Want a next-gen set of wheels? Try this auto-balancing hoverboard

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We’re not sure exactly when it happened, but hoverboards have officially gone from a curious toy to a legit mode of transportation. You can see them zooming around the streets of almost any city now, but where did they come from all of a sudden? They’ve likely gone mainstream for the same reason any tech finally breaks through: The performance has gotten better and the price has gone down. There’s no better example of that than the Hover-1 Electric Self-Balancing Scooter Ranger, which is now available for less than $130 as a factory remanufacture.

If you’ve never been on an electric hoverboard or even a scooter before, this really is the one to start with and stay with. It’s equipped with gyros that continually stabilize your ride, and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to hop on and start riding. You simply lean with a subtle motion and the board accelerates, turns, or stops.

The twin 200W motors are capable of powering the Hover-1 up to 7 miles per hour, and the rechargeable Li-ion battery is even more impressive. With a full charge, you can ride up to 6 miles around town. Thanks to the LED lights on the deck and wheels, you can do it night or day, and you can even control the light color and intensity. There’s also a built-in speaker with Bluetooth connectivity so you can soundtrack your ride.

The version of the hoverboard on sale here is a like-new factory remanufactured model, and it’s rated for riders up to 220 pounds. As such, you can save tons off the original price: The original MSRP is $229, but right now you can get the Hover-1 Ranger for $129.99.