Electric scooters offer a quick and enjoyable way to get around, ideal for flat routes and confident, considerate riders in traffic. The Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max G30LP is our top pick, along with other strong models from Segway Ninebot.
Safety depends on both riding and battery care. With rising fire risks from low-quality or reconditioned lithium-ion batteries in 2023, stick to UL-certified batteries and motors meeting NYC standards. Never leave a battery charging unattended, especially overnight, and only use original manufacturer batteries and chargers.
Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max G30LP
The best electric scooter
The KickScooter Max G30LP is well-built, offers 20+ miles of range, and balances performance and price. However, it is quite heavy.
The Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max G30LP stands out for safety, reliability, and value. It offers a 20-mile range per charge, UL certification, and Segway Ninebot’s trusted reputation. While heavy at 39 pounds, it outperforms similarly priced models and costs less than many lesser-known brands.
Segway Ninebot KickScooter F30
Lighter, but less range
The F30 offers a solid 10-mile range, weighs less than the G30LP, and includes space for a bike lock, making it a good option if range isn’t your priority.
The Segway Ninebot KickScooter F30 is a budget-friendly option with a 10.6-mile range, ideal for trips under 5 miles each way. It’s lighter at 33 pounds and includes a design for attaching a bike lock, though the G30LP offers double the range for a higher price.
Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max
For longer range
The KickScooter Max is similar to the G30LP but offers a longer range.
The Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max, a previous top pick, offers a larger battery and a 24-mile range in tests—20% more than the G30LP. It’s ideal if you want maximum mileage and are willing to spend a bit more.
Who this is for
How we picked
There are countless electric scooters available, with some being original designs and others simply rebranded versions of the same model. We narrowed down our testing list using these criteria:
- UL Certification: Scooters had to meet UL 2271 or 2272 standards, ensuring the safety of their electrical systems, battery, and charger, as required in NYC since September 2023. Non-certified models were excluded, except for one initially misrepresented by the manufacturer.
- Established Brand: We focused on reputable brands with reliable customer support, avoiding unknown or unreliable companies.
- Advertised Range of 15+ Miles: To ensure practicality, we prioritized scooters that could realistically handle a 4–5 mile trip each way without recharging.
- Carrying Capacity of 220+ Pounds: This accommodates most riders, with extra room for carrying a bag or gear.
- At Least a 1-Year Warranty and US Support: Reliable warranty and support options were essential for addressing potential issues.
- Lightweight Design: Foldable scooters around 40 pounds or less were favored for portability.
- 15 MPH Speed: Most quality scooters offer this speed, so we didn’t consider slower models.
- Reasonable Price: While no strict price limit was set, we sought models offering the best value in the $250–$1,600 range.
How we tested
Our testing began in 2019 with five scooters selected using strict criteria. I tested each one personally, riding over 100 miles through city routes and a local park to evaluate range, ride quality, and braking. Key highlights:
- Practical Use: Daily rides covered 3.5–4.5 miles, including bike lanes, traffic, and a steep hill, without mid-trip charging.
- Steering & Braking: Steering was smooth, and handbrakes performed reliably.
- Battery Life: Extended rides in a park revealed realistic range comparisons, though exact mileage varies with conditions.
Follow-up tests in 2020 and 2021, including on the Segway Ninebot KickScooter F30, confirmed consistent findings on ride feel, speed, and range.
Top pick: Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max G30LP
The Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max G30LP is the best choice for most buyers, offering an excellent balance of range, speed, comfort, and reliability from a trusted brand.
It delivers impressive range. In our tests, the G30LP lasted about 20 miles on mixed terrain in standard mode, just shy of the 25 miles Segway Ninebot claims. While not matching the top-end range of our upgrade pick, it’s plenty for daily use, and if your commute is under 5 miles, you can go two days without needing a recharge.
It also handles bumps well, thanks to 10-inch pneumatic tires. Even after a long ride, the ride was much smoother than many other scooters, like the rough Bird One. The G30LP has a 220-pound weight limit, as with most scooters we tested.
The Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max G30LP has a secure folding mechanism. Unlike most scooters, which fold above the front wheel, its handlebars fold neatly into place on the rear fender, making it easy to carry. The design is sturdy, and it balances well when lifted, with the handlebars clipping securely into place.
It’s simple to ride. You accelerate by pressing the thumb throttle and brake with the hand lever, much like a bike. The front mechanical brake offers reliable stopping power, and the 7-inch-wide deck provides ample space for a comfortable stance.
The scooter also features a handy display on the handlebar stem. It shows speed, drive mode, and battery life via bar segments, while a single button controls power, the headlight, and riding modes. This display adds useful information, which is often lacking in some other models.
You can control the G30LP’s settings through the Segway Ninebot app, which connects via Bluetooth. The app shows battery percentage, estimated mileage, and allows you to adjust settings like cruise control and lock mode.
The charger is compact and portable, measuring 5.25 x 2.25 x 1.25 inches and weighing 12 ounces, making it easy to take along.
Segway Ninebot is UL-certified, and their scooters, including the KickScooter ES2, have been widely used and tested in the real world, ensuring reliability.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
At 39 pounds, the G30LP is one of the heavier scooters we’ve tested, though the extra weight comes from its larger battery, which supports its impressive range.
Segway Ninebot’s customer service had issues in the past, with some early reviews citing poor support. The company acknowledged this, attributing it to pandemic-related sales spikes and remote work transitions. Reviews for 2024 remain mixed, and we will continue to monitor customer feedback.
Budget pick: Segway Ninebot KickScooter F30
Choose the Segway Ninebot KickScooter F30 if you want a capable, more affordable scooter and can compromise on range. It offers a decent 10.6-mile range in standard mode, though Segway advertises up to 18.6 miles in ideal conditions.
The F30 is powerful, maintaining a consistent 15 mph top speed and handling hills well. It also supports a higher rider weight limit of 265 pounds, compared to the 220-pound limit of other models.
The F30 is lighter than our other picks, weighing 33.3 pounds—about 5 pounds less than the G30LP, which is a noticeable 14% difference, though it’s still not very light.
It also has a lockable design, with space in the front-end structural tubes for a bike lock, a feature lacking on the G30LP and KickScooter Max, which may be useful if you need to secure your scooter.
If you prefer a lighter scooter with lock space and higher rider weight capacity but want more range, consider the F40, an upgraded version of the F30 with a promised 24.9-mile range, though we haven’t tested it.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It has the shortest range of our picks. With a 10.6-mile result, it’s lower than expected, so it’s not ideal if you’re concerned about running out of battery.
Upgrade pick: Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max
The Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max is nearly identical to our less expensive top pick but offers a longer range, making it ideal for longer rides.
It provides the best range, reaching 24 miles in our stress test—4 more than the G30LP. Segway Ninebot advertises a 40-mile range, with real-world testing showing 21.7 to 27.9 miles, depending on riding conditions.
The KickScooter Max is similar to our top pick, with the main difference being its black color, compared to the G30LP’s gray. It features a slightly longer deck and an internal charger, meaning it uses just a cord without a power brick.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The KickScooter Max is slightly less responsive than our top pick. In side-by-side tests with riders of similar weight, the lighter G30LP accelerated a bit faster, but both models had the same top speed and handled hills similarly.
It’s also heavy. At just over 41 pounds, it’s the heaviest of our picks, mainly due to its internal charger and longer deck, though it’s only a couple of pounds heavier than our top pick.
