Finding just the right scooter that delivers enough power and battery life but doesn't cost too much can be a challenging endeavor. CNET scooter reviewer Joseph Kaminski, who puts together our list of best electric scooters, prefers more powerful scooters that can accommodate larger people and offer greater range (battery life). The problem is those models tend to cost more than $1,000. They also tend to be fairly heavy -- often over 50 pounds or more -- and not see easy to carry around if you need to fold them up and take them indoors.
The compromise may be an electric scooter like the Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max G30LP. Weighing in at 38.6 pounds (17.5 kg), it has a 350W motor and can go up to 18.6 miles per hour with a 25-mile range with a maximum weight rating of 220 pounds. That makes it more powerful than some of the more entry-level models that tend to cost $300 to $450. It normally retails for $900 but you can currently get it for $595 at Woot with free shipping for Prime Members. (Amazon has it for $983). I do expect this to sell out fairly quickly.
As far as I can tell this is the same model as the standard Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max we reviewed, which I've used and works quite well for me -- I weigh 162 pounds -- for my short commutes in New York City (it goes up hills just fine). Segway has a newer version of the scooter called the F40 that retails for $800 and doesn't look much different. Even if you consider the price on that model, you're still looking at a $200 savings. According to camelcamelcamel.com, this scooter has hit $600 before and even dipped slightly lower for what looks to be a Black Friday sale last year. But it's right near its low price.
Read more: Best Electric Scooters for 2022