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Hoverboards vs Self Balancing Scooters
First, let’s examine the terminology used to describe these products. These scooters initially arrived on the market being called self-balancing scooters. These scooters were called that because self-balancing was exactly what they did.
However, in an effort to spice up their product and separate it from the competition, some companies started calling it a hoverboard. As a whole, hoverboard sounds cooler than the long phrase, “a self-balancing scooter”. However, for consumers, there is absolutely no difference in product between the hoverboard and a self-balancing scooter.
Market Origin
This market is unique because every company is essentially offering the same product from China. You would think that this would mean one company would dominate the sales but in fact, the opposite has occurred.
Currently, there are over 10 different companies all selling the same product with different branding. In the words of one of the first companies to start selling hoverboards, many new companies simply “put a sticker on [a hoverboard], call it a totally different name, and start selling.”
In a popular story, WIRED attempted to discover the origin of these hoverboards. They discovered that the original hoverboard came from a company known as IO Hawk. The product quickly gained momentum through celebrity endorsements such as Wiz Khalifa and Justin Bieber who popularized the product through social media.
Finding the Best Hoverboard
Review Longboards knows that is hard to know which product to buy when there are so many options. What you have to remember is that although every product may look the same, there are some key aspects to look for to ensure that you will get the best hoverboard available.
We have evaluated all of the current hoverboards on the market for you and come with a winner that satisfies every one of the categories below. Our chosen winner is the SwagWay X1
Hoverboard Shipping
The first step in buying the best hoverboard available is to make sure that the company ships from the US.
While every company buys their initial products from China, the best companies ship from the US. Shipping from the US not only reduces the shipping time to the end consumer but also allows the company to perform quality control on the hoverboard.
Quality control is another big issue for these products. A hoverboard has many electronic components that can be defective and these often go undetected during the shipping process. When companies ship from within the US, it allows the company to get their hands on the hoverboard before shipping it out to final consumers.
Hoverboard Reviews
Another quality that you should look for when finding the best hoverboard on the market today is the number of reviews. When buying through Amazon, there is a very easy breakdown of reviews by 1,2,3,4, or 5 stars. To find the best hoverboards, you should look for products where the majority of the reviews (greater than 60%) are 5-star reviews. This indicates that overall customers are very happy with their product and you will be too.
Hoverboard Prices
The most important quality that you should look for to find the best hoverboards is the price. Hoverboards can range in price from $300 all the way up to $1000. What you must remember, and as many other people have said, is that all of the hoverboards are essentially the same product!
That might influence the price slightly are the add-ons. Some hoverboards come with different add-ons such as a carrying bag or even a watch. While sometimes these add-ons add value, often times they are just thrown in to make the hoverboard seem like a better deal.
Warranty
One additional factor that is essential in finding the best hoverboards is the addition of a warranty with the purchase of a hoverboard. A warranty is essential when you purchase these types of items.
A warranty will cover any product defect and is only a little extra compared to buying an entirely new product because yours was defective. The best companies that sell hoverboards sell warranties directly with the purchase of the hoverboards.
A great alternative if your hoverboard does not come with a warranty is the SquareTrade 2-year Bike/Scooter plan which is the best-selling aftermarket warranty on the market for hoverboards. For less than $30 dollars, this warranty will cover your hoverboard for the next 2 years in the case of manufacturing defects.
