scooters are built to travel, they’re compact and easy to take with you whether you’re going to a restaurant or on vacation. Our customers have traveled all over the world with their folding scooters!

These scooters are ideal for people who have trouble walking long distances and plan to use their scooter part-time. Many customers who buy folding scooters use them for vacations where they plan to sightsee and walk a lot. Other customers use their folding scooters to go to restaurants, shopping trips, theme parks, vacations, museums, cruises, social gatherings, and more. Folding scooters are also a great option if you live downtown in a city and have a hard time walking from place to place.

Many foldable scooters weigh over 40 lbs, so always check the scooter’s weight before purchasing and make sure you or someone with you can lift the weight. Some folding scooters can also break down into smaller, lighter parts, making travel even easier. The tight turning radius on folding scooters makes them ideal for indoor use and anywhere with narrow walkways. Folding scooters drive well on smooth, flat surfaces when riding outdoors, but they are not recommended for use on uneven terrain or grass. It’s easy to travel with folding scooters, and they are small enough to fit in the trunk or back seat of your vehicle.

If you can walk short distances but need a little help getting around for longer trips or when traveling, then a folding scooter will be a great choice for you. 

The Best Folding Scooter to Buy

1) The Transformer Automatic Folding Scooter with Remote (shown) is one of our top selling foldable scooters and is airline approved!

2) Another customer favorite is the ATTO Folding Scooter, which is also airline approved and fits in the overhead plane compartment when split apart. 

3) Pride’s all new iRide™ Lightweight Folding Scooter is award-winning, airline approved, and ultra lightweight, with the heaviest part weighing only 32 lbs!

4) Golden’s all new Buzzaround CarryOn Folding Scooter features a class-leading 18 mile range and a lifetime warranty on the frame.

Shop all folding mobility scooters for adults here.

 

 

Travel Mobility Scooters

Travel scooters are compact, portable, and travel ready just like folding scooters, but travel scooters offer more comfort features and longer driving ranges than their foldable cousins. Most travel scooters offer a cushioned seat with armrests and a backrest, which many folding scooters do not have, and they disassemble, rather than fold, for easy transport. The disassembled scooter parts tend to weigh 28-35 lbs, which is much lighter than most foldable scooters. These lightweight pieces fit easily in the trunks of most vehicles.

Both travel and folding scooters are ideal vacation companions, but travel scooters tend to be more comfortable, while folding scooters are more compact. Travel scooters also typically feature a universal accessory hitch under the rear of the seat for things like large shopping baskets, which offers more storage for groceries and other shopping trips.  

These scooters are ideal for people who have trouble walking long distances and plan to use their scooter often. Many of our customers use their travel scooters daily for trips to the grocery store or “walks” with the dog. Travel scooters are also ideal for theme parks, restaurants, cruises, malls, vacations, social gatherings, and anywhere you want to, well, travel! 

If you can walk short distances but need some help getting around for daily errands or when traveling, then a travel scooter will be a great choice for you. 

 

The Best Travel Scooter to Buy

1) The Go-Go Sport 4 Wheel Travel Scooter (shown) is one of our top selling travel scooters and features an all day battery range of 14.5 miles.

2) Another customer favorite is the Buzzaround EX 4 Wheel Travel Scooter, which features a 350 lbs weight capacity, extra legroom, and a class-leading 18 mile range.

3) Golden’s popular Buzzaround XLS-HD Travel Scooter is another best-seller, featuring a full suspension system and long 14 mile range.

Shop all portable travel mobility scooters for adults here.

 

 

Full Size Mobility Scooters

Full size scooters are larger than travel scooters and usually need a vehicle lift to transport. Some full size scooters disassemble for easier transport, but the scooter parts are much heavier than travel scooters and the base is larger. These types of scooters tend to offer more comfort features, like thicker seat cushioning or captain’s seats, and there is more legroom than smaller scooters. While most travel scooters drive up to 4 mph, full size scooters can travel a little faster, between 5 and 8 mph. These scooters also offer bright headlights for visibility, with many offering comprehensive LED lighting packages including front and rear lights as well as turn signals. 

One of the biggest differences between the smaller travel scooters and the more robust full size scooters is outdoor performance. Full size mobility scooters are designed to drive outdoors over uneven terrain, so they often feature larger tires, longer battery life, and higher ground clearance. Many offer full suspension for a smoother ride. Full size scooters typically feature a universal accessory hitch under the rear of the seat for accessories like large shopping baskets, which offer more storage for grocery stores and all day shopping trips. 

These scooters are ideal for people who have trouble walking long distances and plan to use their scooter for longer periods of time. Many of our customers use their full size scooters for all day social events and daily outings. These scooters are perfect for theme parks, malls, outdoor festivals, zoos, flea markets, social gatherings, and longer trips around town. Some customers even use their full size scooter in place of a car for trips to the grocery store and local errands.

If you can plan to use your mobility scooter for long durations of time or predominantly outdoors, then a full size scooter will be a great choice for you. 

 

The Best Full Size Scooter to Buy

1) The Zero Turn 10 Mobility Scooter (shown) is one of our top selling mobility scooters and features a modern, sleek design with full LED lighting and powerful CTS suspension.

2) Another best-seller and customer favorite is the Victory 10 Mobility Scooter, which features a 400 lbs weight capacity, feather touch disassembly, and an all day range of 16 miles.

3) Golden’s popular Buzzaround LX Luxury Mobility Scooter is also customer favorite, featuring a highback captain’s seat and easy disassembly with the heaviest part weighing 57 lbs.

Shop all full size mobility scooters for adults here.

 

 

 

Heavy Duty Mobility Scooters

Heavy duty scooters are the largest mobility scooters and feature the highest weight capacities. They are sometimes called “high weight capacity scooters.” These scooters are designed to be tough and rugged, often used primarily for outdoor use, and they can even be used as your main transportation vehicle due to their long driving ranges. You will need a vehicle lift to transport your heavy duty mobility scooter, as they do not typically break down into smaller parts. 

These types of scooters offer the most comfort features of all, like thickly padded highback captain’s seats that, depending on the scooter, sometimes recline. Many heavy duty scooters have large, pneumatic tires for superior operation when driving over varied terrain, as opposed to the smaller solid flat-free tires that come with compact scooters. Designed for full-time, outdoor use, they drive well over grass, dirt, gravel, and other uneven ground. These are also the fastest mobility scooters, with top speeds of anywhere from 5 mph to 12 mph. These scooters offer the most comprehensive lighting packages, with many models featuring turn signals and hazard lights. 

Many heavy duty mobility scooters offer full suspension for a smoother ride. Due to their large size, there is also more legroom, so they are more comfortable when driving long distances. Heavy duty scooters typically feature a universal accessory hitch under the rear of the seat for accessories like large shopping baskets, which offer more storage for grocery stores and all day shopping trips. 

These scooters are ideal for people who have trouble walking long distances and plan to use their scooter outdoors and/or as their main transportation. Many of our customers use their heavy duty scooter to drive to the grocery store and back in addition to other local errands. These scooters are also perfect for camping, hiking, yard work, and other outdoor activities. Some of the heaviest duty scooters, like the Wrangler, can be used for hunting, fishing, and extreme outdoor hobbies.

If you can plan to use your mobility scooter predominantly outdoors or as your main transportation vehicle, then a heavy duty scooter will be a great choice for you. 

The Best Heavy Duty Scooter to Buy

1) The Victory LX Sport Heavy Duty Mobility Scooter (shown) is one of our top selling mobility scooters and features a 400 lbs weight capacity, all day battery range, fast top speed, bright LED lighting and powerful CTS suspension.

2) A customer favorite and best-seller is the Wrangler Heavy Duty Mobility Scooter, which is a powerful, rugged scooter with extreme outdoor performance and a long 29.4 mile range.

3) Another heavy duty best-seller is the Maxima Heavy Duty Mobility Scooter, which features a 500 lbs weight capacity, large 22″ highback captain’s seat, and long range of 19.5 miles.

Shop all heavy duty mobility scooters for adults here.