Robot Mowers
Tested and Reviewed by Fred-in-the-shed
Updated 16th May 2022
Since starting Fredshed in 1999 I have carried out long term testing on 6 robot mowers and studied many others.
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Important Facts - The True Pros & Cons of Buying a Robot Mower
History of Robotic lawnmowers This is me back in 2005 with my first two robot mowers. Both are mulching mowers that finely chop the grass.
You can see from this image that the larger one can cut as wide as the
wheels and right up to the edge of your lawn. The smaller one will
always leave a 6 inch strip of grass around the edge of your lawn that
you will need to strim or use shears on.
The first robot lawnmower was made in 1995 by the Swedish Electrolux
company followed from Robomow from Israel and Mowbots from Italy.
The very first robot lawnmower was solar powered!
Currently around
twenty manufacturers sell to the
UK market and all now come with a charging station where the mower
returns for re-charging. Early models had to be manually charged
and used heavy lead acid batteries. All now use Lithium Ion
batteries that are lighter, smaller and more powerful.
The latest developments are apps for smartphones so you can cut your
lawn and control your mower from anywhere in the world and in 2022 GPS
assistance.
Robot Mowers really do work, but there is a cost. Replacement batteries are expensive and if the perimeter wire
gets cut it can be a pain to find it underground to repair it. Robot
mowers contain several sophisticated, and expensive to replace micro
chips.
The current crop of robot mowers are reliable and timesaving machines.
I believe that one day they will be as common as washing machines. Robot Mowers Facts
Until 2019 all Robot mowers operated by working within a perimeter wire, powered by a mains plug
or battery pack. Perimeter wires are pegged down and eventually disappear 2-3 inches below the grass.
There is now a new model with no perimeter wire that I hope to see and
test soon. Most models come with a charging station and a separate
garage/cover can be purchased separately to give some protection from
rain and snow. Robot mowers contains an expensive battery that
won't get used much in winter. So I recommend bringing in the mower if
the temperature falls below -5c. If the perimeter wire gets cut it can be easily fixed with a waterproof
connector - if you can find the break! Expect to replace the batteries every
4-5 years and be horrified at the price, (unless you buy a Worx robot). All robot mowers mulch the grass and don't collect it
which is good if you cut regularly. It is not always
necessary, but you could probably
benefit by making a few small alterations to your lawn shape. A simpler shaped lawn will maximise the cutting performance of your robotic mower. What is the Cheapest Robot mower?
The really cheapest robot mowers can be found on ebay
from far eastern manufacturers who will use the lowest quality parts and
offer no technical support or parts backup. You may as well flush your money down the toilet and
throw some plastic in the ocean to save yourself some hassle. On a more
realistic level the cheapest robot mower that has any chance of a useable
lifespan is in my opinion the Lawnmaster L10. This
is powered by an 18v lithium ion battery and will cut up to 400
square metres.
This simple Robot is not internet enabled
which helps keep the price down and improve reliability.
This also makes programming and using it really easy. I am currently testing the Lawnmaster L10 on my small
lawn and love its compact size and whisper quiet operation. The Lawnmaster L10 uses all the tried and tested
features of previous robots and makes them easier to use. Setup is standard but the programming is super simple
and I will be reporting more here soon. Lawnmaster have a UK office and offer good technical
support. Buy Lawmaster Mower Direct from Manufacturer with a 10% Fredshed discount Use code Fred10 at checkout Flymo and Other
Electrolux Robot Mowers The Flymo 1200R has been around for about 6 years and works in the same way as most
robot mowers by cutting randomly within a perimeter wire. It has 3 small
spinning blades
and returns to its docking station to recharge. It can be set off
manually by pressing a large top mounted button or it can be programmed
to come out and cut whenever you want it to. Overall this is a simple,
well designed machine and ideal for small gardens. Update - Flymo
discontinued the 1200R and have a new range of robot mowers that have bluetooth capability.
The smallest is the EasiLife 150 Go.
Flymo EasiLife
150 GO Robotic Lawn Mower - Cuts Up to 150 sq m,
The parent company of Flymo
is Husqvarna who have a long history of
developing robot mowers. They actually invented the first robot mower in
1995 and also make the McCullough Rob 600 and Rob1000 which are similar
to
the Flymo but with a larger batteries.
All run off an 18v batteries with different amp hour ratings for longer
run times. Check the links below and if the McCullough is not
much more than the Flymo get the McCullogh.
Mcculloch ROB 600 Robotic Lawn Mower 18 V, Up to 600 sq
m, Use link below for my best value robot mower for lawns
up to 1000m square.
McCulloch R1000 - Lithium Ion Robot Lawnmower Worx Landroid Robot Lawnmowers
Worx Landroid -now with Wi-fi Control The Landroid can be set up and controlled from your smartphone and does not even
have an LCD screen to swear at. It communicates to the user via flashing LED lights - so you
can swear at those if need be. It can be overridden, which is good because I know that all these clever gadgets are
only as good as your Wifi signal. An example of this is my Sonos wireless hi-fi which often packs up halfway through
my favorite song! Doh. The main downside with robot mowers is that most of them can't cut to the edge so
you need another mower or trimmer to finish the job. This is due to safety rules and the nanny state trying to protect every moron
from every danger. This new Worx Landroid has a unique blade design that cuts almost to the edge and
only leaves a 2.5cm strip to deal with. Another unique feature is that the charging base is a "drive
through" so it will need to be situated on the edge of your lawn not in a corner
like most others. There are 4 Landroid models and all run off an interchangeable 20v Li-ion battery from the
Worx powertool system. The small model has a 2 amp hour battery and will cut up to 300
sq m, while the largest model that cuts up to 1500 sq m, will have the biggest
4 amp hour battery, both can be exchanged so you could upgrade the cheapest
model just by buying a bigger battery. WORX WR142E M700 Landroid
Robotic Mower WORX
Landroid Anti Collision System (ACS) Worx WA0194 Garage for Landroid Models S, M and L Bosch S350 Inego Robot Mower
This was the original model that I was introduced
to at the Bosch factory on a press event. The model shown
above has been replaced by 7 new models, including the Indego S350 and the
internet connected S350 Connect. The unique feature of the Indego is that it
cuts in straight lines instead of the random pattern like other robot mowers. This increases battery duration and reduces wear marks on your lawn. The other unique feature is that it analyses the weather
in your area and will delay mowing. Like the Flymo and McCullough robots the Bosch Indego 350 is powered by a built in 18v, 2.5 amp
hour Li-ion battery. A full charge will give 30 minutes of run time and cut up to 350
sq m.
The Husqvarna 105 Automower The Husqvarna robot mower shown above is the 220AC
Auotmower that I tested on my lawn for 2 seasons. It has been replaced with the 105 automower that now has a
Lithium Ion battery, that will run for 70 minutes and cut up to 600sq m. The automower blades are like 3 small razor blades
located on the edge of a rotating disc. It is very quiet and has an amazing amount of
programming and setup options to suit many lawn types and user
requirements. Husqvarna also own the Flymo brand who offer the cheapest
credible robot mower in the UK, and the McCulloch brand. The entry level Husqvarna robotic mowers use the
same 3 wheel platform and many other common parts as the Flymo and McCullough models . The more expensive Husqvarna robotic mowers are different and can cut the largest of lawns and are backed up with service and
installation options.
Flymo Robotic Lawnmower 1200 R McCulloch R1000 Robot Lawnmower MS1000 Robomow
- Now Discontinued
Features rain sensor and anti-theft device
My test lawn is fairly small so so the MS1000 had no problem mowing it as
the powerful Lithium-ion battery can cut an area 1000 sq m, in one go.
Setup was fast and easy using the tried and tested Robomow ruler and
excellent instructions. The base station and perimeter wire are powered
by a mains adapter.
Programming is easy with an LCD screen and simple
button choice. The cutting height adjuster is the best I have seen. Just
lift the top flap and turn a knob. The simple blades are
razor sharp and a special tool is supplied for changing them safely.
The MS1000 gives a 56cm cut and is the only Robotic mower that cuts wider
than its wheels so does not leave an uncut edge around your lawn.
The Robomow MS1000 is incredibly quiet and gives a superb cut. The build
quality is high and I cant see any issue with this or the base station
surviving outside in the UK but I would take it inside for the winter
months.
The smartphone app is excellent and can be used for remote programming
The MS1000 is powered by a 26v 4.6 amp hour battery. The smallest model in
the range is the RX12u model that is around £500 and for small
lawns up to 150 sq m.
Robomow
RX12U Robotic Lawnmower
The Stihl RMI422 iMow Robot Mower
Stihl robot mowers were originally green coloured Viking
models but have been rebranded into the main
company. The RMI 422 is the entry level model starting at about
£1000 and larger more expensive models are available. This is a
well designed and relatively "conventional" robot mower with no surprises
or gimmicks. It has 15 cut heights from 20-60mm and can have a 5 year
warranty. It is exceptionally high quality and I have even been to the
factory in Austria where it is made. The advantage of this model is the backup and
support available from the established Stihl dealers in the UK who
are all be trained and available to service this product. Stay on this page for Robot Mowers |
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Discontinued Robot Mowers Friendly Robotics RL500 Robomow I used this and a couple of similar models over a 10 year period on 3 different sized lawns. This Israeli made mower had 5 motors! 2 driving the rear wheels like a tank, and 3 more to power the 3 separate blades. It cut extremely well and was very reliable. It used old style lead acid batteries and my ones lasted 5 years before needing replacing. This model has been discontinued and the company has been sold to MTD of the USA who made the robots under their Cadet Cub name but now use the Robomow name. The RL500 and RL350 and RL550, RL800 and RL1000 that were sold in the UK by Friendly Robotics can still be serviced by Mowermagic in Lincolnshire.
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Ambrogio Mowbot 200 Testing a Mowbot 200 back in 2007 My Italian made Mowbot was one of the first robots with a charging station had a remote control for areas outside the wired perimeter so it could be used to mow small area separate to a main lawn. This Mowbot 200 used one motor with one blade so it was light enough to be carried up steps to other lawns if required. The Mowbot range was produced by Ambrogio of Italy who continue to make Robotic Lawnmowers under their own name. Mowbot is now a USA based company partly owned by Husqvarna who are planning new models for the USA. in Europe the latest innovation from Ambrogio is the first robot mower that does not require a perimeter wire, Robot AMBROGIO L60 Deluxe elettrico . The Ambrogio L60 is a small robot for the smallest lawns (up to 200 sq m) and looks similar to my old Mowbot 200 shown above.
If a robot mower is too expensive or complicated for you click here for my new page on cordless mowers
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