High tech lawn mower. Best robot lawn mowers 2023: Lawn maintenance made simple
Best robot lawn mowers 2023: Lawn maintenance made simple
The best robot lawn mowers are the future of lawn maintenance if you don’t like spending time doing it yourself. These Smart little bots are able to head out and cut your grass without you needing to lift a finger. That should keep your green spaces looking well cared for all year round.
Despite these robots still being a relatively new category in the mower world, they already come in many shapes and sizes. These are to suit the task required of them, meaning you’ll need to work out how large your cut area is before picking the ideal model to suit your needs. That could save you money up front as the largest model may not be needed.
Where, in traditional mowing, larger meant a wider cut area meaning fewer passes and a quicker cut. that’s less relevant here as the robot lawn mower will do all the work, so how long it takes it less of an issue. However, you may need to spend more on a model that can handle slopes if your area isn’t flat.
Lots of these robot lawn mowers are Smart, allowing you to control them with your phone, scheduling cuts, setting areas that are off limits. like flower borders. and getting alerts for any issues that may require your attention. Largely though, since these charge themselves, you can just leave them to it and enjoy the well maintained results.
While robot lawn mowers cut little and often to keep grass maintained, you may find you want a traditional mower too, in case your robot has the winter off and you miss that first cut in time before it gets long. In which case a look at the best cheap lawnmower deals could help. It’s also worth thinking thinking about borders, using the best lawn edgers and unwelcome guests where the best electric weed eaters can serve you. But for now read on to find the very best robot lawn mowers you can buy right now.
Husqvarna Automower 315X: Best robot lawn mower overall
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Reasons to avoid
The Husqvarna Automower 315X is our top pick of the best robot lawn mowers as its packed full of features. As you would expect from the Swedish manufacturer, this X-line model is loaded with all the features any robotic lawn mower could need. This includes a GPS tracking system, LED headlights, and its own app: Automower Connect. It also has voice control, a spot cutting mode, and anti-theft features.
The Husqvarna Automower 315X is one of the smallest in the brand’s X-line series. But its small size doesn’t mean it has a small capacity. It can cut large gardens up to 1,600m2, plus handle inclines of up to 40% – which is pretty steep!
But all these amazing functions means the model carries a steep price tag. It’s worth noting that this is the most expensive model in our line-up, costing around 2,500. You can find some great other robotic lawn mowers for cheaper, but the price won’t include all the added extras you get with the Husqvarna Automower 315X, like the installation of the boundary wires or LED headlights.
MowRo RM24A: Best affordable robot lawn mower
Reasons to avoid
The MowRo RM24A is the cheapest lawn mower in this guide at 900 but handles the steep inclines (up to 30 degrees). It might not have all the fancy high-tech features other robotic lawn mowers come with, but it does ensure your lawn is consistently cut using its 48-hour cycle.
You could say safety is of the MowRo RM24A’s best features. It has three blades which are tucked away in a protective Mowing Blade Guard. This guard allows grass to pass through but protects against foreign objects. It also has a bump sensor and automatic safety sensors which means the MowRo will reverse and stop the blades if it comes into contact with anything other than grass.
Performance-wise, the MowRo RM24A robotic lawn mower takes 90 minutes to charge fully and can cut for two hours. You can also set a custom cutting height anywhere from 1 inch to 2.5 inches. If you have a medium-sized lawn with some slopes to it, this is the best robot lawn mower for you.
Worx WR153 Landroid Robotic Mower: Best robot lawn mower for large gardens
Reasons to avoid
The Worx WR153 is a great choice if you’ve got a medium or large-sized lawn. Thanks to its clever AIA intelligent navigation technology, this robot mower can cut narrow passageways with ease.
Because this robot mower is Smart-enabled, you’ll be able to set it to work via your phone using the app. The Worx WR153 doesn’t mow in straight lines, but instead, works its way across your grass using a zig-zag motion so that the grass is evened out and looks uniform.
Suitable for gardens up to half an acre, this Worx robot mower is also fitted with safety features which mean the blades stop if the mower is picked up or tilted off the floor. great for if you have animals or small children. One fault we did find with this mower, however, is that it’s not great for reaching right to the edges of the lawn.
GARDENA 15201-41 SILENO Minimo: Best quiet robot lawn mower
Reasons to avoid
One of the quietest robot lawnmowers on the market, the Gardena 15201-41 is great for those who spend ample time in their yard. It operates at 57dB which is quieter than their old model, and less than the noise level of a normal conversation. This new model also features the upgrade of a Bluetooth-controlled app, so you can now configure the settings and auto-schedule from your mobile phone. great if you want to adjust your lawn mower from the comfort of your couch. It’s worth noting, however, that this only works from a radius of up to 10m, so it can’t be controlled while on vacation.
It’s also versatile for use in all different weather conditions. It keeps mowing come rain or shine and can navigate slopes of up to 35 percent, so you can rest easy knowing that it won’t run into any problems. Collision settings also ensure that it avoids any furniture or toys, preventing damage to itself and your belongings. With a run time of 65 minutes and automatic charging, it can run with virtually no human assistance which is a win for keeping on top of your lawn with minimal effort.
Worx WR140 Landroid M 20V: Best robot lawn mower for small lawns
Reasons to avoid
If you are looking for the best robot lawn mower for small lawns that have narrow passageways, you’ll find it in the Worx WR140 Landroid M 20V. That’s because the small device comes with patented AIA technology. This tech enables it to manoeuvre around narrow passageways with a minimum width of 60cm.
This robot lawn mower also doesn’t cut grass in straight lines, but instead, cuts the grass in a zig-zag motion so that the lawn is nice and even. Because of this motion, Worx also claims it can cut your 30% faster than other robot mowers.
The Worx WR140 Landroid M 20V robot lawn mower is also ideal for cutting right up to the edge of flower beds and borders thanks to its 7-inch offset blade. This blade is positioned towards the side of the device meaning that there is less tidying up of the borders for you to do.
With a typical mow time of 50 minutes and a cutting capacity of up to 700m2), the Worx WR140 Landroid is a great option if you have a small lawn with a little incline to it.
How to choose a good robot lawn mower
First of all, you’ll want to factor in the area you want your robot lawn mower to tackle. Most devices can handle around 0.25 to 0.3 acres, ideal for small to medium size lawns. If you have a bigger plot you may want to consider one with an extended range. Our top pick can mow up to 0.4 acres.
Another consideration is whether you’ll need a mower that can handle inclines. This is important if you have a hilly yard as you’ll want one that can make light-work of slopes. Out of the mowers we reviewed, there was a range of between 22 and 30 degrees. The dealers we spoke to say they’ve seen some mowers handle bigger slopes, including up to 45 degrees.
With the best robot lawn mowers, a great perk is that you don’t need to remember to charge them. The mower will return to its base when it needs a top-up so you may not even notice. Even so, it’s worth considering the length of time to charge and how long the machine can run with a full battery. Our top picks last about an hour on a full charge and take slightly longer than that to recharge completely. While it may not have much impact on your experience, it gives you an indication of whether the machine is well designed.
Multi-zone capability
Looking to mow more than one space? You’ll need a mower with multi-zone capability. This applies if you want to mow a front lawn and back lawn that are not directly connected. The robot views these as separate zones so look out for one with multi-zone capabilities. This means you can program the mower to remember more than one set of boundaries. You’ll find that most multi-zone robot mowers can cover between two or four zones which should be sufficient for most households.
Looking for the ultimate convenience? You’ll want to choose a mower you can schedule to run on particular days at specific times. This saves you the faff of having to remember to set the robot lawn mower to work. Consider how you’ll want to program the device. With some robot lawn mowers, you do this from the base while you can set other models remotely over a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection.
Advanced features
While all robot lawn mowers offer convenience, some models have additional premium features that give them the edge over the competition. If you have a large yard, a model with GPS might be a good choice so you can track its progress. You could also easily trace the mower if it was stolen so there’s no need to worry about it.
If you want to take convenience to the next level, why not consider a robot lawn mower that you control via an app? Some models allow you to control, configure and monitor the robot remotely via a mobile app so the robot doesn’t even need to be in sight.
Another handy feature is rain-detection technology, ideal in a wetter climate. Thanks to this clever tech, the mower can tell when it’s too wet to mow. You can even find some models which are designed to continue mowing during a shower.
What warranties do robot lawn mowers come with?
Worried about reliability? You’ll want to prioritize a good warranty so you can put your mind at rest. The best robot lawn mowers are an investment so this is especially important as you’ll want it to last.
Our round-up includes models with a range of warranties. Typically, the more expensive models come with a better warranty, so there’s a trade-off between saving money and having peace of mind. In our review, the warranties range between one and five years. The length of the warranty can also give you a sense of whether the manufacturer considers the robot is built to last.
Which is the best robot lawn mower for small gardens?
If you have an outdoor space that’s on the smaller side you’re probably looking for a robot mower that’s more specialized in tidying up corners. If that is the case, then the model that you should primarily be looking at is the Gardena 4069 R80Li. This quiet, well-designed robot lawn mower is ideal for tackling the complexities of smaller spaces, as well as providing top-tier cutting results.
The Gardena 4069 R80Li is ideal for keeping on top of your smaller garden all on its own, with a sensor that can detect how quickly your lawn is growing and how frequently it needs a trim. It also only takes 50 minutes to charge up, meaning even if it can’t manage your whole garden in one session, it can easily be charged up before it’s sent out for another mow.
Do robot lawn mowers actually work?
The big question, when you’ve never tried one of these models, is do robot lawn mowers actually work? And the answer is largely yes, if you’re talking about keeping your grass looking trim. These will make short and low cuts regularly to keep your lawn looking consistent, like it’s always just been cut. Like all robots, you may need to come and help every now and then, perhaps to clear a blockage or pop the mower back on its charger if it got stuck.
The areas that you may not have thought about are cutting around the robot lawn mower’s limits. So along borders, or sharp edges, where the mower may not be able to gain access, you might be needed to trim edges using an edge cutter. The other instance, where you may need to mow manually, is at the start of the season where the robot has had its time off and the first cut may have been missed. This could leave the grass too long for the robot to tackle before getting back into its routine of keeping grass short and manageable.
The mower is limited by its width, as are all mowers, but can move in and out of spaces based on this. So if you have a large open space, it should be simple work. However, if you have lots of slopes and tighter spots, it may be more difficult for your robot lawn mower to move about. That said, many of the best robot lawn mowers can tackle most lawns making them a very capable option for those that want to save time by letting the bot do the manual work for them.
Commercial Robot Lawn mowers
Commercial Robot lawn mowers are one of the next steps in automation for the landscaping and greenkeeping industries. They are what happens when you apply robotics, automation, and AI to the field of gardening and lawn maintenance. Many businesses have the potential for large savings in money.
There aren’t a large number of them available at the moment but innovation in the area is ongoing and better more refined machines are being produced all the time.
Robot lawnmowers are designed to work together to cover large areas so that they can do the work of 1 or several greenkeepers at golf clubs, stadiums, public parks, and many other areas where maintaining a great lawn is important.
Robotic lawnmowers accelerate the mowing of large areas such as football fields and golf courses, so you can get through more clients in 24 hours without manually doing the backbreaking work of mowing a lawn. Most importantly, it gives you the freedom to attend to other pertinent tasks. These robot mowers have a quiet operation, which is perfect for facilities that require their lawn to be trimmed frequently, especially during business hours.
Benefits of Commercial Robot LawnMowers
When it comes to lawnmowers, commercial robot lawnmowers hold several benefits over conventional residential mowers:
Cost Savings
Commercial robot lawn mower cuts on time, labour, and manual maintenance. It also cuts down on air and noise pollution.
Savings on labour costs
In business, time is money. For service-based companies like landscaping, the working hours are mostly spent doing the physical work, which leaves little to no time for other tasks, such as finding new clients. Robot lawnmowers, though, are autonomous and can mow the lawn with little to no supervision.
You can operate this machine through the app on your phone, and you don’t even need to hire additional workers to meet the demand. This means workers can do other tasks like trimming the trees or bushes, and do other things while the robot handles the bulk of the manual work. You get the same result with less cost also without compromising on quality.
Consumable cost reductions
Commercial robot mowers don’t use gas, they don’t need oil, filters, or hydraulic fluid. On top of this, there is no danger of spilling any of these products and there is no need to store or manage any of them.
Robot mowers don’t have bad days, they don’t get tired, and they don’t care if it’s raining or it’s 3 am. As long as they have a charged battery and sharp blades they will do the job.
They will also do the same great job every single time, no issues no compromises. When you ask a computer to do a job you know that it will be consistent and unchanging. With GPS and all the other sensors commercial robot mowers have they are adaptable to the situation and this allows them to reliably do the job time after time after time with no variation.
Robot Mowers are Better for the Environment and Community
Needless to say that robot mowers are better for the environment. They produce much fewer greenhouse gasses. This also reduces the direct pollution released into the air and as we show in a recent article we posted about the number of deaths caused by the pollution from gas-powered lawnmowers, they have a real impact on the health of everyone.
If your business has environmental goals, as all businesses should have these days, then changing over to robot mowers is a great step to take toward meeting those goals. They really do reduce the impact a business has on the environment and improve the health of everyone around you at the same time.
Commercial vs Retail Robot Mowers – What’s the Difference?
So what makes a robot mower a commercial model?
Well, it’s mainly about capacity, normal consumer robotic mowers are designed to be used in yards of a house rather on large stadiums or parks.
Some of the biggest differences that set commercial robot mowers apart from retail modes are,
- They have much larger batteries, for longer run times and are able to run more cutting heads for the bigger cutting width of commercial robot mowers.
- Much wider cutting width, to cut larger areas of lawn in shorter amounts of time.
- Designed to work together with other robotic mowers to cover large areas.This is important for very large areas like golf courses where it is important to have multiple robots working together to cover the large area as it is too much for a single unit.
- The management software is more sophisticated for controlling multiple robots together.With more management features and also designed to control groups of robots rather than just a single unit.
Best Commercial Robot Lawn Mowers on the Market
What is the most popular robot lawn mower? There are several high-quality commercial robot mowers available on the market right now and also others currently in development, we have included the top options here so you can choose the best robot mower for your business.
Husqvarna Automower Commercial Robotic Lawn Mowers
Husqvarna is one of the pioneers of robot lawnmowers. The group introduced the first robotic lawnmower— solar-powered at that— in 1995. To date, they’ve sold more than 1 million autonomous mowers.
The Automower range is Husqvarna’s collection of commercial-grade robotic lawnmowers explicitly designed to handle large properties. They help you increase productivity by freeing up hours that you can allocate elsewhere. Its efficiency is designed for landscapers looking to reduce their labour and equipment costs, campuses wanting a quieter and eco-friendly way to maintain the lawn, commercial properties that want an affordable way to get good-looking turf at all times, and home builders who want to bring in new home buyers by using Smart home equipment.
Automower Commercial Comparison Table:
| Working area capacity | ~1.25 acre | ~1.25 acre | ~1.25 acre | ~0.9 acre |
| Cutting height | 2 to 3.5inches | 0.8 to 2.4 inches | 2 to 3.5inches | 1.2-2.8inches |
| Mow time in one charge | 270 minutes | 270 minutes | 270 minutes | 100 minutes |
| Typical charging time | 60 minutes | 60 minutes | 60 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Features | Automower Connect |
Commercial user interface
Commercial user interface
Pivoting rear body design
Commercial user interface
About Commercial Automowers
The commercial Automowers are basically the same as the retail models that you can buy the main difference they have is the ability to connect to the Husqvarna fleet services platform for central management of the robots.
Here are some screenshots of the Husqvarna fleet webpage. You can see the dashboard view above and the map showing all the units below. This really is a perfect interface and gives anyone all the control and feedback they need to manage a fleet of robot mowers.
Echo Robotics TM-2000 Commercial Robotic Lawn Mower
The Echo Robotics TM2000 lawnmower is designed to mow up to 6 acres. It’s geared to make turf management easier. It can swiftly and efficiently fulfill the grass-cutting needs of sports fields, driving ranges, schools and municipalities, and more.
They will also provide you with a customized solution if you’re in an industry that hasn’t yet, adopted the wonders of automated lawnmowers. This model is actively used to maintain over 1,200 soccer fields in Europe. It’s autonomous, emission-free, leaves behind healthier— stripe-free— terrain, and can be monitored and controlled through an app.
This model has a basic version too, TM1000, but its area covered is limited to 3 acres.
Echo Robot Mower Specifications:
| Surface Max | ~3 acres | 6 acres |
| Speed | 1.7 mph | 2.2 mph |
| Battery | Lithium-Ion, 25.6 Volts | Lithium-Ion, 25.6 Volts |
| Mowing Width | 24.9 in | 40.7 in |
| Weight (with batteries) | 105.6 lb | 156.5 lb |
| Annual energy consumption | 555 kWh | 830kWh |
| Dimensions | 3.4 ft x 3.3 ft x 1.5 ft | 4.2 ft x 3.6 ft x 1.7 ft |
| Mowing Height | 0.8 inches to 3.9 inches | 0.8 inches to 3.9 inches |
| Cutting Heads | 3 floating heads | 5 floating heads |
| Blades | 3 blades per head | 3 blades per head |
About the Echo TM-2000
The Echo Robotics TM2000 trims turf to the designated height, which can be anywhere from 0.8 in – 3.9 inches. This mower can handle daily trimmings throughout the year, which is excellent for the turf. The finely clipped grass is left behind on the ground, which decomposes and becomes natural fertilizer to propel further grass growth.
The Belrobotics Bigmow is a commercial robotic lawn mower designed to tackle yards up to 5 acres in both commercial and residential spaces. It has a cute, cartoonish bullfrog-like appearance thanks to the flat front and back wheels, which look like bulging eyes. Bigmow is ideal for sports fields, schools, and any facility with uneven terrain.
BelRobotics Bigmow specifications:
| Surface area covered | ~ 5 acres |
| Speed | 2.2 mph |
| Mowing width | 42 inches |
| Annual consumption | 830 kWh |
| Weight | 112 lb |
| Dimensions (w x l x h) | 47 x 47 x 19.5 inches |
| Mowing height | 0.9 to 3.1 inches |
| Cutting method | 5 floating heads with 15 blades in total |
| Safety | 5 sonars |
BigMow Operation
BigMow is preinstalled with 5 sonar and touch sensors that detect obstacles over 16 inches, enabling navigation without collision. If it detects an object on its trajectory, the sonar sensors will trigger it to slow down, stop, reverse, and change direction.
BigMow is designed to run autonomously within zones defined by a buried, low-voltage perimeter wire. The mower will return to its base station when it needs a charge then it will go back to work by following the peripheral wire to commence work once recharged.
Cut Pattern and Quality
It moves in a random pattern to leave no tracks behind. But there is also a systemic mode which is designed for areas with little to no obstacles. In this mode, the mower will turn concentrically following the shape of the lawn until it reaches the center, at this point, it will mow the center randomly and work in a concentric pattern again but this time, outwards.
It’s designed to adapt to any terrain and automatically turns off its cutting system when it senses an obstacle.
The secret to its perfect cut is 5 floating stainless steel cutting blades that adapt to the contour of the terrain. These sharp blades retract immediately when the sensors detect an object, ensuring no person, pet, or thing is harmed during the operation. If someone were to lift the mower, it would immediately stop operating as a safety measure.
It mulches long grass blades very finely, which decomposes more quickly than tall grass. This reduces the need for external fertilization or even watering need because the way it mows produces little to no grass stress.
Build Quality
Its components are high-quality. Its propelled by a brushless engine, and the chassis and blades are made with aluminum and stainless steel, which compounds its durability, and keeps it light and resistant to corrosion.
It has a whisper-quiet operation, which makes it perfect for use near public and private places. It will silently work in the background without interruption. Along with no noise pollution, this mower works on clean electricity. Plus, one of the striking highlights of this mower is its low energy usage coming out to just 830 kWh or €150 per year.
Technology
Bigmow is equipped with a high–tech security feature. It has an anti-theft feature and also sends you alerts if the mower were to malfunction. This comes in handy if you have many big mowers across several sites operating at the same time. You can check on its location and status at any time through their app.
Additionally, it also saves data, which means you can compare productivity per day, week, or over a specific period of time. This way, you know that if productivity is decreasing, there might be something wrong with the mower.
Bigmow is the perfect replacement for multiple small robots, and it claims to be much cheaper than a tractor. It produces 10 times fewer carbon emissions and slashes energy costs by eight times.
Final Thoughts
Yes, commercial robot lawnmowers have their limitations. It doesn’t prune the roses or trim the bushes. Neither does it water the grass or come attached with a leaf blower. Still, it does the main, time-consuming, leg-work of keeping the grass length always trimmed, without making excuses. You don’t have to wait for your employees to show up or push around a conventional lawnmower for hours at a time. This does the job quickly, only stopping to get recharged to work more. Plus, these bots are tenacious enough to power through behemoth fields without slowing down– a colossal task that’s pretty hard for a single person to do.
5 Best Robotic Lawn Mowers 2023. Best Robot Mowers 2023
Investing in a commercial robotic lawnmower will literally keep you on the cutting edge of business growth driven by revolutionary technology.
Upcoming Commercial Robot Mowers
The Graze commercial robotic lawn mower from Wavemaker labs is an exciting new addition to this space and when it is released it will be interesting to see how it performs.
Best Robot Lawn Mower of 2023 | The 5 Best Robot Mowers Review
The Graze has a very different design from the other robot lawnmowers out there. Rather than having a single unit. The graze is designed to be modular allowing it to perform different functions. It also has a large sensor suit making it a very Smart and capable unit.
Complete Guide to the Best Robot Lawn Mowers in 2023
Maintaining a perfectly manicured lawn can be a time-consuming and challenging task for homeowners. However, thanks to advances in technology, we now have a smarter and more efficient way to keep our lawns looking neat and pristine: the robot lawn mower.
Robotic lawn mowers have been gaining popularity in recent years due to their convenience, ease of use, and the fact that they can save homeowners both time and money.
In this article, we will take a closer look at exactly what robot lawnmowers are and what to look for when picking the right one for your lawn. We’ll also share our picks for the 5 best robot lawn mowers in 2023 and explore their features and benefits that make them stand out from the rest.
Whether you are a tech-savvy homeowner or just looking for an easier way to maintain your lawn, this guide will help you make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right robot lawn mower for your needs.
What are Robot Lawn Mowers?
Robot lawn mowers are self-contained, autonomous machines that mow your lawn without the need for human involvement. They can cover the entire yard on their own thanks to self-learning programming.
These machines are equipped with sensors and mapping technology that allow them to navigate and mow lawns on their own while avoiding obstacles and following predetermined mowing patterns.
Most versions include dedicated smartphone apps that make it simple to change settings and mowing schedules. After being programmed, these robots require minimal human supervision.
Robotic lawn mowers are kind of like Roombas, but for your lawn. Both Roombas and robot lawnmowers are classified as ‘autonomous robots.’ These are intelligent devices that can do tasks on their own without continuous human control.
These robots will not require constant monitoring or remote control once they have been set up and programmed.
How Do Robotic Lawn Mowers Work?
To use a robot lawn mower, the owner must first place border perimeter wire around the area to be mowed. Think of it as the electric wire fence that some people use to keep their dogs in.
The border wire tells the robotic lawn mower where it can and can’t go. This keeps it from cutting your flower beds or getting out of your lawn. This wire has a low voltage, which means it is safe for people and pets to touch.
It will take roughly half a day to set up the wires, although this time frame is variable based on the size, shape, and landscape of your property.
After the robot’s task is done, it will follow the border wire back to the charging dock. Robotic lawn mowers are battery-operated, and most can cut an average-sized lawn on a single charge.
The robots will need a charging station to charge their batteries, which will need to be plugged into a power outlet outside the house.
How Much Do Robot Lawn Mowers Cost?
The price of most versions is between 1,000 and 4,000, though we’ve included a more budget-friendly option under 1,000 as well in this article. This may seem pricey, especially for such a compact device, but the robot’s advanced technology necessitates this high price.
You may get a model for as little as 500 if you’re willing to give up some of the more advanced capabilities. As mentioned above, we’ve included the best budget-friendly robotic lawn mower in this article as well.
Robotic lawn mowers are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which typically last 2–3 hours or around 300 to 500 charges. The battery life will differ from one model to the other and may also be affected by how well you maintain the robot.
The typical cost to replace a battery is around 50. The cost of batteries varies by manufacturer, but in general, they shouldn’t cost more than fifty bucks.
You can avoid frequently buying new batteries by investing in a docking station. While most docks will run you around 100, some robotic lawnmowers actually have charging stations that are included in the base price.
Even though you can leave your robotic lawn mower and charging station outside, many people prefer to buy or build a small shelter, like a dog house, to provide shelter. However, instead of building or purchasing a pricey shelter, you may just keep the robot and its docking station in your garage.
Also, you must include the indirect cost of the electricity needed to charge your robot. Charging will cause you to use more electricity, which will cause your monthly electricity bill to go up.
Given the wide range of electricity costs across the country, it would be hard to provide a universal estimate for this additional cost. However, the average rechargeable robotic lawn mower only requires 3.5 watts, so the cost will not be excessive.
When you include the cost of annual maintenance, a robotic lawn mower should only cost about 25 in additional charges per year following your initial investment.
What to Look for When Buying a Robot Lawn Mower
Here are the top things to look for when buying a robot lawn mower:
Cutting Area
Before you buy a robot mower, you should measure the size of your lawn. This is, by far, the most important factor to consider when buying one.
Mowers that are less expensive typically cover less ground. Their batteries are smaller, their blades are narrower, and their guidewires are shorter. You can quickly exclude models from consideration if you discover that your lawn is too large for them.
Battery Life
Most people don’t give robot lawnmowers’ battery life much thought because they can charge themselves.
But, if you want a mower that gets more done at a given time of day or night, you will need a battery that lasts for a longer period of time. This will allow you to consolidate the daily mowing into fewer active sessions.
Interface
When it comes to controlling your Smart home devices, nothing beats being able to do it from the comfort of wherever you happen to be. Some robot lawnmowers do exactly that.
You can use your phone’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular connection to connect to them and look at statistics or send new commands. This technique can also quickly alert you to problems, like a blade stoppage or a theft attempt.
Some mowers only use an onboard control unit to operate. Even though it isn’t always necessary, the convenience of a phone app is something to think about when making a purchase.
Other Features
The mowers on this list all work in essentially the same way, but they each have their own special features. The WORX mowers are equipped with an offset blade that allows them to mow right up to the perimeter, reducing or eliminating the need for extra trimming.
Models with cellular connectivity use GPS tracking to track down mower thieves. This can also be useful when trying to recover a robot mower if it manages to escape your lawn and drive into bushes.
So, keep an eye out for other special features that might be helpful for your lawn.
Best Robot Lawn Mowers in 2023
As technology advances, robotic lawn mowers are becoming increasingly popular and efficient. There are many models on the market today, all offering different features that can make a big impact on your lawn. Here is a list of the 5 best robot lawn mowers in 2023:
Best Overall Robot Lawn Mower: Worx WR155 Landroid L
Maximum Area: 0.5 acres Cutting Width: 8 inches
If you want a perfectly manicured lawn, look no further than the Worx Landroid. The Landroid series has various models, but the WR155 is the clear standout. This small robot is powered by Worx’s 20V Power Share battery, which is removable and may be used in any of Worx’s electric tools.
The WR155 can cover lawns up to half an acre in size, making it ideal for nearly any suburban property. It has an 8-inch cutting deck with an automated raising and lowering blade disc to provide uniform cutting, even on uneven ground and difficult terrain.
What’s best is that it can also cut closer to boundary lines, fences, and walls than other robotic mowers since the cutting disc is offset to one side.
The Worx Landroid AI tracks the mower’s motions and directs its labor toward regions that aren’t being mowed, ensuring that it keeps a uniform cut. A discrete ground wire keeps it within the boundaries of your property. It automatically goes back to its charging bay when its battery runs out or it detects rain.
A user-friendly mobile app allows you to monitor and adjust your Landroid’s settings. You can connect via either a direct Bluetooth connection or your home Wi-Fi. If the Landroid leaves its designated area, you will be notified instantly by an anti-theft system.
If theft is a significant concern for you, consider the WR153 which is a Landroid with GPS tracking built in. The WR155 was our top pick because of its versatile battery, rock-solid dependability, and feature-rich software.
Plus, you could save some money if you have a smaller lawn. The popular Worx Landroid line of robotic mowers includes the S, M, and L models, which can take care of yards up to 1/8 acre, 1/4 acre, and 1/2 acre, respectively.
Best for Medium to Large Lawns: Husqvarna 430XH Automower
Maximum Area: 0.8 acres Cutting Width: 9.45 inches
While being more expensive, the 430XH covers the largest ground of any robotic mower, with an incredible 0.8 acres of area coverage. This intelligent little robot is backed by the Husqvarna brand and contains cutting-edge mowing technology.
The adjustable deck can cut up to 3.6 inches high. Three extremely sharp blades on a 9.45-inch mower deck produce a cut of professional grade. Plus, the battery can power the mower for a maximum of 145 minutes on a single 60-minute charge.
Three guide wires guard your grass against streaks generated by repeating the same route. Five remote starting points can be set up to make sure the area closest to the dock doesn’t get cut too much and to reach areas that can only be reached by a narrow path.
Husqvarna’s unique technology uses GPS to create a digital map of your lawn, which it then uses to cover the entire area.
You may access and program your mower using the Automower Connect app from a nearby Bluetooth connection or from anywhere in the world using a cellular uplink. You can even use your Amazon Alexa or Google Home system to control the mower.
The anti-theft system comes with a GPS tracker, an alarm, and a custom PIN that stops the system from working outside the boundary wire. When the mower detects abnormal activity, sophisticated lift and tilt sensors rapidly disable the blades to prevent damage.
Overall, the Husqvarna 430XH is one of the best robot lawn mowers money can buy, and you won’t be disappointed by its cutting-edge technology, advanced features, and large coverage area.
Best Quick Charging Lawn Mower: Husqvarna 115H Automower
Maximum Area: 0.25 acres Cutting Width: 8.5 inches
Robotic mowers require frequent charging for the best runtimes because they use either interchangeable or built-in batteries. Sadly, it also means that you might be forced to wait while your mower charges before it can continue mowing the grass.
The Husqvarna 115H offers one of the quickest charging times, with a fully charged battery in under an hour. This means you won’t need to spread out your mowing across multiple days to account for charging times. Plus, you can FOCUS on other outside tasks like edge trimming and weed picking while it quickly charges!
It’s a great robot mower for small to medium-sized lawns. The 115H can mow up to a quarter acre with its 8.5-inch cutting deck, and its lift and tilt sensors will disable the blades if the mower is elevated. This prevents pets, children, and adults from being injured if the mower becomes trapped on an object or flips over.
To prevent theft, your robot mower has an anti-theft alarm that can only be disarmed by a specified personal identification number (PIN). This means that thieves can’t just turn the alarm off and take your robot mower.
A rain sensor stops it from cutting grass when it’s wet, so it won’t get damaged. It comes with the same high-cut deck as the 450XH mentioned above and can make cuts up to 3.6 inches long. And it also works with the same Automower Connect app, making it simple and easy to use.
This Husqvarna Automower is different in a few key ways from its more expensive cousin. It lacks the cellular capability necessary for GPS-assisted mapping and theft tracking.
Best Robot Lawn Mower for Steep Hills: MowRo RM24 Robotic Lawn Mower
Maximum Area: 0.25 acres Cutting Width: 9.5 inches
The MowRo RM24 Robotic Lawn Mower is an easy choice for people with small to medium-sized yards and tight budgets. It has a 28V 4Ah lithium-ion battery that can run the efficient brushless motor for 2 hours on a single charge. The RM24 can mow up to a quarter acre, including steep slopes up to 30 degrees, on a set schedule every 48 hours or on demand.
It can work safely because it has sensors for rain, tilt, and impact. This means it can automatically avoid bad weather, steep slopes, and obstacles. The cutting height is manually adjustable between 1 and 2.5 inches.
The MowRo RM24 was one of the simplest robot mowers thanks to its intuitive onboard controls and dependable performance. It has a similar boundary wire and base station setup as the rest of the mowers on the list.
But it’s important to note that this robot lawn mower doesn’t come with Bluetooth connectivity and all operations are done using the onboard control panel, including setting up the schedules for mowing.
It’s a great robotic lawn mower that offers good value for money and is ideal for lawns with steep terrain.
Best Budget-Friendly Robot Lawn Mower: Gardena Sileno Minimo
Maximum Area: 5,400 sq. ft Cutting Width: 6.2 inches
A robot mower doesn’t have to cost a fortune for homeowners with smaller yards. The Gardena Sileno Minimo is intended for small suburban or urban lawns of up to 5,400 square feet.
The Sileno Minimo from Gardena is one of the quietest mowers on the market, and its compact size makes it ideal for tight places and intricate landscaping. Plus, the Bluetooth-enabled app makes it easy to set up and schedule.
The lithium-ion battery allows for 65 minutes of mowing time on a single charge. What’s best is that this mower is waterproof and will keep working regardless of the weather. A frost sensor checks the temperature of the ground, and when it gets cold enough, the robot goes to sleep for the winter.
If you have a lawn that’s under 2,700 square feet, it’s worth checking out this other Gardena model that’ll help save even more money!
Other Lawn Guides from Planet Natural:
The best robotic lawn mowers for 2023
Like the look of robotic lawn mowers? Browse our pick of the very best, for gardens of all shapes and sizes.
Increasingly popular with UK gardeners, robotic lawn mowers are a welcome, hands-free alternative to traditional petrol and electric lawn mowers. Because a robotic lawn mower is fully automatic, it can be a brilliant option for gardeners who have mobility concerns, are away from home a lot, or simply find mowing a chore. Powered by rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries, most mowers are guided by a boundary cable laid around the edge of the lawn, which helps the robotic lawn mower identify where to mow and to avoid flower beds, trees and other obstacles.
While we tested models from a number of different brands, note that all of them offer a range of mowers with varying sizes, capabilities and features.
To compare these robotic models against other types of mowers, see our reviews of the best cordless lawn mowers, the best electric mowers and the best push mowers. And, if you’re looking to give your lawn a bit of TLC, our experts have tested a range of manual and powered aerators and scarifiers. check out the best scarifiers and best aerators reviews. You can also keep edges looking neat with our tests of the best strimmers or pick of the best lawn edging.
Best robotic lawn mowers at a glance
Our expertise
To help you find a robotic lawn mower suitable for your garden, we tested a range of mowers for different size gardens, including gardens with slopes and a complex shape. Each mower is in use for weeks at a time to allow us to assess its battery capacity and cutting proficiency as well as ease of use.
Each mower in our review has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to set up and ease of use, cutting performance, extra features and value for money. Every robotic mower in our round-up below has scored a minimum of four out of five stars, so you can buy with confidence.
The robotic mower industry is constantly evolving, with new developemnts and advances, and we are currently testing a number of the latest models ready to update this review shortly. Please check back soon to see the results of our new review.
Best robotic lawn mowers
Husqvarna Automower 405X
RRP: From £1899.00
Our rating: 4.5 out of 5
- Unobtrusive colour
- Easy connectivity
- Clever mowing features
- GPS theft tracking
Awarded a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for features, the Automower 405x boasts a huge range of features that help the mower cut well and make the experience easy for the user. These include, three different start points, switching mowing pattern according to where it’s mowing, such as through a narrow passage, frost guard and weather time that automatically adjusts the height according to the grass growth, and its new Rewilding Zone where you can leave 10% of the lawn aside to grow for pollinators.It’s available to buy as a bare mower, which is then installed by a dealer for an additional cost, or with the installation kit included and you install it yourself. Suitable for smaller gardens 600m2, the mower operates with both a boundary wire and a guide wire and unlike some other mowers, has a more flexible docking station, which doesn’t need a wide, clear space around it. ours was tucked neatly into the side of a hedge. It’s also easy to set up via the intuitive keypad or the impressive Automower Connect app, which allows you to change the schedule, adjust the height of cut, check on the mower’s progress and receive notifications, simply and quickly no matter where you are. As an X model, the mower also has a built in SIM so you have both remote and voice controlled control. Our only confusion with set up was working out the scheduling needed, which took a couple of weeks to establish, and that the height of cut on the app is listed as 1-9, when it cuts between 20mm and 50mm.The mower can cope with 40% slopes, which should suit most gardens. The slope in our test garden has a tendency to get muddy and slippery so at the installer’s advice, we used the spiked Terrain wheels which stop the wheels slipping. Only occasionally did the mower fail to get up the slope and when the weather was really wet we simply removed that zone from the work area. The mower cut consistently well and is very quiet, the only perceptible sound is the whirring of the blades as they cut. It occasionally missed spots on the lawn but overall this is a very easy to use and high performing mower.The Automower 405x is just one in a large range of Husqvarna mowers to suit different size lawns. A host of accessories are also available, including a cover for the docking station and wheel brushes, as well as spare parts, from batteries and blades to wheels. Both the mower and the battery come with a 2 year warranty.
Buy the Husqvarna 405X Automower from Sam Turner, Husqvarna and Red Band