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Best electric scooters for kids: A buying guide for parents | Tom's Guide

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The best electric scooters for kids, plus safety tips for riding. Mid Drive Electric Trike

Best electric scooters for kids: A buying guide for parents | Tom

Now that the weather is warming up, one of the best electric scooters for kids could be a good way to entice your child to get out of the house — and away from the screen they've been staring at for hours on end. 

Electric scooters are a fun and inexpensive way for your child to get outside for some fresh air and explore the neighborhood with their friends. Just like electric scooters for adults, there are plenty of options for kids. However, compared to adult rides, the best electric scooters for kids are also relatively inexpensive; most cost less than $300, and you can often find some of the best electric scooters for around $150. 

Right now, we're putting the Droyd Blipper ($529 at Droyd) through its paces. This mini electric bike has 16-inch tires, a 250V motor, a top speed of 12.5 MPH, and a range of about 12 miles. Our current tester said he doesn't want to ever get off the bike.

We're also excited to try the new Niu Kqi Kids Kick Scooter ($299 at Niu.com), which has a 150W motor, a range of up to 7.1 miles, and a top speed of 10 MPH. It also has dual brakes and LED lighting on the bottom for some fun effects.

But, there are a lot of cheap electric scooters for kids, so it's good to know what you're getting before you buy one. We've tested a number of models to bring you our favorite picks.

One thing to note: Most electric scooters for kids lack bells or lights, so it's worth picking up at least a bell, so that your child can warn others.  And be sure to get them one of the best bike helmets, too.

As your child grows up — or maybe you want something to ride with them — be sure to check out our guide to the best electric scooters, as well as the best electric bikes. 

Here are the rest of our picks for the best electric scooters for kids.

The Razor E100 is the best electric scooter for kids overall, as it hits the sweet spot of price and performance, especially for younger riders. It comes in a wide variety of colors, so your child can find one that suits her or his style. This scooter features twist-grip acceleration controls and a hand-operated front brake. 

It tops out at 10 mph, so it's fast enough for your kid to get to school on time but not so fast that it ventures into dangerous extreme sports territory. The Razor E100 can manage up to 40 minutes of drive time, or up to 10 miles of distance. Our child rider enjoyed its peppiness as he rode around, but the chain drive is a bit noisy. A newer model, the Razor Power Core E100, should offer a quieter ride. If you want a little bling, the Razor E100 Glow has blue LEDs on the deck that light up when you twist the throttle.

One thing to note: The E100 lacks a bell or reflectors, so it's worth investing in some to help ensure your child's safety. 

Read our full Razor E100 electric scooter review.

The Segway Ninebot eKickscooter Zing comes in two models, the E8 and the E10. The E8 is designed for younger riders (3' 9" to 4' 9" and a max weight of 110 pounds), with a max speed of around 8.6 miles per hour. The E10 is made for older kids and teens (4' 3" to 5' 3" and a max weight of 132 pounds), and can reach speeds of up to 10 mph. The Zing E8 is $199, while the E10 is $229.

Both the Zing E8 and the Zing E10 feature a lightweight folding design, a cruise mode, thumb throttle, and front suspension. They're both available in blue, gray, and pink, and have a hand brake as well as a rear foot brake. Even cooler is their LED lights along the undersides, which our kid thought was pretty neat. However, neither have a bell nor a headlight, but there is a reflective sticker on the rear fender. Although we found it a bit tricky to set up — it has pretty poor instructions — our child tester took to it quickly, and found it was a lot of fun; the fact that it has front suspension definitely helped. 

Best electric scooters for kids: A buying guide for parents | Tom

Most Powerful Electric Moped Read our full Segway Ninebot eKickscooter Zing E10 review.