When friends of mine sent a video of their little robotic mower bumping along a long flat lawn, I was skeptical. How could a device the size of a small tire mow a large lawn? Well, Husqvarna makes mowers that can, pretty accurately, and have been for years. While the robot won’t be able to edge succinctly like a weed whacker, you’ll still get well-groomed grass for very little effort. It chops the blades and mulches to save you the work of constantly emptying a storage container.
The limitations involve installing a wire pinned to the lawn’s entire perimeter. Also, autopowers are less reliable than push or riding mowers on steeper slopes. And like a robotic vacuum, it can’t remove toys, chairs, and hoses obstructing its path. O bstacles need to be picked up before it departs the charging station. Lastly, separate areas of lawn dissected by a driveway or sidewalk can’t be covered. Otherwise, the device is fairly thorough.
The biggest drawback? Price. For a city yard, the residential Automower 115H (4G) is $700, and to cover a larger suburban lawn, the wider Automower 415X runs $2,000. While other, cheaper brands may suit your needs just fine, Husq Varna has been perfecting landscape tools for decades and has a reputation for being built tough. I’d say it’s worth it, but the key is to find an automower that works for your yard and your budget.
