If you love to enjoy your time in the water, then you will like the idea of riding a motorboat in your free time. If you already have a motorboat, but you don’t have the right outboard motor for it, then don’t worry. Today, you will be catapulted to a point where it becomes super easy for you to decide as to which outboard motor you should get for your boat. While there are hundreds of outboard motors available on the market, but you don’t have to go through all those. Just focus on the seven best outboard motors reviews consumer reports listed in the following section and shortlist the one that suits your requirements.
Reviews Of 7 Best Outboard Motors
1. HANGKAI 7HP 4-Stroke Outboard Motor
The next product on the list is a 4-stroke, 7HP outboard motor from HANGKAI. Equip your boat with this outdoor motor, and you will be able to enhance the performance of your boat in waters up to many times. With a safe twist grip throttle control, durable lubricating system and high-performance motor, you can expect excellent maneuverability for a long period of time with this outboard motor.
The motor is designed using durable and corrosion-resistant material, which allows it to last for a long time. Moreover, you can operate it in both freshwater and saltwater. The motor features a large tank, yet it is easy to carry, thanks to its compact design. The company provides a 1-year warranty on the motor, in which they replace all the faulty parts of the product. So, get this product to enjoy your time in the water in the upcoming weekend. But, don’t forget to check the weather conditions on the best home weather station before heading out.
2. HANGKAI 3.6HP 2 Stroke Heavy Duty Outboard Motor Boat Engine
This is another top quality product, which you can buy for your boat. This is a 2-stroke 3.6HP heavy-duty motorboat engine, which is packed with some best-in-the-class features that the industry has to offer. The motor comes with a 360-degree steering rotation, which lets you reverse the boat without shifting gear. Then, a CDI ignition system is included in the unit, which allows the engine to start quickly and effortlessly.
Moreover, it improves the performance of the unit. Another notable feature in this product is that the prop doesn’t rotate in the idle mode because of the presence of a start-in-gear protection/clutch feature. The inclusion of the engine water cooling system keeps the engine cool and obtain the best performance from it as well. This outboard motor is built to last, thanks to its cast aluminum construction, which doesn’t let the corrosion to develop on the unit.
3. BSTOOL 6HP 2 Stroke Outboard Motor Fishing Boat Engine
You should add gear oil to the gears prior to using the motor. Also, you need to replace the gear oil once the motor operates for 10 hours, as that will enhance the performance of the motor. Being a lightweight machine, the motor can still be used on a boat of 100kg or less. It can easily bear the load of 4 people, but the speed will not remain the same with 4 people as it could be with a single individual on the boat.
You can take long rides on the boat and enjoy your favorite music on the best Bluetooth Speaker. As far as the noise level is concerned, then the motor does produce some noise, which you can compare to the noise coming out of a motorbike. Overall, a decent unit with a decent set of features.
4. SEA DOG WATER SPORTS 2 Stroke Outboard Motor
If you are new to the field of water sports, then you should be extremely cautious while buying products. If you are into boating and looking to buy an outboard motor, then only invest in a branded product such as SEA DOG WATER SPORTS. Now, if you take a look at this product, then you will find it equipped with an engine water cooling system, which eliminates the overheating problem of the engine.
Then comes the power of the engine, so the unit is a 2-stroke, 18HP engine, which packs a powerful punch to the boat when in the water. This is a long-lasting unit, which is designed from an anti-corrosive material, which is extremely lightweight. The inclusion of steering friction adjustment will also make things easier for you in the water. In case, anything happens to the motor, then you can get in touch with the manufacturer, as it offers a 3-year warranty on any manufacturing defects.
5. Cozyel 4 Stroke 4HP Heavy Duty Outboard Motor
This particular outboard motor features a 4HP, 4-stroke engine, which helps the unit generate incredible power for as much time as you want. The motor also features a 360-degree steering rotation, which lets you move the boat in reverse direction without shifting the gear. That’s not it, the motor also comes with a CDI ignition system, so that you don’t have to waste your time starting the engine.
Moreover, the system also ensures the top-class performance of the unit. Where engines tend to heat up during long operations, the engine in this outboard motor will not heat up as much, thanks to its highly efficient engine air cooling system, which is also responsible for enhancing the performance of the engine. Another notable feature in this product is that the prop doesn’t rotate in the idle mode because of the presence of a start-in-gear protection/clutch feature.
6. DOMINTY 4HP 4-Stroke 55CC Outboard Motor
DOMINTY Outboard Motor is a 4-stroke, 7HP beast. Add this outdoor motor to your boat in order to enhance the performance of your boat in waters up to many times. With a safe twist grip throttle control, durable lubricating system and high-performance motor, you can expect excellent maneuverability for a long period of time with this outboard motor.
The motor is designed using durable and corrosion-resistant material, which allows it to last for a long time. Moreover, you can operate it in both freshwater and saltwater. The motor sports a large tank, yet it is easy to carry, thanks to its compact design. The company provides a 1-year warranty on the motor, in which they replace all the faulty parts of the product.
7. SEA DOG WATER SPORTS 6 HP 2 Stroke Outboard Motor
The last outboard motor on the list is coming from the house of SEA DOG. First of all, this motor can be used for sailboats, fishing boats, inflatable boats, small yachts and other similar types of boats. A compact and lightweight motor, using it will not be much of a problem. Made up with quality materials make the motor capable of being used with freshwater as well as saltwater.
The inclusion of a 360-degree steering rotation gives you the opportunity to reverse the boat without shifting gear. Other features of the product include manual start system, safe twist grip throttle control, water cool technology and large fuel tank. This is a single-cylinder, 2-stroke, 6HP engine, which delivers excellent power when you need it. Despite being a top quality product, it is very affordable, so you can buy it even if you are running on a tight budget.
Types Of Outboards
Large Outboard Motors
These are attached to the transom with the help of clamps and are tiller steer up to around 100HP. The body of the propellers is made up of high-quality material, which is also immune to corrosion. This feature allows users to glide it through the water, be it freshwater or saltwater.
Small Portable Outboards
As the name suggests, these are portable units having the power of around 15HP. These are affixed to the boat with the help of clamps and can be easily moved from one boat to another. The outboard motor delivers auxiliary power to sailboats, but can also be used for trolling aboard big craft due to their efficiency at trolling speeds.
Electric-powered Outboards
These are self-contained propulsory machines for sailboats, canoes, dinghies, jon boats and more. These are run either on AC or DC power.
Pump-jet propulsion
You will find a majority of outboard motors with this particular option. Despite being less efficient than an open propeller, it is very useful in applications where the boat is to be maneuvered in shallow water.
How To Choose The Best Outboard Motor?
Power
Power is probably one of the initial things you will find when you need to consider when purchasing your engine, but more power is not always better. Indeed the power must be chosen according to the size of the boat. In case, your boat is small but has a large engine, then the stability of the boat will be affected and the additional power will cause a lot of stress on the transom and can damage it as well.
On the other hand, having an outboard motor that is too small on a larger boat can lead to exhaustion of the engine due to increased drag and huge demand. It is therefore recommended to adapt the size of your engine to the size of your boat for more stability and reliability.
Fuel Consumption
This is another crucial factor that you can’t afford to miss. Fuel consumption will let you know how far the boat can go on per liter of fuel. The power of the engine is inversely proportional to the fuel consumption, so you need to strike the perfect balance between the fuel consumption and power of the engine. To calculate how much fuel you require on the trip, you need to find out the flow rate. To avoid any inconvenience during the trip, always bring a canister filled with gasoline.
Fuel Tank Size
The fuel tank capacity will give you a clear idea as to how much fuel you should carry on the trip. The bigger the size of the fuel tank, the more fuel you can carry, but then, it will increase the overall weight that you will carry, which will reduce the mileage. The same rule is applied to electric motor batteries, i.e., the greater the capacity of the battery, the more it will work, but then the more it will weigh as well.
Cooling System
There are two types of cooling systems available for Outboard motors, Air Motor Cooling System and Liquid Motor Cooling System. The former one is used when the outboard motor has a low-to-medium power engine, whereas the latter is used for powerful engines. Air Motor Cooling System is compact, affordable and doesn’t require additional elements such as a pump, nozzles and a separate fan, etc. As far as the liquid motor cooling system is concerned, it is the exact opposite of the Air Motor Cooling System.
Freshwater And Saltwater Motors
It is very important for you to find out whether the motor is capable of operating in freshwater as well as saltwater because some motors are only efficient in working in either of the water types. Actually, saltwater makes outboard motors susceptible to corrosion, whereas the risk of corrosion significantly reduces in freshwater. Look for the motor that is capable of working in both types of water.
Conclusion
Now that you have the list of six best outboard motors, I don’t think making the right decision will be difficult. If you still have some doubts, then there is a buying guide section, which you can go through. As far as choosing the right outboard motor is concerned, then for that, you just need to outline your requirements and match those with the features given in all seven best outboard motors reviews consumer reports. The product that is fulfilling the maximum of your requirements is the one you should go with.