How do you choose a robot lawn mower?
Choosing a robot lawn mower
Ask yourself the following questions when you choose a robot lawn mower.
- What's the size of your lawn?
- Does your garden contain multiple zones with grass?
- Does your lawn have obstacles?
- Does your lawn have inclines?
- Do you want to be able to control the robot lawn mower with an app?
What's the size of your lawn?
When choosing the best robot lawn mower for your lawn, the size of your lawn is the first thing to think about. The size a robot lawn mower can handle depends on the combination of the battery, software, and cutting width. That's why you should measure the lawn surface of your garden before you choose a robot lawn mower.
Lawn surface
Smaller lawns up to 500m²
Is your lawn smaller than 500m² and do you have little to no obstacles in the garden? Choose on of the robot lawn mowers below.
Average lawns up to 1000m²
If your lawn is between 500 and 1000m² or has a number of obstacles like trees and turns, choose a robot lawn mower from the following selection.
Large lawns larger than 1000m²
Is your garden larger than 1000m² or does it have many obstacles and turns? Choose one of the following robot lawn mowers for a large lawn.
Does your garden contain multiple zones with grass?
Most robot lawn mowers move over grass and follow the perimeter wire you install underneath the grass. They don't go over tiles, gravel, or pebbles. Does your lawn contain multiple zones, which are disconnected by tiles or flower beds (see the images on this page)? You need a base station for each zone. You have to move the robot lawn mower manually from one zone to the other in this case.
Does your lawn have obstacles?
The more obstacles, the more often the robot lawn mower has to change its direction. As a result, it takes the robot lawn mower longer to mow the entire lawn. That's why it needs more battery capacity. Does your lawn have many trees, turns, or other obstacles? Choose a robot lawn mower with a larger lawn surface than your actual lawn surface. Make sure you place the perimeter wire around the obstacles when you install the robot lawn mower, so it doesn't bump into them.
Does your lawn have inclines?
Most robot lawn mowers can easily handle a difference in height of about 25% across your lawn. Do you have higher inclines in your garden? Check if the robot lawn mower you want is suitable for this. Do you have a ditch in your garden? The edge of your lawn has an incline too. Lawns with a lot of difference in height ask for more battery capacity than flat lawns. When you calculate your lawn surface, keep in mind that you choose a larger lawn surface if you have a lot of inclines.
Do you want to control the robot lawn mower with an app?
A robot lawn mower has a hatch on top with its control panel underneath. On this panel, you can set the mowing schedule. Some robot lawn mowers have an extra control option, like via an app. If you have a robot lawn mower with app control, you can set the mowing schedule via the app or control the robot lawn mower remotely. Each brand has their own app with various options.