Verdict: This scooter checks all the boxes for me: it is fast, it has great battery life, it has music speakers, it has cruise control, it is foldable, and it is reliable. It is the funnest item I have gotten from Best Buy in years.
First impressions. As I was unboxing the scooter, I didn’t expect it to be so heavy (35 lbs). This is common for scooters I guess, but I just didn’t know much about scooters. On the other hand, all the components look to be heavy duty and quality, so I am happy to deal with the weight if this scooter will last me for years. Assembly consisted of just adding the handlebar and unfolding the scooter; I finished in just 5 minutes. I probably should have charged it first, but I couldn’t wait, so I jumped on as soon as it was ready. It had about one third battery left, which was enough to enjoy for a little while. The manual says to charge it first, so don’t do what I did!
Ride. To get going on the scooter, you first need to get it rolling by pushing off and then gently pressing the trigger. Upon first use, I had to get used to the sensitivity of the power trigger, and getting use to the turning and the speed. Within 5 minutes, I was riding it full speed everywhere. Acceleration is decent. Stopping power is ok, with the brake handle feeling somewhat stiff, but I suspect this will get better as we break-in the scooter. The scooter feels very stable while riding slow or fast. The scooter has a speed mode that allows the scooter to go up to 18 mph. Having two speed modes is nice because my younger daughter will only use it on the normal mode because she knows that it won’t go too fast (12 mph), and my older daughter and I mostly use it on speed mode. I was able to get up a pretty good hill without a problem, albeit at a slower speed (7 mph). On a very steep hill, the scooter could not get up on its own. However, with just a bit of assistance from kicking (like on a skateboard), it was able to get up the steep hill. The scooter advertises an 18-mile range but I didn’t get to try it up to its full range. In all, this scooter is a world of fun for adults and kids.
Features. The scooter has a decent headlight, which is a feature you may not think you need, but the day you need it, you will be very happy you have it. I used the scooter at night several times for fun, and also to test the headlight. While it could be brighter, the headlight is bright enough to see what you need to ride safely. However, you may want to go a little slower when riding with the headlight at night if there are no other ambient lights. The scooter also has a speaker. I didn’t think I would use this feature, but we absolutely love it now. I used it a few times, but my kids must have the speakers on every time they ride. It is their favorite feature from the scooter. The speaker is plenty loud at full sound, and you can hear the music even at full speed. However, depending on where you are using the scooter, using it at full sound may be problematic for bystanders. When using the speakers at about half sound, you can still hear the music when you are cruising at about 12 miles per hour. At full speed, you will not be able to hear the music if the speaker is at half sound. The scooter also includes a cruise control mode, which you can activate by pressing the trigger twice when you reach your desired speed. This is a very nice feature so that you can cruise at slower speeds without having to worry about pressing the trigger or having to worry about how fast you are going. As soon as you brake, cruise control is disabled. Oh, and the scooter has a bell, so you can signal that you are coming through!
Things I love.
- Stable ride
- Convenient kickstand
- Sturdy build and high-quality parts
- Great features: good-enough headlight, loud speakers, and convenient cruise control
- It’s foldable! I may actually take this on the train and use it to get to work from the train station! It will save me a 10-minute walk
- It’s fast enough for me, and I love that it has two speed modes
- It is very fun; just make sure you wear a helmet!
Things I don’t love.
- The brake lever is a little stiff, and I think breaking could be better. It has nice disk brakes, so maybe they just need to break-in
- Fully charging the scooter takes a while: 5 hours. The range should be enough to have fun on the scooter without having to worry about charging it on an outing… but if you ran out of battery, it would be a bit tricky
- It’s so fun that I think we will buy another one… and they are a bit pricey, so I don’t love that for my wallet
Conclusion. This scooter is the funnest thing we have gotten from Best Buy in years. It’s the new favorite gadget in the house. The features are excellent and it rides wonderfully. While it is not cheap, it is clear that you are buying a quality scooter. We highly recommend the Hover-1 Alpha-Pro scooter.