Finest robotic garden mowers to purchase in 2024
Finest robotic garden mowers at a look
Our experience
That can assist you discover a robotic garden mower appropriate in your backyard, we examined a spread of mowers for various measurement gardens, together with gardens with slopes and a fancy form. Every mower is in use for weeks at a time to permit us to evaluate its battery capability and chopping proficiency in addition to ease of use.
Every mower in our evaluate has an in depth listing of execs and cons for readability and has been rated in response to arrange and ease of use, chopping efficiency, further options and worth for cash. Each robotic mower in our round-up beneath has scored a minimal of three out of 5 stars, so you should purchase with confidence.
The robotic mower business is continually evolving, with new developments and advances, and we’re usually testing the newest fashions able to replace this evaluate. Please verify again quickly to see the outcomes of our new evaluations.
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Finest robotic garden mowers
Stihl iMOW 5
RRP: £1699
Our ranking: 4.8/5
Execs
- Simple to arrange on app
- Wide selection of chopping heights and cuts even longer grass effectively
- Quiet
- Good options together with rain sensor, anti-stuck and 40% slope capability
- Lengthy guarantee
Cons
- Have to be tech/app savvy
- No cellular connectivity for value
- Set up equipment offered individually
The iMow 5 is the smallest in a brand new vary of six robotic mowers from Stihl that cowl three sizes of bigger backyard – 1500m2, 300m2 and 500m2. Along with the iMow 5,6 and seven there’s additionally the iMow EVO vary that covers the identical measurement lawns with the identical options but in addition has cellular connectivity, permitting you to hook up with your mower even whenever you’re not at residence.
While you buy an iMow you might have the selection of instalment by a Stihl accepted supplier (the price of this can rely on the dimensions of your backyard), or putting in it your self and buying an extra set up equipment. To chop down on waste, completely different measurement set up kits can be found and in addition to the usual fixing pins which maintain the wires in place, there’s additionally the choice to buy bio pins, created from 100% biodegradable materials that steadily break down within the soil. Like many robotic mowers the iMow requires a boundary wire across the perimeter of the garden and a information wire by way of the center of the garden to assist it discover its means again to the docking station. The mower comes with a transparent instruction booklet plus there are useful guides on the Stihl web site in case you want them, and laying the wires in our 1250m2 take a look at backyard took 3-4 hours. When laying the wires, it’s price noting that the boundary wire must be 37cm from paths, a deck or fence, except they’re stage with the garden after which it may be proper up in opposition to them and 100cm from a pond. You additionally want a transparent 2m space straight in entrance of the docking station for the information wire and 37cm both aspect earlier than you begin laying the wires.
As soon as the wires are laid, it’s straightforward to programme the mower by way of its app – so long as you’re snug with this type of tech. There’s no management panel as such on the brand new iMows, so there’s no must bend over a management panel to set mowing instances, heights and zones and so forth. All of that is programmed by way of the My iMow app, which is fairly easy and intuitive to make use of, however solely works by way of your personal wifi at residence, if it reaches into your backyard, or by Bluetooth whenever you’re standing subsequent to the mower. There are additionally 4 massive management buttons on the mower that will let you cease, begin, unlock, and ship the mower residence with out utilizing the app, and an data button that talks to you and provides you standing updates.
Like many different robotic mowers, the iMow has three free-swinging blades and it cuts very effectively. The garden was fairly lengthy earlier than it was put in however with an impressively huge chopping top vary of 20-60mm it didn’t wrestle, and after a number of days the entire garden seemed good with no tufts of uncut grass and it continues to look good. Not like the Husqvarna Automower, when you’ve laid the boundary wire you’ll be able to’t utterly alter mowing zones and must raise and relay to alter this, however you’ll be able to divide your garden into zones by directing the mower to solely mow on one aspect of the information wire. It cuts near the sting so there’s no must tidy up afterwards and if it comes throughout an impediment, it gently bumps into it after which turns away. It additionally has a characteristic that helps it manoeuvre out of a state of affairs if it does get caught, it could possibly address slopes of 40 %, has an anti-theft alarm and a rain sensor characteristic, which you’ll be able to modify that interrupts, or doesn’t begin, mowing if it’s raining. You’ll be able to select what diploma of rain you need it to mow in and when the sensor on the highest of the mower dries it routinely begins mowing.
The iMow comes with a 5 12 months guarantee and there are a bunch of equipment accessible together with spare wire, pins and clips, a solar cover for the docking station and improve wheels for the EVO vary to allow them to chop slopes of as much as 60%.
For the dimensions of bigger garden it cuts, this can be a moderately priced mower that’s filled with options and cuts very effectively. We’re notably impressed with the vary of chopping heights, its means to chop longer grass and the simplicity of its design and awarded it a BBC Gardeners’’ World Journal Finest Purchase for efficiency.
Purchase the Stihl iMOW 5 from a Stihl accepted supplier
Segway Navimow i105E
RRP: £949
Our ranking: 4.8 out of 5
Out there from Navimow (£949)
Execs
- At 58 dB, it’s virtually silent when chopping
- Greater than sufficient cable to place the GPS antenna included
- The app affords dwell assist and options
- Cuts in straight strains so fewer tufts are left behind
Cons
- The default mild settings are far too brilliant
- It is advisable discover a place for a big GPS antenna in your backyard
- It makes a variety of pointless beeping noises till you flip them off
The most recent addition to Navimow’s fleet of robotic garden mowers has constructed on the success of the earlier H collection. They’ve listened to criticism and tweaked this new mower to work higher within the backyard with straightforward setup and spectacular options. Due to this we have awarded the i105N a BBC Gardeners’ World Journal Finest Purchase award for wire free garden mowing. Not solely is the GPS that helps information it across the backyard( the Actual Fusion Location System ) the upgraded 2.0 model, its digital camera expertise can detect and keep away from all types of obstacles within the backyard.
It’s a easy addition, however you now get 20 metres of antenna and energy cable, which makes placement of the GPS receiver a lot easier, and all with out the necessity to purchase further wires. The app may enable you to seek out the perfect place to place each the GPS antenna and the charging station in your backyard.
They’ve stored in our favorite options, just like the good app that permits you to drive the mower round like a distant management automotive to outline the form of your garden. You can even watch the mower work in actual time, and it lets you realize instantly if there are any issues. The mower additionally checks the climate by way of the web and adjusts the mowing program accordingly. The i105N mannequin can fortunately reduce reasonable sized gardens as much as 500 m², and because of the big orange wheels with an aggressive tread sample, it could possibly address slopes as much as 30%. The standard of reduce is simply nearly as good because the earlier mower, however now comes with a class-leading 20 – 60 mm vary of reduce depth. It nonetheless cuts the garden in pleasing straight strains as effectively, which helps to keep away from untouched tufts of grass.
Purchase the Segway Navimow i105E from Navimow
Worx Landroid Imaginative and prescient L1300 WR213E
RRP: £2199.99
Our ranking: 4.5/5
Execs
- No boundary cable to put in or GPS antennae to take care of
- Cuts as near the boundary as doable with a robotic mower
- It cuts lawns as much as 1300 m²
- You’ll be able to management a number of Landroid mowers by way of the app
Cons
- A big expense for a garden mower
A moderately astonishing leap ahead in robotic mowing expertise, the Worx Landroid mower does away with boundary cables and tough GPS receivers and makes use of cameras and AI expertise to mow your garden as a substitute. We awarded it a BBC Gardeners’ World Journal Finest Purchase for set up and options. This huge and futuristic trying mower is put in in seconds and connects to your telephone or pill by way of the Landroid app, though you can too management many of the capabilities by way of the onboard LCD display screen and dial in case you like. Utilizing cameras moderately than boundary wires, it is aware of the place your garden ends, retains an eye fixed out for obstacles, and even avoids hitting wildlife or pets. The chopping top ranges from 30 – 60 mm and you’ll modify this by way of the app or the LCD display screen, however the Landroid additionally self-levels the chopping deck to make sure that uneven floor is reduce correctly. The three blades beneath are offset, permitting the mower to chop near the sting of exhausting boundaries and massive knobbly wheels assist the mower preserve a superb grip on slopes as much as 35%. It cuts to a wonderful end and after a number of days mowing, there are not any tufts or patches of uncut grass. It creates its personal mowing schedule to go well with the time of 12 months and makes use of an ordinary Worx battery that you just may discover on one among their drills or saws. Filled with options and intelligent expertise, the one factor that may put you off is the value. Nonetheless, it is able to tackling enormous gardens as much as 1,300 m², so it’s splendid for very massive lawns, and will even substitute a experience on lawnmower. The mower comes with a two 12 months guarantee that may be prolonged to 3 years.
Husqvarna Automower 405X
RRP: From £1899.00
Our ranking: 4.5/5
Execs:
- Unobtrusive color
- Simple, cellular connectivity
- Intelligent mowing options
- GPS theft monitoring
Cons:
Awarded a BBC Gardeners’ World Journal Finest Purchase for options, the Automower 405x boasts an enormous vary of options that assist the mower reduce effectively and make the expertise straightforward for the consumer. These embrace, three completely different begin factors, switching mowing sample in response to the place it’s mowing, resembling by way of a slender passage, frost guard and climate time that routinely adjusts the peak in response to the grass progress, and its new Rewilding Zone the place you’ll be able to go away 10% of the garden apart to develop for pollinators.
It is that can be purchased as a naked mower, which is then put in by a supplier for an extra value, or with the set up equipment included and you put in it your self. Appropriate for smaller gardens 600m2, the mower operates with each a boundary wire and a information wire and in contrast to another mowers, has a extra versatile docking station, which doesn’t want a large, clear area round it – ours was tucked neatly into the aspect of a hedge. It’s additionally straightforward to arrange by way of the intuitive keypad or the spectacular Automower Join app, which lets you change the schedule, modify the peak of reduce, verify on the mower’s progress and obtain notifications, merely and rapidly regardless of the place you might be. As an X mannequin, the mower additionally has a inbuilt SIM so you might have each distant and voice managed management. Our solely confusion with arrange was understanding the scheduling wanted, which took a few weeks to determine, and that the peak of reduce on the app is listed as 1-9, when it cuts between 20mm and 50mm.
The mower can address 40% slopes, which ought to go well with most gardens. The slope in our take a look at backyard tends to get muddy and slippery so on the installer’s recommendation, we used the spiked Terrain wheels which cease the wheels slipping. Solely sometimes did the mower fail to stand up the slope and when the climate was actually moist we merely eliminated that zone from the work space. The mower reduce constantly effectively and may be very quiet, the one perceptible sound is the whirring of the blades as they reduce. It sometimes missed spots on the garden however general this can be a very straightforward to make use of and excessive performing mower.
The Automower 405x is only one in a wide variety of Husqvarna mowers to go well with completely different measurement lawns. A number of equipment are additionally accessible, together with a canopy for the docking station and wheel brushes, in addition to spare components, from batteries and blades to wheels. Each the mower and the battery include a 2 12 months guarantee.
Stihl RMI 422 P iMOW
RRP: £1335.00
Our ranking: 4.8/5
Execs:
- Gentle weight, easy to make use of and modify
- Quick environment friendly reduce
- ‘Park’ button on docking station
- ‘Clever’ efficiency and charging
- Lengthy guarantee
Cons:
- No Good connectivity
- Often struggled on moist grass
This nice worth mower has a powerful end. Nippy and quiet, the iMow has a single, metal rotary blade that is wonderful for mulching and cuts effectively and effectively, with an awesome end, though it does get caught sometimes on damp floor. The mower adjusts its pace itself in response to the situations, grass size and terrain and might deal with slopes as much as 40 per cent.We awarded it a BBC Gardeners’ World Journal Finest Purchase for medium lawns.
Learn the total Stihl iMow 422P Robotic Mower evaluate.
Purchase the Stihl iMow 422 P from Simply Lawnmowers
Flymo EasiLife Go 500
RRP: £689
Our ranking: 4.3/5
Execs
- Extremely quiet throughout use
- Small and straightforward to maneuver round
- Equipped with loads of boundary cable and spare connectors
- Spot mowing operate for downside areas
- An inexpensive robotic mower for smaller gardens
Cons
- Putting in the information wire accurately will be tough
- Lacks a display screen
- Altering mowing top isn’t fast
- Setting a number of mowing zones takes some time
This compact but succesful little robotic lawnmower is a perfect alternative for small to medium sized gardens and we awarded it a BBC Gardeners’ World Journal Finest Purchase for small gardens.
With greater than half a century of expertise within the backyard, Flymo know a factor or two about mowing and their EasiLife Go 500 is marvellously small and light-weight and makes use of three pivoting blades for a good reduce. To assist with set up there’s a web-based video, which it’s best to watch earlier than you begin because the mower wants each a boundary wire and information wire pegged down. This is usually a bit tough however is simpler in case you plan forward. Not like some mowers, as a substitute of an LED display screen, you get 5 buttons on the highest of the mower that management all the fundamental capabilities. For every thing else, there’s the Flymo EasiLife app. It’s straightforward sufficient to programme and cuts common formed lawns with ease. It mows in a random sample, so every bit of grass is reduce finally however there’s additionally a spot mowing operate if any are missed. You can even set the mower to chop completely different sections of your backyard, together with slender passageways though this can be a bit fiddly to grasp. The chopping top ranges from 20-50mm and the wheels can address slopes as much as 25% and a barely bumpy terrain, however it’s a lot happier on flat lawns. Because of the small chopping width of simply 16 cm, it’s solely actually appropriate for small gardens as much as 500 m². It’s one of many extra inexpensive mowers in our take a look at and comes with a two 12 months guarantee.
Better of the remaining
Though some fashions didn’t fairly obtain a BBC Gardeners’ World Journal Finest Purchase award, they nonetheless have nice options that make them price recommending. Browse our decide of one of the best of the remaining robotic garden mowers on take a look at.
Segway Navimow H1500E
RRP: £1849
Our ranking: 4 out of 5
Execs
- The standard of reduce is great
- It mows in pleasing straight strains moderately than in random instructions
- The app is highly effective and enjoyable to make use of
- No boundary wires to put in
Cons
- Organising the GPS receiver will be tough
- You want clear area for the antennae to work correctly
- The charging station must be inside Wi-Fi vary
- Energy twine and antennae leads are each too brief
Coming from an organization well-known for its two-wheeled autos, the Navimow H1500E cuts lawns as much as 1500 m² and one of the best factor about this mower is the app. Not solely do you drive the mower round like a distant management automotive to outline your backyard’s boundaries, however it reveals you precisely the place the mower is in actual time by way of the onboard GPS system. When you get previous the fiddly setup, the mower cuts your garden in strips moderately than in a random sample in addition to providing spot chopping and boundary chopping modes. It cuts grass from 30 – 60 mm, the onboard digital camera helps to detect obstacles earlier than it hits them, and it could possibly deal with slopes as much as 45%. It comes with a one – three 12 months guarantee for the mower physique and batteries.
Purchase the Segway Navimow H1500E from Mowers On-line
Cobra Mowbot 800
RRP: £663.99
Our ranking: 4/5
Execs
- Easy set up with minimal instruments
- Primary however straightforward to make use of app
- Beneficiant quantity of boundary wire included
- Wide selection of chopping heights
Cons
- Solely two chopping blades
- Multi space garden is difficult to arrange
- No spot mowing characteristic for hassle spots
An easy robotic mower that may deal with respectable measurement lawns, the Cobra Mowbot 800 is good for low effort lawncare. All you should do is set up the boundary wire and press go- both on the machine or by way of the fundamental “Robotic Mower” app. It might keep a garden as much as 800 m², has a chopping width of 18 cm, cuts grass from 20 – 60 mm excessive, and the wheels can take care of slopes as much as 36%. Top-of-the-line issues about this mower is that it’s good and quiet, working at simply 66 dB most. It received’t wake you up in case you set the mowing schedule sooner than your alarm clock, and if you wish to add some aptitude to your robotic, there are a number of enjoyable covers which you could buy individually. It comes with a two 12 months guarantee.
Purchase the Cobra Mowbot from Eager Gardener and Cobra
Honda Miimo 520
RRP: £2059.00
Our ranking: 4/5
Execs:
- Simple to programme
- Quiet, clean & environment friendly
- Tackles massive/sloping lawns
- Lengthy guarantee (throughout 2019)
Cons:
A big capability mannequin, this robotic mower is clean, quiet and straightforward to make use of. Out of all mowers we examined, it could possibly deal with the most important space and in addition copes effectively with sloping lawns as much as 45 per cent. It’s clean, quiet and unobtrusive. Its 360 diploma sensors assist it flip away when it comes close to obstacles or pets and the blades routinely cease when it is picked up. Clumps of lush grass are handled by the spiral chopping possibility which mows spherical and around the grass till its reduce. Nonetheless it is the priciest possibility and has few options in comparison with different fashions.
Learn the total Honda Miimo 520 evaluate.
Purchase the Honda Miimo 520 from Simply Lawnmowers
Gtech Robotic Lawnmower RLM50
RRP: £899.99
Our Score: 3/5
Execs
- Easy and uncomplicated operation
- Three blades for an easy reduce
- Boundary cable connectors included
Cons
- No app to distant management the mower
- White case reveals up grime instantly
The best resolution for anybody who desires some assist mowing their garden, however doesn’t need to get technical with a smartphone app. The RLM50 has a small LED display screen that you just use to program all of the capabilities, together with zones and spot chopping. It has an 18 cm chopping width and might deal with lawns as much as 625 m². It’s comparatively straightforward to function, has three blades that make brief work of chopping the garden, and comes with six spares in addition to cable connectors ought to your boundary wire break. You’ll be able to set the chopping top from 25 – 55 mm, and it could possibly deal with slops of as much as 30%. It comes with a two 12 months guarantee.
How does a robotic garden mower work?
Robotic garden mowers are powered by rechargeable lithium ion battery and designed to chop the grass usually, little and infrequently so the garden at all times seems neat. Clippings are mulched down again onto the grass, feeding the garden and there are not any grass piles to take care of or assortment luggage to empty.
Most robotic garden mowers work by detecting the sting of perimeters by way of sensors or a boundary wire. The latter is laid out across the fringe of the garden — in addition to any obstacles resembling bushes or island flower beds — to inform the garden mower to remain inside that space. When the mower senses the boundary wire, it should change path to keep away from leaving the garden. Many have collision sensors in order that in the event that they stumble upon an object, the robotic garden mower will routinely flip round and head off in one other path.
Some fashions mow randomly, finally overlaying the whole garden earlier than returning to the docking station. Others use a extra refined GPS system that means that you can programme particular paths. Robotic mowers are programmed with a pin pad on the entrance of the mower however many fashions may also be managed by way of an app, which lets you monitor the mower’s progress, schedule chopping instances and allow you to know when servicing and so forth is required, simply and remotely. As soon as the mower has completed mowing, or if the battery is working low, the garden mower will routinely return to its docking station, join, and recharge.
These absolutely automated mowers can prevent hours of mowing time all through the spring and summer time, are nice enjoyable to observe and emission free. Nonetheless, they’re costly, require an outdoor energy supply and cautious set up, might not be acceptable for each fashion of backyard and won’t create stripes.
What are the advantages of a robotic garden mower?
There are an a variety of benefits to purchasing a robotic garden mower compared to the extra conventional petrol or electrical fashions.
These advantages embrace:
- Much less be just right for you: As soon as put in and programmed, the robotic mower will routinely reduce the grass in response to your particular schedule. The garden will at all times look tidy and the mower will return to its dock by itself when it wants recharging.
- Zero emissions: Not like petrol mowers, they emit no emissions as a result of they’re powered by a chargeable Lithium-ion battery.
- Quiet:The dearth of an engine additionally makes the mowers extremely quiet.
How to decide on one of the best robotic garden mower
Value and measurement ranges for robotic garden mowers
Robotic garden mowers are costly, particularly when in comparison with cordless or electrical garden mowers. Costs begin round £600 with premium fashions for giant gardens costing something from £3000 up.
Most manufacturers embrace a spread of mowers to go well with gardens of various sizes, from small 400m2 lawns as much as massive gardens and estates as much as 5000m² in measurement and past.
Robotic garden mower options
Past being absolutely automated, the extra options on one of the best robotic garden mowers range relying on mannequin. They’ll embrace climate sensors, GPS navigation and good connectivity, which is more and more fashionable and helpful for making the mower simpler to programme wherever you might be. Available as an app in your cell phone, you’ll be able to modify the schedule and arrange your telephone with out having to bend over the mower’s PIN board however you can too verify in your robotic garden mower when you’re away, observe it if it’s stolen and see when it wants servicing.
Good safety is important when paying for a machine on this value vary and all mower have security measures as commonplace. Some merely require a PIN code to begin the mower, whereas others have raise sensors, alarms and a GPS tracker.
The most recent innovation within the robotic mower world is the arrival of of quite a lot of mowers that reduce with out the necessity for a boundary wire. Though some mowers may already do that they have been primarily for very massive open lawns or small gardens with specific varieties of boundary resembling paving or raised beds. Now there are mowers that may establish precisely the place they’re, with the assistance of pin-point positioning by way of GPS or, are in a position to establish grass in addition to different obstacles to work out the place to mow.
We’re at present testing a few of these new mowers, so preserve checking this web page for updates and our newest evaluations.
Robotic garden mower necessities
Though they’re absolutely automated, as soon as arrange robotic garden mowers are extra complicated initially in comparison with a conventional, petrol, electrical and cordless mower.
A robotic garden mower requires an outdoor energy supply to attach the docking station to and this ideally must be positioned out of direct solar and stage. Most additionally want a transparent space round them — sometimes two metres to the entrance and a metre all sides, which may restrict the place you place the docking station, particularly in a small backyard.
Accessing the format can also be important earlier than buying a robotic garden mower. Some fashions can wrestle with slender passages, uneven floor and steep slopes.
Lastly, they want putting in and the boundary wire and generally a information wire too, laid. You’ll be able to both do that your self, which takes time or get a supplier to do it for you, which is normally an extra value, though some fashions embrace set up by a supplier within the value. They may assess your garden, lay your boundary wire for you and present you how one can programme and function the keypad. In case you’re putting in the mower your self, take care to comply with the directions exactly for the robotic garden mower to run accurately.
How you can clear a robotic garden mower
Regardless of being absolutely automated, a robotic garden mower ought to nonetheless be checked, cleaned and serviced usually.
- To wash, be sure the machine is switched off and switch it over to verify the blades for injury. Clear the chassis and blades with a brush, or a backyard hose if grime is extra cussed.
- Grass might have eradicating from the wheels and provides the physique a wipe down with a moist material.
- Blades ought to be capable to pivot freely and broken blades ought to be changed. All blades ought to be changed on the identical time to make sure a balanced reduce.
- A service every year is inspired in order that sellers can replace software program. They may even clear and substitute any worn components, together with batteries.
How we examined robotic garden mowers
The BBC Gardeners’ World Journal evaluations crew examined a spread of robotic garden mowers for a number of weeks in several gardens. Some have been put in for us by sellers whereas we put in the smaller mowers ourselves. They have been programmed and left to work and have been assessed in response to the next standards, with equal marks attributed to every:
- Arrange and ease of use: Checked out set up and programming, together with the necessity for a information wire in addition to a boundary wire, good connectivity capability and the way straightforward it’s to hook up with the app.
- Chopping efficiency: Assessed how effectively it cuts the grass- the effectivity of reduce and the neatness of the end, its means to evenly unfold the cuttings and its means to deal with tough and damp grass. Additionally checked out run time and cost time and noise.
- Options: Targeted on how effectively the mower may address obstacles or deal with slopes, the variety of zones you’ll be able to programme it to mow, rain or temperature sensors, security measures and so forth
- Worth for cash: Thought of the entire above together with size of guarantee and value, together with set up value the place relevant.
For extra info on our testing course of, see How we evaluate.
This evaluate was final up to date in January 2024. We apologise if something has modified in value or availability.
