ᐅ Lawn mowing robot is here – which one do you use and what are your thoughts on it?
Created on: 8 Feb 2021 23:57
T
Tarnari
Hello everyone,
As mentioned above, we want to get a robotic lawn mower to start the spring season.
Which ones do you use, recommend, or avoid, and why?
Does it have to be a Husqvarna, or is a Worx also good enough? Why one and not the other?
I’m very interested in hearing about your experiences.
Best regards
Tarnari
As mentioned above, we want to get a robotic lawn mower to start the spring season.
Which ones do you use, recommend, or avoid, and why?
Does it have to be a Husqvarna, or is a Worx also good enough? Why one and not the other?
I’m very interested in hearing about your experiences.
Best regards
Tarnari
@Tarnari It always depends, as usual.
How is the lawn area shaped, is there a slope or not, how large is it, are there children or pets, do you want app control, obstacle detection, etc.?
I have some experience with robotic mowers.
If you provide more details, I’m sure we can help.
If you don’t mind having an extra box (gateway), you could also consider Gardena. Gardena is owned by Husqvarna, and under the colored cover it’s actually a Husqvarna device.
If the garden is very complex, you’ll need a mower with multiple guide wires.
Always oversize the mower (significantly). For example, the area listed by Husqvarna is the mowing capacity on a square lawn within 24 hours including charging times. You should definitely keep that in mind! If the kids are out half the day, you might need a mower twice as large...
There’s really no such thing as too big. For example, our garage roof is done mowing within an hour 😉
For fallen fruit and such, a mower with fixed blades is more suitable.
There are different options when it comes to boundary wires. I prefer above-ground installation. Within a few months, they’re completely overgrown. But you have the option to quickly make adjustments if the distances aren’t quite right, etc.
I would also lay the guide wires above ground initially. Once everything works properly, you can still bury them. For example, by using an old angle grinder to cut a shallow trench and then pressing the cable into it. This also makes scarifying or aerating the lawn possible.
I hope you have a power outlet near the lawn area.
I can only recommend a robotic mower. Since the lawn is mowed daily and the mulch acts as fertilizer, the lawn is much healthier than usual. Usually, mowing is done once a week and too much is cut at once. If the mower is properly sized and equipped with appropriate sensors, there’s no danger to animals. Somehow that misconception persists strongly.
So far, I’ve mostly used Husqvarna and Gardena, but also Worx, Bosch, Robomow, Ambrogio...
Mowers that follow a fixed pattern (e.g., Bosch) and are not random are only suitable for rectangular lawns.
Worx, for example, has an off-center/mounted cutting deck. This reduces the required mowing edge.
I prefer Husqvarna and Gardena. I’ve only had good experience with them.
Husqvarna has the advantage of a built-in SIM card. That means no Wi-Fi needed for app control, etc. The service is included in the purchase price.
Don’t forget to change the blades occasionally 😉 but that takes only about 2 minutes.
Watching a robotic mower has something almost meditative 😎
If I remember your garden correctly, the lawn wraps in a U-shape around the house and terrace.
The best would be a mower with two guide wires. Four wheels are better than three. The charging station could be next to or on the terrace (it can also be a bit off-center) or opposite the terrace. The disadvantage is that you would need power there and would have to cross the lawn every time you want to do something with the mower.
How large is the area? Around 200–300m2 (2150–3200 sq ft)?
I would look at Gardena (e.g., Smart Sileno Life 750). It’s just under 1000 EUR online.
Husqvarna would require a higher budget.
How is the lawn area shaped, is there a slope or not, how large is it, are there children or pets, do you want app control, obstacle detection, etc.?
I have some experience with robotic mowers.
If you provide more details, I’m sure we can help.
If you don’t mind having an extra box (gateway), you could also consider Gardena. Gardena is owned by Husqvarna, and under the colored cover it’s actually a Husqvarna device.
If the garden is very complex, you’ll need a mower with multiple guide wires.
Always oversize the mower (significantly). For example, the area listed by Husqvarna is the mowing capacity on a square lawn within 24 hours including charging times. You should definitely keep that in mind! If the kids are out half the day, you might need a mower twice as large...
There’s really no such thing as too big. For example, our garage roof is done mowing within an hour 😉
For fallen fruit and such, a mower with fixed blades is more suitable.
There are different options when it comes to boundary wires. I prefer above-ground installation. Within a few months, they’re completely overgrown. But you have the option to quickly make adjustments if the distances aren’t quite right, etc.
I would also lay the guide wires above ground initially. Once everything works properly, you can still bury them. For example, by using an old angle grinder to cut a shallow trench and then pressing the cable into it. This also makes scarifying or aerating the lawn possible.
I hope you have a power outlet near the lawn area.
I can only recommend a robotic mower. Since the lawn is mowed daily and the mulch acts as fertilizer, the lawn is much healthier than usual. Usually, mowing is done once a week and too much is cut at once. If the mower is properly sized and equipped with appropriate sensors, there’s no danger to animals. Somehow that misconception persists strongly.
So far, I’ve mostly used Husqvarna and Gardena, but also Worx, Bosch, Robomow, Ambrogio...
Mowers that follow a fixed pattern (e.g., Bosch) and are not random are only suitable for rectangular lawns.
Worx, for example, has an off-center/mounted cutting deck. This reduces the required mowing edge.
I prefer Husqvarna and Gardena. I’ve only had good experience with them.
Husqvarna has the advantage of a built-in SIM card. That means no Wi-Fi needed for app control, etc. The service is included in the purchase price.
Don’t forget to change the blades occasionally 😉 but that takes only about 2 minutes.
Watching a robotic mower has something almost meditative 😎
If I remember your garden correctly, the lawn wraps in a U-shape around the house and terrace.
The best would be a mower with two guide wires. Four wheels are better than three. The charging station could be next to or on the terrace (it can also be a bit off-center) or opposite the terrace. The disadvantage is that you would need power there and would have to cross the lawn every time you want to do something with the mower.
How large is the area? Around 200–300m2 (2150–3200 sq ft)?
I would look at Gardena (e.g., Smart Sileno Life 750). It’s just under 1000 EUR online.
Husqvarna would require a higher budget.
One more tip:
1. Buy a robotic lawn mower
2. Fully charge it in the garage or a similar place
3. Mow the lawn
4. Invite friends, mates, or family over (once it’s allowed again)
5. Installation
You can install a robotic lawn mower alone, but it’s more fun and much faster with several people.
3-4 people would be ideal for your situation.
Two people install the charging station, while the other two start laying the boundary wire. Begin the boundary wire at the station, leaving a 1-2 meter (3-6 feet) spare length. The station can be installed quickly. These two people can then start laying the guide wires.
Where the guide wires connect to the boundary wire, leave a small spare length (20-30 cm (8-12 inches)) of boundary wire as well.
Cut the boundary wire at this point, then connect it to the guide wire using gel-filled wire connectors (I recommend the ones from 3M).
Once everything is connected, place the mower in the station and “program” it. Since it’s already fully charged, it won’t take long before it starts working.
6. Sit on the terrace with a cold drink of your choice and watch your new roommate (Roberta, Mählanie, Shaun, etc.) at work.
7. Cheers to a day well done
1. Buy a robotic lawn mower
2. Fully charge it in the garage or a similar place
3. Mow the lawn
4. Invite friends, mates, or family over (once it’s allowed again)
5. Installation
You can install a robotic lawn mower alone, but it’s more fun and much faster with several people.
3-4 people would be ideal for your situation.
Two people install the charging station, while the other two start laying the boundary wire. Begin the boundary wire at the station, leaving a 1-2 meter (3-6 feet) spare length. The station can be installed quickly. These two people can then start laying the guide wires.
Where the guide wires connect to the boundary wire, leave a small spare length (20-30 cm (8-12 inches)) of boundary wire as well.
Cut the boundary wire at this point, then connect it to the guide wire using gel-filled wire connectors (I recommend the ones from 3M).
Once everything is connected, place the mower in the station and “program” it. Since it’s already fully charged, it won’t take long before it starts working.
6. Sit on the terrace with a cold drink of your choice and watch your new roommate (Roberta, Mählanie, Shaun, etc.) at work.
7. Cheers to a day well done
rick2018 schrieb:
e.g. Smart Sileno life 750). It costs just under 1000 EUR online. We have it for 350 m² (3767 ft²) of complex-shaped area with 5 islands; 5 hours of mowing time daily is sufficient.
We chose it because it has a large cutting deck in a compact body and 4 wheels; larger models often require longer mowing times.
Gardena or Worx. We have the Gardena Smart+, and we are very satisfied with it. Regarding price, always wait for offers with Gardena, as there are very often discounts of 30-50%. Ours would normally have cost 1,100 euros, but we bought it for 600 euros with a 5-year warranty 🙂.
Oh, a lawn mower topic.
I love mowing the lawn.
We, or more precisely I—she doesn’t mow—enthusiastically use a Husqvarna mulching mower with a 3.5 HP Briggs and Stratton engine, easy start, and self-propulsion. It starts after a maximum of two pulls, even handles the longest grass after a vacation, mulches like a robot, and cuts the lawn short with me in 15 minutes. It also has a wonderful 4-stroke sound. It costs about 380.00 euros. It runs fine on regular gasoline or E10, and its oil consumption is still almost zero.
As long as I’m able to walk, I don’t want a robot to take away my fun. Also, a decent robot mower is definitely at least twice as expensive.
I love mowing the lawn.
We, or more precisely I—she doesn’t mow—enthusiastically use a Husqvarna mulching mower with a 3.5 HP Briggs and Stratton engine, easy start, and self-propulsion. It starts after a maximum of two pulls, even handles the longest grass after a vacation, mulches like a robot, and cuts the lawn short with me in 15 minutes. It also has a wonderful 4-stroke sound. It costs about 380.00 euros. It runs fine on regular gasoline or E10, and its oil consumption is still almost zero.
As long as I’m able to walk, I don’t want a robot to take away my fun. Also, a decent robot mower is definitely at least twice as expensive.
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