11 Reasons Why Robot Lawn Mowers Are Worth It


A robot lawn mower is a machine that cuts grass as per the user’s schedule. The convenient device is ideal for someone who wants to cut down time on their weekly chores so that they can utilize the manual lawn mowing time with something else. Generally, most robot lawn mowers can cut lawns up to 1.25 acres while some can cut lawn up to 5 acres. They will automatically come back to their charging station after the grass cutting task is done.

Over time, robot lawn mowers will help to improve the quality and the look of your lawn as the sharp blades cut the grass rather than chopping the top off as a conventional lawn mower does. The cutting technology that robot lawn mowers use allows them to cut the grass evenly. Plus, it looks cool while doing so!

lawn mower on grass
Traditional Lawn Mower

Are Robot Lawn Mowers Any Good?

When purchasing a device for a specific task that can be done by other means you might often wonder whether it is worth it to get it in the first place. The same goes for robot lawn mowers that cut grass to perfection. They are fully autonomous machines that will take your gardening to a whole new level as per your defined schedule. 

With robot lawn mowers, you need to keep in mind that these machines need to be used regularly so that the grass doesn’t grow out too much. Its task is to cut the top layer, so if you leave gaps in its operation, you might have to borrow the neighbor’s regular mower to chop the top before you can use your digital help again. 

That being said, although the initial investment is high, the operating cost of the device is significantly less in comparison to paying landscapers regularly. Therefore, you’ll save a huge amount there in a year or two. Overall, robot lawn mowers are extremely useful if you want to save extra time throughout the week that you would have otherwise spent cutting grass, and you’ll also save money in the long run if you’re someone who preferred hiring landscapers. They get your lawn looking like an emerald land of fresh grass. Who wouldn’t want that?

11 Reasons Why Robot Lawn Mowers Are Worth It

If the question “Are robot lawn mowers any good?” is still stuck in your mind, we’ve got some answers to that.

1. Effortless to use

Robot lawn mowers are controlled by a schedule that they follow based on the time you’ve set. They will automatically listen to all your commands and mow your lawn exactly when and where you want them to. This is clearly a lot easier than manually pushing a bulky lawn mower and working up a sweat early in the morning.

When you compare it to petrol mowers and cordless mowers run by battery, you’ll realize how effortless robot lawn mowers are. Petrol mowers have to be maintained regularly otherwise you’ll have a hard time getting it to start. Plus, there are additional charges of oil and spark plug changes throughout the year. The ones run by battery need to be charged before you use them.

On the other hand, robot lawn mowers are smart machines that charge themselves in the base when required. Some of them even feature an app that allows you to check on them without having to move from where you’re seated. You can make changes and control the device from wherever you are in the house. 

2. More affordable option in the long term

Although a robot lawn mower is expensive, the initial investment will be worth it as it will cut down additional costs in the long term if you were to buy a petrol mower. Robot lawn mowers are run by electricity so automatically you’ll save a significant amount of money if you had petrol lawn mower before.

Petrol mowers need to be filled up with fuel every time it runs out of it (which could unfortunately even be in the middle of mowing) and they also need to be brought to the service center annually which is both costly and time-consuming. Robot lawn mowers on the other hand just need to be connected to the charging station and once it is set, the device will know where to return to when it runs out of charge. These smart devices have low power consumption therefore they require comparatively less energy to mow the whole lawn as opposed to a typical lawn mower. This makes them more affordable in the long term. 

3. Better results 

You’ll be able to obtain stronger, thicker, and healthier lawn by using a robot lawn mower because they operate continuously. As the lawn gets cut daily with these machines, the height of the grass remains constant which avoids splits over time. Of course, you could achieve this by using a conventional lawn mower if done weekly but let’s be honest; nobody sticks to these schedules in their fast-paced lives. People have other important things to deal with which is why it may be hard to stick to a weekly routine of cutting the grass.

Now, if you have a lawn, you’re already aware that to ensure the optimal growth, you’re supposed to only cut one-third of the grass’s height. Robot lawn mowers are programmed to do so, therefore when the top third of the grass is chopped off it falls on the ground and turns into a natural fertilizer. Over time, this will enhance the quality of the soil and lead to healthier grass. 

4. Gets to the corners

Thanks to the compact size of robot lawn mowers, they can easily get to the corners as opposed to conventional lawn mowers. Plus, most of these machines have smart navigation systems that allow them to make their way in and out of difficult areas. They’ll be able to reach certain corners of the lawn that would not be possible to reach manually with typical lawn mowers. 

Depending on the model of the robot lawn mowers, some of them have additional features that allow them to maneuver easily in complex lawn layouts. This is where features such as Voice Control, Off Limits, GPS Control, and Anti-Collision System come in handy! 

5. Do all the work independently 

To add to the previous point, with a robot lawn mower, you do not have to plan and set time apart to manually mow your lawn. These devices even have rain sensors and weather timers that allow them to tailor to the ideal timing for mowing the lawn. Also, they will just return to their charging station when the battery runs out, recharge themselves, and continue mowing once they have a full battery again. 

If the landscape is hilly, robot lawn mowers have got it covered as well. Some of the latest models allow a 30-degree gradient operation which allows you to use them even in hilly areas without any additional support. 

6. Reduces the risk of injury 

Robot lawn mowers are designed to be safer to use. It doesn’t mean that conventional ones aren’t safe but the robot lawn mowers have additional safety features such as PIN and alarm system, bump sensors, lift and tilt sensors, and more. Without these, the user will not be comfortable letting the device move around unattended. Most of the models also have alert systems that warn you if the robot lawn mower is used apart from your schedule. 

Additionally, the rotating blades of the robot lawn mowers stop as soon as it comes in contact with an obstacle. Therefore, it’s safe to let it do its work whenever you want. However, it is advised by manufacturers not to schedule their operation after it gets dark because wild animals may come in contact with them while scavenging for food after dusk. 

7. Makes the lawn look beautiful all year round 

Robot lawn mowers make your lawn looking healthy all year round. This is because their mechanism allows the grass to be cut to its ideal height while chopping the splits or brown tops constantly. 

A robot lawn mower does not need a rest day therefore your lawn will always look fresh. You can adjust the cutting settings in the growing season but apart from that, a single setting through most parts of the year will help you obtain a lush lawn with strong and healthy-looking grass. This would not be possible if you pay a landscaper to do the job or if you decide to do it yourself because you’d occasionally need breaks of a day or two. 

8. Convenient for your busy schedule 

With our extremely busy schedules, the last thing we need is to allot time on the weekend to cut the grass! With robot lawn mowers, you can schedule mowing time as per your requirement. You can set the mowing time in a way that your lawn is free to enjoy when you’re home from work. Plus, if you have guests coming over on the weekend you can just use the app on your mobile phone or the on-board control panel to disable the device. 

These smart machines are extremely convenient for our busy lives as they get the work done exactly how you want them to, without having to plan your day around your lawn mowing schedule. 

9. No grass clippings

Using robot lawn mowers, the grass clippings will be so tiny that they will drop to the soil and act as a natural fertilizer thanks to the moisture and nutrients that they release into the ground. Since it’s a great alternative for a chemical fertilizer you can save money as well. 

With conventional lawn mowers, large grass clippings are produced which needs to be picked up and thrown out after every mowing session. Therefore, robot lawn mowers create a form of natural fertilizer and save you the time you would have otherwise spent on picking up grass clippings! 

10. One-time installation 

Robot lawn mowers need to be installed just once; right before its first operation. You can take help from experts to do so for you, but it’s quite easy to set up on your own as well. 

First, you need to lay a boundary wire that signals the device of the boundary of the lawn. You can either set it up underground or use nails to stick the wire on the ground. Next, fix a location and set up the charging station preferably with a search cable so that the device can locate the station. Finally, you can test it out and the smart device will know its boundaries and resting station here on.  

11. Protects the environment 

The emissions that are released from the conventional petrol mower are harmful to the environment whereas robot lawn mowers are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The only power that is obtained by this device is from an electric outlet where you have the option to use a sustainable source such as a photovoltaic system. Not only is it environment-friendly but it’s a cheaper option as well.

Moreover, conventional lawn mowers are noisy; emitting a sound ranging from 80 to 90 decibels. On the other hand, robot lawn mowers operate in about 70 decibels which is much quieter and your neighbors will be happier as well!

All these analysis hopefully answers your question- “Are robot lawn mowers any good?”

What Is The Best Robotic Lawn Mower?

With a myriad of options available in the market, choosing a robot lawn mower that is ideal for your lawn may be tough. This is why it’s safer to go for the one that surpasses many in different aspects. Ideal for large lawns, the Robomow RS630 is a superior robot lawn mower that maintains lawns to perfection.

The top choice in terms of both groom and style, the Robomow RS360 has a dual blade system that allows a cutting width of 22 inches. This leads to the grass clippings to scatter all over the ground which later acts as a natural fertilizer. A noteworthy feature of this machine is the multi-zone mapping, specifically 2 zones and 4 sub-zones. With the help of this feature, the machine can groom up to 0.75 acres.

With the support of a 35-degree incline, you can easily let the RS630 do its job even if your lawn is on hilly grounds. Plus, the two useful modes, edge mode, and turbo-mow setting promote grass cutting exactly the way the user wants. The edge mode allows the machine to maneuver even in the corners of the lawn that a lot of competitor robot lawn mowers do not support. The turbo-mow setting on the other hand is perfect for the grass-growing season as it ensures slower and more powerful cutting. The machine uses hinge technology that features three triangular steel blades that cut the grass evenly even on uneven grounds.

Although the Robomow RS630 is a powerful robot lawn motor, it has a quiet motor producing a sound of about 74 decibels which is much less than other large robot lawn mowers. The integrated rain sensor in the machine detects when it’s about to rain and returns to the charging station before it continues its work again once the sky clears up. 

It is an accident-proof model as it stops the moment it comes in contact with any obstacle, and turns around to continue cutting on an obstacle-free path. Also, it has a child lock and PIN code feature which will prevent any injury if you have children or pets at home. 

In terms of apps, you can control the RS630 from the comfort of your chair in the living room just by connecting to it via Bluetooth. Also, it allows integration with Alexa so you can easily command the device as required. 

Overall, the Robomow RS630 is a cost-effective robot lawn mower that grooms lawn with an area up to 32,760 square feet. Although it’s large, it’s a sleek-looking mower that will complement your lawn throughout its operation as well. For its price, it has all the essential features and more than a robot lawn mower should have. Therefore, if you are in search of a robot lawn mower for a large lawn, that is safe, reasonably priced, and efficient, the Robomow RS630 is the best one out there. 

Key Features:

  • Multi-zone mapping (up to 4 zones)
  • Wide dual blades with up to 22 inches deck width 
  • Operates on a slope up to 35 degrees
  • Allows easy height adjustment with one knob
  • Integrated rain sensor pause operation 
  • Built-in Anti-theft and Safety system
  • Quiet motor 
  • Rechargeable 26V lithium-ion battery 
  • Compatible with Alexa

How Does a Robot Lawn Mower Operate?

A robot lawn mower is a simple machine with smart features that cut grass efficiently. Although the term “robot” may make you think that it’s an advanced machine that claims to do multiple tasks, it just uses simple techniques to keep your lawn groomed at all times. To help you understand how a robot lawn mower operates, it’s best to divide the mechanism into four main parts.

1. Spinning blades

The machine has a set of spinning blades, comparatively much smaller than those of conventional mowers. They cut the grass slowly using two systems: a rotating disc and solid cutting blades. The former is more for cutting grass with precision while the latter is used increase the cutting width. With the combination of these two, robot lawn mowers can cut the grass with reduced power as opposed to traditional lawn mowers.

2. Chassis with wheels

Since robot lawn mowers are used continuously the wheels are designed to cause very less impact on the ground. Also, to reduce the possibility of injuries the blades are tucked under the machine with the chassis holding a low ground tolerance. This allows you to use the machine easily even on hilly grounds.

3. Internal basic computer system

The computer system of a robot lawn mower is kept pretty simple. It mainly focuses on controlling the mow and charging schedule. Also, it has the mechanism to instruct the machine what to do if faced with an obstacle. The operation of the machine is based on the boundary wire therefore the computer system has a few path techniques that will allow it to cover the full lawn.

4. Boundary definition 

Robot lawn mowers operate within the boundaries set using the boundary wires therefore it comes under one of the main parts. It will take an hour or two to set up the boundary wires before the machine is tested out the first time. Although you might expect a “robot” lawn mower to use a better technique to detect the boundary, wires are used because they are cost-effective and reliable.

All You Need to Know about Robot Lawn Mowers

What are the Ways to Program a Robotic Lawn Mower?

Depending on the model of the robot lawn mower, you can either program it using the onboard control panel, or you may use a smartphone and do the same via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The device will work continuously until it needs to be charged. So a 3,000 square feet lawn may be worked on for 4.5 hours before it returns to its charging station (if it runs out of charge). 

How Do I Choose a Robot Lawn Mower Ideal For My Lawn?

The key to find the ideal robot lawn mower is in correspondence to the size of your lawn. If the size of the machine is large it will cover more grounds therefore get an idea of the total area of your lawn and look for options that are ideal for that size.

Plus, all lawns do not have an easy layout; some might have fences or stone walls placed somewhere apart from the outer boundaries. In that case, you have to manually place the robot lawn mower on the other part of the lawn once the grass has been cut on one part. 

Are Robot Lawn Mowers Loud?

Robot lawn mowers are significantly quieter than conventional lawn mowers. If you need a comparison, it’s quite similar to that of the noise produced by an air conditioner which means you can easily let the robot lawn mower do its job at any time of the day without creating any disturbance. 

Can a Robot Lawn Mower Be Used on Uneven Lawns?

Robot lawn mowers work the best on even lawns. However, the majority of the recent models support its operation even on lawns with a gradient up to 30 degrees. What you have to keep in mind is that the battery will run out faster if the lawn is uneven or hilly because it will consume more power to withstand the movement on the slope. 

Also, it’s advised to fill in any holes on the lawn as the wheels of the machine may get stuck in it. If you have dogs, you can train them not to dig holes on the lawn. 

Does It Work In The Rain?

Yes, a robotic lawn mower will continue working in the rain if you program it to do so. However, most of these machines have rain sensors so whenever it starts to drizzle or rain, it goes back to the charging station. 

Why is it Necessary to Lay a Boundary Wire?

A robot lawn mower is an automated machine that requires guidance to do its job. A boundary wire needs to be laid out so that the machine is aware to stay within the boundary and cover the complete lawn area. The signal in the robot lawn mower prevents it from wandering off outside the boundary.

Isn’t a Robot Lawn Mower Easy to Steal?

The robot lawn mower is designed to operate within the set boundaries only so there isn’t a chance of someone stealing it unless they are inside your property. However, since it is a portable machine that is supposed to be used out in the open, the manufacturers have considered an anti-theft system in the device. So, you’d require a PIN code to operate it. There are apps that you can use to even track the location of the robot lawn mower. Plus, you can set an alarm that will alert you if the machine is picked up, which will stop only when you enter a PIN code. 

Does a Robot Lawn Mower Require Maintenance? 

Although it’s great to clean the machine occasionally, a robot lawn mower rarely requires any maintenance. Since they run on lithium-ion battery, you do not need to worry about any sort of oil or cleaning maintenance. Plus, if the blades lose their sharpness, you can easily replace them.

Bottom Line 

With our fast-paced lives, even the simplest chores become burdensome so we’re always in search of alternatives that get things done efficiently. The question “Are robot lawn mowers any good?” is must to arise. But, if you have a lawn, getting a robot lawn mower is a great investment. It will help to keep your lawn looking fresh all the time without even having to put any effort. So yes, robot lawn mowers are indeed worth it. Hope our detailed guide was helpful!

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I've been raised in a family of international gardeners spanning multiple generations, from vegetable growers in Germany to fruit tree growers in Iran. I hope you find the information you read useful to using electric gardening tools in gardening.

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