Best jet ski brands: Essential guide to the three biggest names on the market in 2023
Among all watercraft, the jet ski is perhaps the most fun to ride! First appearing en masse during the 1980s, personal watercraft (PWCs) began as sporty, capricious single-rider designs operated from a standing position and geared towards stunts, tricks, and speed.
While there still are a number of small, sporty personal watercraft available today that pay homage to the PWC’s heritage and original design, the vast majority are much larger, more stable, and are able to carry 2-4 seated passengers in relative comfort and luxury.
While the vast majority of PWCs made today are general purpose, aka touring jet skis, there are also single-person sport, budget, tow sport, and even fishing jet skis on the market.
These days there are three main manufacturers of personal watercraft, namely Yamaha, Bombardier, and Kawasaki, using the brand names Wave Runner, Sea Doo, and Jet Ski respectively. This guide aims to help smooth the waves of the PWC world and explain the key differences between the three best jet ski brands.
Yamaha
Yamaha is perhaps the most well-known jet ski brand in operation today. Known for comfort, stability, and reliability, Yamaha is arguably the most mainstream PWC manufacturer — and therefore is probably the first place most jet ski buyers will look.
Yamaha offers five different lines in its Waverunner range and many different models within this, making it dizzyingly difficult to choose the perfect one for you. The five product lines are rec-lite, recreation, luxury, performance, and freestyle.
The rec-lite is a higher-end fiberglass, entry-level option, designed to compete with Sea Doo’s polypropylene (i.e. plastic) Spark. With four different models within the rec-lite EX line all sharing the same 3-cylinder 4-stroke gasoline engine, prices vary substantially depending on options, so a smart approach is to aim for the best value and step up to the next in the lineup if the price is similar.
Sea-Doo
If Yamaha is the #1 manufacturer of personal watercraft, Sea-Doo manufactured by Bombardier, is #1B. What Yamaha offers in terms of reliability and dependable quality, Sea-Doo makes up for with innovation and sometimes radical design and engineering.
This is not to say Sea-Doo is unreliable by any stretch of the imagination, but rather that— for better and worse — the company is much more aggressive and innovative than Yamaha and is unafraid to try new technologies and design methodologies.
Hence, most of the innovations in the PWC market over the last 30 or so years have been introduced by Sea-Doo — but perhaps perfected by Yamaha. Some notable examples include the aforementioned IBR (Intelligent Brake and Reverse) and entry-level Spark.
Kawasaki
50 years ago, Kawasaki released its first Jet Ski PWC and in doing so, forever intertwined and married the trade name Jet Ski with the PWC. At heart, Kawasaki is a bit of a blend of both Yamaha and Sea-Doo, as it is a reliable premium product that places emphasis on performance, while doing away with a lot of bells and whistles. The one time I have gone 70mph on a PWC, it was on a Kawasaki.
These days, Kawasaki is still offering competitive and innovative products — albeit to a bit more niche of an audience. Kawasaki offers four product lines currently, starting with the SX-R, which is a stand-up, single-rider sport ski that pays homage to the company’s original design DNA. Sporting a four-cylinder engine in such a small package, the Kawasaki SX-R goes like a rocket on the water.
In addition to the SX-R, the company offers 3 other product lines: STX 160, Ultra 160, and the Ultra 310. The STX 160 is the jet ski that most casual riders will be drawn to for its best-in-class performance, handling, reliability and minimal frills at an affordable price of just under $12,000 in the base trim.
All models do, however, feature docking assist and cruise control. Higher-end models feature premium audio, upgraded well mats and premium paint schemes and graphics at a minimal surcharge. All models in this class feature multifunction displays and rear-facing cameras. The latter is likely unnecessary for most but nice to have for tow sports. LED accent lights come as standard and there is a provision for a premium audio system in the higher end Ultra 160 model.