8 best robot lawn mowers to buy in 2023
Keep your lawn clean-cut without lifting a finger with our round up of the best robotic lawn mowers.
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Is the grass always greener on the other side? No, but a robotic lawnmower can certainly help create the lush lawn you’ve always wanted.
Lawn care has never been easier, with self-propelled and self-charging green-thumbed robots now autonomously doing the hard yards for you. Plus, they’re far quieter than their traditional lawn mower counterparts. But is this hands-free approach to cutting grass worth the hefty price tag?
Here, we breakdown the pros and cons of leaving lawn care all to a robot and take a look at a few of the models currently available in Australia – including the WORX 20V Landroid 700m2 WR149E Robotic Lawn Mower which customers say is “good and reliable” and “works superbly”.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
To help you find the best robotic lawn mower that will do the job perfectly, our team of experienced writers spent hours researching products worthy of including in articles. We investigated what factors make a robotic lawn mower ‘good’ by talking to experts, reviewing test results and analysing thousands of customer reviews.
OUR TOP PICKS
In this article
Are robotic lawn mowers worth buying?
Are robot lawn mowers better for your lawn?
How long do robotic lawn mowers last?
BEST ROBOTIC LAWN MOWER FOR UNEVEN TERRAIN AND ODD-SHAPED GARDENS
WORX 20V Landroid 700m2 Robotic Lawn Mower Kit WR149E, $1899 at Amazon Australia
WORX Landroid WR149E Robotic Lawn Mower
What You Need To Know
This WORX robotic lawn mower features a floating blade disc that automatically lifts the blades, helping prevent the robot from getting stuck on small stones or trapped on uneven terrain. It also has the brand’s Cut-to-Edge feature to trim along the borders, five configurable modes and six height options (30-75mm).
BEST BUDGET ROBOTIC LAWN MOWERS
WORX 20V Landroid 500m2 Robotic Lawn Mower, $1699 at Amazon Australia
WORX 20V Landroid 500m2 Robotic Lawn Mower
What You Need To Know
It may be hard to believe, but this near-$2,000 robot lawn mower is one of the most affordable options on the market. Don’t worry, it’s still a beast – it boasts two brushless motors, five configurable options and an offset three-blade cutting and mulching system for trimming the edges of your garden.
The 20V machine also has an auto scheduling function and motor torque bump detection system, along with a rain sensor to let the robot know to go back to its station when the weather gets too harsh.
Moebot S5 Robot Lawn Mower, $999 at Amazon Australia
Moebot S5 Robot Lawn Mower
What You Need To Know
Are you someone who gives their TV remote a ‘second life’ by giving the batteries a little rub before replacing it with a new pair? The Moebot S5 robot lawn mower lets you similarly extend the life of your blades by allowing you to simply flip the blade once it gets blunt, so you can get a bit of a heads up on when you really need to replace the blade. Talk about convenient and low maintenance!
It can mow up to five different areas, and contains a high-speed cutting motor that can deal with different types of grass including Buffalo, Couch, Kikuyu, Zeon Zoysia and Fescue.
Swift RM18 Robot Mower, $749.99 (down from $899.99) at Catch
Swift RM18 Robot Mower
What You Need To Know
Did someone call the Batmobile (or should we say, the lawn-mobile)? Robotic mowers are rarely available for under $1,000, but this Swift model saves the day at a pretty budget-friendly price point.
It’s also fairly quiet, operating at 65dB – that’s just louder than a conversation, but not as noisy as a hair dryer.
BEST ROBOTIC LAWN MOWERS FOR LARGE GARDENS
WORX 20V Landroid 1500m2 Robotic Lawn Mower, $2299 at Amazon Australia
WORX 20V Landroid 1500m2 Robotic Lawn Mower
What You Need To Know
Save time and effort mowing spacious gardens with this green-thumbed robot, which is designed to cut up to 1,500 square metres on a single charge. It has the usual features included in other WORX robotic mowers, such as two brushless wheel motors, Cut-to-Edge function, automatic updates and a rain sensor.
Ambrogio L300 Elite Robotic Lawn Mower, $6515 at Catch
Ambrogio L300 Elite Robotic Lawn Mower
What You Need To Know
What may be the Terminator of robotic lawn mowers, this Ambrogio model is designed for areas measuring up to 4,000 square metres (or 6,000 when you use the double battery).
The high-performance gadget apparently monitors how your grass grows and will adapt its settings to ensure the finish meets your preferences.
It can take up to 10 hours for the robot to complete the job.
Ambrogio L30 Deluxe Robotic Lawn Mower, $2390 at Catch
Ambrogio L30 Deluxe
What You Need To Know
If you’re an avid gardener and consider the backyard your canvas, the triangular build on this robotic lawn mower makes it ideal for maintaining trickier shaped gardens with hedges, flower beds and ponds. The pivoting front wheel is also great for narrow and tight spaces.
It’s designed for lawns measuring up to 800 square metres and comes with an Eco Mode sensor to optimise the runtime.
BEST QUIET ROBOTIC LAWN MOWER
Gardena Sileno City 500 Robotic Mower, $1599 at Amazon Australia
Gardena Sileno City 500 Robotic Mower
What You Need To Know
Designed to operate at a maximum of 58dB, this Gardena robotic lawn mower is as loud (or quiet) as a conversation in a restaurant. It’s ideal for backyards up to 500 square metres and can operate in any weather condition including heavy rain.
ROBOTIC LAWN MOWER ACCESSORIES
vidaXL Garden Robot Lawn Mower Shed, $93.99 at Amazon Australia
vidaXL Garden Robot Lawn Mower Shed
What You Need To Know
What better way to store your robotic lawn mower than in a mini shed? It’s made from galvanised steel and fits charging stations no taller than approximately 45cm high and 85cm wide. But the best part is that it’s available in a variety of colours, so you can match it with your full-size shed.
Different options include grey, anthracite, brown and green.
There are also plenty of other types of garages online, including wooden sheds and sheds that double as a planter.
WORX Landroid Robotic Lawn Mower Off Limits Accessory, $199 at Amazon Australia
WORX Landroid Robotic Lawn Mower Off Limits Accessory
What You Need To Know
Robotic lawn mowers set boundaries in different ways, such as through boundary wires. But if you’re constantly adding and removing ‘obstacles’ like cubby houses, trampolines or tables and chairs for parties, you can use accessories like this to avoid re-jigging the wire everytime.
WHAT IS A ROBOT LAWN MOWER?
Similar to a robot vacuum, robotic lawnmowers work just like traditional lawnmowers but can cut grass autonomously – giving you a hands-free way to maintain your backyard. All you need to do is to set your preferences as well as the boundaries to make sure it knows where to go (and what’s off limits).
ARE ROBOTIC LAWN MOWERS WORTH BUYING?
A robotic lawnmower could make lawn care a little easier, but be prepared to pay a price for convenience. Brands generally offer four or five configurable setting options and, despite Aussies having slim pickings, you can still find a few models that can deal with somewhat steep slopes.
Although if you are in the market for a new lawnmower, a push or self-propelled option will probably be a safer alternative.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the benefits and disadvantages of downsizing your biggest garden tool.
Pros of robotic lawn mowers
+ Saves you time and effort.
+ Leaves you with evenly cut grass, with options to choose between different cutting heights also available.
+ Can be controlled via smartphone.
+ Automatically returns to the charging station when the battery runs low or the weather conditions start to become more severe.
+ Can return to the garden after recharging.
+ Some models can handle wet and dry grass.
+ Less noisy compared to a full-size mower.
+ It regularly maintains your garden by working to a set schedule.
+ Can handle uneven terrain, with some models capable of travelling on slopes with a 70 per cent incline.
+ Works within set boundaries avoids ‘no-go’ zones.
+ Contains different safety features to prevent injury and theft.
+ Some robotic mowers don’t use much energy, keeping running costs low.
Cons of robotic lawn mowers
- Expensive and limited range of options to choose from.
- Some models that follow a particular pattern may leave tracks.
- It may not get the entire lawn done in one go.
- The finish might not be even.
- The robot mower might not be able to handle the workload.
- You should regularly check the robot for any small rocks, sticks or leaves in the blades. This can be done after the mini lawn mower has done its job.
ARE ROBOT LAWN MOWERS BETTER FOR YOUR LAWN?
Some believe robotic lawn mowers are great because frequent mowing encourages root growth, discourages weeds from spreading, and helps the lawn become more resistant and denser. Of course, you will need to make sure to get the right model and grass mixture for your backyard. This depends on a range of factors such as the size of your yard, how much power you need and the type of your terrain.
HOW LONG DO ROBOTIC LAWN MOWERS LAST?
More Coverage
Robotic lawn mowers should last 10 years. But this depends on factors such as the quality of the model, size of the area, mowing frequency and how well you maintain the machine (including replacing the blades and batteries, and getting the unit professionally serviced once a year).
Job-wise, robotic lawn mowers typically take two hours to complete the task. But larger areas, such as a 6,000 square metre yard, can take much longer.
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