Electric remote lawn mower. 6 Benefits of a Robotic Lawn Mower

Best Robot Lawn Mowers on the Cheap (2023)

There aren’t a ton of cheap robot lawn mowers out there… yet.

The main reason why these robot lawn mowers are cheaper is that they are specifically designed for smaller lawns (-500 m²). And that means, as you can imagine, in contrast to a large lawn, it takes less effort for these little gardeners with wheels to handle a smaller and usually less complex of a lawn in terms of their requirements for performance, computing and battery power.

Regardless, there are quite a few gems out there on the cheap even for the bigger lawns. They just needed to be found.

Along with this Robot Lawn Mower Buying Guide (which I really suggest you quickly skim through), let’s have a closer look at those cheaper ones I’ve come across. See which you fancy more and check out the corresponding review.

Top 10 Actually Cheap Robot Lawn Mowers

Before you go any further, let’s be clear about a couple of things when it comes to cheap robot lawn mowers in general. Wouldn’t want you to make a bad decision.

The robot lawn mower market is still rather new and so the selection is somewhat limited (and somewhat high) even as of 2023.

The so-called “cheap” robot lawn mowers are essentially just lesser versions of the more expensive models with only real difference being how big of a lawn they’re wired to handle. That means buying an expensive robot lawn mower might be counterproductive in case of a smaller lawn where you can (and should) get away with buying the lower cost version instead! But hey, I’m not your mom…

TLDR: cheap is not bad, rather they are meant for smaller lawn sizes (–500 m²) and usually don’t have all the bells and whistles, is all.

#0 Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD

Just to make sure we’re talking CHEAP… Of course you can get yourself one of the most expensive robot mowers like the Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD or an equivalent that pack powerful features such as the ability to traverse around obstacles with no contact, climb steep (35°) inclines with all-wheel driving (AWD) along with a beast of a battery pack, GPS navigation system mapping out the entire lawn so it doesn’t mow randomly, and so much more, but the initial cost would be too much for my monthly salary to handle. And what if it got stolen, or something like that, with no way for me to prove it afterwards…

Something more affordable would be one of the iMOW robot mowers, my personal pick in 2023, or equivalent, but which can still be rather on the heavy side for the wallet compared to these cheap ones here…

My experience tells me it’s much nicer to get into the robot lawn mower game without spending a fortune!

#1 Husqvarna Automower 115H

Lawn size up to around 1600 m² (17222 ft²). Max incline: 17.5° (or 30%). Battery: rechargeable 18 V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 60 minutes (avg). Charging time: 60 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 50-90 mm (or 2″ to 3.6″). Cutting blades: 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 22 cm (or 8.7″). Noise level: up to 60 dB. Remote control: yes (Bluetooth, cellular, and manual control panel). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#2 Gardena SILENO Minimo 250

Lawn size up to around 250 m² (2700 ft²). Max incline: 20° (or 35%). Battery: rechargeable 18 V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 65 minutes (avg). Charging time: 60-75 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 20-45 mm (or 0.8″ to 1.8″). Cutting blades: 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 16 cm (or 6.3″). Noise level: up to 57 dB. Remote control: yes (Bluetooth, cellular, and manual control panel). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#3 Flymo EasiLife 500 GO

Lawn size up to around 500 m² (5382 ft²). Max incline: 15° (or 25%). Battery: rechargeable 18 V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 70 minutes (avg). Charging time: 75 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 20-50 mm (or 0.8″ to 1.97″). Cutting blades: 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 16 cm (or 6.3″). Noise level: up to 57 dB. Remote control: yes (Bluetooth, cellular, and manual control panel). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#4 WORX Landroid M500 WR141E

Lawn size up to around 500 m² (5382 ft²). Max incline: 20° (or 35%). Battery: rechargeable 20 V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 70 minutes (avg). Charging time: 70 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 30-60 mm (or 1.2″ to 2.4″). Cutting blades: cut to edge 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 18 cm (or 7.1″). Noise level: up to 67 dB. Remote control: yes (Bluetooth, cellular, and manual control panel). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#5 Lawnmaster L12

Lawn size up to around 800 m² (8611 ft²). Max incline: 20° (or 35%). Battery: rechargeable 20 V 4.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 120 minutes (avg). Charging time: 100 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 20-60 mm (or 0.8″ to 2.4″). Cutting blades: 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 18 cm (or 7.1″). Noise level: up to 62 dB. Remote control: no (only manual control panel). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#6 Einhell FREELEXO 1200 LCD BT

Lawn size up to around 1200 m² (12917 ft²). Max incline: 20° (or 35%). Battery: rechargeable 18 V 5.2 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 100 minutes (avg). Charging time: 120 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 20-60 mm (or 0.8″ to 2.4″). Cutting blades: 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 18 cm (or 7.1″). Noise level: up to 59.4 dB. Remote control: yes (Bluetooth, cellular, and a manual control panel). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#7 Flymo EasiLife 400 Go

Lawn size up to around 400 m² (4306 ft²). Max incline: 15° (or 25%). Battery: rechargeable 18 V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 70 minutes (avg). Charging time: 75 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 20-50 mm (or 0.8″ to 1.97″). Cutting blades: 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 16 cm (or 6.3″). Noise level: up to 58 dB. Remote control: yes (Bluetooth, cellular, and manual control panel). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#8 Lawnmaster L10

Lawn size up to around 400 m² (or 4306 ft²). Max incline: 20° (or 35%). Battery: rechargeable 20 V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 40 minutes (avg). Charging time: 45 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 20-60 mm (or 0.79″ to 2.36″). Cutting blades: 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 18 cm (or 7.08″). Noise level: up to 62 dB. Remote control: no (manual control panel only). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#9 Landxcape LX796

Lawn size up to around 400 m² (4306 ft²). Max incline: 15° (or 25%). Battery: rechargeable 20 V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 30-60 minutes (avg). Charging time: 240 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 20-50 mm (or 0.8″ to 1.97″). Cutting blades: 3 razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 16 cm (or 6.3″). Noise level: up to 65 dB. Remote control: no (only manual control panel). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

#10 Landxcape LX799

Lawn size up to around 300 m² (or 3229 ft²). Max incline: 15° (or 25%). Battery: rechargeable 20 V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion. Operating time: 30-60 minutes (avg). Charging time: 240 minutes (avg). Cutting height: 20-50 mm (or 0.79″ to 1.97″). Cutting blades: 3 pivoting razor-like blades attached to a rotating disc. Cutting width: 16 cm (or 6.3″). Noise level: up to 65 dB. Remote control: no (manual control panel only). The package includes everything you need to set it up and the mower has all the essential mowing, safety, and security features (be ware: additional perimeter wire needed in case of a more complex yard layout).

Going Cheap – FAQ

What’s the Difference Between a Low-Cost and an Expensive Robot Lawn Mower?

Assuming we’re talking about at least normal quality robot mowers from reputable brands, in my research I’ve determined that the low-cost robot lawn mowers aren’t all that much different from the more expensive models in how and what they do.

The main difference between them is how large of a lawn they’re designed to cover, which means the requirements for performance, computing and battery power are lower and thus ones come out cheaper. However, the really really cheap ones that are not just lesser versions of the more expensive models do cut corners in how complex of a lawn they can handle in comparison (depth of slopes, narrowness of paths, etc). Additionally and naturally, those really cheap ones might have less options to configure because of that. As such, there might only be a few buttons which would allow you to, for example, stop the mower, send it to recharge, set a password and/or the amount of time it should mow per day. I’d argue that there’s actually beauty in simplicity as they end up being more robust and practical with no gimmicks driving up the price unnecessarily.

They are otherwise, both the cheap and more expensive robot lawn mowers, all very similar in that they mow autonomously by mulching grass in the designated area.

How Do Budget Robot Lawn Mowers Work?

they cut, ahem, mulch grass (there’s a difference between cutting and mulching) autonomously and the cheap ones usually in a random pattern… “Yeah, no shit,” you’d no doubt say to that. You probably already get the gist of how they work (and if not, check with this article on How Robot Mowers Work), and no, they won’t do your dishes.

The dishes in this analogy would be some of the edges of your lawn, the odd hard to reach patches of grass due to narrow paths, the other side of your fence unless you’ve dragged a perimeter wire there as well and manually brought the mower there for the time being, the weed among your flowerbeds, though it might do a number on your kids’ toys (“learning the hard way”), and so forth. Even the most sophisticated breeds of robot lawn mower wouldn’t do all the work for you in this day and age. And I wouldn’t really want them to do it all anyway, come to think of it (AI takeover).

IMPORTANT: Robot lawn mowers they are designed to work often. They are not like your manual mowers that you push around for an hour and call it a day. These things operate all day long in a cycle of mowing and charging, e.g mowing for 50 minutes, charging for 60 minutes (varies per model). The number of times a lot of people have returned their brand new robot mower saying it left patches of grass uncut after finishing that first cycle is baffling. Here’s to hoping you’re now informed enough to not become that person. ^^

How Should I Choose a Robot Lawn Mower?

Here I can only really give you very generic sounding advice even after leaving out the super obvious like your lawn size or slope angles which tend to directly reflect in a higher price. You can get more insights from this article: Robot Lawn Mower Buying Guide (link opens in a new tab).

• Anti-theft features – if you don’t have a fence and fear your new robot lawn mower getting stolen, look for one with configurable password, alarm, and maybe even a GPS system. Here’s an insightful story: “Had someone try to steal my auto mower” (link opens in a new tab, source: Reddit).
• Compatible spare parts – try to make sure those aren’t available to you only on the other side of the ocean in advance (spare blades, extra perimeter wire, battery pack, etc).
• Weatherproofness – if it’s constantly raining in your area throughout the year then you might want to double check how it’s designed against humidity feature-wise.
• Ease of use – for example, where is the cutting height dial located (with some mowers you ought to bring out your screwdriver and flip the thing to even just raise or lower the blades… others have a dial right next to the control panel as a simple knob), does the control panel have a screen or just buttons, is there maybe remote control option, etc.

What if My Lawn Size Is Bigger Than What’s Recommended for a Given Unit?

It won’t be the end of the world, but you might end up with patches of uncut grass, especially in times of faster growing grass.

It’ll still be cut for the most part with a patch of uncut grass being an exception if your lawn didn’t exceed the recommended lawn size by too much. I know in this example the lawn size is way bigger than what the cheap ones can handle, but let’s say your lawn was roughly 5000 m² and the mower was designed for 4000 m², it’ll still be mostly cut (source). Again, and in my case at least, it wouldn’t equate to the end of the world.

Are the Cheaper Robot Lawn Mowers Safe?

Here’s the short version: NOT SAFE FOR PETS AND CHILDREN!

Here are some typical safety features (even the cheap ones tend have these):

• STOP button – it’s a manual highly visible red button which makes the mower stop in it’s tracks the moment it’s pushed
• collision detection – the mower comes to a full stop upon hitting something (though it might take a second for it to register the bump);
• lift and tilt sensors – the mower comes to a full stop when tilted or lifted (though, again, it might take a second for it to register the event);
• less powerful motor – they’re mainly designed to cut grass along with some odd branches at most (though this may wary across brands);
• low ground clearance – the space between the mower and the ground is narrow (say it did drive up your foot, it would likely trigger a tilt stop);
• clearance between chassis and blades – coupled with the latter, there’s also extra space between the edge of the mower and the blades;
• blades slice rather than cut through – when the pivoting razor-like blades come in contact with something hard, they slice rather than cut;
• blade exposure preventative plastic shield – a plastic shield around the blades that only let grass get in blades’ way (not all mowers have it).

For more info: Robot Lawn Mower Safety (link open in a new tab).

Is a Cheap Robot Lawn Mower Worth It?

It would feel very cliché for me to answer “yes” to this question for you. So instead I’ll say: “Probably.”

I mean, in my experience: money saved, timed saved.

The whole idea of a robot mower is that it would save you from the manual labor, right? Of course the downside would be the initial cost of buying one, which is slightly lessened by buying a cheap one, but then again the running costs would be pleasantly low afterwards. And then we’d only be left with the hassle of setting it up plus the maintenance (…and the worrying thought of it getting stolen, breaking down, or it running over your neighbor’s old and blind Tigger). Clearly there are pros and cons to everything.

And who knows, maybe you’re one of those people who love manually mowing their lawn, perhaps you’re simply just not aware of it yet.

What About the Running Costs?

As was mentioned earlier, the running costs are low, averaging out to about 50 per year overall (rough overestimate).

• Electricity – varies from mower to mower from 2.5 kWh to 34 kWh per month, costing roughly 2.
• Replacement battery pack – every 2 to 6 years the battery might wear out too much, replacement costing around 100.
• Replacement blades – it’s generally recommended to replace the blades twice per mowing season and 1 set of blades costs around 8.
• Extra boundary wire connectors – whatever comes with the package is usually never enough and a pet or what have you might chew on the wire that’s already there on top of that, so another payment of around 50 per 100 meters of wire whilst the connectors are sold similarly to the blades, in bulk, and priced about the same as the blade set.

PS! As is always the case, the numbers vary wildly depending on many things. In my case, the mowing season generally lasts for roughly 4 months only. The robot lawn mower usually mows for around 10 hours per day, half of the time charging at roughly 80 Wh (1000 W = 1 kW). That way it uses 12 kWh per month whilst electricity costs 0.13 kWh. That’s just 1.56 per month on electricity in my case. 4 months of mowing amounts to 6 on electricity fees in total. If that’s not low cost then I don’t know what is…

For more insights on costs, check this article (link opens in a new tab).

How Long Does a Cheap Robot Lawn Mower Last?

Given the initial cost, the low running cost means nothing if the mower went wheels up after just a couple of months. That’s how I’d think.

In my experience, these little gardeners tend to last a very long time if properly taken care of. I’m talking 10 years or more. Though, obviously, anything can happen in the meantime (flood, lightning, electrical malfunction, software bug, theft, tree falling accident, tornado, quick swim in the pond, severe case of overheating, shark attack, wait, what, and so on) and all of a sudden what would have been a decade becomes just a few years or even just months instead. Mine’s been going for 3 so far. My neighbors have had theirs for much longer.

Here’s a longer take on this topic: How Long Do Robot Mowers Last (link opens in a new tab).

Is It Hard to Install a Robot Lawn Mower?

It’s not hard, but it can be tedious.

You’re looking at installing the charging station, which is the easier part, where the only thing you ought to check beforehand is if you’ve got an outdoor power socket for it. the next thing is the installation of boundary (a.k.a perimeter) wire all around the area you want cut. The more complex the yard layout, as in flowerbeds and the like, the more time it will take to lay the wire around these things so that the mower wouldn’t go where it shouldn’t. There will be a lot of trial and error in the process when it comes to the perimeter wire unless things are well documented and the instructions clear enough (installation instructions manual is usually included in the package).

PS! Usually the package never includes enough perimeter wire to cover the entire lawn, especially if you had to take a little detour to exclude flowerbeds or the like from the mowing area [Psst! Essentially you could DIY the wire for much cheaper by buying a copper wire (only make sure it’s singular line and about the same in diameter as the original wire from the package) and using that. You could also just connect the DIY wire with the original and make it longer that way …But you didn’t hear that from me].

There are 2 ways to install the wire:

• using pegs – you’d lay the wire tightly against the ground and lock it down with pegs (over time the grass will grow over it making it all invisible);
• burying the wire – you’d cut a V-shaped mini ditch and place the wire in it (the robot mower will still sense it through the ground).

PS! Ideally you’d use the pegs first so as to see if everything works out over a few days or weeks. It’s easier to make adjustments to the installation this way, though you do run the risk of the mower cutting through the wire. Assuming the wire was not broken during that trial period and you’re happy with the results with no more adjustments needed for the layout, only then you might want to bury the wire (note that it’s not mandatory to bury the wire).

Is a Cheap Robot Lawn Mower Weatherproof?

All commercial robot lawn mowers along with their charging station and perimeter wire tend to be weatherproof by design (to a reasonable extent).

Robot lawn mower – given that these things work autonomously outdoors, they have to be weatherproof to some extent. They all have a shell that protects the more sensitive inner parts from weather elements, such as rain. The underside of the robot lawn mower is also fairly well covered leaving just the blades exposed. However, and obviously, the robot mower is not protected against extreme weather conditions, such as, in some cases, severe case of humidity, flat out flooding, overheating (plastic melting levels of heat), lightning, etc. Submerge your car in a pond and see if it comes out brand new with no negative effects down the line… You lucky bastard, you’ve found yourself beyond holy of a water (would it even be “water” anymore?). Just a reminder to practise some common sense.

Charging station – this one’s exposed to those same weather elements. I’d say flooding and severe case of overheating can do a number on it. I’ve left mine out for several snowy winters and it’s working fine (the waterline would have to reach the top of the charging station where the wires connect while electricity was running for it to break down).

Perimeter wire – boundary wire is exposed to corrosion much in the same way pipes are. That’s to say that the wire might actually outlive you unless you cut through it by accident, a rodent had a feast on it, or stuff like that. It’s safe to leave the wire out there even for winter.

PS! This all assumes you’re doing some maintenance from time to time and have set things up correctly to begin with (the instructions manual that comes with buying a robot mower tends to have ample information on that stuff).

How to Take Care of a Cheaper Robot Lawn Mower?

Relatively low maintenance:

• clean regularly;
• replace cutting blades when need be;
• replace rechargeable battery when it seems almost dead;
• install charging station in shaded area to protect the mower from the elements;
• don’t forget to unplug the power supply connected to the charging station you left outside for winter;
• when storing the robot mower, charge fully, turn off, clean, and place in dry indoor conditions, and avoid leaving in freezing temperature.

For deeper insights: Robot Lawn Mower Care Maintenance (link opens in a new tab).

How Much Noise Do Cheap Robot Lawn Mowers Make?

Most robot lawn mowers are said to operate at around 60dB or lower range (example).

60dB is most often referred to sound level a normal conversation would generate from a meter length which may sound loud depending on who you imagine is speaking. Like one of those toy cars that make a sound when you move their wheels. Something like that. Plus the whirling sound from blades slicing grass as they rotate.

Mine’s and my neighbors’ mowers you won’t hear them from further than few meters were you to walk by them. You really need to see them in order to connect the faint sound they make (the whirling and slicing of grass). If there was a hedge and the mower right next to you on the other side of it, you’d think you hear something coming from far away when in fact the mower making the sound is right next to you. That’s how “loud” they are.

Benefits of a Robotic Lawn Mower

Pushing a lawn mower, even a self-propelled one, can be tedious, time-consuming work. But what if the mower pushed itself? Think Roomba for your yard. In this article, we’ll introduce you to the five benefits of a robotic lawn mower as an alternative to traditional push or riding mowers.

In this article, we will cover the six reasons to switch to a robot lawn mower:

Robot lawn mowers are convenient

Importantly, robotic lawn mowers don’t cut into your free time. They operate at night, or while you’re at work. You set the mowing schedule. Besides the occasional edging, you won’t need to spend any time worrying about the state of your grass so you can spend more time entertaining or relaxing outdoors.

The initial installation will likely take the better part of a day, but once everything is set up, your mower is almost entirely self-sufficient. Simply select the mowing schedule you wish on the onboard control panel and it will handle the rest. Many mowers connect to your home Wi-Fi or use a Bluetooth signal, allowing you to program and control them from your mobile device. This lets you set your mowing hours and weather protocols with almost no effort at all.

Because the mower makes frequent, shallow cuts, your robot will maintain a consistent cutting height throughout your turf’s growing season.

Robotic mowers cut efficiently

Yes, robotic mowers really work. Grass grows at different rates, depending upon the nutrient content in different areas of your lawn. Mowing just once a week can lead to inconsistent patches of thick and sparse growth, especially during the warmer months. A robot mower gives you that clean, even look by mowing more frequently.

Many autonomous mowers have an automatic spiral-cut feature that identifies thicker patches and dedicates extra mowing time to that area. This keeps your grass even and presentable all week long.

Consistency is key when it comes to keeping your lawn looking great. The random mowing pattern of a robot mower is designed to cover the whole lawn without leaving streaks or tire marks from following a set path. There’s no easier way to cut grass evenly than by trusting your lawn’s care to a robot.

Robo mowers are better for the environment

Like all other electric tools, robotic mowers are an eco-friendly way to cut grass. Gasoline-powered mowers present a range of problems that are solved by going electric. The emissions from gas-powered tools contribute to atmospheric carbon buildup and are harmful when breathed in. Leaks and condensation can pollute your lawn and your local watershed.

Electric mowers present an eco-friendly alternative to gas tools. While they aren’t always carbon-neutral (the electricity from your home still has a carbon footprint), they greatly reduce the environmental impact on your lawn and its immediate vicinity.

Electric motors, such as those found in robotic mowers, are also far easier to operate than their gas cousins. Engine maintenance is a thing of the past – no burning fuel means no residue or buildup. Starting a robotic mower takes a simple button press; gas engines require an air purge, choke, and cord pull to get up and running. And they are cordless, unlike many of their electric push mower cousins.

Whether or not you’re planning to switch to a robotic model, electric mowers are a much healthier and greener alternative to gas tools.

Robot mowers are quiet

Robotic mowers have another advantage over traditional lawn mowers. Their smaller cutting decks and lightweight razor blades require less motor power than full-size electric mowers and allow them to operate virtually silently. Some models, like the Gardena Sileno series, operate with as few as 56 decibels of sound output, quieter than a window-unit air conditioner.

Because you don’t have to worry about disturbing the neighbors, you can let your robo-mower run at night without losing sleep. For homeowners that want a beautifully manicured lawn without ever having to see or hear the mower, this option is invaluable. Most autonomous mowers come with built-in anti-theft features, so you can sleep soundly while your mechanical mower pulls a graveyard shift.

Robotic lawn mowers promote a healthy lawn

Many lawn mowers on the market include a mulching option. Whether included or available as an optional kit, mulching systems are a great way to reuse the grass clippings generated by mowing. Mulching mowers use airflow to keep the clippings airborne inside the cutting deck for a long enough time that the cutting blades slice them into fine particles.

Because robots work more frequently than traditional mowers, they cut smaller clippings. The small, lightweight razor blades on a robotic mower are sharper and spin faster, resulting in powdered clippings that are finer than most traditional mulching mowers.

Mulching your grass clippings can benefit your yard’s health greatly. Leaving full-sized grass clippings in your yard contributes to thatch buildup, a layer of dead grass that sits atop the soil and can prevent nutrients from sinking in. Finely mulched grass returns the nutrients from the blade tips to the soil, seeping in with the rain to deliver valuable nitrates directly to the roots.

Robo mowers require little maintenance

There is no oil to change, no gas to refill, there are no plugs to replace. In short, robot mowers require little maintenance: Hose off the undercarriage occasionally, change the blades once or twice a year and replace the battery every 2-4 years, and you should get 10-plus years out of your unit, and perhaps as much as 20 years.

Because of the robot mower’s convenience and utility, traditional push mowers may soon become extinct on smaller urban and suburban lawns. One important caveat: Robotic lawn mowers are still limited by the size of your lawn. Some models, like the Husqvarna 450XH, can handle yards well over an acre, but that extra capability comes with a higher price tag. The vast majority of robotic mowers are designed to cut between a quarter acre and half acre of grass. If you have a large lawn, check out our list of the best battery-powered lawn mowers or our guide to the best available riding mowers.

FAQ about robotic lawn mowers

Though it’s been improved upon considerably since, the basic technology that powers a modern robot mower was invented in the late 1960s. Most mowers are guided by a lightly electrified perimeter wire that marks the mowable area. The mower cuts often in random patterns to create consistent streak-free grass. Modern mowers will use an algorithm or GPS tracking to create a digital map of your yard to ensure complete coverage.

Curious about how robot lawn mowers work? Read How Robot Lawn Mowers Work.

Lawn Love’s independent research has shown that the WORX WR155 Landroid L has the best-value mower available today. If price is no object, the most advanced mower is the Husqvarna Automower 450XH.

For a more complete picture, check out our picks for the 8 Best Robotic Lawn Mowers

Mowing robots aren’t cheap, but some are more affordable than you might think. The main factor in a robot’s price tends to be the size of the lawn you plan to mow. Robots that mow between a quarter acre and a half acre tend to run between 1,000 and 1,500. Small urban and suburban lawns, especially those around 5,000 square feet, can find adequate robo-mowers for well under 1,000.

While you’ll certainly see a drastic reduction in the amount of time you spend thinking about your lawn, a robot won’t perform every task you need. You’ll likely need to go out every once in a while with a string trimmer to clean up the edges, especially along fences and walls. Some robots, namely the WORX Landroids, have a cut-to-edge feature that reduces or eliminates the need for extra weed wacking.

If you’re still not sold on the idea of robots, you can still take the hassle out of maintaining a beautiful lawn. Lawn Love pros are always on-call to deliver gorgeously manicured lawns at affordable prices. Until there’s a robot built for tree-trimming, leaf-raking, or weed control, nothing can beat a professional touch.

Main photo credit: Pexels | Pixabay

But they’re a lot different than that robotic vacuum in your living room.

It’s the middle of summer. It’s in the 90s. (Fahrenheit.) It’s so humid that even a short walk to the mailbox leaves you drenched in sweat. Mowing the grass is the last thing you want to do.

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It’s the middle of summer. It’s in the 90s. (Fahrenheit.) It’s so humid that even a short walk to the mailbox leaves you drenched in sweat. Mowing the grass is the last thing you want to do.

Unfortunately, last weekend was much the same. And now, your homeowner’s association is eagerly awaiting the chance to send you a nastygram. Even worse, your overly ambitious neighbor Tom cut his grass three days ago, so your front yard comparatively is looking more and more like a jungle.

Salvation (and a sweat-free Saturday), though, might be within reach thanks to robotics and artificial intelligence.

Just as the Roomba revolutionized vacuuming, robotic lawnmowers are hoping to transform lawncare. It is, in many ways, a fairly rudimentary technology at the moment, but manufacturers are leaning more heavily into A.I. to create more efficient machines that increase your spare time.

“We wanted to give people their weekends back,” says Greg Janey, vice president, residential and landscape contractor business at The Toro Company. “It could be a customer with an eighth of an acre who wants to spend time with family and friends. It could be a customer who has up to an acre…that…appreciates a yard that looks like a fairway every day.”

Toro is a newcomer in the robotic vacuum space. Its product, which doesn’t even have a formal retail name yet, will begin taking pre-orders this fall, with availability beginning in spring 2023. It’s not entering a crowded market, per se, but competitors are certainly out there. Husqvarna, Worx, and even Segway have products on the market already.

Robotic mowers tend to cost about the same as a rider mower, somewhere in the 1,000 to 1,500 range. And in the U.S., they represent less than 5% of the U.S. lawnmower market, estimates Katie Roberts, a senior product manager at Positec Tool Corp., which makes the Worx Landroid.

“Not a lot of people know they exist, and when they do find out, their minds are kind of blown,” she says.

The story is a bit different in parts of Europe, however.

“[Buyers were] initially early adopters, which is, I think, where you are in the States today, but now in Sweden, this is mainstream,” says Patrik Jagenstedt, director of advanced development at Husqvarna’s Robotics AI Lab. “If you buy a new mower, you would buy a robotic mower…It’s so much more than not having to do the lawnmower, it’s the relief, the peace of mind that you don’t have to think about it.”

Not a Roomba

Given their somewhat similar shapes and the seemingly random path in which they operate, it’s easy to lump robotic vacuums and lawnmowers in the same category, but the technology behind them is notable different. Vacuums bounce infrared sensors off of the wall and ceiling to get a sense of location. Outside, though, there’s no surface for those signals to rebound.

That’s why boundary wire, which sends out a low-power signal that the mower recognizes as a no-go zone, has been the perimeter marker of choice so far. Before they begin operating a robot mower, owners must mark the edges of their lawn, as well as cordon off areas like gardens and trees. (It’s a sometimes-frustrating process that takes more time than you might imagine.)

But change is in the works for some manufacturers. Husqvarna is moving towards a GPS-based system in its commercial models now, says Jagenstedt, and expects to launch that for consumer models in 2023 or 2024. And Toro’s forthcoming model will use a proprietary 3D vision technology called SmartZone, that creates a digital map of your property as you walk it along the perimeter and regularly learns more as it mows. Adjustments can be made in the accompanying app.

Landroid, says Roberts, is investigating two options: GPS (though it worries about interference from trees and, in some cases, the house, to the signal) and real-time kinematic positioning, which uses a base station to correct for interferences with the GPS.

What’s it like?

A wireless option will, frankly, be welcome by users. Setting up the boundary wire yourself is likely to take several hours depending on the area you plan to cover. (We spent over two-and-a-half hours prepping a yard measuring less than a quarter-acre for testing.) And if you don’t secure it flush with the grass or taut enough, you can pretty much count on the mower slicing the wire and having to do some impromptu repairs. (Electrical tape is your friend.)

But once that work is complete (and, in fairness, there are services you can hire to do that work for you), the hard work is done. We tested a Landroid Model M, which followed a seemingly random pattern around the yard, trimming the grass with a spinning disk with three rotating cutting blades.

The system communicates with its base/charging station via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the mower can be controlled from your phone. (An optional ultrasonic detection peripheral helps it navigate around trees and other obstacles.) And if the mower senses a downpour, it delays its daily scheduled cut by a time period of your choosing before venturing out. And the cut it provides is excellent.

When operating, the system is remarkably quiet compared to push and rider mowers—and could easily be run at night without disturbing neighbors. (Toro and Husqvarna say their systems are similarly silent.)

If someone is foolish enough to pick up the mower while it’s operating, it instantly shuts down. And should someone steal the system, it locks down, requiring a PIN code. (An optional peripheral on Landroid will also provide its location.)

Husqvarna’s device sounds an alarm if someone tries to abscond with the mower and has a GPS device built in. Janey says Toro’s will include a tracking device and also has an anti-theft code requirement.

The bigger picture

A.I. in the mowers themselves isn’t the end game. Husqvarna’s Jagenstedt notes that the company’s robots are open sourced, and can connect to Amazon’s Echo or Google digital assistants, letting them integrate with other products.

“We do not see that we will be completely owning this,” he says. “We should open our platform to other products.”

Toro has a different take, with plans to integrate its mower into a larger ecosphere of Smart yard products, from lighting to irrigation, which will be built off of the technology the company designed for golf courses and municipalities.

“I think there’ a growing level of homeowners that are extending their living experience into the outdoors,” says Janey. “And with that, the expectations of a Smart, connected experience come with that. The way that Toro as a company is able to leverage our more enterprise technologies, everything we do is designed around outdoor technology.”

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Toro Robotic Autonomous Lawn Mower

It’s interesting to see the evolution of autonomous robotic lawnmowers happen in real-time. What was once a thing of the future is becoming a reality right before our eyes. Toro’s autonomous robotic lawn mower hopes to change the industry even further with some state-of-the-art technology. While we wait for more information, we can at least tell you what we know so far.

Toro Robotic Lawn Mower – The Big Deal

While robotic lawn mowers aren’t unheard of in this day and age, many of them still rely on underground boundary wires. Installing such infrastructure can be an expensive hassle. Instead, Toro decided to design its autonomous robotic lawn mower to map out and localize your yard using multiple integrated cameras.

Toro claims that the robotic lawn mower’s camera technology is the industry’s first vision-based localization system. That appears true—at least with respect to the residential market.

Toro designed these mowers to navigate through tight spaces and around structures like trees and landscaping. In addition, crossing surfaces like driveways and sidewalks present no problem for Toro robotic mowers. The mower can even traverse over hills with its slope-friendly cutting capabilities.

Do you ever wish you could mow your yard from the office? There’s an app for that. Toro’s robotic lawn mowers can be controlled by a smartphone app. The app lets you schedule and also customize your mowing settings. It even recommends ideal cutting times based on recent weather patterns, so you don’t have to worry about planning ahead if the forecast calls for rain.

Additional Features

• Autonomous lawn mower with wire-free navigation
• Quiet functionality
• Grass height control with SmartZone settings
• Theft-proof features
• Third-party safety certification

Parting Thoughts

Toro isn’t first to the game with respect to an autonomous lawn mower. However, taking the multi-camera approach piques our interest. We will have to wait and see if this technology surpasses LiDAR and similar technologies. The idea of skipping boundary wires—which seem to suffer regularly from breaks and faults—definitely appeals to us.

Toro clearly doesn’t have everything ironed out as they were unable to provide us with additional info at this time. That means, pricing, cut height, runtime, battery-capacity…all are apparently up in the air at this point. We don’t even have a model number.

Toro Autonomous Robotic Lawn Mower Price and Availability

Even though no price has been specified thus far, we expect to hear updates before the estimated Spring 2023 release. Toro will begin taking pre-orders beginning in the Fall of 2022. You can find out more by visiting Toro’s webpage for its Robotic Lawn Mower.