Top 11 Best Cheap Hoverboards (2021) – Reviews & Buying Guide

Hover 1 is one of the most popular and well known top hoverboard brands.

We have rated the Hover-1 Chrome as the best hoverboard under $200, and for good reason - it provides excellent value for money, and is a solidly performing board which has proven to be hugely popular with customers.

The affordable Hover-1 Chrome comes with two 150W motors that produce a top speed of 6.2mph, making it an ideal hoverboard for beginners or those who are looking for a hoverboard with a mid-level top speed.

It packs a 24V battery that takes about 4.5 hours to charge. On a full charge you'll be able to travel just over 6 miles before needing to recharge the battery.

The max rider weight limit of this self-balancing scooter is 220 lbs, which makes it a suitable option for kids and most adults. 

This cool hoverboard comes with built-in Bluetooth speaker which pairs with your mobile device so you can listen to your tunes as you hover and glide.

If you are specifically looking to buy a cheap Bluetooth hoverboard the Chrome is a great choice because the speakers are actually pretty good quality for the price tag.

We really like the bright LED headlights, which are great for riding in areas of poor lighting or when there's a lack of natural light.

The hoverboard also has a batter life indicator so you can see just how much juice you have left in the tank.

As far as safety is concerned, the Hover-1 Chrome is fully UL2272 certified, and comes with a UL certified power adaptor.

The Li-Ion battery has overcharge and discharge protection, and is housed in a safety shield battery enclosure, meaning it won't explode or catch fire even with heavy use.

Its got 6.5" tire wheels which makes this self-balancing scooter a stable and comfortable form of transportation.

Although it can be used on rougher terrain to a certain degree, its not a purpose built off-road hoverboard, so stick to paved roads or smoother surfaces to get the best out of this board.

It can handle inclines up to 5 degrees, which makes this perfect for everyday use and short commutes in slightly hilly areas.

Rated as one of the fastest low-priced hoverboards you can buy today, the DailySaw hoverboard is one of StreetSaw's flagship hoverboard models.

What we love about the DailySaw is that this self-balancing scooter is all about performance.

It can hit top speeds of up to 10.5 mph making this one of the fastest cheap hoverboards you can buy if you are on a budget.

StreetSaw have packed 2 powerful 350 Watt motors in to this board, helping it to reach its impressive top speed, and also enabling it to easily climb 20 degree slope inclines.

The lithium-ion battery only takes between 1.5 - 2 hours to charge, and a single charge will give you a huge range of 12.5 miles, giving you maximum ride time with minimum charging time!

These impressive performance stats make this a great hoverboard for commuting and transportation, as well as recreation.

Features include great sounding hoverboard Bluetooth speakers so you can play your favorite tunes as you hover around town. It also has some cool looking RGB LED lights which can help riders to see up to 6.5 feet in front of them.

It has a battery level indicator located on the top of the board for convenience.

This electric hoverboard comes with optional protective bumpers which you can add or remove as you like.

These bumpers are great for protecting your hoverboard from scuffs and bumps, especially if you are an inexperienced rider or are just learning to ride a hoverboard and want to keep your device looking pristine.

The DailySaw comes with 6.5 inch wheels and has been designed to be used on smooth terrain, although in tests it was able to perform well on moderately rough terrain and short grass.

However, we don't recommend using this board at top speeds on uneven or rough terrain, or for off-road use.

If you're looking for an off-road hoverboard than check out our reviews of the best off-road hoverboards that are specifically built to be used on rough terrain.

This high speed 2 wheel scooter weighs 25 lbs and comes with a hoverboard bag to make carrying it around easier.

Max rider weight for this board is 220 lbs, although StreetSaw have tested it with riders weighing up to 300 lbs with no problems.

They credit this to their aircraft-grade aluminum chassis which is the foundation of their boards. Despite our tests proving this board can handle more than the official weight capacity, it is recommended you stick to the advertised weight limit.

This board is UL certified and has an IP54 rating which makes it water resistant to low pressure water spray from all directions, and dust ingress.

All StreetSaw board are covered by a 90 day warranty from the date of purchase.

The DailySaw is a great all-round performer, perfect for individuals with a need for speed, but also suitable for hoverboard users who want a board that offers a safe and comfortable riding experience.

The impressive performance stats and low price makes the DailySaw one of the best cheap hoverboards you can buy.

GoTrax is one of the well-known hoverboard brands in the industry who manufacture a range of electrical personal transportation devices such as hoverboards, electric scooters, and e-bikes. 

They have a good selection of budget-friendly hoverboards that can be purchased from different retailers such as Amazon, Target, and of course their own website.

They have some great low-cost hoverboards for beginners, kids, and adults who are new to riding e-scooters, as well as catering for more experienced hoverboarders too.

We have selected the GoTrax Remix as our best cheap hoverboard under $100.

It's a very beginner-friendly balance board, and is an ideal first hoverboard for kids 7 years old and upwards.

The Remix comes with powerful dual 200 Watt motors. The 25.2V lithium-ion battery takes between 4-5 hours to charge, and will give you a range of 4 miles.

This cheap self balance board has a top speed of up to 6.5mph and comes with 6.5" wheels with non-slip rubber tires.

It has bright LED lights, and is able to carry riders up to a max weight capacity of 220 pounds.

The board has a self-balancing mode which uses the hoverboard's gyroscopes to keep the foot pedals level with the ground, with or without a rider on it.

This cool feature makes it easier for hoverboard riders to jump on and off the board without falling off due to the board not being balanced or centered.

The shock-absorbing pedals also make it easy to maintain stability whilst riding the board.

This is not an off-road hoverboard - the Remix hoverboard is designed to be used on smooth surfaces only.

GoTrax hoverboards are known for their high quality build, and the Remix is no exception being UL certified to UL-2272 standards.

All GoTrax hoverboards come with 90 day warranty for peace of mind.

If you're looking for a hoverboard for less than $100 for your kids, the GoTrax Remix is an ideal choice and is a perfect hoverboard for girls and boys aged 7 years old plus.

4. Hover-1 H1 

Another self-balancing scooter from the Hover 1 brand makes our list as one of the best cheap hoverboards you can buy if you're on a budget.

The H1 uses 250W dual motors, giving this hoverboard an advertised top speed of 9mph (although in tests we were able to get this bad boy up to 10.5mph!)

The H1 hoverboard comes with a rechargeable Lithium-Ion 36v, 4.3 Ah battery. 

As is standard on most Hover-1 boards, the battery has overcharge and discharge protection.

The battery takes around 2.5 hours to fully charge, which is quicker than the Hover-1 Chrome.

A full charge will give you a range of around 9 miles, which depending on how fast you ride, can last up to 3 hours.

Features include a battery indicator, built in Bluetooth speakers, and customizable LED headlights which are a nice touch.

Simply download the Hover-1 app and you can start customizing your LED light sequences, as well as play music and adjust the hoverboard's Bluetooth speaker volume straight from your phone.

The LED lights are bright and make riding in low lighting situations a lot easier. The sound quality of the speakers is pretty decent and is noticeably better than the sound you get from other cheaper Bluetooth hoverboards.

A really nifty feature of this board is the ability to adjust the skill level. To use this feature you have to download another app, separate to the app that controls the music and LED headlights.

This second app allows you to set the skill level of the board, which enables you to set the maximum top speed the board can reach.

You can set the skill level to beginner which maxes out the top speed to between 4 and 4.5 mph, whereas the intermediate setting will allow riders to reach between 5 and 6.5 mph.

The advanced skill level setting will allow you to get the board up to the advertised speed of 9mph.

The ability to easily adjust the max top speed makes this a perfect hoverboard for kids or complete beginners.

You can simply adjust the skill level as your ability to comfortably ride and control this cool electric hoverboard increases.

If you're already an experienced hoverboard rider just set it to advanced level straight out of the box and start enjoying awesome top speeds and a really smooth, tight traction system.

The H1 is an intuitive, highly responsive hoverboard which makes it the perfect hoverboard for both kids and adults.

This self-balancing scooter weighs just 22.4 lbs and can carry a max rider weight of 264 lbs.

The minimum weight is around 40 lbs, so if you're buying this hoverboard for your children I'd probably say it would be an ideal hoverboard for 6 year old's and above.

Like the Hover-1 Chrome, this board also comes with 6.5 inch wheels.

Performance is pretty decent going up slight inclines and slopes, with a max incline of around 15 degrees.

This isn't an off-road hoverboard, but it can handle short grass and slightly rough terrain pretty well.

Its got a IPX4 water resistance rating, so it can handle light splashing and moderate exposure to water, but it is not recommended to use in heavy rain as its not fully waterproof.

This board is fully UL2272 certified, and comes with a UL certified power adaptor.

5. Swagtron Elite T380

Swagtron's Swagboard Elite T380 is one cool looking hoverboard.

It comes with dual 250 Watt motors and enhanced gear stabilization for tighter traction and a smoother ride.

The Swagboard Elite T380 can hit a top speed of 8mph and has a range of approximately 11 miles on a full charge.

It takes between 2-3 hours to fully charge the lithium-ion battery.

Features include removable rubber bumpers which protect your board from scratches and accidental bumps, built-in Bluetooth speakers, front LED lights, and LED indicators which signal which way your turning - great for alerting other riders and pedestrians of your movements.

This hoverboard's Bluetooth speakers give out a good quality sound, and we didn't experience any of the cackling you might get when you buy cheap hoverboards with Bluetooth functionality.

It has battery indicators right on the center of the board, so you only have to glance down to know how much juice you have left.

The Swagtron T380 also comes with adjustable modes, giving you the option to switch from learning mode to advanced mode.

Each mode has a max speed the board can travel, and also allows you to increase or decrease the balance detection to make it easier to ride for kids or adult hoverboard novices.

The balance detection technology Swagtron have incorporated in to this board make it one hell of a smart balance board, able to detect even slight changes and shifts in the riders weight and responding smoothly and comfortably.

You can alter these modes directly from the board itself or via the Swagtron companion app. 

The app allows you to play music from your phone via the balance board's speaker, as well as monitor your battery life, check performance stats and more.

This Swagtron hoverboard comes with 6.5 inch wheels and rubber tires, and the shell of the scooter is made from polycarbonate which makes it incombustible and fire-retardant.

The board itself weighs 22.5 lbs and comes with a built-in carry strap that makes carrying it around as easy as pie.

We thought building the carry strap directly in to the board itself was a very practical and useful feature, so kudos to the guys at Swagtron for incorporating this into this model.

This self balancing scooter can carry a max rider weight of 220 lbs, and a minimum weight of 44 lbs, which makes this a great choice if you're looking for a cheap hoverboard that can be used by yourself as well as your kids.

The Swagboard Elite T380 is designed to be used on flat terrain, so as long as you're not planning on going up any steep hills you should be fine.

This is not an off-road hoverboard, so stick to flatter, smoother surfaces to get the best out of this board.

Overall, the Scooterologist team rates this is one of the best hoverboards for beginners and experienced riders to use.

Although its not the cheapest hoverboard on our list, the excellent range capacity and cool features such as the detachable bumpers, LED indicators, and mode adjustment feature make it one of the best cheap hoverboards we've reviewed.

This board is fully UL2272 certified so you can ride it knowing it meets the required safety standards for electric hoverboards, and is backed by Swagtron's 3 month warranty period.

6. GoTrax Edge Hoverboard

The GoTrax Edge self-balancing hoverboard is a high quality cheap hoverboard that mixes stylish design with great performance capabilities.

This hoverboard comes loaded with dual 200W motors and can reach a top speed of 6.2 mph.

The newly designed GoTrax Edge uses a 25.2V, 2.6AH battery encased in a new secure battery enclosure for extra safety.

Battery charging time is between 4-5 hours, and a full charge will give riders a range of around 3.1 miles, which isn't the best range we've come across during our hoverboard reviews. 

The limited range makes this a hoverboard best suited for recreational use, rather than for personal transportation purposes. 

The GoTrax Edge comes with 6.5 inch wheels which feature LED lights on the rims in the form of the GoTrax logo.

These look pretty awesome at night!

The battery indicator is on the top of the board, making checking your power levels as easy as glancing down.

The board has some powerful front-facing LED lights which are some of the most vibrant lights we've seen on a hoverboard.

This balance board is also easy to carry around, weighing in at only 14.1lbs, making it the 2nd lightest board on our list after the GoTrax Mini.

Despite the light weight, the board's sturdy design and strong build quality means it can still hold a maximum weight limit of 220lbs, making it a suitable self-balancing board for adult riders as well as children.

The board is UL certified to UL2272 standards and has a IP54 waterproof rating.

For a great value-for-money scooter which looks good and has an impressive performance, look no further than the Swagtron Swagboard T580 Vibe Bluetooth Hoverboard.

This cheap self-balance board has a top speed of 7.5mph, so it's definitely not the fastest hoverboard you can buy, but it is still a high quality scooter that is fun to ride.

The 29.4V battery takes between 1.5 to 2 hours to fully charge, and has a range of up to 8 miles.

It has dual 150W motors that allow this electric scooter to climb inclines of up to 30 degrees with no problem.

That's an impressive incline ability for a cheap hoverboard, and is better than some of the more expensive hoverboard models on the market!

This UL2272 certified hoverboard has an incombustible casing, and comes loaded with Swagtron's patented SentryShield technology and Smart Battery Management to offer riders multi-layered protection against overcharges and overheating.

It is IPX4 rated which makes it splash-proof and perfect for recreational use in very light wet conditions.

As the name suggests, this is a Bluetooth hoverboard which means you can connect this personal transportation device to your smartphone quickly and easily.

With the use of the Swagtron app you can play music through the built-in Bluetooth speakers, check battery life, switch the mode of the board, monitor your speed, and use the map function to see where you are and all the places you've been.

The modes range from "learning", "standard" and "advanced", and allow you to dictate the max speed of the board - perfect if you are buying this hoverboard for kids or beginner adult riders.

Other features include bright LED headlights, non-slip foot pads, and on-board battery and system indicators so you can check the status of your board at any time.

The Swagtron T580 has a cool dynamic balancing system which enables riders to adjust the speed by shifting their weight.

It comes with 6.5 inch wheels and solid rubber tires to give users a smooth ride whilst remaining firmly gripped on roads and smooth terrains.

The hoverboard itself weighs just 20lbs and can carry riders up to 220lbs.

This is a high-quality cheap hoverboard that offers a great balance between price, performance, and cool features.

The board is covered by Swagtron's 3 month warranty policy.

8. Hover-1 Ultra

The Ultra is another popular model from the Hover-1 brand.

It makes our list as one of the best cheap hoverboards because it offers users a good balance of performance and quality, as well as some of the great features we come to expect from Hover-1 hoverboards.

It has a 36V 4.0 AH lithium-ion battery which takes 4 hours to fully charge and will give you a range of 12 miles, which is pretty impressive for a relatively cheap hoverboard.

The Hover-1 Ultra has two 250W motors which enable it to reach an official top speed of 7 miles per hour.

It can actually go faster than this, but when you hit speeds above 7mph the board's safety system kicks in and you'll start to hear a beeping sound to alert you of your high speed and prompt you to slow down.

The wheels on this board are 6.5 inches, and the board can comfortably climb inclines up to 17 degrees.

Unlike Hover-1's H1 and Chrome models, the Ultra is not one of their Bluetooth hoverboards so it doesn't have any built-in speakers to play music, nor is there any companion app.

What you do get when you buy the Ultra hoverboard is one of the best cheap self-balancing scooters on the market.

It is fun and easy to ride, and is suitable for both kids and adults - from complete newbies to more experienced electric hoverboard enthusiasts.

The slower top speed coupled with the strong build quality makes this an ideal low-priced hoverboard for kids and beginners, or anyone who is learning how to ride hoverboards for the first time.

Factor in the decent range this board gives you on a single charge and you'll see why this affordable hoverboard is a good choice for people wanting to use it for both short commutes and longer journeys.

The Ultra has proved to be a good college student hoverboard, with many students using it to travel to, from, and around campus.

The board itself weighs around 25 lbs and can support a rider of up to 220 lbs.

If you are buying this hoverboard for children, the minimum weight of a rider needs to be around 45 lbs in order to activate the boards self balancing mechanism.

Like all the Hover-1 hoverboards we have reviewed, the Ultra is UL2272 Certified.

9. GoTrax SRX Pro

This monster all-terrain hoverboard is another great hoverboard model from GoTrax's SRX range.

It comes with rugged 8.5" tires that make this off-road hoverboard suitable to use on the roads, grass, and dirt.

The wheels also feature a cool looking LED light strip on the hub which looks pretty awesome when using the board in low light or at night.

The SRX Pro comes with dual 235W motors that enable this board to reach a top speed of 7.4 mph.

The 36v battery takes only 3 hours to charge and will give you a range of 7.5 miles, so you can have fun taking this board off-road and exploring new terrain without having to worry about running out of juice too soon.

Like the Remix, this all-terrain balance board comes with the self-balancing feature which makes it ideal for beginners and experienced riders alike.

This off-road hoverboard has front facing LED lights, and has a built-in Bluetooth speaker so you can play your tunes whilst you're out on your adventures.

Being an off-road hoverboard, it has a more rugged design and build, so this board weighs in a bit heavier at 28.9 lbs.

The board can handle a weight limit of up to 220lbs, making this an excellent low-cost hoverboard for adults or children.

The SRX Pro's battery, charger, and electrical systems are all tested and certified to UL2272 standards, so you can rest assured that this hoverboard is safe to use, meets all the necessary safety standards, and will be able to withstand the knocks and bumps from using it off-road and on rugged terrain.

If you do encounter any issues with this self balance board within the first 3 months you can get it repaired under GoTrax's 90 day warranty.

The impressive performance stats of this off-road hoverboard, coupled with its reasonable price tag makes this one of the best cheap hoverboards currently on the market.

10. GoTrax SRX Mini Hoverboard For Kids

Why should adults have all the fun when it comes to electric self-balance boards?

If you're looking for a kid friendly hoverboard that will be used solely by the little people in your life than we recommend the GoTrax Mini.

The GoTrax SRX Mini has been specifically designed for children, and is the perfect low-cost hoverboard for kids aged 6 years old and upwards.

Its has 6.5 inch wheels, and is powered by dual 150 Watt motors.

It can reach a top speed of 6.2 miles per hour, so even though its a kids hoverboard it's still capable of reaching a decent speed which kids will enjoy riding.

The 2 wheel balance board comes with GoTrax's self balancing technology which makes it even easier for children to ride.

It comes with a 25.2V battery that has a charging time of 5 hours.

A full charge will give your kids a range of 3 miles, so this board is perfect for use in the home, garden, in the park, or even on the way to school or short distances.

This low cost hoverboard for kids weighs only 12.7lbs which makes it easy for children to take this board with them wherever they go.

The maximum rider weight capacity of this board is 132 lbs.

Another fantastic kid-friendly design element of this hoverboard is the board's body - it has been very cleverly designed with integrated handles which are perfect for little hands to carry this board around.

The SRX Mini is fully UL-2272 safety certified so you can let your kids ride this personal transportation device with complete peace of mind.

At under $100, the GoTrax SRX Mini is one of the all-time cheapest hoverboards we've reviewed.

The quality of the device and the attention to detail that has gone in to making the design as kid friendly as possible make this one of the best value hoverboards for kids on the market.

It'll keep your children entertained for hours, and at such a low price its an excellent choice of hoverboard for kids.

Another great model from Hover-1, the Helix is a low-cost hoverboard that offers users a solid mixture of good performance and great features at an affordable price.

The Hover-1 Helix hoverboard has dual 200 Watt motors which help it reach a top speed of 7.4 mph and gives it enough power to climb inclines of up to 10 degrees.

The 32 V, 2.0 Ah battery has a charging time of 6 hours which will give you a range of 3.6 miles, which isn't the longest.

The relatively shorter range of this board makes it more suited for short distance personal transportation use, and recreational purposes.

The battery is housed in a lightweight protective enclosure for extra safety. 

The board itself is quite light, weighing only 18 lbs but can handle a maximum rider weight of 160 lbs, making this a great hoverboard for heavier riders. 

It comes with 6.5 inch wheels, and although it's not an off-road hoverboard it can reasonably handle rougher roads and off-road surfaces such as gravel or grass in short use periods. 

Some of the Helix's features include customizable front LED lights, battery level indicator, LED lights on the wheels, Bluetooth speakers, and mode adjustment.

The modes can be adjusted to make the hoverboard easier and slower to use for beginners, and faster for more experienced hoverboard riders. 

The hoverboard's LED lights and modes can be customized and adjusted via the free to download Hover-1 app.

The app also allows you to connect your smartphone to the hoverboard's speakers via the Bluetooth functionality, so you can play music, adjust the volume, and also track your speed, distance travelled, and location via GPS.

Like all Hover-1 boards, the Helix is fully UL2272 certified and is covered by a 3 month warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) that people commonly have when they are thinking about buying a cheap hoverboard.  

Are cheap hoverboards safe?

That all depends on the manufacturer and where you have purchased the hoverboard from.

As long as you buy hoverboards from top brands, such as the ones we’ve listed, and the boards have undergone the necessary safety tests and are UL Certified, you can rest assured the hoverboard you’ve purchased will be safe.

Buying a cheap hoverboard nowadays doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re buying an unsafe electrical device.

If you buy from a reputable scooter or hoverboard brand then you be certain that even their cheapest hoverboard models will have been tested to the required UL safety standard, ensuring that they are safe to use for adults and kids alike.

Hoverboard prices have decreased in recent years, which is a good thing for people who want to buy a high-quality cheap hoverboard.

Lower prices don’t necessarily mean lower quality, it just means that self-balancing scooter technology and components have become easier and cheaper to manufacturer, making hoverboards more affordable for budget conscious buyers.

There is also a lot of competition in the electrical scooter an hoverboard market now, which is great for customers as it drives prices down.

The best cheap hoverboards from the top brands are all UL Certified and have hundreds of positive customer reviews.

So don’t let the low prices put you off, cheap hoverboards from reputable manufacturers are safer than they’ve ever been.

Good quality cheap hoverboards that are UL2272 certified are safe, fun, and enjoyable to ride.

Do hoverboards still explode and catch fire?

When these personal transportation devices first hit the market there were numerous stories of both expensive and cheap hoverboards exploding and catching fire.

This was mainly because the electric scooter market was flooded with devices that were made from cheap components, which underwent little or no testing.

These electric 2 wheel scooters weren’t subjected to rigorous tests, and as a result unscrupulous manufacturers were allowed to release dangerous electric hoverboards and scooters in to the market which were sold to kids and adults.

Many of these hoverboards would explode or catch fire as a result of the untested battery or motor overheating.

These fires would be made worse as these poorly made cheap hoverboards were manufactured from flammable materials and plastics which would burn easily, further adding to the hazard and fire risk. 

Thankfully those days are gone.

The hoverboard industry has evolved, so buying a cheap hoverboard today doesn’t necessarily mean you are buying a bad quality board or unsafe device.

From the cheapest hoverboards to the most expensive, knowing which hoverboards are safe has thankfully become a lot easier.

As long as the device is sold by a reputable manufacturer and has a UL-certification you can be assured that these electrical scooters are safe for kids and adults alike.

For this reason we recommend you only buy hoverboards that are manufactured by the top hoverboard brands and companies, such as the ones we have reviewed.

UL safety standards test the electrical components in e-scooters and hoverboards to ensure they are fire-retardant and certified safe.

Flammable materials are no longer permitted to be used, so the wheels and hoverboard body are made from non-flammable materials.

Electrical components such as batteries and motors are now designed and manufactured so that they are housed in secure, fire-retardant units, adding a further layer of protection.

Different hoverboard brands have their own methods of doing this, and even have their own names such as Swagtron's patented SentryShield technology and Smart Battery Management, and Hover-1's Safety Shield battery enclosure which gives riders multi-layered protection against overcharges and overheating.

As long as the balance board you are buying is made from a reputable manufacturer and has passed the necessary safety tests, the hoverboard won’t explode or catch fire.

What is UL certification?

UL (Underwriter’s Laboratories) is an international science safety company and a pioneer and champion of product testing standards and quality.

UL were founded in 1894, and developed the worlds first globally accepted safety standard in 1903.

They have been testing and certifying products ever since, from refrigerators to burglary-resistant safes.

Having a UL certificate is the gold standard of product testing and safety.

There are two safety standards in particular: UL2271 and UL2272 which are relevant if you are buying a hoverboard or electrical transportation device.

What is UL2271 certification?

UL-2271 is a safety standard for batteries used in light electrical vehicles (LEV’s).

Light electrical vehicles include golf carts, electric bikes, scooters, and hoverboards to name just a few.

In order to be awarded a UL-2271 certificate, hoverboard batteries must pass a series of tests to ensure they are able to withstand over-discharging, short circuits, over-charging, vibrations, shocks, and do not explode, catch fire, or leak.

UL have combined the UL2271 tests in to the UL2272 safety certification, so if you’re buying a hoverboard you only have to ensure it has a UL2272 certificate.

What is UL2272 hoverboard certification?

In response to the number of hoverboards catching fire and exploding, UL designed and selected dozens of tests that would form the UL2272 safety standard.

The UL2272 certification is the gold standard of hoverboard safety certificates, and include the tests conducting in the UL-2271 certification.

In order to achieve a UL2272 certification, a hoverboard must pass the various tests that comprise the UL-2272 safety standard.

If a hoverboard has been given a UL-2272 certification it means it has successfully passed these tests and has been approved as safe to use, and is allowed to be sold by the manufacturer.

When a hoverboard manufacturer has been allocated a UL-2272 certification, UL continuously test the manufacturer’s processes, premises, and products during the duration of the certificate, which is between 3-5 years.

If any unsafe manufacturing processes are found or any hoverboards fail subsequent tests, the UL certificate will be revoked and the unsafe hoverboards will be removed from the market.

This commitment to on-going assessments ensures that any electric scooter or hoverboard manufacturer that has been awarded the UL certification is subjected to continuous tests to ensure standards remain high and do not drop.

What tests form part of the UL-2272 certification?

Here is a list of some of the tests that hoverboards undergo as part of the UL2272 safety standard test requirements:

• Short Circuit Test
• Over-discharge Test
• Overcharge Test
• Isolation Resistance Test
• Leakage Current Test
• Temperature Test
• Crash Test
• Drop Test
• Motor Overload Test
• Motor Locked Rotor
• Isolation Resistance Test
• Dielectric Voltage Withstand Test
• Imbalanced Charging Test
• Dielectric Voltage Withstand Test
• Leakage Current Test
• Vibration Test
• Shock Test
• Mold Stress Relief Test
• Water Exposure Test
• Handle Loading Test
• Thermal Cycling Test
• Label Performance Test
• Strain relief pull test
• Motor Overload Test
• Motor Locked Rotor

This is not an exhaustive list of all the tests that UL perform as part of the UL-2272 certification test.

For the full list  of tests and requirements please visit the Underwriters Laboratory website.

How do I know if my hoverboard is UL-Certified?

All electric hoverboards, scooters, and personal transportation devices which are awarded UL-certification will have special UL holographic stickers somewhere on them or on the product packaging.

These special promotional marks are given to hoverboard manufacturers by UL to place on their final products or packaging to show they are officially UL certified products.

If you want to know if your hoverboard is UL-certified to UL2272 standards look for the UL sticker that should be on the body of the scooter or on the packaging.

You should also find the UL-certification mentioned on the hoverboard manufacturers website.

If you are unsure if your hoverboard is legitimately certified, you can search the official UL database which contains a list of all the hoverboard brands and scooter manufacturers who have been awarded the certification.

Hoverboard Buying Guide 

There are a number of other things you should consider when you are buying a hoverboard.

Whether you are buying an expensive hoverboard, or are purchasing an affordable low-budget hoverboard, here are some buying tips and things to look out for.

Check it’s a UL-2272 certified hoverboard

As we just mentioned above, you should make sure that you only buy UL-2272 certified hoverboards.

If you buy a hoverboard and can’t find the UL hologram sticker anywhere on the packaging or device itself, check the official UL website to see if the manufacturer and hoverboard model has officially been UL-certified.

If they aren’t certified do not ride the hoverboard as it may be unsafe. You should return it to the retailer you purchased it from immediately.

Uncertified hoverboards and personal transportation devices pose a very real risk of exploding and causing fires. Please do not take the risk with yourself or loved ones.

If the hoverboard doesn't have a UL sticker, don't buy it! There are plenty of good UL certified cheap hoverboards on the market to choose from.

Make sure you do your research, read customer hoverboard reviews, and cross-reference with the UL website if you are unsure about a hoverboard's UL certification status. 

Check the warranty period

Whenever you buy an electrical device you should only purchase it if it comes with warranty.

You should also consider taking out extra warranty if the option is available.

This especially applies when you are buying a personal transportation device like an electric hoverboard. 

Even if you are buying an inexpensive hoverboard and don't mind if it doesn't last long, you should consider extra warranty if its available at low cost. 

These two wheel self-balance boards will be put through their paces as you hover around town, so having an extra warranty period will give you peace of mind should anything go wrong.

Although most of the top hoverboard brands like Swagtron, StreetSaw, Hover-1, Segway, GoTrax, and Halo offer decent warranty periods, you should still consider buying extra cover if its available.

All brand new electrical personal transportation devices will come with a warranty period of some sort.

If you see a hoverboard for sale that doesn’t come with any warranty at all, then don’t buy it.

It’s probably unsafe, untested, or it may be a used or second hand hoverboard even though its being advertised as new.

Be cautious when buying a used hoverboard

If you’re looking to buy a cheap hoverboard you may be tempted to buy a second hand or used hoverboard because of the lower price and the money you can save.

However, we don’t advise doing this.

Buying a used hoverboard can lead to a number of problems.

If you’re looking at used hoverboards for sale on eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook marketplace, there are a number of potential issues that you won’t be able to detect from the pictures or the ad description.

These include battery problems.

When you purchase a second hand hoverboard you can’t be sure of what state the battery is in.

If the current owner has had and used the scooter for a long time it is likely that the battery has been though a high number of charging cycles.

This means you have no way of knowing what the current battery range is, or what its ability to hold its charge is like. The battery performance is likely to be a lot less than what you would get if you purchased a new and unused board.

There may also be other internal damage to the motor, and other electrical components that you can’t see.

These will not only affect the hoverboard's performance, but can also make the balance board unsafe.

A number of the top hoverboard brands sell refurbished hoverboards, and these are perfectly fine to buy as they will have been tested, re-calibrated, and will come with the manufacturer’s warranty.

If you want to buy a low-cost hoverboard than we strongly advise not to buy a used hoverboard from an untrusted source.

Instead, invest in any of the best cheap hoverboards from the top brands and you’ll not only get value-for-money, you’ll also get a safe UL tested inexpensive hoverboard with valid warranty and zero miles on the clock.

Only buy hoverboards from trusted retailers

Nowadays you can buy affordable hoverboards just about anywhere, online and offline.

You can buy cheap hoverboards directly from the manufacturers website, on Amazon, and on other approved online websites like Target and Walmart.

You can also purchase hoverboards offline at market stalls, and from small independent retailers and third-parties.

When you buy a hoverboard make sure you buy it from a reputable retailer. Either buy it directly from the manufacturer or a trusted site like Amazon.

This way you can be assured that the self-balancing boards are legitimately UL-2272 certified, are not faulty, and have a valid warranty.

Amazon has also taken strict action to ensure that all hoverboards, e-scooters, e-bikes, electrical unicycles, and other personal transportation devices listed on their site are UL-Certified.

This means customers can buy their electrical scooters and self-balance boards from Amazon with complete peace of mind.

Check customer hoverboard reviews

You should avoid any relatively unknown brands that don’t have many customer reviews, or have just entered the hoverboard industry.

This doesn’t mean that newer brands are not UL certified - it just means that they haven't been around long enough to amass enough customer reviews that will give you an accurate picture of the brand's hoverboard quality.

On the flipside, the best hoverboard brands have demonstrated time and time again that they can consistently produce high-quality hoverboards that are safe to ride.

Even the cheapest hoverboard brands that have been around for a while have a large number of hoverboard reviews on sites like Amazon that will let you know if this is a hoverboard brand you can trust.

Buying from a reputable hoverboard brand means you know you are in good hands when you buy an electrical device from these companies.

Pay attention to the battery life

When you are considering which hoverboard to buy, a good specification to pay attention to is the hoverboard’s battery.

There are 2 main things to consider when it comes to the hoverboard’s battery:

1. How long it takes to fully charge

2. The range of the battery (the distance you can travel on a full charge before the battery is depleted)

If you are planning on using your hoverboard for transport or commuting to work or college, you will want a battery that has a good range.

Likewise, if you want to ride your hoverboard off-road for long distances and go on adventures exploring new terrain, having a battery with a good range is important.

If you want to use your hoverboard for more recreational fun down your local park, in the garden, or just around your neighborhood, than quick charging time and shorter range may be more important to you.

Don’t overcharge your hoverboard battery

Lithium-Ion batteries in personal transportation devices like hoverboards and electric scooters normally have built-in safety measures that prevent overcharging.

This means once the battery is fully charged, even if its left plugged in to the socket the battery will stop receiving any more power, thus preventing damage being caused by overcharging.

Even so, it is recommended that you unplug your battery from your charger once it is fully charged.

It is also recommended that you allow the battery level to go down a fair bit before re-charging, instead of instantly re-charging it after just a small amount of use.

This ensures the battery life is not shortened, and is considered best practice for lithium-ion battery charging.

Does the hoverboard come with a level adjustment option?

If you have never ridden a hoverboard before and want to learn how to ride, you should consider buying a cheap hoverboard which allows you to adjust the skill level.

Having a board which enables you to switch to a beginner or learner mode will make learning how to use a hoverboard much easier.

These beginner-friendly hoverboards normally have a max-speed limiting feature to prevent inexperienced balance-board riders from going too fast and potentially getting hurt.

The best cheap hoverboards also have a self-balancing feature which keeps the center of the board level to the ground at all times.

This makes getting on and off the board a cinch, and makes riding the board easier as you don't have to worry about constantly shifting your weight to keep your balance - perfect for hoverboard novices!

Many of the hoverboards reviewed in our list such as those models from Swagtron, Hover-1, and GoTrax have a level adjustment feature which can dramatically shortcut the time it takes you to learn how to ride a hoverboard.

Concluding thoughts

As you can see from our list of the best cheap hoverboards, there are a number of high quality low-cost hoverboards available to suit all budgets.

Which hoverboard you decide to purchase will depend a lot on the reasons why you want to buy a hoverboard in the first place.

If you're looking to buy a hoverboard for transport purposes such as commuting to and from work, college, or school than the top speed of the board, and the range and charging time of the hoverboard battery should be amongst your top considerations. 

For commuting purposes we recommend the DailySaw hoverboard as it has an excellent range of 12.5 miles, and a whooping top speed of 10.5 miles per hour. 

It also only takes 1.5-2 hours to charge the battery, so if you ride your balance board to work or college and find you're a little low on juice, you can plug in your charger and be back up to full power in just a couple of hours. 

If you are looking to ride your hoverboard off-road and on rough terrain than you should buy the GoTrax SRX Pro. This off-road self-balancing scooter is strong, durable, and can be used on rough roads, dirt, and grass.

If you are buying a hoverboard for kids aged 6 years old+ than you can't go wrong with the GoTrax Mini. This is a well-built, sturdy and fun hoverboard for kids of all ages to ride. 

The excellent kid-friendly design makes it convenient for children to carry around, and the self-balancing technology makes it easy for children to learn how to ride a hoverboard.

For the best all-round hoverboard which offers a great balance between speed and range, and which also looks awesome we recommend the Swagboard Elite T380 from Swagtron, one of the best hoverboard brands on the market. 

Another one of our favorites from the list is the Hover-1 H1 board which is one of the most popular hoverboard models on the market, with thousands of positive customer reviews on Amazon.

It looks great, has excellent range and top speed, and a short charging time.

Whichever hoverboard you buy remember to make sure it is UL-certified to UL2272 standards. 

Riding hoverboards can be tricky if you're a beginner so make sure you practice somewhere safe, and take safety precautions when riding. 

Safety helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, and gloves are some of the safety gear we recommend, especially for young hoverboarders.

If you're using your hoverboard for transportation purposes wearing reflective clothing is essential to allow you to be seen by other riders and other road users, especially if you are riding at night or in poor lighting.

When light and visibility is low remember to turn your hoverboard's LED lights on to help you see better and to help others to see you.

You should also bear in mind that you may not be allowed to use hoverboards in certain areas, so make sure you check local laws before taking your hoverboard out.