Mobility scooters can mean freedom, but you when you need a scooter, it's important to buy the right product for your needs. There are four basic styles of electric mobility scooters: travel, three wheel, four wheel and heavy duty. One of them is right for you.

Travel Scooters

Travel scooters are light and portable. They work well in tight spaces and are easy to transport. Most travel scooters disassemble easily into three or four pieces and will fit in almost any car. However, they don't have much ground clearance and won't handle bumps well. While travel scooters come in three and four wheel models, their main selling points are portability and low cost. Expect to pay $600 to $2,000 new.

Full Size Three and Four Wheel Scooters

Compared to a travel scooter, full sized scooters have more of everything: comfort, foot room and ground clearance. With only one front wheel, three wheeled scooters may offer the most foot and leg room of any scooter style. On the other hand, four wheeled models provide improved stability. Full sized scooters require a full sized vehicle, and they may be a little big for indoor use in some homes. Outdoor use, even on rough dirt roads should be good. These machines will probably require use of an electric wench or ramp to load into your vehicle. Expect to pay $700 to $3,000 for the scooter and $350 to $2,000 for a new ramp or wench.

Heavy Duty Scooters

While ordinary scooters top out at a 250 pounds weight limit, heavy duty models can handle passengers up to 500 pounds. Frames, seats and motors are all built to handle the increased demands. Prices for new heavy duty scooters start around $2,000 and go up to almost $4,000. Again, you'll need a wench or ramp with one of these plus sized units.

If you want to maintain your freedom and independence, experts recommend you adapt early and adapt often. Don't let anyone talk you into a scooter that won't fit your home, your car or your lifestyle. Keep your battery topped up and get back out there!