6 Best Cheap Hoverboards of 2018

1. OXA Extreme 2.0

View on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5

The first of my affordable hoverboard choices is the OXA 6.5-inch. If you want app control and built-in speakers then jump to the second pick. Everyone else will want to continue reading this review.

• Best feature 1: Intelligent control system auto-calibrates rider
• Best feature 2: Long distance range on a single charge
• Plus points: Beginner-friendly, carries a heavy payload, 35° climb, two rider modes
• Minus points: No app control, doesn’t have built-in speakers

This is an amazing hoverboard with an awesome price tag. It has an appealing design, nice colors, and is a very capable personal transporter. It’s a great choice for kids, teens, or adults.

The OXA Extreme 2.0 sports a couple of useful rider modes so that newbies can take their time learning. The maximum load (rider weight) is a generous 330 lbs. To put that into some perspective you won’t even see that on much costlier boards. A typical rider capacity is 220 lbs.

The top speed of this board is 7.5 mph which is just over twice the average walking speed. That means you’ll reach your destinations in half the time it takes an adult to walk. OXA—like most hoverboard makers—base the maximum distance on ideal conditions. That typically means smooth dry surfaces and a rider within the maximum weight limit. You can expect to travel up to a distance of 11 miles (12 km) on a single charge with this one.

The Bottom Line

OK, there are a couple of negatives. You have a fairly long 3-hour battery recharging time and no app-control. And if you want a built-in speaker system you’ll need to skip this hoverboard. Other than that the OXA 2.0 is a solid performer that gives riders a lot of trouble-free pleasure.

2. SWAGTRON T580

View on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5

In at second place is the attractive SWAGTRON T580 hoverboard. This iPhone/Android app-enabled puppy comes with built-in Bluetooth speakers and a whole lot more to boot.

• Best feature 1: Three rider modes (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
• Best feature 2: Fast battery charging time
• Plus points: App-controllable, speaker system, lightweight, 12-month warranty
• Minus points: Fairly short range

This board has it all for the price tag. It looks great, provides a smooth easy ride, and is a suitable multilevel product. It also has app-control and built-in speakers so you can rock as you roll. Its top cruising speed of 7.5 mph won’t win you any races but it’s still twice as fast as walking. The three riding modes make this an ideal budget-friendly hoverboard for kids, teens, and adults.

The distance on a single fully-charged battery is not spectacular at eight miles. The 90-minute fast charging time sort of compensates for that though.

The Bottom Line

It’s not easy to find a board for around 200 bucks that offers so much. If you need something that goes faster and further then skip the SWAGTRON T580. You will definitely want to add it to your shortlist if the cruise speed and distance are acceptable.

3. Hoverheart Hoverboard

View on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

The way a hoverboard looks is as important as the way it performs for some riders. The Hoverheart self-balancing scooter comes in seven amazing colors but that’s not its only appeal.

• Best feature 1: Premium materials and components used in construction
• Best feature 2: Special anti-fire plastic casing for the entire board
• Plus points: Easy to ride, solid rubber tires, lots of bling, extra LED lights
• Minus points: Not suitable for off-road terrains, easily scratched

If it’s bling you’re after then look no further than the Hoverheart hoverboard. It’s impressive range of vibrant LED lights and colorful paint options make it a great choice for kids. The solid rubber tires mean there’s no chance of getting punctures. And the board’s high-tech self-balancing technology lets everyone ride in comfort and safety. There’s no app-control, though, but it does sport some impressive Bluetooth speakers. If you don’t want to stand out from the crowd then choose another product.

Riding the Hoverheart Hoverboard

Hoverheart prides itself on the user-friendliness of their self-balancing scooter. No hoverboard is too difficult to ride with a little practice but this one does seem to be incredibly easy to master. With a top cruising speed—in ideal conditions—of 10 mph the Hoverheart is quite fast when compared to the SWAGTRON T580 above. It goes further on a single charge as well by almost two miles.

Although there are some reports of easy scratching the actual board is robust and built to last. It has passed lots of safety tests too and that’s always reassuring. The Hoverheart doesn’t ride too well over rough terrain so it’s not an ideal choice if you like to go off-road. Battery recharging time is somewhere around the 2-hour mark. This charging time is on the average side.

The Bottom Line

There’s a lot to like about the Hoverheart Hoverboard. It has a younger appeal because of all the bling. It’s still a capable product that will transport anyone around the neighborhood at 220 lbs or less. Making a decision on this board is as simple as yes or no with little room for in-between thoughts.

4. Sharper Image

View on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

Advertised as the new and improved hoverboard—the ‘Sharper Image’ now comes with a bunch of new features and upgrades including a training mode. So will it check enough of your boxes?

• Best feature 1: Learner and Expert rider modes
• Best feature 2: Solid rubber tires
• Plus points: Easy to ride, long range on a single charge, smooth experience, LED lights
• Minus points: No app-control, no Bluetooth speakers, only two colors available

You might think hoverboarding needs the skills of a circus entertainer but it doesn’t. The good ones are just about impossible to fall off. This is thanks to the effective self-balancing technology.

Stepping onto the Sharper Image

The new Sharper Image board has a great Learner Mode. This makes it even safer with its lower top speed and slower turns. A simple button press will switch the board over to “Expert Mode” once the rider’s gained enough confidence. The top cruising speed is just 6.2 mph but the 15-mile distance range is impressive for a board in this class.

The two colors available are matt black or glossy white. Either of these helps to maintain the board’s razor-sharp clean-cut image and quality appeal. The Sharper Image hoverboard is more about the ride than it is entertainment or gimmicky app tweaking. Look at my other picks if app-control and built-in speakers are important features for you.

The Bottom Line

Sharper Image is a good quality no-nonsense hoverboard with a more minimalistic appeal. It’s an ideal choice for anyone who wants a self-balancing scooter without the bling.

5. GOTRAX Hoverfly Hoverboard

View on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

The GOTRAX Hoverfly ECO-friendly Hoverboard is another popular choice. Like the Sharper Image above there’s not a lot of bling with the Hoverfly but it still sports some impressive features.

• Best feature 1: Beginner-friendly mode
• Best feature 2: Fast charging time
• Plus points: Good range, designed in Denver, five colors available, high-quality construction
• Minus points: No app-control or integrated speaker system

This is a good choice of hoverboard for learners as it has a useful training mode. The build uses only high-quality materials. This makes it a robust well-made product that’s almost impossible to break. You can bang it, scratch it, and even break the lights, but the board itself shouldn’t let you down.

Life on a Single Charge

Modern hoverboards can run from one hour to several hours on a full battery. Budget boards—like the ones on this page—average 1-2 hours on a single charge. Board makers also measure the ride time in distance. The Hoverfly will keep you moving up to 12 miles at 7.5 mph. That’s pretty good for a board in its class. The fast 90-minute charging time is another popular feature.

The front-facing LED lights respond to the rider’s movements including breaking and turns. It’s not the best board over rough terrain but it will navigate moderate surface variations quite well.

The Bottom Line

The GOTRAX Hoverfly is a capable no-thrills hoverboard for around 170 bucks. There is no app-control feature or built-in Bluetooth speakers though. Some would say the less money spent on extras leaves more investment for the essential features. There’s something in that. After all, the fewer bells and whistles there are with a cheaper hoverboard the less there is to go wrong.

6. Chrome Gold Hoverboard

View on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5

The Chrome Gold hoverboard has plenty of bling to the point where people can’t help but look at it. It’s got some pretty neat features too considering it costs less than 200 bucks (at the time of writing).

• Best feature 1: Solid rubber tires
• Best feature 2: Amazing color, lots of bling (also a minus for some folks)
• Plus points: Multi-colored LED lights, Bluetooth speakers, easy to ride/comfortable
• Minus points: Not app-controlled, low average distance and cruising speed

You’ll either love the color of this self-balancing scooter or it’ll have you reaching over the sink. It’s seriously loud and has a lure to it you just don’t find on most other boards. That’s either a good or a bad thing depending on your perception of this puppy. There are plenty of multicolored LED lights to keep the bling alive too. Okay, so let’s see if it rides as well as it looks.

Riding the Chrome Gold Hoverboard

The experience is smooth and responsive from the get-go. Simply step onto the board and enjoy the ride as it reacts to your body commands. Many of the features are on a par with the other products on this page despite the bling. There’s a learner mode for one. The top cruising speed is just over 6 mph and the range is around 7-miles. These are low average numbers.

Recharging the battery takes 2-plus hours which is a good average. The built-in Bluetooth speaker system adds a nice touch but the sound quality won’t exactly blow you away. Overall, this is another no-thrill but very capable board that offers value for money.

Its main standout feature is the eye-catching gold color. This “gold” adds nothing to the performance but plenty to the attention factor. If you are going to ride a hoverboard, you might as well own it.

The Bottom Line

The only reason to choose the Chrome Gold hoverboard over the others with similar specs is preference. Neither the price nor the features vary much between those products on this page. What they all have in common is that every hoverboard here provides great value for money. The Chrome Gold self-balancing scooter is an excellent choice if your budget is under $200.