The Mini Micro Scooter is a top level three-wheel scooter that will give your youngster all the confidence they need as they ride in comfort and style. With the Micro brand comes high quality design and construction that can survive your kids’ roughest adventures year after year.
This colorful scooter with adjustable handlebars will fit your child as they grow, from age two up to age five. The easy, lean-to-steer method will get your little one going strong before you know it! If you’re looking for a solid three-wheel scooter that will stay with your family for years to come, the Micro Mini is a winner. Check out the details in our review below.
PROS:
- Impeccable design and quality
- Smooth and quite ride
- Low to the ground, non-slip deck injected with silicone
- Height adjustable T-bar to fit child at each stage of growth
- 15 stunning color combination choices
- 2 year manufacturer’s guarantee
CONS:
- None!
Micro Mini Original vs. Micro Mini Deluxe: What’s the Difference?
Before we get started, let’s establish that there are actually two different Micro Mini scooters. There is the Micro Mini Original, and the updated and upgraded Micro Mini Deluxe.
In this review, we’ll primarily cover the Mini Deluxe, but here’s a quick summary of how they’re different.
- Colors: The Mini Deluxe comes in different color options with the stem of the scooter matching the handlebars and color of the foot deck. The Classic foot deck and handlebars are one color and the stem is just black and silver.
- Height Adjustable: The Deluxe’s handlebars can be raised or lowered to fit your child at each stage of growth. The Classic Mini’s handlebars cannot be adjusted, and are about 1 inch lower than the Deluxe’s handlebars at their highest point.
- Foot Deck: The Deluxe has an upgraded foot deck. It’s a hi-tech silicone injected deck that has an anti-slip Micro logo for better grip when scooting.
- Upgrade Options: The Deluxe comes in several different versions with unique upgrades. There’s the standard Deluxe, a folding version, and a version that has LED light-up front wheels.
Micro Kickboard Mini Scooter Performance
The Mini Deluxe is a second generation scooter to the Original Micro Mini, and is the highest-end three-wheel scooter on the market for young riders. Our kid testers have scooted around the neighborhood on a variety of 3-wheel scooters that are sold at a wide range of price points. But when given the choice, they always come back to their Micro Scooters.
Our kid testers found the Mini fun and enjoyable to ride. They exclaimed, “It’s so quiet!” because the deck does such a phenomenal job of absorbing bumps in the sidewalk and creating a smooth ride. The hand grips were so soft and comfortable, our kid testers didn’t want to stop riding. And at just 4.2 pounds, the whole riding experience was rather effortless!
This scooter can be taken on long adventures around town or short rides in your neighborhood. Our little testers wanted to use it anytime they were outside!
In our family, the Mini Micro Scooter has been a staple travel item for our family vacations for years. Our kids love to cruise the boardwalk at the beach in California along with their cousins. Cruising in style and comfort – seems appropriate for California. 🙂
How do you Steer a Micro Scooter?
The steering for a three-wheel scooter utilizes the lean-to-steer method. While two wheel scooters require a child to turn the handlebar to turn the front wheel, with the Mini Deluxe, your little tike simply leans the direction they want to turn, kind of like a skateboard or surfboard!
As an added bonus, a three-wheel scooter stays upright on its own (unlike a two-wheel scooter). This makes it easy for kids to hop on and hop off. It also prevents a child from easily falling over before they have mastered balancing.
Is the Mini Really That Much Better Than Other Scooters?
The Mini Scooter doesn’t come cheap. So what are you getting for a higher price tag? At $89, you’re gifted higher performance and durability. Our favorite budget 3-wheel scooter, the Swagtron K5, is significantly cheaper at $40. But the ride is noticeably less smooth and less quiet. It’s also clearly not up to the same quality standards.
For families with multiple kids, the Mini Micro is a solid investment. It’s a perfect first scooter for teaching your little one, but can be used for older, experienced riders too. The adjustable-height handlebars allow you to customize the fit as your kids grow. We’ve used the Mini with our own kids from age 2 to 8!
We own several Micro Mini scooters. Our oldest Mini was purchased eight years ago and is still holding up strong. It’s currently being used by our fourth child!
Micro Mini Scooter Sizing
The official age recommendation for the Micro Mini is 2 – 5 years old. But honestly, we’ve been able to stretch that time out for a few years longer. We didn’t upgrade to the larger Micro Maxi scooter until our oldest was 8 years old!
With a weight capacity of 110 pounds and 8 full inches handlebar height adjustments (17″ to 25″ from the deck), the Mini offers plenty of room for growth.
Adjustable Height Handlebars
For years we used scooters with a set-handlebar height (including the Micro Mini Original) and there were no complaints. But once we got our hands on the Micro Mini Deluxe that could adjust eight inches, we realized the flexibility we were missing out on, especially for our older riders.
Moving the handlebars up and down is a smooth process, unlike the popular $79 Yvolution Kiwi scooter that required us to help our kids adjust their handlebars.
I’m still blown away that my kids are three years apart and can comfortably ride the same scooter! Here’s a visual to show you how the Mini’s handlebars are a great fit for a wide variety of heights and ages. Our girls below are 3 years old and 40″ tall, and 6 years old and 46″ tall. The handlebars are set at the max for both of them, although they could certainly be lowered for our 3-year-old.
Mini or Maxi?
So what about the Micro Maxi scooter? If it’s larger, should you just get that one so you can use it even longer? Here you can see our 3 year old tester (40″ Tall) on the Mini and the Maxi.
The left and middle photos show the Mini with its handlebars at its lowest and highest points. You can see how small the Mini really is, allowing for very young and smaller riders to scoot around comfortably.
On the right our 3 year old is on the Maxi with its handlebars at its minimum. As you can see, the highest handlebars of the Mini aren’t too much different than the lowest handlebars on the Maxi.
That said, the deck of the Maxi is much larger and more cumbersome for our 3 year old to handle. Even though she could technically fit on the Maxi now, the overall sizing of the Micro Mini is much more suitable for her at this age and size.
Scooter Components
Foot platform
One big upgrade to the Mini Deluxe is the anti slip silicone foot plate. The 4.5” wide deck is injected with silicone to help prevent slipping. The original classic model does have a textured deck, but is made of plastic, giving your child a bumpier ride.
What type of wheels do the Micro Mini have?
Straight forward here, with two wheels in the front and one in the back. All the wheels are made of thick polyurethane, leaving no skid marks and providing a smooth experience.
What about LED light-up wheels?
The standard Micro Mini Deluxe does not have light-up wheels, but the Micro Mini Deluxe LED model features light-up front wheels that are a fun add-on that makes this scooter a nighttime favorite. The lights are white, and the rear wheels do not have lights.
The front wheels light up whenever they’re in motion and are visible in any type of low light. However, these wheels are definitely the most fun when it’s truly dark outside.
While we didn’t test the Mini LED version, we did test the Maxi LED. We have loved that these light up wheels encourage our kids to play outside after dinner, rather than spending time in front of a screen. However, if you plan to do most of your scooter riding during the day, the light-up wheels won’t be of much benefit as the lights are barely visible in the sunlight or bright inside lighting.
How do the brakes work on the Mini Micro Scooter?
The brake on the Mini isn’t anything wild, a simple rear fender brake over the back wheel. It’s pretty much identical to the other three-wheel scooters we’ve tested. Our three-year old tester prefers to drag her foot to stop, but our older kids love pushing down on the responsive foot brake while riding around the neighborhood.
Ease of Transport and Storage
While the standard versions of the Micro Mini cannot be folded, the handlebar can be removed from the deck, making two separate pieces for storage or travel. Easy enough to slide under a seat for a long road trip. (The Original and Deluxe both do this, but it’s much easier to detach on the Deluxe.)
We’ve even packed our scooters in our suitcase and taken them on the plane!! The Micro scooters are so simple to collapse and are lightweight enough to be one of our staple travel items.
If folding is important to you, the Foldable Micro Mini Deluxe may be more up your alley. At the base of the T bar is a large round button. You simply press the button until it pops out on the other side and then fold the T bar down. Little hands probably won’t be able to press hard enough to fold the scooter, but for grown-ups, this system is a cinch!
Be aware that the Foldable Micro Mini Deluxe does not have LED wheels, and only comes in 2 colors. It’s also more expensive at $115.
What About the Micro Mini 3-in-1 Deluxe?
The Micro Mini 3-in-1 Deluxe is the same scooter as the Micro Mini Deluxe, but with a few extra features for even younger riders. What makes this Micro different from the others is that it transitions your rider through three stages: 1) Sit and Scoot 2) Stand and Scoot, and 3) Ride using the T-bar like a traditional scooter.
You can start using it with your one-year-old toddler as a ride-on toy and go all the way up to age five as a scooter. It’s meant to grow with your child, not be outgrown! It easily made our list of 10 Best Toddler Bikes.
It has three components – an adjustable-height seat, short O-bar handlebar, and the traditional T-bar handlebar.
Our one-year old tester loved feeling like a “big kid” as he could ride alongside his big sisters. He is the second rider in our family to enjoy the flexibility of this versatile Micro Mini.
Another great perk is that if you misplace any of the Mini Scooter 3-1 parts, they can be easily replaced.
There are many scooters on Amazon that offer what seems to be a similar seat for scooting. Hurtle and LaScoota 3 wheel scooters are two popular examples. The experience is NOT THE SAME!
On the Micro Mini Deluxe 3-in-1 with the O-bar attached along with the seat, the bar is placed in a low and comfortable position for a child to hold on and scoot. The low seat height is meant for very young riders who will have a slight knee bend to easily push off the ground and propel themselves forward.
With other brands, the scooter seats are placed low, but the handlebars are very high. They are meant for an older rider, but are kind of awkward for anyone. Depending on the age of the child, the low seat makes for a squatty ride, or the high handlebars are almost in their face. In the image below, our 40″ tall 3-year-old has the seat set on the Hurtle scooter to the highest of the three settings.
Mini Micro Scooter Bottom Line
The comfort and quality of the Mini Micro Deluxe can’t be beat by any other 3 wheel scooter on the market. If you want the best, the Mini Micro is it. The price is a jump from other three-wheel options out there, but you will be thanking yourself when it grows with your child and can be passed down to your next one, and the next!
If you’re still considering the Micro Mini Classic, we highly recommend paying just a bit more to get the adjustable-height handlebars on the Deluxe. If you think your child might be big enough for the Micro Maxi, check out our review!
FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review. No monetary compensation was provided for this review, however, some of the reviewed product was supplied by the manufacturer or distributor to help facilitate this review. All opinions and images are that of Two Wheeling Tots LLC. All content and images are copyrighted and should not be used or replicated in any way. View our Terms of Use.
