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Best Mobility Scooter Buying Guide 2024

Have you noticed that there seems to be more and more people using Mobility Scooters wherever you go?

Just go to any shopping centres in Australia and you’re almost guaranteed to see someone zipping through the grocery isles with their Mobility Scooter.

If you are having trouble walking, then maybe it’s time for you to consider in investing in one of these wondrous inventions? But with many Mobility Scooters on the market, where should you start?

Fortunately for you, Mobility Shop Direct has done all the hard work for you and written up the most in-depth Buying Guide for Mobility Scooters.

What is a Mobility Scooter?

Mobility Scooters are mobility devices designed for people who find it difficult to walk long distances, but are mobile enough to operate a small vehicle.

They consist of three or four large wheels, a swivel seat and a tiller for steering, and require drivers to have good trunk control, arm strength and mobility, and motor control.

Benefits of Mobility Scooters

Mobility scooters play a vital role in the Health and Wellbeing of patients that have difficulty walking long distances, and allow them to engage in social activities with family and friends, and to go about with daily errands such as shopping without any assistance.

Compared to Electric Wheelchairs which only have two large wheels and four small wheels for stability, Mobility Scooters have three to four large wheels making them more suitable for outdoor use.

In addition, Mobility Scooters tend to have better battery life than Electric Wheelchairs and can travel up to 50km on a single charge.

Small Compact Travel Mobility Scooters

Travel Mobility Scooters are ideal for travelling short distances of up to 20km, and for daily errands such as doing the groceries, visiting the doctor and getting prescriptions from the local Pharmacy.

Amongst all the Mobility Scooters, they are the lightest, smallest and most manoeuvrable, and can easily be disassembled and folded to fit inside the trunk of your car.

Their basic suspension and small turning circle make it easy to navigate, especially through crowded malls. Many also come fitted with a basket in the front for shopping.

The drawback of these smaller scooters is they have small wheels which can be unsteady in rough terrain, and have small batteries which delivers less range per charge, and make it difficult to climb steep hills.

If you are looking to travel for extended periods of time, and don’t need to disassemble or fold your mobility scooter, we recommend looking at mid-sized or heavy-duty mobility scooter which have larger wheels, stronger and longer lasting batteries, and can be fitted with more comfortable chairs.

Heavy Duty Mobility Scooters

‘Heavy Duty Mobility Scooters’ also known as ‘Full-Sized Mobility Scooters’ are ideal for traveling outdoors and can cover longer a range of 25-50km per charge

Consisting of pneumatic rubber wheels and suspension they are more suitable for driving on rough uneven surfaces than other types of Mobility Scooters.

In addition, these mobility scooters are equipped with extra comfortable seats, padded head rests and arm rests, which make them a great option if you plan to use them for extended periods of time.

Although these larger mobility scooters are more powerful and can travel further, they have larger turning circles which makes it more difficult to more around indoors and within enclosed areas.

Mid Size Mobility Scooters

Mid Size Mobility Scooters are ideal for those looking for a Mobility Scooter that can be used both indoors and outdoors.

Combining the best of both worlds, they have wheels large enough to travel safely outdoors, and a turning circle small enough to manoeuvre indoors whether it be in stores, malls, or coffee shops.

They can travel 20-40km and can be taken on any public transport that’s accessible to wheelchairs.

Although they cannot be folded like Travel Mobility Scooters, some can still be disassembled into lightweight pieces that can be transported in the trunk of your car.

3 Wheel vs 4 Wheel Mobility Scooters.

In addition to considering the size of Mobility Scooter that would best suit your needs, you also need to consider the number of wheels you want, which affects manoeuvrability and stability.

3 Wheeled Scooters

Three Wheeled Mobility Scooters are ideal if you want your mobility scooter to be more Lightweight, Transportable and Manoeuvrable.

A smaller turning radius allows it to turn sharper corners making it easier to navigate indoors especially in crowded areas such as shopping mall.

4 Wheeled Scooters

Four Wheeled Scooters are ideal if you want a mobility scooter that is sturdy, stable, and easy to navigate on rough uneven terrain commonly founds outdoors.

Not only do these provide more stability (especially on inclines) so that your mobility scooter is less likely to topple over, but they also have more room for your feet.

How to Choose a Mobility Scooter?

By reading the above information you should now have a good idea of what mobility scooter would best suit your needs, but if you are still unsure, we recommend you ask yourself the following questions:

Where will you use your mobility scooter?

If you are mainly using a mobility scooter outdoors with rough uneven terrain, and need to travel long distances then a ‘Heavy Duty Mobility Scooter’ with 4 Wheels would be best.

On the other hand, if you are mainly using it for indoors for short trips and need a mobility scooter that can be transported inside the trunk of your car, then a ‘Travel Mobility Scooter’ with 3 wheels would be best.

If you need a Mobility Scooter for both outdoors and indoors you, then a ‘Mid-Sized Mobility Scooter’ with 3 Wheels may offer you the best of both worlds.

How far do you need your mobility scooter to take you?

As a general guide the larger the mobility scooter, the more power and battery it will have, and the further it will be able to travel.

If you are only traveling short distances indoors, then a small compact and lightweight ‘Travel Mobility Scooter’ may be sufficient.

However, if you plan to travel outdoors then you should consider a ‘Mid-Sized Mobility Scooter’ or ‘Heavy Duty Mobility Scooter’ which have bigger and more powerful batteries that will allow you to travel further.

Where will your mobility scooter be stored and charged?

Before buying a mobility scooter you should consider access to your home and storage space.

  • Will you store it indoors or outdoors?
  • If indoors, will the scooter fit through the entrance? Will you need a ramp? Will you need to dismantle or fold it?
  • If outdoors, will it be safe to store there? Will you need a cover?
  • Will there be access to power where you are storing your scooter? Will you need to take the batteries out and charge them inside?

How much do you weigh? Do you require extra wide seats or captain’s seat?

Every scooter has a maximum weight capacity, and in order for it to function properly, you must consider both your weight and the weight of items you expect to carry on your scooter.

In general, most mobility scooters have maximum weight capacity ranging from 110-160kg, but you need extra durability and support then you should consider a Heavy-Duty Bariatric Mobility Scooter.

Best Mobility Scooters For Your Needs

At Mobility Shop Direct, our Mission is to Empower Australians like yourself to Maintain Your Mobility, Independence and Freedom, and we've written this guide to assist you with making an informed buying decision with regards to your next Mobility Scooter.

However, please note that as an online only retailer, there is only a limited range of Mobility Scooters we are able to ship Australia Wide. We recommend you contact Martin French and his fabulous team to determine the best Mobility Scooter for your needs and their details are as follows:


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