Electric lawn mower roomba. 11 Pros and Cons of Buying 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.

Pros and Cons of Buying a Robotic Lawn Mower

Should you buy a robotic mower? Yes or no? If you are thinking about buying a robotic mower but are not sure yet, I can help you with this article. In this article I explain the advantages and disadvantages of a robotic mower and how you can make a decision. I will go into all the pros and cons to give you the best picture possible. The advantages and disadvantages of a robotic mower at a glance

Disadvantages

First I will explain the individual advantages and disadvantages in more detail to make your decision a little easier, because I think that not all of these points are obvious. Then I will give you a few tips on how you can decide whether a robotic mower is worthwhile for you or not.

Robotic Mowers Save Time (Pro)

To get a really good idea of how much time you actually save, I’ll compare the robotic mower version with that of a normal lawnmower.

The work that is required for a normal lawn mower includes the actual mowing of the lawn and emptying the catch basket. This is done on average 34 weeks a year for about 1 hour, i.e. 34 hours. A further 14 hours are estimated for getting the lawn mower ready and putting it away afterwards, unrolling and rolling up the power cable, disposing of cuttings and cleaning the machine. This makes a total of 48 working hours per year.

The robotic mower must be installed in the first year. This means that the boundary wire must be laid, the charging station must be set up and the robotic mower must be correctly adjusted. In the first few weeks there may be some repairs where the robotic mower has problems mowing. Here you can estimate 4 to 6 working hours.

Care and maintenance of the mower are also important. The robotic mower must be cleaned from time to time and the blades must be replaced. Many robotic mowers now use revolving discs with small free-swinging blades, which are replaced every 1 to 3 months. There are also robotic mowers with a star-shaped mowing cross, which only needs to be replaced once per season. Altogether, this makes up about 4 working hours.

In total, maintenance time between the two is:

• Lawn mowers: approx. 48 working hours (every year)
• Robotic mower. up to 10 working hours (in the first year), thereafter 4 working hours per year

The time saved is therefore significant, especially in subsequent years when the effort of installation is no longer required. For larger areas that take longer to mow, the whole thing is multiplied again.

The Purchase Price of Robotic Mowers is High (Con)

In the US the costs for a robotic mower start at around 800 in the lower price range and can even exceed 5,000 in the higher price range. For most lawns, however, a suitable robotic mower will cost around 1,500. However, this depends on various factors, including:

• Size of the property
• Complexity of the property
• Equipment of the robotic mower
• Quality of the robotic mower

The size of the property is probably the biggest influence on the price. The larger the plot, the larger and more powerful the robotic mower must be. There are robotic mowers that only mow very small areas of up to 200 square meters. Others are designed for much larger areas of ½ acre or more. For gigantic areas there are even robotic mowers that can manage 7 ½ acres.

The manufacturers’ specifications for area output usually assume that the robotic mower is in continuous operation for 15 hours every day from Monday to Friday. It is important to note before purchasing your mower that this is unrealistic in most cases.

In the article How long does it take a robotic mower to mow your lawn you can read all about the area output. At the bottom of the page there is a calculator with which you can calculate the area output you need.

An electric lawnmower plus power cable usually costs around 250,and a gas-powered mower just over 300. In terms of purchase costs, these are of course much cheaper.

So the point in terms of acquisition costs goes to the ordinary lawnmower.

However, if you take into account the long-term cost and pay yourself a salary for your lawn mowing efforts, a robotic mower will pay for itself after some time.

Robotic Mowers Have Lower Operating Costs (Pro)

A robotic mower saves some operating costs compared to normal lawnmowers. On the one hand, its energy consumption is lower, even though it stays on the lawn for much longer. You also save money through cheaper and easier blade replacement. In addition, you can save a good portion of the fertilizer that would otherwise be necessary to keep the lawn healthy. About 30% of the fertilizer can be saved, sometimes even more. The operating costs can be similar to those of a normal lawnmower:

Robotic Mowers Require Maintenance Than Normal Lawnmowers (Con)

Since robotic mowers are constantly in use, they also have to be cleaned a little more often than normal lawnmowers. In addition, the blades of robotic mowers with blade discs must be replaced approximately every 1 to 3 months. In addition, it can happen from time to time that something goes wrong with the machine, in which case you must first correct the problem.

For example, the boundary wire may break if you accidentally hit it with a shovel, for example. In this case, you must first look for the place and then repair it. Or something is wrong with the electronics. On the other hand, it must be said that many early complications have been eradicated with time in the company.

Robotic Mowers Work Quietly Than Normal Lawnmowers (Pro)

While conventional lawnmowers can be as loud as 80 decibels or even up to 100 decibels, robotic mowers typically operate between 55 and 75 decibels, with the majority of robotic mowers operating at around 65 decibels.

This is not only good for the nerves and the neighbors. The particularly quiet robotic mowers are even so quiet that you can sometimes let them work at night. How great is it when you wake up in the morning with a freshly mown lawn in front of you?

If you want to know more about the noise level of robotic mowers, I have written a very extensive article about it.

The Installation of a Robotic Mower is Complex (Con)

The installation of a robotic mower involves a certain amount of effort. It is unfortunately a little more complicated than plugging it in and letting it go do its thing. It also depends on whether you have a robotic mower with or without boundary wire.

Robotic Mower with a Boundary Wire

Most manufacturers rely on robotic mowers with boundary wires. In addition to the boundary wire, there is also a charging station and often one or more guide wires that have to be installed. The boundary and guide wires have to be buried just below the grass, which can be quite complex. A suitable place for the charging station must be found. It must be anchored in the ground with special hooks or screws, but this usually does not take too long.

Last but not least, the robotic mower must still be correctly adjusted. Many robotic mowers already have certain standard settings at the beginning, with which they then mow the lawn. However, you may want to use different settings, for example because you only want the robotic mower to mow in the morning. Or you want to turn off the rain sensor for certain reasons. You will then have to set all these settings first.

Robotic Mower Without Boundary Wire

Models that operate without a boundary wire require almost no installation effort. As a rule, you simply set up such a robotic mower on your lawn, switch it on and off you go. The mower recognizes the limits of the lawn with a grass sensor. They have some advantages and disadvantages compared to robotic mowers with boundary wire. But probably the biggest advantage is that they have little or no installation effort.

It may just be that you need to adjust some small things in your garden so that the robotic mower can drive safely. For example, if you have a pool or pond in your garden, when using a robotic mower without a boundary wire, you should always enclose the water surface with a barrier to prevent the robotic mower from accidentally driving into it (the grass sensor is not as reliable as a boundary wire). There may also be other places in your yard where you want to install a barrier for safety reasons, for example to prevent the robotic mower from driving over the flower bed.

Robotic Mowers Are Cost Efficient in the Long Run (Pro)

Although robotic mowers have a significant initial cost, they are more cost-efficient in the long run. However, this is only true if the working time is taken into account. I have already shown you above that the operating costs are significantly lower than for normal lawnmowers. Here again the comparison of the annual cost of operating:

At the same time, robotic mowers cost around 1500 and conventional lawnmowers between 250 and 300, as I have mentioned above. So if the robotic mower is 1200 more expensive and costs 160 less per year, it would take almost 7.5 years for the investment to pay off. Admittedly quite a long time.

But if you would pay yourself a wage of 10 for mowing the lawn and maintaining the lawn mower or robot, things would look quite different. The following diagram compares the cost development of different price ranges of robotic mowers with conventional lawn mowers.

Some Robotic Mowers Have Problems with Very Steep Slopes (Con)

Extreme gradients make robotic mowers work hard. They are simply not made for very steep slopes. Either they can’t make it up the slope at all, they slip off of it, or their wheels begin spinning, which in turn damages the turf. Especially when it is wet, the grass is slippery, the ground is softened, or there are a lot of leaves in the yard, problems can occur.

However, most robotic mowers can cope with gradients of up to 25%. Meanwhile, there is already a very large number of robotic mowers that easily cope with 35%. At this point, the range of models offered is starting to diminish. But the manufacturer Husqvarna still supplies a very large range of robotic mowers that can cope with gradients up to 45%.

An accessory off-road kit can provide even more grip, so that the robotic mower does not slip so easily and can manage even greater gradients. Another way you can give the robotic mower more grip on steep places and prevent the lawn from being damaged by spinning wheels is to use so-called lawn guards.

However, Husqvarna robotic mowers also tend to be significantly more expensive than the equipment of other manufacturers. There are also a few models from other manufacturers that can handle over 50% gradients, but these are hard to find.

Robotic mowers can certainly cope with some gradients, if they are not too steep. From a certain gradient on, however, this ability is also reflected in the price of the equipment. Anything that manages over 35% also costs correspondingly more.

Thanks to the Mulching System You Have Less Yard Waste (Pro)

The robotic mower mulches the lawn as it goes. During mulching, the lawn cuttings are not collected, but remain on the lawn and decompose, so that their nutrients can be returned to the lawn.

However, lawn cuttings cannot simply be left on the lawn, as this could cause thatching and impair ventilation, and the lawn cuttings could even start to rot. This is why robotic mowers only ever cut off a very small tip of the lawn. They achieve this by mowing frequently, at least every other day.

These very fine lawn tips cannot mat together on the lawn, and they weather very quickly. This has two advantages. Firstly, you do not have to worry about the disposal of the lawn clippings and therefore have more space for other waste in the compost bin, for example. On the other hand, the lawn is continuously fertilized and thus becomes lusher and greener. Last but not least, you save about 30% of the fertilizer that you should use on the lawn throughout the year.

Complex Gardens Require Particularly Expensive Robotic Mower Models (Con)

With a simple, rectangular garden, any robotic mower can cope quite well. But as soon as the yard introduces strange angles and slopes, with many areas connected only by narrow passages, it can no longer be guaranteed that a simple robotic mower can mow each area often enough. It may not reach some places at all, or it may get stuck in certain places.

Such gardens require equipment with more advanced navigation systems. These are for example

Devices with multi-zone circuitry are among the cheapest models, while devices with adaptive circuitry are somewhat more expensive, and you have to dig deep into your for GPS-supported robotic mowers. Some devices also combine these systems.

Robotic Mowers Produce a Cleaner Cutting Pattern (Pro)

The fact that robotic mowers mow very frequently and regularly and that they navigate the area according to the chaos principle, results in a very even and clean cut.

It may not be obvious to you at first glance why the chaos principle leads to a cleaner cut. The reason is that unlike mowing with a normal mower, the lawn is cut from all directions. As a result, it is not always “combed” in one direction, and there are also no stripes caused by straight mowing or marks in the places where the mower is regularly driving along.

In addition, frequent pruning ensures that the lawn grows better, but more about this later.

At the Beginning Operating a Robotic Mower Requires Some Adjustment Time (Con)

A robotic mower is a complex piece of equipment. First, you have to deal with the installation of the device itself (for robots with boundary wire), and later with the operation and configuration.

Many robotic mowers now even come with an app with which the mower can be configured. I think this makes configuration easier than if you had to operate it on a small display on the device.

Many machines also come with presets for things such as mowing times, which you can adjust individually, but you don’t have to. You should expect a little adjustment time at the beginning, but in most cases this is rather limited. It also depends on how complex the property is, for example, and how much configuration you have to do.

Besides, the whole thing can be quite fun if you are interested in the device. Whether this can be considered a strong (if any) negative point depends on the individual person.

Through Mulching and Regular, Frequent Mowing, the Lawn Becomes Healthier (Pro)

As I mentioned above, mulching continuously provides the lawn with new fertilizer, which makes it grow better and healthier. Because of the better growth, weeds and grasses that are more adapted to poorer soils have a harder time spreading.

Utility turf varieties are also adapted to frequent cutting and their blades become wider in response. As a result, the lawn becomes stronger and can also assert itself better against foreign plants.

Last but not least, frequent mowing does not benefit other plants. Some weeds, in particular, are less able to spread because they cannot develop their flowers. These are always cut away before they can blossom. Of course this may not be the case with all weeds, but it is true for many weed varieties. Grass, on the other hand, does not have to grow very high to spread.

However, the decreasing populations of weeds is a very slow process, which sometimes only becomes really visible after a few seasons and should be supported by other anti-weed measures.

With Many Robotic Mower Models the Lawn Edge Must Be Trimmed Elsewise (Con)

One problem that many robotic mowers have is that they do not cut all the way to the edge. There is a certain distance between the body and the mowing unit, which is quite large for safety reasons, so that, for example, if a foot gets under the mower, there is at least a little room to maneuver before it gets into the blade’s path.

Because of this margin, the mower must, in theory, always drive a little over the edge of the lawn at the edges in order to mow it completely. Of course, this is not possible everywhere if an obstacle, e.g. a house wall, flower bed or hedge is in the way. The robotic mower will then bump into the obstacle or you have laid the boundary wire so that it does not bump into the obstacle, but cannot mow the lawn to the edge.

However, there are robotic mowers that have a so-called edge mowing function. In edge mowing mode, these models drive along the outside of the boundary wire and mow the edge. Because their mowing unit is slightly offset, they can also mow very close to the edge.

Another possibility is to border the lawn on the outside with ground level lawn edging stones on which the robotic mower can drive a slight bit. This enables the robot to mow right up to the edge, even if it does not have an edge mowing function.

Unlike Gas-powered Mowers, Robotic Mowers Do Not Produce Local Emissions (Pro)

One advantage that robotic mowers share with electric lawnmowers is that they do not produce exhaust fumes (at least not in your yard, of course the electricity has to be generated somehow, which produces emissions). This is of course an advantage compared to gas-powered mowers, because there is no annoying smell and air spoilage. This is good for both nature and your own health.

Robotic Mowers Offer an Increased Risk Potential for Humans and Animals (Con)

Just like normal lawnmowers, robotic mowers with sharp blades work under a shell and framework which neither humans nor animals can get underneath. Robotic mowers try to keep the danger potential as low as possible with a lot of safety systems, but it still represents a certain accident risk that a rotating blade disc drives around in the area quasi uncontrolled.

Both children and pets or other inhabitants of the yard, such as wild rabbits, can be injured by the robotic mower. However, this risk can be minimized by setting suitable mowing times. For example, you can let the robotic mower mow in the morning while the children are not in the house or your dog and cat are inside. Many small animals are also usually not out in the yard at this time of day.

You can read more about how dangerous robotic mowers are for children, what the manufacturers are doing to make them safer and what you can do yourself to minimise the risk of accidents here: Are robotic mowers dangerous to children?

Robotic Mowers Are Particularly Suitable for People with Grass Pollen Allergies (Pro)

Anyone who is allergic to grass pollen is particularly well advised to use the appropriate robotic mower. Mowing with a conventional lawnmower will stir up a lot of grass pollen, while you are naturally on the lawn to control the mower.

Firstly, a robotic mower does not swirl up grass pollen as much and secondly, you can stay away while mowing the lawn. This is a big advantage for allergy sufferers who suffer from allergies when mowing the lawn because of all the grass pollen.

Lawn Robots Can Be Stolen (Con)

Lawn robots are expensive devices, much more expensive than a normal robotic mower and are outside in the garden day and night, freely accessible to anyone who can gain access to the garden. This of course also involves a certain risk of theft. Although robotic mowers are equipped with a whole range of anti-theft functions, from a simple alarm signal when the robotic mower is lifted by unauthorized persons, to tracking the device via GPS, you are not 100% safe from theft.

However, there are many other measures you can take to protect your robotic mower from theft, such as theft-proof rolling shutter garages or underground car parks.

People with Walking Disabilities No Longer Have to Bother with Mowing the Lawn (Pro)

Robotic mowers can make life easier for people with walking disabilities by relieving them of the work of mowing the lawn. For all those who can no longer walk so well, whether due to age, injury, or physical disability, this is definitely a great advantage.

However, the robotic mower does not run all by itself; from time to time it must be cleaned and the blades must be replaced. If the owner is also no longer able to do this, this should be done by another person at regular intervals.

Robotic Mowers Cannot Mow Separate Areas Alone (Contra)

Two separate lawns are no problem with a normal lawnmower. When you’re done, just unplug, move the mower to the other lawn, plug it in, and off you go!

With a robotic mower you have a little problem here. Without a connection, the robotic mower cannot drive to the other area to mow. With robotic mowers without boundary wire you can simply carry it over (they need some care anyway).

However, with a robotic mower with boundary wire, you cannot mow two completely separate areas in this way. The robotic mower must return to the charging station at regular intervals to recharge. That means you would need a charging station in the second area, as well. However, the robotic mower cannot be installed at two different charging stations at the same time. This means that you would need another robotic mower for the second area. Ergo: A robotic mower with boundary wire cannot mow two separate areas.

The term “separated” really means here that there is absolutely no connection that the robotic mower can use. For example, if there is a sidewalk or the like, you can set up a bottleneck circuit which the robotic mower then uses to drive to the other area.

Even on Vacation Your Lawn Will Always Be Mowed (Pro)

Even when you go on vacation, you can still use your robotic mower, so your lawn is freshly mowed when you come home and you don’t have half a forest in your yard. This is also better for your lawn, because if it is not mowed for several weeks, it can have a negative effect – albeit small – on the health of the lawn.

In addition, if the lawn is not mowed during the vacation, special lawn care rules must be observed, such as the one-third rule – which you can then ignore, however, because the lawn has been mowed diligently while you were away.

Toys and Garden Tools Must Always Be Removed from the Lawn Prior to Mowing Avoid Damage (Con)

Although a robotic mower has sensors with which it detects certain obstacles, not everything that lies around on the lawn is recognized as an obstacle. Gardening tools like rakes or shovels can be run over and the same applies to toys in the yard.

This can damage the objects themselves as well as the mowing unit of the robotic mower. Therefore, it is important to make sure that there are no objects lying around in the yard that could be run over by the robotic mower. After a while, however, it becomes an automatic process for everyone to take care of this and you will automatically remember to clear away everything that could get under the blades.

How Do You Decide Whether You Should Buy a Robotic Mower?

Ultimately, the question is what makes you want to buy a robotic mower in the first place, and what is most likely to prevent you from buying one. Now that you know all the pros and cons of a robotic mower, the decision should be a little easier. Especially with the disadvantages there are some points where you can take countermeasures, as I have described above.

For example, the risk of accidents for families with children is usually not a real problem if you only let the robotic mower drive in the mornings during the week and choose a device that is large enough to cope with the same area in a shorter time.

Some people also consider whether the robotic mower can cope in their yard. Of course, a more complex garden needs a device that can find its way around, be it through a multi-zone function or GPS navigation, but in most yards a robotic mower can work. Only in extreme cases, such as when your lawn has extreme slopes of over 50% gradient, would a robotic mower make little sense.

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.

Subscribe to unlock this article and get full access to Fortune.com

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.”

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

Best robot lawn mower for large lawns – top 5! (2023)

Do you have a large lawn you want to avoid having to mow yourself? Get a robot lawn mower built to mow large areas. We have reviewed the best models on the market and know which ones work on large lawns.

We regularly review robotic lawn mowers. Each model is tested under a wide range of conditions and during a long period of time. What we’ve come to understand is that the robot lawn mowers perform extremely differently depending on the conditions in your garden. For example, one robot can give excellent mowing results on a lawn with a slope when the dirt is very dry, but will just get stuck if the dirt holding the grass is damp. Another mower could have the opposite pros and cons. Factors such as lawn complexity, outdoor temperature, weather, robotic lawn mower’s problem-solving ability, hardware, etc. all determine the outcome for the robot. You want a robotic lawnmower that does a great job in all these conditions. And in this case, also is able to mow a large lawn time efficiently.

What to consider when buying a robot lawn mower for a large lawn

Check out our reviews to gain an understanding of what pros and cons each tested model come with, or move on and read our in-depth review of the particular robotic lawn mower you’re interested in.

Husqvarna Automower 430X – BEST ROBOT LAWN MOWER FOR LARGE LAWNS

Can mow bigger lawns than promised

Husqvarna Automower 430X is one of Husqvarnas biggest lawn mowers for private gardens. It has a lot of perks: it’s both intelligent and reliable, but also has a great set of modern features such as cellular connection with GPS so you can keep track of it from your phone and for it to know where it has mowed recently, and where it should mow next.

This robotic lawn mower works on almost all types of lawns from 0.8 acres up to 1.2 acres without having to go out and mow more than a couple of hours each weekday. If you have an even bigger lawn you have the option of choosing Husqvarna Automower 450XH instead, it’s recommended for lawns around 1.25 acres but just like the little sibling it can mow bigger lawns than that.

The Husqvarna Automower 430X is also available in a tall grass setup for grass such as rye, bahia kentucky 31 and tall fescue, this model is named Husqvarna Automower 430XH. The only thing differing them from each other is the cutting height. On the 430X it is 0.8-2.4 inches, and on the 430XH it is between 2-3.5 inches. High cut is important in the states up north, while you can pick the standard 430X if you live in one of the southern states. Other than this, they have the exact same features.

Husqvarna Automower 430X has cellular connectivity. If it gets stuck, which is almost never does, it will notify you on your phone. You can see it on a map, and get information on what is wrong. You can also set cutting height, corridor width, work schedule and other important features directly through the app. You don’t even have to be close to the robot to do this, you can be at work or whatever. If you don’t use the app you can also program the robotic lawn mower via a nice, big, user-friendly display.

This is a great choice if you only value time efficiency and have a pretty even lawn. RS630 has double blades underneath and moves with sufficient speed over the lawn. Since the cutting width is so big it mows a very big lawn, around 1.2 acres and more is no problem, in a short period of time. Especially if the lawn is like an open field with very little complexity.

The build quality is pretty bad considering the price, far from the best we’ve ever tested. You will have to take good care of it if you live in a place where there is a cold season once a year.

The battery is sensitive to cold conditions. We’ve had two Robomow RS630 reviewed, one U model and one Pro. Both had problems with the battery after the winter even though both were stored under dry but cold conditions in a garage. The other robotic lawn mowers survived, while the Robomow robots needed to have their batteries exchanged. Also one of the Robomow robotic lawn mowers had a sensitive chassi after bumping into a brick wall in the garden, sometimes it stopped after that saying the bumper had been pressed even though it hadn’t.

The robot is not very modern or user friendly, and also makes a pretty loud sound when mowing. But it’s very time efficient! So if you have a big lawn and a limited budget this is a great choice.

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.