Impeller test 2020 - the 13 best impellers in comparison, babyplaces

Children have an incredible urge to move! As soon as they realize that they can move themselves, they crawl and run all day long and everything that helps them to be faster is the most fun. No wonder that wheels are so popular with children and parents: They are safe, easy to learn to drive and some wheel models are the first vehicle that is suitable for children from one year old. To make it easier for you to choose the right balance bike for your child, we have carefully examined and compared the most popular balance wheels for toddlers. With our wheel finder you are guaranteed to find the right model for your child!

Why is an impeller useful??

Wheels are the perfect preparation for cycling. The movement on the bike promotes your child’s motor development and the sense of balance is trained – so switching to a bike later becomes very easy and support wheels are usually no longer required. Another advantage is that your child will learn to ride a bike very quickly. The movements are very similar to running: the child sits on the saddle of the wheel and pushes himself with his feet to get ahead. Braking is either intuitive with the feet or, for the larger children, with a handbrake on the handlebar. Long walks with the whole family or the way to the nearest supermarket will also be great fun for your child if he can whiz around with his own balance bike.

When can my child start cycling??

When your child can start cycling depends on their individual development. Many impeller models are already available for children from the age of 2 – but it is often advisable to wait a few more months and between 2.5 and 2.5 and 3 years to start driving. Before that, most children find it difficult to control their movements and speed while driving. As a preliminary stage to the wheel, the manufacturers PUKY and KETTLER offer four-wheel vehicles that can be driven in the apartment and outside from the first birthday.

Checklist for buying the wheel

There are a few things to consider when buying a children’s balance bike. We have put together a checklist so that you can think of everything:

Processing the impeller

Regardless of whether it is a wooden balance bike or a metal frame: the entire bike must make a stable impression. Make sure that the adjustable parts are firm and secure and that they cannot be loosened even under heavy loads. In addition, you should make sure that there are no sharp or splintery edges on the wooden wheel that children could injure themselves on. Quality and test seals can help here!

Size and adjustability of the wheel

In addition to the correct size of the wheel, it is important that the saddle and handlebar can be adjusted in height. So the bike can always be individually adjusted to the size of your child and used for a long time.

Low entry

Make sure that the entry of the wheel frame is as low as possible – this way your child can easily get on and off and ride with a safe feeling.

Suspension of the wheel

So that your child can whiz around comfortably and back-friendly with the wheel, you should make sure that the tires are good. High-quality foam tires or pneumatic tires run out easily, level out unevenness and offer the greatest driving pleasure.

Handlebar padding

Even if you can learn to ride a bike easily and safely, you won’t miss out on small falls. Thick handlebar pads and safety handles, which are also padded at the ends, cushion falls and prevent injuries from the bike.

PUKY, KETTLER and Pinolino wheels in comparison

In the following tables you can compare the different wheels directly and read the detailed test. We have assigned the models to three categories: small wheels with two or four wheels for the little ones, medium-sized wheels for children with a height of at least 90 cm and the large wheels or wooden wheels that can be converted for large kindergarten children.

Small wheels

brand	PUKY	PUKY	Kettler	PUKY
Type	Pukylino	Wutsch	Speedy 10 ″	LR M

Watch the test	Watch the test	Watch the test	Watch the test
recommended height	from 75cm	from 80cm	8th	from 85cm
material	aluminum	aluminum	aluminum	aluminum
Weight	2.7kg	2.8kg	3.3kg	3.5kg
Height adjustable saddle	No	No	Yes	Yes
Adjustable handlebar	No	No	No	Yes
Number of wheels	4	4	2	2
tire type (Soft / hard / air)	hard	hard	hard	foam tires
Entry (high / low)	high	high	high	deep
Best online- offer here:	from 39.99 EUR	from 49.85 EUR	from 39.90 EUR	from EUR 65.99
watch online	watch online	watch online	watch online

Medium sized wheels

Here is your selection the largest: you can choose from a total of 8 wheels from 3 manufacturers (2 tables)

brand	PUKY	PUKY	PUKY
Type	LR 1	LR 1 L	LR 1 L Br

Watch the test	Watch the test	Watch the test
test winner

Watch on amazon.de

recommended
height from 90 cm / 35 cm inseam from 90 cm / 35 cm inseam from 90 cm / 35 cm inseam material Aluminum / EVA tires Aluminum / pneumatic tires Aluminum / pneumatic tires brake No No Yes Weight 4.8 kg 4.9 kg 5.2 kg Best online-
offer here: 71,85EUR
babymarkt.de EUR 76.83
babymarkt.de from 83.47 EUR
babymarkt.de Look at the details Look at the details Look at the details

brand	Kettler	Kettler	pinolino	pinolino
Type	Speedy 12.5 ″	Spirit	Jojo & pirate	Vespa

Watch the test	Watch the test	Watch the test	Watch the test
recommended height	from 95 cm	from 95 cm	from 85 cm	from 90 cm
material	Aluminum / EVA tires	Aluminum / pneumatic tires	Wood / tires	Wood / tires
brake	Yes	Yes	No	No
Weight	5 kg	6.5 kg	4.2 kg	4 kg
Best online- offer here:	59.99 EUR babymarkt.de	59 EUR babymarkt.de	EUR 62.62 babymarkt.de	97.90 EUR babymarkt.de
Look at the details	Look at the details	Look at the details	Look at the details

Big wheels

You can choose from 4 models of 3-year-old bikes, with the three Pinolino bikes also listed here. Why? Because you can assemble them in two different ways (impeller vs. chopper), they are also suitable for adults!

brand	PUKY	pinolino	pinolino
Type	LR XL	Jojo & pirate	Vespa

Watch the test	Watch the test	Watch the test
recommended height	from 95 cm / 42 cm stride length	from 85 cm	from 90 cm
material	Aluminum / pneumatic tires	Wood / tires	Wood / tires
brake	Yes	No	No
Weight	6.2 kg	4.2 kg	4 kg
Best online- offer here:	119.99 EUR – 19% discount babymarkt.de	EUR 62.62 babymarkt.de	EUR 78.36 babymarkt.de
Look at the details	Look at the details	Look at the details

PUKY wheels

Market leader PUKY has 60 years of experience in the development, design and production of children’s vehicles. PUKY vehicles are developed, designed and produced in Germany. A well thought-out concept that guarantees high product quality. Made in Germany!

KETTLER wheels

KETTLER has shaped the sports and leisure market with trend-setting product solutions for more than 60 years. A key pillar of the KETTLER success story is, in addition to functionality, ease of use and sophisticated design, above all controlled quality. Made in Germany!

PINOLINO wheels

Pinolino has been developing, producing and selling a wide range of children’s furniture, accessories and toys since 1997. The head office is in Münster, Westphalia. When manufacturing the products, great importance is attached to safety, sustainability of the raw materials, protection of the environment and nature and solid processing.

How do I find the right balance bike for my child?

Even if you know what to look for when buying a wheel, there are still countless models to choose from. Different sizes, wooden wheels, wheels with metal frames and wheels with or without brakes – so that you don’t lose track of all the models, we compared the most popular wheels from the manufacturers PUKY, KETTLER and PINOLINO. With our wheel finder you will quickly find the right model for your child. For our comparison, we have in addition to the general quality characteristics, such as Processing and safety of the impeller, the following features selected as comparison parameters:

Which wheel is the right size?

In order to determine the right size of the balance bike for your child, it is not the age that is important, but the height and stride of your child. These values can differ greatly among children of the same age and are therefore more precise than the age recommendations of the manufacturers. You can find out the stride length easily by standing from the crotch to the floor.

A wooden impeller or a metal impeller is better?

In general, there is no answer to this question – due to the large differences between the individual models and your personal preferences, you should compare the individual models from different manufacturers in our size categories. However, some distinctive features apply to almost all wooden wheels:

Due to the design, the handlebars can only be moved to a limited extent.
The saddle is adjustable in height, but mostly not continuously. The handlebar always stays at the same height, which can have a negative impact on the ergonomics of the wheel.
Many wooden wheels, especially in the smaller sizes, are heavier than the metal models.
Many children like the playful design of the wooden wheels, which e.g. look like a motorcycle.
Wooden impellers are made from a renewable raw material and are therefore particularly sustainable.

A wheel with or without a brake is the right one for my child?

This question cannot be answered in general. It depends on personal development whether a wheel with handbrake makes sense for your child. Small children can often not yet operate a handbrake and meter the braking force so that braking with the feet is safer. Larger children from 3.5 to 4 years old can brake more quickly and specifically with the handbrake, which leads to additional safety. Most of the time, the impeller models for larger children have hand brakes.

Safety on the wheel: don’t forget your helmet!

When your child starts cycling, you should have a safe place, especially for the first few attempts, such as a playground or a playground. Of course, just like when riding a bicycle, a helmet is already mandatory on the wheel and protects against serious injuries in the event of a fall. There are models with the favorite picture book heroes, animals, fire engines etc. that children really like to put on. In addition, you can start with road education wonderfully when you ride a bike: Your child is already getting used to everyday situations that occur in traffic between drivers, pedestrians and cyclists and will be all the more safe to ride a bike later.

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About our author Marisa

I am Marisa, 26 and mom of a 4 year old boy. With rice waffle crumbs, the search for the most beautiful playgrounds and everything else in the everyday life is going on with baby and toddler, I know a lot. And since there is no day with a child like the other and you as a mom are constantly learning, I will share all tips and tricks with you!

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