It’s not often that a new company comes in and competes at the level of industry leaders. And it’s not just in the electric scooter market. The same stands for the food industry, fashion, construction, pharma, etc. But that’s not to say that once in a while, you will not find an ambitious bunch willing to take on the big dawgs–and that’s what ANYHILL did when they released the Ninebot Max competitor, the UM-2 electric scooter. The ANYHILL UM-2 electric Scooter is an office favorite at RG, and we’re excited to see how ANYHILL’s second adult e-scooter performs. This is a review of the lighter, charming, and more affordable ANYHILL UM-1 electric scooter.

ANYHILL’s UM-1 is the scooter that the M365 should have grown up to be– a powerful statement.

The M365 was the buzzword in micromobility circles when it first came out. It was a well-built, reliable commuter that delivered a somewhat good ride experience and performance.

But electric scooters have come a long way, and riders are demanding so much more. ANYHILL electric scooters have come out as ideal electric transportation tools for the modern day commuter. And, the UM-1 electric scooter delivers more without being over the top. It is Sufficient as a first and last-mile commuter scooter–with the added benefit of being an excellent hill climber.

The speed and acceleration are not record breakers but are well within trends in the commuter category. Braking is better than most, outdoing some big brands that we’ll highlight later in this review. Where the UM-1 electric scooter sort of fails us is in the range–but we’d argue that the range per pound is excellent, given that the scooter shares the M365’s small battery.

The design is simple–not as flashy as the UM-2 electric scooter. However, it is one of the lightest scooters, making it perfect for getting on the train, bus, or going up your hostel stairs. It is excellent for the whole family–especially for beginners, casual riders, and commuters looking for an inexpensive way to water down the hassle of moving around between main public transportation.

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Our Take:The Basic But Reliable, Family-Friendly, and Fashion-Forward Commuter Option–With a Knack for Climbing Hills!

Is it Good for Bigger, Heavier Riders?

Bigger and heavier riders will have a much better experience with the UM-2 than the UM-1.

The ANYHILL UM-1 electric scooter has a maximum rider weight capacity of 250.0 lbs, against the UM-2’s 300.0 lbs max load. The battery on the UM-1 is also smaller at just 281 wh, while the UM-2’s battery provides an impressive 360 wh of energy. Thus it makes sense to go with the UM 2 on this given that larger riders generally have higher power requirements.

The deck on the ANYHILL UM-1 electric scooter is also narrow at 18.5 inches x 5.5-inches, which would make riders with larger feet struggle to find a comfortable stance. The UM-2 is longer and wider. The UM-1 also has smaller tires, which would ultimately not deliver the best of rides, especially in the absence of suspension. 

Therefore, while it is arguably a great scooter, it is not an ideal match for big dawgs.

ANYHILL UM-1 Electric Scooter Review

Acceleration

The UM-1 electric scooter is propelled by a 350 W motor that delivers above-average performance in regard to acceleration. Pick-up is not jerky, and the scooter accelerates smoothly and quickly to reach 15.0 mph in 7 seconds flat. Surprisingly, it outdoes the KQi2 Pro, which is the ‘scooter to beat in this price class by 0.6 seconds. The Fluid Freeride City rider is much slower at the start taking 11.4 seconds to reach the same mark, while the cheaper Hiboy S2 takes the crown with a record 6.2 seconds.

Top Speed

The ANYHILL UM-1 electric scooter is not breaking any speed records but is very on-trend for its class. It maxes out at an ESG-certified 15.5 mph–the same speed as most rental scooters. But what we liked most is that it exactly matches the manufacturer’s specs–something that hardly ever happens. 

Of the competitor scooters, it had the lowest top speed. The NIU KQi2 hit a maximum speed of 16.3 mph, while the CityRider went faster at 16.8 mph, and again, the Hiboy S2 carried the crown with a whopping 19.0 mph max speed.

The UM-1 electric scooter has a single riding speed, which is in line with most street safety regulations.

Hill Climb

It’s right there in the name: ANY…HILL. It would be a crying shame if the UM-1 failed to deliver on hills. But thankfully, this is one area where this electric scooter did ot disappoint. The UM-1 took 20.4 seconds to reach the top of our steep test hill–edging out the KQi2 Pro and beating the M365 by nearly half a second.

On the range test course, the steepest hill section was also no problem. The UM-1basically didn’t care if it was going uphill or downhill; it was pegged at max speed the whole time. The only dips you see in the range test graph are due to red lights, stop signs, and corners.

Check our database to see how your favorite scooter performs against other scooters for different metrics–all our tests for the different scooters are performed under similar conditions.

Range and Battery

We took the ANYHILL UM-1 on the hilly ESG range test circuit, and it covered 11.8 miles before shutting down, though the manufacturer says that on flat ground, it can cover a max range of 16.0 miles to 20.0 miles. We’d love to see them adapt the UM-2’s removable battery pack, which remains one of the most convenient we’ve used.

All the same, the UM-1’s battery is made using LG cells, giving the scooter more range per pound from its M365-sized battery. The scooter is also equipped with an intelligent battery management system to safeguard battery performance. The battery is also rated IP67, which is even higher than the IPX6 waterproof rating on the UM-2’s removal battery.

Braking

And while it doesn’t move as fast, you are guaranteed quick stops when you need to on the ANYHILL UM-1 electric scooter. From a speed of 15.0 mph, we saw the scooter come to a complete stop in just 15.8 ft, beating Minimotor’s Dualtron Mini–a scooter that costs nearly 3 times the price.

The ANYHILL UM-1 electric scooter has two brake levers. The brake lever at the right handlebar controls a rear disc brake and ours was tuned perfectly right out of the box. The rear disc brake has just enough grip to lock the rear wheel if you grab it very hard, but it is also fairly easy to modulate to keep the rear wheel below the lock-up point.

At the left grip is a separate regen brake lever acting on the front wheel. For normal riding around, you can use the front electronic brake, but for hard stops, it helps to use both. 

Ride Quality

The UM1 is a solid e-scooter, and like the M365, it absolutely nails the fundamentals. You can expect great ride quality and a surprisingly smooth ride from 50 psi air-filled, tubed tires. These work well in the absence of suspension, which is not present in many electric scooters in its price class.

During your ride, your hands rest comfortably on the grippy spiral-patterned grips–the same ones we loved on its big brother, the ANYHILL UM-2 electric scooter. They feel really good and are locked into place somehow, so they never rotate while you ride.

There aren’t many controls on the steering to distract you from riding, so you can really focus on enjoying your ride. And shout out to ANYHILL for getting the display right–it may be on the smaller side, but the display is still very easy to read even in bright sun. 

We should also call out the simplicity of only having one ride mode. After all, with a 15.5 mph top speed, do you really need slower riding modes?

The handlebars are well aligned with the front wheel, which isn’t always the case on less expensive scooters. And I enjoyed standing on the grippy diagonal patterned deck–It’s almost an inch longer than the deck M365 even though the overall length of the scooters are roughly the same. 

This UM-1 is not feature-packed, but it really has some charm to it when you ride it.

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ANYHILL UM-1 Electric Scooter Features

Portability

It’s a commuter scooter–we expect seamless portability. And it’s great, that besides excellent hill-climbing and its name-brand battery, the UM-1’s third killer feature is, well, portability.

The scooter is really lightweight, weighing an ESG-tested 30.8 lbs, and folds down to a small neat package measuring 42.5 inches x 17.0 inches x 19.0 inches (LxWxH). Yes, you can get a scooter with more battery for this price, but like the 365, the UM-1 isn’t trying the best at any one thing. It does something even better, and that’s being very good at a bunch of things while also being very portable. 

The patent fast folding system is also quite convenient, but there is a trick to it. The stem latch works best if you put one foot on the deck and nudge the stem forward to close it. It also makes it easier to unlatch if you nudge the stem forward when unlatching.

Cockpit

The cockpit is simple–it’s not trying to distract you from the road. You have a simple standard LED display console with one button for all functions. You also get an ergonomic thumb throttle, thumb regen brake, and mechanical brake lever.

The grips are rubberized to offer a firm hold, and the steering column is locked to avoid over-rotation during your ride.

Lights

The Anyhil UM-1 electric scooter features a high-mounted headlight that’s just bright enough to illuminate a section of your path for nighttime riding safety. The LED headlight is functional but not too remarkable–especially given that other scooters in its class, like NIU’s KQi2 Pro, are attempting to break industry records for lighting.

The e-scooter also comes with a taillight. Unfortunately, it does not have a brake light function–which we hope ANYHILL remedies in future models. Fortunately, the lights are complemented by the scooter’s front and rear reflectors, which add to its visibility during night rides.

The lights can be controlled via the display or the companion app.

Tires

ANYHILL’s website states that the scooter is fitted with 9-inch tires. However, the tires themselves are labeled 230 mm x 50 mm, which translates to 9.1-inch x 2.0-inch tires. They are pneumatic, tubed tires–capable of absorbing road shocks, and they do a good job, especially since the UM-1 (like other scooters in its class) does not come with suspension.

Deck

The deck is not the largest, but that’s something riders have to contend with when prioritizing portability. The deck measures 18.5 inches x 5.5-inches, which is just enough standing room for the average foot-sized adult. You will probably not be shuffling positions as you ride, but the deck space is decent enough, and the gippy rubber deck offers great stability. What’s more, it’s easier to clean than grip tape, so that’s a win.

Build Quality

The Anyhill UM-1 electric scooter’s design is quite simple, and you can get it in either white, black, or blue. At times, you might find different coupons available for different colors on their site, so keep an eye out for that. But right now, we have an RG exclusive coupon (Use RG to get 10%off ) that you can apply to any of the colors.

Moving along. The UM-1 has a very unusual stem latch. To quote the website, “UM-1 has a durable built-in adjustable rubber vibration damper which cushions the stem to eliminate looseness, providing a smooth and stable ride, and improving your driving experience.”… and it works.

Normally, a stem is either wobbly or solid. But really, solid stems like the Ninebot Max or the M365 can make your hands feel beat up during long rides because the vibrations from the road go right into your hands. The vibration damper keeps things firm but also smooths out much of the vibration from the road before it reaches your hands.

To complement the display console, the UM-1 e-scooter comes with an app. Unfortunately, it only does a few things. It lets you lock the scooter–and in the event of tampering, it will beep and apply resistance to the wheel, but we’re not sure how many people will use it. Other than that, you can turn the lights on and off, change units, change your password, or update the firmware. 

Also, the scooter defaults to having cruise control on. It’s not covered in the manual, but you can turn it off by clicking the power button on the scooter 3 times. (you’ll see the cruise control icon on the dashboard disappear). 

Safety

When it comes to safety, the UM-1 is fairly typical for a 15.0 mph commuter scooter at this price. It has the basic headlight and taillight, but the taillight has no brake light function, which is a bit weird but not as weird as some Gotrax scooters, which have no light at all, just a piece of reflective tape.

The brakes are easy to use, and the scooter’s stability gives you the confidence to ride as hard as you can. It is also IP54-rated, allowing you to keep riding in the event you get caught up in light showers. 

Warranty 

The ANYHILL UM-1 electric scooter is covered under a limited one-year warranty–like all of ANYHILL’s other electric scooters. The limited warranty covers mechanical and electrical parts. Parts subject to wear and tear, like grips, fenders, kickstand, covers, etc., are only covered for 30 days.

The entire guarantee is against manufacturing defects and only valid to the original purchaser after normal and ordinary use is substantiated. The manufacturer’s limited warranty begins from the original purchase date and can only be extended by an authorized service provider.

ANYHILL UM-1 Electric Scooter: Review Conclusion

What do we think of the ANYHILL UM-1 electric scooter? Three words! Simple, charming, and light. The UM-1 checks on all the basics with good build quality, a smooth ride thanks to the unusual rubber vibration damper in the stem, large pneumatic tires, comfortable grips, and a grippy deck. Performance is nothing over the top–but is within what one would expect of its price class.

The UM-1 is rated for 14+, so it’s a great choice for teens. We’d also recommend it as a family scooter since it’s still big enough to carry Mom and Dad. For smaller kids, they have the Anyhil UM-3 electric scooter that’s just $299 but won’t keep up on group rides with a top speed of 9.3 mph.