Lawnmowers tested and reviewed by Fred In The Shed

Robot Mowers Tested and Reviewed By Fred-in-the-Shed

Updated 22nd May 2012

Breaking news!

John Deere Launch New Robot Mower at 2012 Chelsea Flower Show

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Robot Lawnmowers Tested and compared

There are 2 sorts of Robot Lawnmower.

Fully Robotic Lawmowers - Charge themselves and can be programmed to come out and cut the lawn whenever you like and on their own.

Then the poor cousin!

Automatic Lawnmowers - work alone - but need help re-charging and must be activated for each cut.

Both Types are mulching mowers and do not collect grass.

The first robot lawmower was made by Electrolux of Sweden, other models have followed from Israel and Italy.
The latest developments are large commercial size robotic mowers made in Belgium.
I have extensively studied and tested some of these models and can offer advice on various models that start at £800.
Robot Mowers really do work, but like any machine have some negative aspects. Replacement batteries are expensive and if the perimeter wire gets cut it can be a pain to find it underground to repair it.
Apart from these little drawbacks the machines are amazing and are reliable and timesaving machines that will one day be as common as washing machines.

I have tipped up 2 fully automatic mowers to show you the different blade types. Both are mulching mowers and the one on the left has 3 blades and a wider cut.
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 ich strip of grass around the edge of your lawn that you will need to strim or use shears on.

My original Friendly Robotics RL500 Robomow
(lasted 5 years of extensive use before needing replacement battery)

Be a real clever dick, Cut your lawn at night!

I have extensively tested 3 makes including the basic friendly robotics mower and the Mobow* 200 which has it's own charging base and comes out on it's own to cut your lawn. This little mower even has a rain sensor and an optional remote control for use outside it's perimeter wire.
Electrolux also make a Robot lawnmowers, called automowers, but I have not tested them yet. I will endeavour to do so.
* The Mowbot range was produced by Ambrogio of Italy who still continue to make Robotic Lawnmowers but now use the name AutoLawnMow

Robot Mowers FAQ's
Apart from one model all operate by working within a perimeter wire
Perimeter wires are pegged down and eventually disappear 2-3 inches below the grass
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 3-4 years - this will not be cheap as they use high spec batteries

Testing a Mowbot in 2007

This one also has a remote control for areas outside the wired perimeter

The best Robot Mowers have their own "recharging kennel" where the live and return to after cutting your lawn. An example I have tried is the Mowbot from Ambrogio of Italy. (now called AutoLawnMow)
The latest AutoLawn Mow machines come in a range of sizes and can cut the largest lawns. They use the same method as the Friendly Robotcs Robomow of cutting everything within a perimeter wire which you can easily install.

Unlike the more simple Robomowers this product uses mains (not battery) power for the wire which is great but requires a socket for the transformer. I would recommend that the transformer be positioned in an outbuilding as it is slightly noisy. I installed one in my house and the buzzing drove me INSANE!!!!! (that's my excuse)

The Mowbot and its "charging Kennel"

This Mowbot had only has one motor and one blade (unlike the double bladed, triple motored Robomow) so it is considerably lighter and can be carried easily even with the batteries connected.
The latest Mowbots/ AutoLawnMow's have incredibly powerful but lightweight lithium ion batteries which enable these little machines to cut large areas of grass efficiently and with ease.

All Robotic lawnmowers are mulching rotary mowers so don't collect grass. The "clippings" are cut so fine they disappear into your lawn and actually improve its quality by adding nutrients.

I did not believe this at first but can confirm after over 5 years of using robotic lawnmowers that all the lawns I have cut with them have significantly improved and in some cases no longer required fertilisers or weed killers.

The Mowbot is light weight and has powerful batteries and clever electronics to maximise efficiency.

The Husqvarna Automower 220AC

Over the last 10 years I have used various Robomows , the Mowbot. and now the Husqvarna Automower.

The British made Husqvarna Robot Mower is similar to the Mowbots in having a lightweight and simple motor and blade setup.

The automower blades are like small razor blades located on the edge of a rotating disc. In comparison the Friendly Robotics' Robomowers have 3 dual sided blades each powered by their own motor and covering the whole width of the mower. In terms of the quality of cut I prefer the Robomow.

The Automower 220 AC is the entry level model and is a true robot mower as it returns to its charging station and comes out whenever you want it to.

It is very quiet and has an amazing amount of programming and setup options to suit many lawn types and user requirements.

The John Deere Tango E5 Automnomus Mower

New for 2012 this mower has one mulching blade and is the type that charges itself up from its "kennel"

From the spec and what I could see at Chelsea this is a well designing and relatively "conventional" robot mower with no surprises or gimmicks.

It will cut an area of approximately 2 tennis courts on one charge.

The advantage of this model could be the backup and support that is available from around 200 John Deere dealers in the UK who will all be trained and available to service this product.

price approx £2000

The charging" kennel" can be seen behind the mower under a grassed cover

If a robot mower is too expensive or complicated for you

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Thank you. Fred

Electric lawn rakers and scaryfiers tested

Small size and Electric Lawn Rakers

To keep your lawn well drained and cleared of "thatch" build up I recommend using a powered lawnraker. (also known as an electric scarifier).

Doing this job by hand is for the super-fit, super-skint or totally insane!

Sadly, like grass trimmers there are a lot of poorly designed and made models available.

The Black and Decker GD200GB had been around for a long time and is a cheap and cheerful workhorse for lawnraking. It has been replaced by the GD300 with a 600w motor. Bosch made a similar and slightly better built model called the AMR32F lawn raker. It has now been replaced by two 900watt models. One has tines the other has metal blades and will rip your lawn apart.

If you have a large lawn you will need a more powerful lawn aerator. The budget price 400w electric ones are not up to the job and will take ages to cover the distance, or burn out under the strain. There are better and more expensive machines for larger lawns but at £70 these cheapie lawmakers I tested were adequate for use once a year on small lawns

TOP TIP - don't set blades too deep or use on hard dry lawns - this may burn out your motor!

Another option is the Qualcast Classic range of Cylinder mowers that come in petrol or electric versions and have the innovative QX scarifier cassette system. I have used the system and although it is a bit of a pain to fit it does work well.

I am currently testing the new Draper 1300W raker/scarifier which comes with 2 interchangeable cylinders, one with wire blades for raking and the other with fixed metal blades for deeper aerating. I am also testing the Bosch ALR 900 electric lawnraker and have used the Flymo model.

All of the above machines have their pros and cons, all could and should be improved.

Other good makes of heavier duty lawn rakers are

AL-KO and Wolf Garten

Please use my links or mail me if you need help choosing a lawnraker.

See different makes and heavy duty lawn scarifiers