Mobility scooters, there are so many brands and models to chose from that researching and reading reviews can be confusing. An electric scooter can offer you freedom and pride without having to relie on help with others. Mobility scooters come in many capacities, colors or styles such as 3 wheel or 4 wheel. It pays to do your research and review you options before making that purchase.

Many lightweight mobility scooters have a capacity of 250 pounds. Some of your lightweight scooters can be folded or collapsed to be put in a trunk or car. Many other higher capacity scooters may requires a lift. In many cases the scooter may be covered by insurance but the lift may not. Again always check with your insurer before making that purchase.

Many lightweight models are of 3 wheel design. These models are usually more maneuverable and are great around the house or in tight areas. 4 wheel models are usually of more rugged design and have a higher capacity and are less prone to tipping. They also are more likely to have a further range but don't forget that range is dependent on several factors. These factors are, weight capacity, battery capacity, age of battery and temperature.

Also consider range and charging if you have a short range you will be spending more time charging. At some point you may need to replace batteries. Over time a rechargeable battery will lose its ability to take a full charge and your range could decrease.

With range on the 3 wheel lightweight mobility scooters you can expect about 10 mile range. On 4 wheel higher capacity models you may be looking at a range of about 25 miles or more. It all depends on the brand and model.

When purchasing a mobility scooter you have to ask yourself what you will be using it for. Is it for indoor or outdoor use. Will you be using it primarily indoors, to get around the golf course or make trips down to the local grocery store to pick up groceries. If you are picking up several bags of groceries you may need one with further range and capacity and this would apply to golf and because of the weight of the bag and clubs. Depending on your lifestyle you may require more than one mobility scooter.

Tires are another consideration, pneumatic tires may be prone to punctures but are lighter than solid core tires and have more shock absorbency. The solid core tires are heavier and do not have the shock adsorbing ability of air filled tires and may give a stiffer ride but newer electric mobility scooters may have suspensions that compensate and alleviate the knocks and bumps of uneven surfaces. Pneumatic tires will need to be checked more often for the correct air pressure. Regardless at some point depending on how often you travel or use your scooter you will probably need to change tires and of course this will be determined also on the type of surfaces you travel on.

There are many things to consider when you buy a scooter for mobility. Always check with Medicare or your medical insurance to make sure your purchase is covered. Just make sure you have reviewed all your options and done your research before making that purchase.