The best robot lawn mowers will save you time and effort. That's because these clever cutters can take care of your grass while you do something more fun. They're great for keeping your green spaces looking great all year round.
Although robot lawn mowers are relatively new, there's already a wide range of shapes, sizes, and prices. That means you'll need to determine how large your cut area will be because some mowers are designed for relatively small spaces, while others can cope with even the largest areas.
That doesn't necessarily mean buying the biggest possible mower. Unlike human-controlled ones, where bigger cutting diameters mean less time cutting, robot mowers don't have that issue. What's more important for many lawns is what kind of slopes they can handle because not all lawns are flat.
Many of the best robot lawn mowers are smart, so you can control them with your phone, use the app to schedule cuts, and be notified of any issues. Some enable you to create off-limits areas, such as flower borders. And many are self-charging, so they'll return to base when their batteries need topping up.
One thing worth considering is that robot mowers are made to cut little and cut often. If your robot has to take the winter off and you don't get it cut before the grass gets long, it may be too long for the robot. In that case, you might also want to see what made the cut to feature in our best lawn mowers guide; the larger mowers will take care of that much more challenging cut. You might also want to cut with the best lawn edgers and eliminate unwelcome guests with the best electric weed eaters. But for now, find the best robot lawn mowers you can buy.
The best robot lawn mowers we recommend in 2024
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The best overall robot lawn mower
The Segway Navimow i105N is the best robot lawn mower for most people. It delivers the same cutting performance as a high-powered walk-behind mower, but it's packed with clever tech, including wire-free boundary creation, very effective GPS, and excellent object detection.
The lack of boundary wires is a real plus here, and if you like your mowing old-school, you'll be pleased by how the back-and-forth cutting replicates the same striping you'd get with a manual mower. It's designed for lawns up to 1/8th of an acre in size, but its large battery means it's more than capable of cutting much larger areas.
This isn't the cheapest robot vacuum, but it delivers superb performance and battery life; it's also much easier to set up and use than some of its rivals. The only real downside here is that it's a bit heavy to move around, and it's available from a relatively small number of stockists, so you shouldn't expect much in the way of discounting. But these are minor niggles on what's a very capable and effective robot.
Read our full Segway Navimow i105N review
An excellent heavy duty robot lawn mower
Some robot lawnmowers are best suited to suburban lawns that are square and flat. But what if your lawn is more challenging? That's where the Mammotion Luba AWD 5000 comes in. It's a heavy-duty mower that copes well with slopes and is designed for lawns of up to 1.25 acres in size.
This is a wire-free model, so you don't need to worry about physically marking out no-go areas. But the downside is that the app is quite complex, and we found that the instructions weren't as helpful as they could be; we ended up with an approach of "What does this button do?" and checking out Reddit to find out how to get the app to do what we wanted. It's fair to say that, at setup, at least, this isn't the most user-friendly experience.
But once you get the hang of it, the app enables you to get good results. The combination of zero and multi-turn capabilities and the ability to easily handle slopes mean that the Mammotion is more flexible than some of its rivals, and its relatively big grooved tires make it an excellent option for more rugged surfaces: it'll happily crawl over big roots instead of beeping plaintively. An effective avoidance sensor on the front and the twin blades offer a comparatively wide cutting area. It's also waterproof and has a rain sensor, so it won't attempt to cut grass that's too wet.
With its ability to handle 37-degree slopes, rugged tires, and wide cutting area, this mower is a good option for more challenging lawns. But if you're not confident with apps, you'll need a bit more patience than with some rival mowers.
Read our full Mammotion Luba AWD 5000 review
The best robot lawn mower for large yards
Despite not being familiar with the Mammotion brand, our reviewer found the Luba 5000 to perform similarly to established names like Husqvarna.
Setting up the mower was a breeze. Using the app to create a map of the lawn and lay perimeter cables took only about 10 minutes, unlike the more time-consuming process experienced with the Husqvarna mower. Once set up, they observed the Luba 5000 effortlessly maneuver through rough terrain and handle tricky slopes with ease, thanks to its superior traction and all-wheel drive capabilities.
One of the standout features was the mower's precise mowing pattern. Instead of haphazard movements, it mowed in neat, straight lines, and allowed for different cutting patterns to achieve an evenly cut lawn. It effectively avoided obstacles and stayed within the set boundaries, although it could have gotten closer to the edges.
The Luba 5000's performance in wet conditions, its rain sensor feature, and the option to set different turning modes were impressive. However, some issues with the app's connectivity were encountered, as it frequently reported difficulties connecting to the mower or maintaining Bluetooth connectivity.
Despite these minor setbacks, the Mammotion Luba 5000 is a robust and efficient robot mower that excels in mowing, obstacle avoidance, and handling diverse terrain.
Read our full Mammotion Luba 2 AWD 5000 review
The best robot lawn mower with GPS
The Husqvarna Automower 315X is our top pick of the best robot lawn mowers as its packed full of features. As you would expect from the Swedish manufacturer, this X-line model is loaded with all the features any robotic lawn mower could need. This includes a GPS tracking system, LED headlights, and its own app: Automower Connect. It also has voice control, a spot cutting mode, and anti-theft features.
The Husqvarna Automower 315X is one of the smallest in the brand’s X-line series. But its small size doesn’t mean it has a small capacity. It can cut large gardens up to 1,600m2, plus handle inclines of up to 40% – which is pretty steep!
But all these amazing functions means the model carries a steep price tag. It’s worth noting that this is the most expensive model in our line-up, costing around $2,500. You can find some great other robotic lawn mowers for cheaper, but the price won’t include all the added extras you get with the Husqvarna Automower 315X, like the installation of the boundary wires or LED headlights.
Best quiet robot lawn mower
One of the quietest robot lawnmowers on the market, the Gardena 15201-41 is great for those who spend ample time in their yard. It operates at 57dB which is quieter than their old model, and less than the noise level of a normal conversation. This new model also features the upgrade of a Bluetooth-controlled app, so you can now configure the settings and auto-schedule from your mobile phone - great if you want to adjust your lawn mower from the comfort of your couch. It's worth noting, however, that this only works from a radius of up to 10m, so it can't be controlled while on vacation.
It's also versatile for use in all different weather conditions. It keeps mowing come rain or shine and can navigate slopes of up to 35 percent, so you can rest easy knowing that it won't run into any problems. Collision settings also ensure that it avoids any furniture or toys, preventing damage to itself and your belongings. With a run time of 65 minutes and automatic charging, it can run with virtually no human assistance which is a win for keeping on top of your lawn with minimal effort.
Best robot lawn mower for small lawns
If you are looking for the best robot lawn mower for small lawns that have narrow passageways, you’ll find it in the Worx WR140 Landroid M 20V. That’s because the small device comes with patented AIA technology. This tech enables it to manoeuvre around narrow passageways with a minimum width of 60cm.
This robot lawn mower also doesn’t cut grass in straight lines, but instead, cuts the grass in a zig-zag motion so that the lawn is nice and even. Because of this motion, Worx also claims it can cut your 30% faster than other robot mowers.
The Worx WR140 Landroid M 20V robot lawn mower is also ideal for cutting right up to the edge of flower beds and borders thanks to its 7-inch offset blade. This blade is positioned towards the side of the device meaning that there is less tidying up of the borders for you to do.
With a typical mow time of 50 minutes and a cutting capacity of up to 700m2), the Worx WR140 Landroid is a great option if you have a small lawn with a little incline to it.
How to choose the best robot lawn mower for you
First of all, you’ll want to factor in the area you want your robot lawn mower to tackle. Most devices can handle around 0.25 to 0.3 acres, ideal for small to medium size lawns. If you have a bigger plot you may want to consider one with an extended range. Our top pick can mow up to 0.4 acres.
Another consideration is whether you’ll need a mower that can handle inclines. This is important if you have a hilly yard as you’ll want one that can make light-work of slopes. Out of the mowers we reviewed, there was a range of between 22 and 30 degrees. The dealers we spoke to say they’ve seen some mowers handle bigger slopes, including up to 45 degrees.
With the best robot lawn mowers, a great perk is that you don’t need to remember to charge them. The mower will return to its base when it needs a top-up so you may not even notice. Even so, it’s worth considering the length of time to charge and how long the machine can run with a full battery. Our top picks last about an hour on a full charge and take slightly longer than that to recharge completely. While it may not have much impact on your experience, it gives you an indication of whether the machine is well designed.
Multi-zone capability
Looking to mow more than one space? You’ll need a mower with multi-zone capability. This applies if you want to mow a front lawn and back lawn that are not directly connected. The robot views these as separate zones so look out for one with multi-zone capabilities. This means you can program the mower to remember more than one set of boundaries. You’ll find that most multi-zone robot mowers can cover between two or four zones which should be sufficient for most households.
Programmable
Looking for the ultimate convenience? You’ll want to choose a mower you can schedule to run on particular days at specific times. This saves you the faff of having to remember to set the robot lawn mower to work. Consider how you’ll want to program the device. With some robot lawn mowers, you do this from the base while you can set other models remotely over a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection.
Advanced features
While all robot lawn mowers offer convenience, some models have additional premium features that give them the edge over the competition. If you have a large yard, a model with GPS might be a good choice so you can track its progress. You could also easily trace the mower if it was stolen so there’s no need to worry about it.
If you want to take convenience to the next level, why not consider a robot lawn mower that you control via an app? Some models allow you to control, configure and monitor the robot remotely via a mobile app so the robot doesn’t even need to be in sight.
Another handy feature is rain-detection technology, ideal in a wetter climate. Thanks to this clever tech, the mower can tell when it’s too wet to mow. You can even find some models which are designed to continue mowing during a shower.
Robot lawn mower FAQs
What warranties do robot lawn mowers come with?
Worried about reliability? You’ll want to prioritize a good warranty so you can put your mind at rest. The best robot lawn mowers are an investment so this is especially important as you'll want it to last.
Our round-up includes models with a range of warranties. Typically, the more expensive models come with a better warranty, so there’s a trade-off between saving money and having peace of mind. In our review, the warranties range between one and five years. The length of the warranty can also give you a sense of whether the manufacturer considers the robot is built to last.
Which is the best robot lawn mower for small gardens?
If you have an outdoor space that’s on the smaller side you’re probably looking for a robot mower that’s more specialized in tidying up corners. If that is the case, then the model that you should primarily be looking at is the Gardena 4069 R80Li. This quiet, well-designed robot lawn mower is ideal for tackling the complexities of smaller spaces, as well as providing top-tier cutting results.
The Gardena 4069 R80Li is ideal for keeping on top of your smaller garden all on its own, with a sensor that can detect how quickly your lawn is growing and how frequently it needs a trim. It also only takes 50 minutes to charge up, meaning even if it can’t manage your whole garden in one session, it can easily be charged up before it’s sent out for another mow.
Do robot lawn mowers actually work?
The big question, when you've never tried one of these models, is do robot lawn mowers actually work? And the answer is largely yes, if you're talking about keeping your grass looking trim. These will make short and low cuts regularly to keep your lawn looking consistent, like it's always just been cut. Like all robots, you may need to come and help every now and then, perhaps to clear a blockage or pop the mower back on its charger if it got stuck.
The areas that you may not have thought about are cutting around the robot lawn mower's limits. So along borders, or sharp edges, where the mower may not be able to gain access, you might be needed to trim edges using an edge cutter. The other instance, where you may need to mow manually, is at the start of the season where the robot has had its time off and the first cut may have been missed. This could leave the grass too long for the robot to tackle before getting back into its routine of keeping grass short and manageable.
The mower is limited by its width, as are all mowers, but can move in and out of spaces based on this. So if you have a large open space, it should be simple work. However, if you have lots of slopes and tighter spots, it may be more difficult for your robot lawn mower to move about. That said, many of the best robot lawn mowers can tackle most lawns making them a very capable option for those that want to save time by letting the bot do the manual work for them.
