The mini Segway is one of the newest forms of personal transportation. It is also the most compact, and already it is known by many names. We have heard people call it a self-balancing balance board and a smart balance board. Many more call it the “mini Segway without handle bars” and also the “Segway board”.

If you go into more names for the mini Segway, people also end up calling it a two-wheel segway hoverboard. And as the names evolved it was also called the 2-wheel hoverboard. If you want to find out the name that describes it most effectively, then it will be a long one - the self-balancing, two-wheel, smart electric scooter. And of course the name that has really caught everyone’s attention is the name it is most often called by, the “electric hoverboard”. In fact the name of hoverboard has made many people equate it to the board that was used by Marty McFly in the Back to the Future movies.

Though the name hoverboard has kind of stuck, the mini Segway doesn’t hover at all, it only glides on the ground and gives the feeling of hovering. It is essentially an electric board that moves along on the ground on two wheels, making the rider look like he or she is hovering on the ground.

No matter what the name these mini segways are called, or we can say these hoverboards are called, they are becoming increasingly popular with every passing day. These electric boards with wheels are becoming popular all over the world and they are much smaller and lighter than a Segway. That is why they are known as mini segways, and they have been specifically designed to move you around like you are gliding even though you are just standing on it.

Not only are these boards small, they also come in a variety of models, shapes and sizes. Some of the boards have their own speakers that connect through Bluetooth technology to your smartphones.

We will look at various features and the costs associated with the mini Segway or the hoverboard Segway or the self-balancing scooter.

So, let us start with how much a mini Segway board costs.

If we look at the different online stores selling mini segways we can see that the prices range from around $150 to about $800. If you look at the price of the most reliable and common brands then they are in the range of $200 to $500.

If you compare it to a Segway, then it is much cheaper as a Segway typically costs between $6500 to $8500. Thus the mini Segway is excellent value for money. The mini segways are also much lighter and more compact, making them easier to carry around. Thus you can buy the mini Segways at a fraction of the cost of a Segway and you get the same thing without the handle.

The low-cost mini segways that are less than $150 come straight from China and have very long shipping times and come with no real warranty. Not only are these boards without any warranty or customer service, they have been known to have defective batteries that are a fire hazard. In fact there have been many cases of fires connected to mini segways because of defective and low quality batteries.

Though all the hoverboards are imported from China the really low cost and low quality ones that come directly from there, do not have any company or base in the United States. These hoverboards have a generic branding on their packaging to the effect of ‘Self-Balance Board’ or ‘Electric hands-Free balance board’.

In China there are no controls or standards for quality and safety in regards to manufacturing these hoverboards, which is why unscrupulous manufacturers in China have sent hoverboards to US with low quality components, especially the li-ion batteries which can catch fire. Almost 40% of the hoverboard or mini segways come from Shenzhen in China which is a manufacturing and export hub.

In the United Kingdom, there was a recall of over 15,000 mini segways during the 2015 holiday season, as they failed to pass the basic safety and quality tests on being inspected.

The mini Segways that are available in the United States are of every quality. The branded ones have a base in the US, and are imported from China by the company and then shipped from the USA. These ones are usually of a higher quality and have safe and good quality batteries like Samsung or LG. A few common ones are Swagway and Phunkee Duck. Swagway has recently come up with its next generation hoverboards which are called SwagTrons. The SwagTrons are the world’s first UL 2272 certified hoverboards and have a host of highly advanced features and industry standard setting safety features. The Sentry Shield battery system of the SwagTron hoverboards are UL 2271 listed and are the only ones of their kind in the world now, for two wheel electric scooters. The Sentry Shield battery system is also the only one to have passed UL’s original 10-ton battery crush test.

The branded hoverboards in the United States also come with warranty which is usually for a year on the product. They also have established customer care service, where buyers can make queries. Since these companies are located in the United States, the shipping time is much faster. In fact the SwagTron hoverboards are shipped free by the company within the United States. It makes much more sense to buy hoverboards from companies which are based in the United States.

The mini Segway brands available range in terms of cost as they have different components and also their wheel sizes and other specifications vary. However the most common wheel size is 6.5 inches, and the most common specifications are – maximum speed 8 miles per hour, weight of around 22 pounds, charging time of about 2 hours and range in full charge of about 20 miles.

Best Ranked Hoverboards for Sale in 2018

Sometime after the fires started to happen, and many warning started to come out about the fire hazard of hoverboards, Amazon pulled out all hoverboards form their website. Since then they have not had any hoverboards, but now they are listing the UL 2272 certified hoverboards like SwagTron, EpikGO, Razor HOvertrax and a host of other brands. You can find a list of the top 10 best hoverboards on sale today here.

The best ranked hoverboards for sale in 2018 will clearly have two hoveroards right on top, the SwagTron T3 and The SwagTron T1. After that there will be a slew of hoverboards like the Razor Hovertrax, EpikGo, Skque, Halo Rover, Hoverzon etc.

The Mini Segway’s speed and capacity

The mini Segway or the two-wheel balance board come in a large variety of models, but typically they have a top speed of about 8 miles per hour. When we take a look at a range of hoverboards, we see that most of them can go to the top speed of about 8 miles per hour. This may not sound like much, but it is actually quite fast when you are moving on the hoverboard.

Just to give you an idea of how fast you are going on the hoverboard, when a person is jogging they are moving at about 5 miles per hour. However, one of the problems of going at the top speed of 8 miles per hour is that if the hoverboard comes to a stop suddenly, then there is chance of being thrown off. This problem has been dealt with very effectively by the SwagTron, through something known as Safe Stop Technology, which prevents any sudden stoppage of the hoverboard.

Coming to the top speed of the hoverboard, most hoverboards have a learner mode and a standard mode. In the learner mode, the top speed of the hoverboard is reduced to about 3 miles per hour, and this a very effective way to learn and the best mode when children use a hoverboard. It is advised that children below 8 years should not ride a hoverboard, and children up till the age of 12 should use it under adult supervision.

Hoverbards or mini segways usually come in a range of different tire sizes from 6.5 inches to 10 inches. The tires are made of rubber, and are sometime inflatable. The regular tires can easily take you over small twigs and sticks, and grass and they will even take you over curved curbs, as most hoverboards have a climbing angle capability of 15 to 30 degrees.

The hoverboards also move easily downhill, the only problem being that they can speed up. Just to tackle this problem, the SwagTron has a Downhill Traction features that prevents the hoverboard from speeding up when going Downhill. This is a great add-on safety feature of the SwagTron.

Coming to the batteries of the hoverboard, in most mini segways, the batteries usually take about 1 to 2 hours to charge and at full charge will let you ride them for about 15 to 20 miles.

The lithium-ion batteries of the mini segways have been the main cause of fires, and it is very important have high quality batteries in your hoverboard. Usually LG and Samsung batteries are considered to be safe and of a good quality.

The SwagTron hoverboard has something known as the Sentry Shield battery system which comprises of an aluminum chamber that encases the lithium-ion battery. This aluminum chamber is fire retardant and damage proof and has passed us 10 ton battery crash test.

How much weight does a typical mini segway carry?

Most hoverboards can carry up to 220 pounds and some of them can carry up to 265 pounds. The weight of the person riding the hoverboard affect many things like the speed, the time the charge lasts and the climbing angle.

What is there inside the box of the hoverboard?

Usually you will find a hoverboard, its charger and an instruction booklet. The higher end hoverboards which have bluetooth capability also have a remote control and allow you to stream your music through your smartphone into the hoverboard’s speakers.

There is some amount of variation in the design of the hoverboards thought he basic structure is always the same. A steel chassis holds two wheels, which are also the motors on two ends and contains all the components, the battery and the circuit boards. The outer shell differs in different hoverboards. There are some hoverboards that come in golden colour and feature chrome tire frames. If you want to protect your hoverboard’s body, then you can use bumper protectors, and a variety of decals and skins. When it comes to safety it is always advisable to wear safety helmets and knee and elbow padding when riding a hoverboard.

A very common accessory for a mini segway is a hoverboard bag which allows you to carry the hoverboard on your back. Some of these hoverboard bags are fire retardant can be used while charging the hoverboard.

The crazy popularity of mini segways

The hoverboards are wildly popular with everyone, from celebrities to youngsters, and even elderly love hoverboards. Here is an eighty year old grandma trying on the hoverboard for the first time.

These mini segways or electric hoverboards, or self-balancing electric scooters may be difficult to ride in the beginning but once you get comfortable then they become almost intuitive and are fantastic fun to use.

Typically people use a hoverboard to go around the neighborhood, to go to the neighborhood shopping mall, to visit the supermarket, go to the park, and also for their daily commute to school, college or office.

These hoverboards or electrically powered self-balance scooters run on a rechargeable battery which makes them environment friendly, with zero emissions. The motors of the hoverboards do not make any sound, and good brands of hoverboards have all safety and quality certifications, including the UN 38.3, UL 2272, FCC, CE, RohS and others.

The hoverboards actually became a craze when celebrities started to flaunt their mini segways. A huge number of celebrities use the hoverboards, including a host of singers and performers. Wiz Khalifa and Jamie Foxx have made the hoverboards famous by using them in shows. The number of celebrities using have a boards goes into hunders, and it keeps increasing every day.

Another major reason for its huge popularity, is that they are relatively cheap compared to a Segway, and are compact and stylish and can be carried around. They do not make any noise, have no emissions and are incredibly fun to ride. There is no effort in riding them, no pedaling or pushing required.

In 2015 hoverboards became incredibly popular and they were the most sought after Christmas presents. Soon after that the fire incidents started to happen, and the popularity of the hoverboards went down. However, now once again the hoverboard has gained popularity as new hoverboards with the UL 2272 standard have started to appear in the market, prominent among these are the SwagTron T1 and the SwagTron T2.

​The mini segway or hoverboard is back

The mini segway is back, and it is here to stay. What we need to do is take some precautions when buying a hoverboard. If we buy a UL 2272 certified hoverboard then there is nothing to worry about, and we are good to go. Our biggest suggestion is not to buy cheap Chinese hoverboards which have caused accidents and fire before and which are without any safety and quality certifications.

You should go in for a good brand which has an office in the United States, which has legit customer service, offers warranty and most importantly has UL 2272 certification.

We do hope you enjoyed this post and do share your comments about your experiences with hoverboards.