What guarantee does it have? Something else that's great about Worx’s robotic lawn mowers is that you get cost-free updates. It can even take itself onto a small ledge. Once you finish the installation, the robotic lawn mower can cope with most things on its own. The RC 308 PRO can be out cutting for quite a long time. max. The S600 has few functions and a clear user interface, so it's easy to get started. The robotic lawn mower itself is also very sensitive. area: 800 m² Max. The information is very good, of course, but there are easier ways to insert it without making the app so cluttered. Most robotic lawn mowers don’t include bags or receptacles for storing grass clippings. It gets stuck more often, digs itself in and creates still more mess. The Worx Landroid S has no display. Given the fact that many competitors now offer Wi-Fi support – in some cases even with GSM connection and GPS – Bluetooth feels a bit minimal. The installation process can be fiddly. There are two versions – designated 310 and 520 – which are practically identical except for the battery capacity and a couple of software details. If your mower works with a perimeter wire to help it determine where your yard boundaries are, you may want to buy extra wire as well as yard pegs for installing it. We give it plus points for this stubbornness. max. Unfortunately, it only works via Bluetooth, so you have to stand within about 10 metres of the lawn mower to be able to communicate with it. Uneven lawns, slopes and damp grass don’t pose any problem either. It also takes rather a long time to load when you start it and when you navigate between the various tabs. And connecting the charging station is far from clear, too. Stihl could do better in this regard. However, it can slip a little when running over damp slopes if it has cut grass stuck in its wheels. The XR2 1000 is efficient, as it has a substantial cutting width and a relatively high speed. It’s easy to see which end should go where. The end result is even and neat. 8.5° (15%) Cutting height: 15-45 mm (manual) Cutting width: 18 cm Weight: 11.5 kg Noise level: 64 | Measured mean value: approx. It solves problems very well, apart from in restricted spaces where it can sometimes have problems finding its way out. So you don't need to carry it all the way back to the charging station. In other words, this is essentially a really good robotic lawn mower that unfortunately lacks a number of the refinements we now expect from models in the top segment. For example, you can measure the size of your lawn, see the weather, check for software updates etc. 22° (40%) Cutting height: 20-60 mm, 9 step (manual) Cutting width: 22 cm Weight: 9.2 kg Noise level: 60 | Measured mean value: approx. area: v 5000 m² Max. Q. You want to keep your push mower operating at peak condition, and MTD is here for you when you need genuine MTD mower parts. The 435X uses ultrasound to identify obstacles and slow down before it collides with them. Get exclusive content, advice, and tips from BestReviews delivered to your inbox. And always backwards. Other than the difficulties of finding separate areas of lawn on its own (despite the built-in GPS), the robotic lawn mower does a very good job of keeping the lawn short. But Worx provide updates for all of their customers on an ongoing basis. It copes easily with different types of surface, navigates unhindered through complicated areas and happily trundles over pits and up relatively steep slopes. We think it would have been a good idea to look at competitors' solutions in this area. But the price class it’s currently in is tough and there are competitors with higher reliability, better docking and software that’s a bit more sophisticated. But it's definitely a good buy because it's still very reliable and easy-to-use. 4.1 out of 5 stars ... Top 5 Best Riding Lawn Mowers in 2021 . Control everything using your smartphone. A common trick that many robotic lawn mowers use to guide themselves through narrow passages is to follow the perimeter wire for a certain distance from the base station or to follow a guide cable. Both the wheel motors and cutting deck generate quite a lot of noise, which can disturb you if you’re sitting out on the patio – or upset your neighbours if their patio is close to your boundary. And the connections are protected. area: 700 m2 Battery: Type: Lithium-ion | Capacity 2.5 Ah, 20 V Operating time: 60 min/charge Max. Over time this builds up significantly unless you remove it regularly. We use cookies and similar technologies to run this website and help us understand how you use it. max. But also quite a lot of negative things. With a correctly executed installation, the best robotic lawn mowers can get by for several weeks without stoppages, while the worst can have difficulties even finding their way home to charge. Combined with the long operating time, this gives it extra points. How much damage do the blades do, for example to forgotten toys? The app is easy to use on the whole and has a clear interface divided into several tabs, no lag and plenty of functions. It has loads of functions, is easy to expand and is therefore fun for the DIY enthusiast – and kind on your wallet – has a good app and a reasonable display. Sensor recognizes fencing so it doesn't require as much wire. Corner areas with lots of obstacles can represent challenges as the lawn mower risks becoming "trapped" if it constantly collides with either the perimeter wire or the obstacles surrounding the corner. The mower’s terrain handling capacities are excellent. This is primarily a robotic lawn mower built for large lawns that must be kept well mown with as short a cutting time as possible. 20° (36%) Cutting height: 15-60 mm (manual, tool-free) Cutting width: 28 cm Weight: 11.4 kg Length: 63 cm Width: 46 cm Height: 21 cm Blade type: Fixed PIN code protected: Yes App support: Yes (Bluetooth) Accessories included: Perimeter wire & staples. It's clear that enthusiasts have developed this lawn mower. Worx is one of the few manufacturers that have no solution for this. Unfortunately you don't get notifications either in the app or on the lawn mower's display when new firmware is released. Often times, a few key insights from others can make all the difference when it comes to picking the right robotic lawn mower. In fact, it's chassis is so sensitive to impacts on the way home that it can even get put off by a primrose plant. Forest & Lawn equipment supply in Sudbury, Ontario sells & services the highest quality of outdoor power equipment and trailers. 47.5 dB Length: 54 cm Width: 40 cm Height: 23 cm Blade type: Pivoting PIN code protected: No (no display) Accessories included: Installation material App support: Yes (Wi-Fi) User manual: PDF Video clip: Landroid S. The Worx Landroid S500i (WR105SI) is a small, easily programmed robotic lawn mower – once you’ve managed to connect the robotic lawn and the app. There are competing models in the same price class with Wi-Fi support that send notifications to your mobile phone if the lawn mower gets stuck, and there are even a few with GSM. Robotic lawn mowers don’t typically move in straight lines. The Honda Miimo 310 is an easy-to-use and reliable robotic lawn mower in the medium price class, with very good terrain-handling abilities and a reasonable mowing time. Often the secondary and primary areas are connected by a narrow passage. But over time it manages to mow everything. Review year: 2020 Price class: Medium Recommended max. However, there's a big difference between a budget and premium robotic lawn mower, and a budget model isn't always enough to get the job done. 63 dB Length: 63 mm Width: 55 mm Height: 29 mm Blade type: Pivoting PIN code protected: Yes. You rarely test drive a robotic lawn mower or evaluate your lawn before you buy one. 19° (35%) Cutting height: 30-60 mm, 4 step (manual) Cutting width: 18 cm Weight: 9.1 kg Noise level: 67 dB Length: 56 cm Width: 40 cm Height: 21 cm Blade type: Pivot PIN code protected: Yes Accessories included: 100 m perimeter wire, 130 staples, 9 blades Miscellaneous: Lots of options. But if you let it keep the lawn well trimmed, this won’t pose a problem. Premium: more than £2000 Models in this price class should be able to cope with large, complicated lawns with many obstacles, narrow passages and complex cable laying. gradient: 24° (45%) **Cutting height:**20-60 mm Cutting width: 22 cm Weight: 11.9 k Noise level: Very low Dimensions (WxHxD): 64.5x55x27.5 cm Blade type: Pivoting PIN code protected: Yes Accessories included: 300 m perimeter wire, 300 pcs staples, 9 pcs extra blades. But when we consider intelligence, Husqvarna are still pretty much alone in being able to deal with complicated gardens efficiently and without forgetting separate garden areas. max. area: 1500 m² Max. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5. To put it briefly, this robot mower is OK at getting into more inaccessible areas. But unfortunately the poor reliability means the score is disappointingly low. And it doesn’t understand that it's got stuck, but continues to spin its wheels, often damaging the lawn. The construction and structure means you end up with an unmown area around the station. Even worse is that it doesn’t start to recharge again when you put it back in the charging station until you press Start and enter the PIN code. As is the fact that you get notifications if your mower gets stuck or is moved without authorisation. area: 4000 m² Max. Even if the Robolinho 700 W has many good things going for it, it also has negative aspects. 260 min/charge Rec. The app is essential because the robotic lawn mower itself has no display. The fact that the robotic lawn mower has integrated GPS, a GSM connection and also gets around well even in medium difficulty gardens (largely thanks to the guide cable) still makes this robot mower a good buy. Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD ( All Wheel Drive ), Review year: 2019 Price class: Premium Battery: Type: Lithium-ion | Capacity 10.4 Ah/18 V Operating time: approx. max. The Robomow Royal is ideal for anyone with a very large, open lawn. The safest robotic lawn mowers are so well designed that it's almost impossible to injure yourself on them, while the worst can constitute a safety hazard for things like feet or inquisitive small fingers. Many robotic lawn mowers include additional hardware so you can set up a virtual perimeter around your yard. gradient: approx. You have to peel the wire and insert it into the connections, which are unprotected on the back of the unit. The design is in many ways reminiscent of a tank. Each robotic lawn mower has been given a score according to its value for money; in other words how good it is in each area in relation to its price tag. When properly set up, with wire at correcting spacing and distance, it cuts well. The software works fine. The wheels are also very smooth and hard, which means that the robotic lawn mower finds it difficult to deal with surfaces other than plain grass. However, there’s an app and using this makes the ongoing programming much easier. But it’s a shame it can’t also go home along the perimeter wire, as the quickest way isn’t always via the guide cable. You can buy the latter (Husqvarna Automower Connect) and we recommend you do so, as it significantly increases functionality. This also gives it good stability even on more uneven terrain. When it approaches larger obstacles, it reads these with an ultrasound sensor and slows down so that there are no sudden collisions. However, we would have appreciated a GSM connection, given the price class. You can place many other models’ charging stations on different angles. The software also seems to have been strangely constructed. What about edge cutting? It tends to protest in tall grass and try to cut somewhere else. It doesn’t happen after a steep slope, but on a flat surface and in different places on several different lawns. 1100 m² Max. area: approx. The Robomow RC 308 PRO is a compact robotic lawn mower that has no problems finding its way home or getting out to cut the lawn. The Wolf Garten Loopo S300 is a small, handy, robotic lawn mower that’s easy to install – particularly once you’ve downloaded the app to your telephone. Unfortunately the Miimo 310 has no app support or GPS – it doesn't even have a Bluetooth connection. However, our experience tells us that it's extremely difficult to succeed with this. Following setup instructions is critical to proper mowing. The McCulloch Rob R600 is our best budget choice for its combination of good terrain-handling abilities, high reliability and easily programmed interface. This means that, for example, you can see where the robot mower is, you can change settings and get notifications even if you aren't at home. If the control panel has too few buttons, programming becomes time-consuming, while too many buttons can be confusing if the layout isn't sufficiently clear. The mower has a plastic strip on one end that’s quite deep and low, which means it pushes the grass down. The Automower 310 is great at keeping the grass short both on slopes and in narrow corridors. It’s also pretty good in terms of strength when it comes to cutting slightly taller grass. But on a small, uncomplicated plot, it would often be easier not to have a guide cable, as it becomes something that increases the risk of cable breakage, while the installation also becomes slightly more time-consuming. It's hard to see what it's showing, and fiddly to programme the lawn mower using it. But if you get hold of the HRM 3000 for a very good price and don’t need to keep track of it using your mobile phone, it’s still a good buy. If you have problems during installation, this can be annoying and complicated. Manual and online help are adequate to get and keep it running. We noted how often, where and why each robotic lawn mower stopped, and what consequences that had on the cutting result. The result is reasonable, but sometimes it tends to push down some of the grass and drive over it instead of mowing it. In terms of both size and performance, the Stihl 632 PC falls somewhere between a premium and medium class model. But it's easy even if you do it yourself. It's these together with its speed that make it so efficient. So if you have a complicated but small garden, this is the obvious choice. It has no problems mowing the stated area if you give it a couple of hours of cutting time about three days a week. The bodywork is relatively low. As we've mentioned above, it has no problems with simple, flat lawns. The best robotic lawnmowers perform really well, but you get what you pay for and a model that can cope with a moderately tough to difficult lawn costs about £1500. gradient: approx. The menu system is very clear and it's easy to change settings. It's primarily major gradients that cause problems for robotic lawn mowers, even if the slope itself is short. Or do you just have lots of lawn, but little time to care for it? 4.0 Ah Lithium-Ion Easy, Safe, Fully Autonomous Robotic Lawn Mower with Install Kit, by Redback - RM24 (9.5in.) In other tests it's also common to use only one grass area to test each model, on which the testing body artificially tries to include all types of difficulty. Read more in our Privacy Policy. gradient: approx. On a handful of occasions during the several month long test period, we get fault codes that mean the lawn mower just comes to a stop. Pine cones, bare soil and fallen fruit are no problem, however. It's weaker on bare soil of the kind you find under coniferous trees where there's only a sparse cover of grass. Unfortunately, despite this they've still not updated a number of limitations in the lawn mower's problem-solving ability – weaknesses which have been known for many years now: for example, the fact that the robotic lawn mower is unable to drive around obstacles on its way home.