What is The Best Robot Lawn Mower?

If you’re looking for a convenient yet effective way to mow your lawn, then a robot lawn mower might just be the perfect match for you! There are many people out there with a tight schedule, which makes it hard to squeeze in lawn maintenance. Additionally, physical capacity is one of the main factors that you have to consider when doing yard work. There are those who may have difficulties in mowing their lawns manually, or even in a riding lawn mower. Given all of these factors, robot lawn mowers are able to provide solutions. Batteries power many of these machines and run on electric motors, allowing them to work quietly and not disruptively. Moreover, this is one of the more environmentally friendly options for lawn mowing.

Do robot lawn mowers really work?

Robot lawn mowers have special features that allow them to operate efficiently and effectively in your yard. They are also versatile in terms of the yard they can work on. You would not need to have a small yard that is perfectly rectangular in shape. In fact, the majority of robot lawn mowers are not able to work on yards of various sizes and terrains. Even with obstacles, these lawn mowers are effectively maneuver around particular obstacles such as swimming pools, flower beds, poles, and the like.

Even if you have a lawn that’s on the bigger side of the spectrum, robot lawn mowers will still be able to get the work done. Usually, recommendations for big yards are riding lawn mowers. While that is much more preferred, there are some people that simply don’t have the time and even the physical capacity to mow their lawns. Robot lawn mowers will allow these people to have a clean and healthy yard without having to compromise their schedules and health should they have physical hindrances.

How do robotic lawn mowers work?

This is one of the most common questions when it comes to robot lawn mowers, and it’s understandably so. Before activating your robot lawn mower, you would first have to set up a perimeter wire around the area that you want to get work done. Basically, this perimeter wire, as the name suggests, indicates where the robot lawn mower would operate in. When the robot senses that it’s nearing this perimeter wire, it will change its course in a different direction to avoid coming into contact with it. Moreover, this allows for cleaner track marks on your yard.

You would also not have to worry about the possible obstructions around your yard. Through a wire, the robot lawn mower received a signal from the perimeter of the cutting area, as well as from the objects that are lying in the middle of the cutting area. The robot lawn mowers have sensors as well that allow them to recognize obstructions in the way. Once the sensors activate, the lawn mower will stop and backup before turning and moving in a different direction.

There are also some latest models that have a GPS feature where you will be able to accurately determine its location. With this feature, you can control it to keep away from obstacles. There are innovations that robot lawn mowers have as well, such as pivoting blades. These blades don’t cut. Rather, they bounce when the robot lawn mower comes into contact with a solid object. Another innovative feature is its ability to map terrains. This will allow the robot lawn mower to generate more power in preparation for steep slopes and less flat terrains. Newer versions of robot lawn mowers have a 360-degree laser or radar sensors to recognize possible obstacles or hazards coming in their way.

Do robot lawn mowers collect grass?

Robot lawn mowers mulch the grass clippings instead of collecting them. These machines are usually for more frequent use in your yard, so its mechanism allows for finer grass clippings. This means that your lawn would have an even layer of grass clippings on top that won’t even be noticeable. As compared to other lawn mowers, these would normally be clumped together and sit on top of the ground. This would make your lawn mower look less tidy. With the mulching feature of the robot lawn mower, your yard will enjoy benefits that even your soil will also take advantage of:

Positive effects of the mulching feature:

• There would not be any waste of grass clippings. Moreover, the effort of collecting and taking them to the garden waste bin will no longer be a norm for you. When using conventional lawn mowers, you have most probably experienced running out of room in your garden waste bins. Because of that, you would have no choice but to drive to your nearest recycling center. Only then would you throw away the extra grass clippings.
• In line with the previous bullet point, mulching adds more nutrients to your soil. The fine grass clippings are evenly spread out back into your yard. Because of that, the nutrients of those clipping becomes available for your soil to use. What this translates to is having less effort, time, and even money in putting fertilizers on your soil. There are conventional lawn mowers that have no mulching feature or are not as fine as a robot lawn mower. With that, you would have to fertilize your lawn much more frequently. Generally, your grass will look healthier with fertilizer for an estimate of four weeks. However, in a relatively short period of time, the grass will get less vibrant and green. You will start to notice this change a lot more after every cut. With robot lawn mowers, as mentioned earlier, you would only have to put fertilizer for approximately twice per year. You can do this during the spring, and once in autumn.
• Overall, your yard will look much better and healthier. In line with the previous bullet point, you would not be removing nutrients from the soil. Instead, you would actually give it more in addition to your fertilizer. This translates to a healthier and greener yard. Again, robot lawn mowers are designed to be used frequently on your lawn as well. Given that, you would regularly have an even lawn that is freshly cut. You would only need minimal effort when it comes to maintaining a healthier and more vibrant yard with robot lawn mowers.

How long do robotic lawn mowers last?

Given all of the useful features and positive feedback, it is natural to ask how long its lifespan actually is. You must take into account that every part of a robot lawn mower is replaceable. Given that, it would be able to last more than twenty years should the parts need replacing. However, there may be instances where the robot lawn mower may be beyond repair. So, in practice, the lifespan of a robot lawn mower would be around ten years and above. As long as it is annually serviced and there are no damages to it, it would reach this age. Of course, you should also take into account its power source. Batteries operate and power the engines of a robot lawn mower. Generally, you would have to replace them in order to keep it performing at its optimal level. Each battery would last around three to six years as a rough approximation of its lifespan.

Moreover, robot lawn mowers are generally designed to withstand all weather conditions. However, it will not work as effectively in stormy or wet conditions as well as in sub-zero temperatures; having them operate in such conditions may also lead to more damages to your robot lawn mower. Given that, you would want to keep your machine indoors to prevent damages from incurring.

As some tips to keep your robot lawn mower pristine and on top of its game, there are some people who buy garages to store their units. Some also choose covers to do so. With these covers, you will be able to protect your robot lawn mower from direct sunlight, heavy rain, and strong winds. Moreover, these will save you the time and effort from lifting the robot lawn mower inside and outside. However, the beginning and the end of the growing season are exemptions.

Are robotic lawn mowers safe?

In comparison to conventional lawn mowers, robot lawn mowers are actually safer. There have not been any reports of severe injuries from robot lawn mowers in the last twenty or so years.

Serious accidents from conventional lawn mowers mainly happen when the body parts come into contact with the spinning blades. Another possible cause of serious injuries is when the cutting blades expel debris, such as stones, that it has come into contact with and hits the operator. Some instances also include when body parts touch the hot surface of the mower or the ignition.

On the other hand, robot lawn mowers have different possible causes behind injuries that may occur to the operator. Robot lawn mowers use a different cutting system and technology from conventional lawn mowers, which greatly decreases the chances of injury. They are equipped with several safety features that accommodate other of its effective and unique features. Below are some of its safety features that make that drive the market growth of robot lawn mowers today as well as in the coming years.

Safety Features of Robot Lawn Mowers

Collision Sensors

Robot lawn mowers are designed to move in a slow fashion in order to lessen the impact of a possible collision. Given that, there would be a little injury, if nothing at all, when someone comes into contact with the robot lawn mower. The chances of collision will be really low because of the low speed. Moreover, they are equipped with collision detective systems that will recognize possible obstructions in the way of your lawn mower and then stop. This feature will also prevent the robot lawn mower itself from damages and injuries to itself.

Lift Sensor

All robot lawn mowers are equipped with lift sensors. This is a feature that activates when the lawn mower’s wheels are lifted off of the ground. This would either be when someone lifts it up themselves or when the robot lawn mower gets stuck or accidentally tilts over something; this doesn’t necessarily mean that two wheels should be completely off the ground as this sensor could be triggered when just one wheel is lifted up. When any of these situations happen, the emergency stop will activate.

Tilt Sensor

This feature corresponds to the previously mentioned sensor, which is the lift sensor. This prevents further access of other foreign objects into the cutting blades in the middle of an operation. If the robot lawn mower tilts beyond a set angle, the emergency stop will also activate, making the blades stop from whirring immediately. The combination of the lift and tilt sensors make it significantly safe as foreign objects, such as rocks and even body parts, from injuries from the blades.

Stone Expulsion Prevention

The motors of the cutting systems are specifically designed to work weakly. Although they are equipped with sufficient power to cut grass, it is not enough to actually inflict damage to other objects. When a robot lawn mower comes into contact with a piece of debris, such as stones, it will not move it too far. It is also unlikely to expel a stone from under the machine because of the enclosed shell around the blades and its low ground clearance. Ultimately, this feature of a robot lawn mower decreases the chances of the operator or anyone else around the vicinity from getting hit by a foreign object.

Child Safety

Children are very quick and oftentimes reckless when it comes to their movements, especially given their curiosity. Given the previously mentioned safety features, the blades of the robot lawn mower would immediately stop should a child do anything to it. They would most likely try to tip or reach underneath the robot lawn mower because of their curiosity. However, despite these built-in safety features, you shouldn’t leave your children unattended around outdoor equipment in general especially when they are under operation. Doing so would lessen the risk of injury on top of all the safety features as well.

How much does a robot lawn mower cost?

There is a wide range of robot lawn mower prices out there in the market that will suit your budget. In terms of robot lawn mowers for domestic use, the price would generally range from £500 to £3,100. Of course, commercial-grade robot lawn mowers would cost more than this for its high-performance features. Generally, the price of a robot lawn mower would essentially depend on the needs of your lawn mower, such as its size and terrain to name a few factors.

What you should look for is the maximum incline that the robot lawn mower can handle, as well as its maximum lawn size. Aside from these factors, other unique features depending on the various manufacturers of these robot lawn mowers. Many of them offer a number of models that may suit your preferences and lawn needs.

Tools Official’s Top Pick for Robot Lawn Mower

Here at Tools Official, we are able to form our lawn mower reviews from our expert researchers; simple, clear, and reliable are three of the main elements that we seek when making conclusions in terms of what is the best robot lawn mower, in the case of this topic. We’ve compiled over 10,378 reviews in order to come up with a concise review that simply breaks down the pros and cons of a lawn mower. Through that, it’s safe to say that the Husqvarna Automower 115H is our top pick for robot lawn mower.

Husqvarna Automower 115H

Robot lawn mowers generally operate efficiently under any weather conditions with the exemption of heavy rains. However, with the Husqvarna Automower 115H, this robot lawn mower can even mow in the rain. Even then, it will be able to cut grass evenly especially with its frequent use. Moreover, robot lawn mowers are designed for the operator to not withstand the exhaustion of having to manually mow their lawn. This includes withstanding hot weather conditions as well. Many users of this model have expressed that they did not need to do yard work even during hot days. In terms of safety and security features, the Automower has an alarm that will set off when someone tries to steal it.

Check out our full review here.

Wrapping Up

While one of the main novelties of robot lawn mowers is convenience, it also offers more than just that. It also allows you to cut your grass evenly and even make your soil healthier with its mulching feature. There are also people that may be adamant or hesitant when it comes to the topic of safety, and it’s understandably so. Leaving a working lawn mower to do its work under little supervision can get worrying. However, there is evidence that points to its efficiency and effectiveness in terms of mowing as well as safety.