Review of the Luggie Elite

Conclusion:  The Luggie makes life easy for Everyone. 

I’ve put the conclusion first for those who don’t want to read a lot.  Mobility equipment has to be easy for the sick or disabled person and their carers to use. It has to be convenient and reliable, not extra exhausting hassle.  In scooters as in cars, you don’t expect a Mini to do the job of a Jeep.  They are designed for different uses and both have their merits. The Luggie won’t take a weekly grocery shop home up a steep hill, but as a travel scooter, it is second to none.

The Luggie Elite was bought to replace a Pride Revo 4, which was so heavy to disassemble and put in a car boot that it wasn’t used very much.  In two months I have used the Luggie Elite more than the Revo had been used in 9 years.   The Luggie Elite is more comfortable than the Revo and performs better, particularly on hills. The build quality is superb and the metals used are top quality, although the plastics on the tiller seem a little cheap.

The Luggie is so portable.  It has been on several train journeys, a few buses, taxis and ferries, as well as private cars.  It is so easy to include it in everyday life, and this has had a good effect on relationships with family and friends. You don’t have to have strong men at hand to help you get it out of the car and put all the heavy pieces together and then do it all again in reverse. I have just been on holiday with a group of friends who used to get impatient with the time needed for assembling/disassembling, especially if it had to be done at several places on one day. They were very impressed with the convenience of the Luggie, and one of them is a GP. The Luggie makes life easy for everyone.

It can be used indoors, even in homes that do not have specially widened doorways. Being so portable, it is great for hospital appointments, which are usually along very long passageways and quite a distance from the car park or bus stop.

You don’t need a special hoist to get the Luggie in and out of a car, and that’s great because your family and friends are unlikely to have such a hoist in their vehicles.  (Hoists would be needed for other brands of mini scooters as they don't have the flexible folding choices the Luggie has. Rented cars and taxis don't have hoists, and you are unlikely only ever to travel in your own car.)  

By all means check out the competition, and I’d bet pounds to pennies that you’ll choose the Luggie and be delighted with it. 

Things to bear in mind:

I have a large 3 wheeled scooter for everyday use, plus I had the Revo and I have used various other scooters from Shopmobility from time to time.  The Luggie does not ‘handle’ like other scooters do, so I strongly urge new Luggie owners to take time to get to know their machine before taking it to unfamiliar places.  It is a fabulous machine, but it is different, and there will be a learning curve.

It is expensive and replacement batteries are expensive.  Hopefully, in time the price will come down.

It is probably not the best piece of equipment to choose if you cannot walk at all.  At times I have had to put my feet on the ground to ease the Luggie up a small kerb or to balance when I have approached a change of terrain from the wrong angle.

You have to be fairly fit to use a Luggie successfully.  My ability is about 40% of what it was before I was ill and I cope well with the Luggie now.  But when my ability was only 5% of what it had been, the Luggie would not have been the best choice in terms of support and suspension. 

Having said all that, I can say sincerely that the Luggie was an excellent buy, and has opened up new possibilities for me and my family.  The Luggie can go places other scooters can’t and as it is so ‘luggable’ it gets used very frequently.  My partner and I firmly feel that the Luggie has been a marvellous investment and we look forward to lots of fun with it for years to come.  

On the Isle of Wight

Charging in a restaurant, taking up very little space.

In the baggage compartment on a train. See how small it folds.

In France. No problem on the ferry.

The day it was delivered, 21 July 2014. Its so narrow it can be used
indoors without widening the doorways.

On its first journey

Helping my granddaughter on a Treasure Hunt