Robot Lawn Mowers - their time has come!
Robot Lawn mowers save time, effort and money. They work independently, freeing you to do whatever you enjoy, while the lawn is perfectly maintained completely hands free and hassle free.
Most people think that Robot Lawn Mowers will not be able to automatically and independently keep their large lawn beautiful and trimmed, and that is where they are mistaken. The fact is that a robot lawn mower can keep a very large lawn beautifully trimmed as long as you allow it to roam free and take its time to do all the work. Moreover they are able to handle inclines, some of them up to 45 degrees, can work in sun and rain, return to their home base to get charged automatically, and restart from the last point upon full charge which takes around 50 minutes. Robot Mowers can make your life really easy, so read on.
In this guide we will not only look at the best robot lawn mowers available to buy today, but also review the best brands and see the robot grass mowers in action.
Here is an image of a robot lawn mower systematically working on a lawn, and automatically keeping the grass perfectly trimmed and beautiful. In fact some robot lawn mowers are programmed to regularly cut the lawn in smaller measures so that the cut grass can act as mulch for the growing grass and make the lawn more verdant and healthy. There are many other advantages of a robot lawn mower that we will look at in this guide.
In case you had a vision of a droid walking back and forth on your lawn, let me assure you, this is not the case. Robot mowers are very compact and discreet, and will allow you to do other work around the house (or elsewhere) and do not need you to keep an eye on them at all. They are completely hands-free independent machines that efficiently and optimally mow your lawn.
A robot lawn mower will save you time, effort and money. The one thing you should keep in ind, is that you should invest in a robot lawn mower that will work efficiently and last long.
That means you should not go in for the lowest cost or the best deal. Instead go in for the best quality and the most trusted brand. Here are a few of the good ones that you can buy today. Have a good look and make up your mind about whether you want to buy one or not.
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How do Robot Mowers actually work?
Most robot mowers move around the lawn in a random fashion so that no wheel marks are formed. However, there are models that can be programmed to move in a controlled pattern. A perimeter wire has to be pegged in place to let the mower know the edges of the lawn and also to guide it back to the charging station, which can be hidden out of sight.
The good news is that you do not need to have a perfectly shaped lawn, the robot mower can maneuver odd shapes and inclines in some models. However, if the wired perimeter occurs across a downgrade of more than 10 degrees, the mower may slide across the wire in reverse mode and report an error, though there are models that can comfortably tackle inclines up to 45 degrees.
Robot mowers can be programmed to move around flower beds, swimming pools, play areas, and can even work on two zones. Depending on the size and shape of your lawn, you can either have two (or more) mowers or divide the lawn into two or more zones. Be sure to subtract non grass areas of your lawn when calculating the lawn size.
Also, a large lawn will require a robot mower with long battery life while a small and hilly garden will require a powerful one with tight grip wheels.
Getting Your Garden Ready
Before you start using the Robot Mower, ensure objects less than four inches high are cleared from the lawn. Any big holes (likely, if you have an energetic dog) will have to be filled up and small toys, strings etc removed.
Features
One of the most convenient features of a robot mower is that there is no cleaning up required after the lawn has been mowed. All robot mowers are mulching mowers, they cut the grass into fine clippings that are small enough to fall between the blades of grass and begin to decompose. The blade width is another feature to keep in mind when choosing your robot mower, depending on how finely you want the grass to be cut. This mulch feeds the grass in the lawn leading to a lush green carpet.
The Robot Mower is not affected by the elements in any way. A hot summer day will not impact the Robot Mower and it will carry on regardless. The mowers are equipped with sensors that will record the humidity levels and reschedule the mowing of the lawn in case of rain. There are models that will come back to the same spot where they left off and resume from there!
Certain mowers can be controlled via your smartphone, and you can start the mowing of your lawn even if you are away from home with the requisite app. You can also control the movement of the mower through this.
Safety and Security
Safety is of utmost priority for all Robot Mowers. Most mowers have a child guard to prevent exploring fingers from trying to operate the machinery. Some models also come with an automatic retracting system, triggered as soon as an obstacle is detected, eliminating all risks of accidents. All Robot Mowers come with a sensor to detect objects in their path. Most sensors are very sensitive, the tilt sensor in all mowers is programmed to stop the blades or shut off the unit altogether when triggered. Others have sonar “eyes” that slow the mower down to a crawl before impact.
The designs of the Robot Mowers eliminate the possibility of objects being thrown from beneath the mowers. The fact that there have been no recorded ER visits related to robotic mowers as on date is testimony to the safety of the machines.
Another inbuilt safety feature is the ground speed of the Robot Mowers. All the mowers have nearly the same speed of around sixty feet per minute, allowing you enough time to walk away if required.
However, the ground speed along with all the safety features that are present in all robot mowers makes them virtually accident free.
Some models are equipped with theft protection systems, which include a disabling system activated by a passcode and supported by an alarm system.
Battery/Power
The Robot Mowers can be easily charged with the standard household current. The batteries can be lead acid, lithium ion or nickel cadmium, each with its own advantages. Though solar powered mowers are also available, they are not as efficient as the others and are also not quite so cost effective.
Lead Acid batteries are the most economical, with a reasonable service life. Being the haeviset of the batteries, the weight helps in providing traction. It is important to go with the battery size recommended for the size of your lawn, as these batteries tend to lose capacity year on year.
Lithium Ion batteries are more expensive and amazingly light. The weight to power ration of these batteries makes them very efficient for robotic mowing. They have a good service life and do not tend to get weaker over time. This battery can be fully charged in less than an hour and are the most popular of the lot.
Nickel Cadmium batteries are typically found in rechargeable tools of many kinds. These batteries appear to “remember” a smaller capacity if not discharged fully before each recharge.
Most high-end robot mowers can automate mowing by working to a set schedule. The robot will leave its charging station, of its own accord, and begin mowing, then travel back to its dock when it needs to be recharged.
Storage
Forget the lawn mowers of yore with awkward handles sticking out and the difficulty of keeping them in the barn or the garage. The robot mower is small and sleek and can be stowed away safely on a shelf, or in the corner of the garage.
Maintenance
Your robot mower does not require much maintenance since there is no emptying of grass or cleaning required. It is however recommended that blades be replaced every year to ensure optimum performance. There is no oil to be changes, and no spark plugs to be replaced making it a truly convenient machine to have around the house.
Why Choose a Robot Mower
Apart from the features mentioned above another key reason to choose a robot mower is that it is programmable. The mower can be scheduled to operate on a particular time and date, freeing you up to plan other activities. Whether directly through the robot mower base or via Bluetooth, wi-fi or your smartphone, depending on the model, programmability is indeed a key feature.
Another reason to choose a robot mower is that it is incredibly competent. Quick, clean, quiet and efficient come to mind as soon as the robot mower is mentioned. The robot machine frees you up to spend time with family and friends while it works on the lawn, as many times as required. Operating lightly on rechargeable resources, the robot mower is also environmentally friendly. It works quietly, without disturbing the peace of the household (or the neighborhood). The quiet electric engines will work for hours without making any noise at all.
The robot mower can work in any weather and keep your lawn in top shape.
Our recommendation - Robot Lawn Mowers Conclusion
We looked at all the robot lawn mowers available on Amazon and we checked out a few of them, talked to the manufacturers, owners, and read all the feedback they have got. We came to the conclusion that the robot lawn mower that is at the sweet spot between performance and price is the Worx WG794.
Though the Husqvarna 430 X is a great option, we feel that it is better to spend considerably lower and go in for the Worx robot Lawn Mower. It has earned a lot of decent reviews, and a few bad ones. The Husqvarna is a better brand and it has a good reputation, but the problems of robot lawn Mowers seem to be similar across all lawn mower brands. If you are going to have the same kind of problems no matter which robot lawn mower you buy, then it is better to go in for the lower priced one.
However if you are looking at a big lawn with inclines, then we suggest that you go in for the Husqvarna 967622505 430 X Automower.
Here is a comparison video of the Husqvarna 330 X, which is the previous version of the one we are recommending, the Husqvarna 430 X.
If you have a small lawn and you really want to go low cost, then you can try the Robomow RX12, with a surprisingly low price. However, do not expect it to perform miracles, it will be a small robot lawn mower that will be able to do less than the others in this list. It is not super efficient or perfect in any way, but it should do the job if all things fall into place.
A robot lawn mower will keep your lawn well mowed and beautiful, charge by itself, work by itself and prove to be incredibly useful to anyone who needs to mow a lawn, whether small or big.