There’s a unique satisfaction that comes from the sight and scent of freshly cut grass. However, maintaining a pristine lawn requires significant time and effort unless you opt for professional landscaping services. Alternatively, you can streamline lawn care with a robot lawn mower.
Robot lawn mowers are available for lawns of varying sizes and shapes, offering ease of setup and programming. Powered by rechargeable battery packs, they operate quietly, allowing you to run them at any hour without disturbing neighbors. While they come with a price tag, additional features such as rain and anti-theft sensors, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity, a mobile companion app, and flexible scheduling capabilities can enhance their functionality. Models designed to handle larger lawns with steep grades and obstacles like flower beds, trees, and ornamental decorations also come at a premium.
EcoFlow Blade
If the idea of installing perimeter wire for a robotic lawn mower gives you pause, the EcoFlow Blade might be the solution you’re looking for. Priced at $2,899, it offers excellent cutting performance and utilizes Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS technology to navigate your lawn without the need for wires. However, it’s worth noting that its base station and antenna require an unobstructed view of the sky, so properties with tall trees or limited open space may face limitations in usage.
On the other hand, the wire-guided Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD comes at a higher price of $3,999.99 but doesn’t have such strict setup requirements. Despite the higher cost, it offers added convenience in installation. Ultimately, if your yard can accommodate it, the EcoFlow Blade presents a compelling option with its innovative technology and lower price point.
The EcoFlow Blade boasts a sleek aluminum alloy body, omnidirectional front wheels, and rugged all-terrain tires, giving it the appearance of a Mars rover rather than a traditional lawn mower. Measuring at 17.0 by 26.0 by 12.0 inches (HWD) and weighing 35.7 pounds, it’s slightly smaller and lighter than the Husqvarna Automower 435X, which measures 11.4 by 21.7 by 36.6 inches and weighs 38 pounds. Additionally, the Blade features a wider cutting width of 10.2 inches compared to the Husqvarna’s 8.7 inches. However, it’s worth noting that the Blade’s coverage area of 0.75 acres falls short of the Husqvarna’s 0.90-acre capacity.
Pros:
- Wide Cutting Width: The EcoFlow Blade offers a wide cutting width, allowing for efficient coverage of lawn areas.
- Effective on Rough Terrain: Equipped with omnidirectional front wheels and knobby all-terrain tires, the Blade can navigate and mow on rough terrain with ease.
- No Perimeter Wire Required: Unlike many other robotic lawn mowers, the Blade does not require the installation of perimeter wire for operation, simplifying setup.
- Advanced Connectivity: With Bluetooth, cellular, GPS, and Wi-Fi connectivity, the Blade provides comprehensive control and monitoring capabilities.
Cons:
- High Cost: The initial investment for the EcoFlow Blade is relatively high compared to other options on the market.
- Setup Requirements: The antenna and charging station need to be placed in an open area with unobstructed access to the sky, which may be challenging depending on the property layout.
Greenworks Pro Optimow 50H Robotic Lawn Mower
A freshly cut lawn adds an air of tidiness and elegance to your property, but maintaining it can be a time-consuming chore. If you’re weary of spending hours each week operating a noisy gas-powered lawn mower, it might be time to explore the benefits of a robot lawn mower like the Greenworks Pro Optimow 50H, priced at $1,599.99.
Similar to most robotic mowers, the Optimow 50H autonomously navigates your lawn, mowing it daily before returning to its base station to recharge for the next session. In our tests, it showcased excellent grass-cutting capabilities while operating quietly. Additionally, it offers advanced features such as cellular connectivity, a user-friendly app, and GPS tracking.
However, it’s worth noting that the Optimow 50H lacks the onboard controls and Wi-Fi connectivity found in our Editors’ Choice winner, the $999 Worx Landroid M 20V Cordless Robotic Lawn Mower (WR140). Despite this drawback, the Optimow 50H presents a compelling option for those seeking effortless lawn maintenance.
The Greenworks Pro Optimow 50H is designed to provide efficient lawn maintenance for areas of up to half an acre. With its compact dimensions, water-resistance rating, and robust wheel design, it offers reliable performance across various terrains while ensuring user safety through its integrated sensors.
Pros:
- Excellent Cutting Performance: The Greenworks Pro Optimow 50H delivers outstanding grass-cutting results, ensuring a well-manicured lawn.
- Quiet Operation: Operating quietly, the mower minimizes disruption to your surroundings and allows for flexible usage times.
- Cellular Connectivity: With cellular connectivity, users can remotely monitor and control the mower’s operation from anywhere.
- GPS Tracking: GPS tracking enhances location awareness, providing precise tracking and navigation capabilities.
- Solid Mobile App: The accompanying mobile app offers a user-friendly interface, simplifying setup, scheduling, and customization.
Cons:
- Lacks Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Connectivity: Unlike some competitors, the Optimow 50H does not offer Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity, potentially limiting connectivity options.
- Subscription Requirement: Users must subscribe to a cellular plan after two years to continue accessing remote monitoring and control features, incurring additional costs.
- Limited Onboard Settings: The mower may have limited onboard settings compared to other models, potentially restricting customization options directly on the device.
Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD
With its sleek design featuring narrow headlights, a black and silver finish, and large wheels, the Automower 435X AWD resembles a mini Corvette rather than a typical robot lawn mower. Weighing 38 pounds and measuring 11.4 by 21.7 by 36.6 inches (HWD), it is notably the largest robot mower available, designed to manage lawns of up to 0.90 acres. Equipped with AWD (all-wheel drive) technology, it effortlessly tackles hills and slopes with angles of up to 70 percent (35 degrees). Additionally, it boasts advanced features such as GPS, cellular, and Bluetooth connectivity. The mower is accompanied by essential accessories including a docking station, an AC adapter, spare blades, a quick start guide, and a user manual.
At the front end, you’ll find two large wheels alongside the prominent LED headlights, a stop/start safety handle, and a jog wheel with a color panel. This setup allows for easy configuration, starting, and pausing of the mower. The jog wheel serves multiple functions, including adjusting cutting height, scheduling cutting times, changing the PIN code, enabling geofencing theft protection, and activating GPS mapping features.
Pros:
- Super Quiet: The mower operates quietly, minimizing disruption to surroundings.
- Advanced Connectivity: Equipped with Bluetooth, Cellular, and GPS radios, offering extensive connectivity options for monitoring and control.
- All-Wheel Drive: Features all-wheel drive technology, ensuring effective navigation across various terrains.
- Easy to Program: User-friendly programming interface facilitates effortless customization and scheduling.
- User-Friendly Mobile App: Accompanied by a mobile app that is intuitive and easy to use, enhancing user experience.
- Compatibility: Works seamlessly with voice assistants like Alexa and Google, as well as with IFTTT for enhanced automation.
Cons:
- Wildly Expensive: The mower comes with a steep price tag, making it inaccessible to budget-conscious consumers.
- Lacks Wi-Fi: Despite its advanced connectivity features, the mower does not offer Wi-Fi connectivity, potentially limiting remote control options.
conclusion
Robot lawn mowers bear a striking resemblance to their indoor counterparts, the robot vacuums. Watching them in action, it’s akin to observing a Roomba maneuvering across your lawn, diligently tidying up the area. However, their internal mechanisms differ significantly.
While most robot mowers utilize a perimeter wire to define the boundaries of your lawn and prevent straying onto neighboring properties or streets, there are exceptions like the EcoFlow Blade, which leverages satellite-positioning technology instead of wires. For traditional models, one end of the perimeter wire connects to a terminal on an AC-powered base station, with the remainder laid along the lawn’s border using stakes. The wire is then connected to the second terminal on the base station. Besides providing an electrical charge to the wire, the base station also serves as a docking station for recharging the mower. Sensors installed on the mower enable it to follow the perimeter wire and navigate back to the base station upon completing its task or when running low on power.