DO ROBOT MOWERS REALLY WORK?
Robot lawn mowers are rapidly increasing in popularity and with the promise of reclaiming hours of your precious time each week it’s not hard to see why. Like all smart home tech, robotic lawn mower technology is developing rapidly and getting cheaper at the same time but for many sceptics the question remains;
Do robot lawn mowers really work?
The simple answer is yes, they do and in fact their cutting technique offers a number of improvements over the traditional petrol push mower.
Robot lawn mowers deliver a better cut thanks to the following advantages:
A finer, cleaner cut does less damage to the grass blades
Finely cut clippings provide excellent mulch that breaks down rapidly
Precise cutting height adjustment produces a neatly manicured lawn
But don’t just take our word for it.
Consumer reports and customer testimonials from around the world offer real evidence for the exceptional performance of many robotic lawn mowers. Husqvarna states that using its robot lawn mowers will result in “the perfect lawn”.
Reviews
The NZ consumer watchdog, Consumer.org in its review of robot lawn mowers “were impressed” by the performance of the robot mower they tested. They found that the robot mower “essentially mulches while it cuts, which is great for the health of your turf.”
“One awesome-looking garden — all without having to lift a finger!” (Husqvarna Automower)
Research Led – Nam ac pharetra nibh. Nullam eu magna sit
You might love the idea of saving yourself hours of backbreaking sweat and tears. And you’re probably fed up with the smelly noisy din of your old petrol mower.
But you might still have some specific concerns about robotic lawn mowers so we’ll try and answer your concerns here.
Mowing Around Obstacles
How well do robot lawn mowers mow around obstacles? Very well actually. Finely tuned sensors accurately identify obstacles such as:
Children’s toys
Trees, flower beds
Garden ornaments
For example, the Worx Landroid mower features a clever anti-collision autopilot system that uses automotive grade ultrasonic sensors to detect and move around obstacles.
Narrow passages are no problem for most robot lawn mowers either thanks to GPS navigation and a miniscule turning circle.
Kids & Pets
Robotic lawn mowers have an unparalleled safety record with zero accidents. Compare that to the horrendous list of injuries caused by traditional petrol lawn mowers which are the leading cause of amputations in children in the U.S. And flying debris striking bystanders results in a large number of hospitalisations.
Robot lawn mowers sit really close to the ground with a very low centre of gravity. This makes them extremely difficult to overturn. The blades are deeply set underneath the chassis where fingers and toes can’t reach.
And the automatic cut-off switch that all robot mowers feature will quickly stop the spinning blades from turning if by any chance a curious child or pet overturns your mower. The mower can only be restarted by punching in a secure pin number.
Battery & Charging Options
Efficient lithium-Ion batteries power your robot lawn mower. This type of battery technology has advanced so much over recent years that it is the energy source of choice for most heavy construction and industrial power tool users.
Robot lawn mowers return automatically to the charging station when their batteries run low.
They can find the charging station by a pre-programmed path, using the perimeter wire or by following the boundary back.
A low-cost full recharge can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours and will power the mower for up to 3 hours.
Rechargeable battery life depends on a number of factors including mower model and the presence of steep slopes and other obstacles on the lawn.
Obviously, if you buy a mower not designed for the size of your lawn then battery life may be inadequate for the task.
Setup
Setup does take a little time but it’s not difficult; you have to set up the boundary wire and programme when you want your mower to work. But when you consider how many weekends you’ll be getting back over the lifetime of your mower it’s a no-brainer.
Setting up the perimeter wire involves marking the boundary with a low-voltage wire pegged to the lawn edge.
The mower senses this wire which prevents the mower continuing on to the neighbours or the street.
You can also bury the wire 5 to 10 cms underground to avoid any tripping hazards.
Obviously the larger and more intricately shaped your lawn the longer this will take. Many robot mowers providers offer installation services too if you don’t want to bother with any of this.
Shape of Yard
Modern robot lawn mowers can handle the most intricately shaped lawns with ease. Once your perimeter wires are in place and you’ve done some programming the robot will find its way around without any hiccoughs.
GPS navigation ensures that every section of your lawn will be cut and if there is a particularly stubborn patch of lawn you can send the mower there by remote control from a mobile phone app (on the more expensive models).
Steep slopes are no problem either. Some models, such as the Ambrogio can cope with slopes up to 55 degrees.
Neighbours
Robot lawn mowers are considerably quieter than petrol mowers; around 56dB to 65dB whereas a petrol mower will produce an ear-splitting 90dB.
Depending on how close your neighbours are you might even be able to run your robot lawn mower at night.
Theft
Robot lawn mowers come with cast-iron security features built in. If someone lifts the robot mower without entering the secure pin the robot will lock operation and emit a loud siren.
GPS tracking also assists with locating your robot mower anywhere in the world.
Shape of Yard
What actually happens at installation?
It is possible to do the installation yourself, following the instructions in the operator’s manual. It takes 2-5 hours, depending on the size and complexity of your lawn. We recommend you have the local dealer install the unit. They have the experience and training to do it in the most efficient manner. Most dealers offer an installation service, although it is not included in the recommended retail price.
The Utlimate Set & Forget Lawn Maintenance
With one of our recommended robot lawn mower models you can finally put your feet up and watch the grass grow.
Actually, if you blink you’ll miss it because your robot mower will be along pretty soon to keep your lawn at the precisely determined height for an immaculately manicured lawn.
What actually happens at installation?
It is possible to do the installation yourself, following the instructions in the operator’s manual. It takes 2-5 hours, depending on the size and complexity of your lawn. We recommend you have the local dealer install the unit. They have the experience and training to do it in the most efficient manner. Most dealers offer an installation service, although it is not included in the recommended retail price.
What actually happens at installation?
It is possible to do the installation yourself, following the instructions in the operator’s manual. It takes 2-5 hours, depending on the size and complexity of your lawn. We recommend you have the local dealer install the unit. They have the experience and training to do it in the most efficient manner. Most dealers offer an installation service, although it is not included in the recommended retail price.
What actually happens at installation?
It is possible to do the installation yourself, following the instructions in the operator’s manual. It takes 2-5 hours, depending on the size and complexity of your lawn. We recommend you have the local dealer install the unit. They have the experience and training to do it in the most efficient manner. Most dealers offer an installation service, although it is not included in the recommended retail price.
