Has anyone got one and how does it perform in the real world? I'm looking to get a gps/vision model so it can handle going around swings etc and I don't want the hassle of a boundary wire.
Buy one that doesn't mince hedgehogs and hope you don't have frogs and newts in your garden. There is some research on the subject.
Here are my mowers - they turn up (almost) daily, don’t need plugging in and have a built-in automatic fertiliser function - they keep the grass clipped to within a few millimetres all for the price of a few carrots.
I put the owners of robot mowers in the same category as young, fit people with electric bikes. Lazy b@@@@ds!
Yup! Have Luba 2 for cutting my mums grass all 800m2 saved me hours of grief and time. Not without its issues but it works if set up correctly https://uk.mammotion.com/products/luba-2-awd-robot-lawn-mower.
Previous thread here https://singletrackmag.com/forum/off-topic/robo-mowers/
Watching a Segway Navimow i105 working its way round the lawn at the moment. Only had it since last august but does a pretty good job. I still need to strum the edges every few weeks, but that takes 5 minutes compared to 40+ mins mowing every week previously with the petrol mower.
It has taken a little bit of fine tuning to get boundaries and schedules set up, but hasn’t minced our 15 month old or our 2 cats. I’m also fitter than at any time in the last 2 years so hopefully it hasn’t made me too lazy 😉
@alwillis - my budget is around the price of the segway so it's on my shortlist. How is it handling posts like swings or clothes dryers?
I had a Husqvarna something (used wires) and it was good for keeping the main garden down to a level that stopped me going insane. I don't have it now (ex-took it with her), so was thinking about getting another one. Husqvarna and Gardena are top of the list right now, probably a wired version. The vision/GPS/AI versions... well. Nah. Although they do apparently support making lines, which appeals slightly.
I put the owners of robot mowers in the same category as young, fit people with electric bikes. Lazy b@@@@ds!
I'm young and fit with three ebikes 🙂
When I moved into this house I bought the previous owners one as he was downsizing. I work away from home so the mower is brilliant that after a couple of weeks away I'm not coming home to a jungle. It's an older one but only leaves me with a little bit of strumming to do.
I put the owners of robot mowers in the same category as young, fit people with electric bikes. Lazy b@@@@ds!
Really? For a one off payment of £500 and a couple of afternoons set up time, i don't have to spend 90 mins to 2 hours a week for 7 months of the year mowing the lawn and always have a freshly mowed lawn. (Except for the bits that i've left to go wild, which i strim twice a year.)
Sounds eminently sensible to me.
It even keeps it trimmed when i'm on holiday.
I mean you might have nothing better to do with your saturday mornings than walking up and down the garden, but i do. Even if it's just sitting in the garden and having a pleasant breakfast.
Mine also doesn't mow small animals to death.
TBH, when my first one packed in (terminally) after 4 or 5 years, i went straight out and bought a new one.
On the swings and posts question- we don’t really have any (boring rectangle of lawn), but random stuff left out like footballs or washing baskets are avoided no problem, so I imagine a permanent post would be fine. The only downside is it wouldn’t get super close, so there would be some strimming to do around each post.
I drove over mine at the end of last season...after 2 years good service
I bought a new one for this season. It uses the same wire. It's the new generation of the old one and it's actually significantly improved.
As for newts and hedgehogs.... They have bigger faster moving predators in my garden than the lawnmower.
But that won't stop the terminally outraged being outraged.
Oh and previous gen was an easilife 350 new one is an easilife go 350.
The original was fine. The new one just does everything a bit better.
Both bought as refurbs from the Flymo store on eBay.
They have bigger faster moving predators in my garden than the lawnmower.
and you kill them for fun so I've heard 🤪
Don't need to. The fox, the badger ,the cats , the buzzard and the red kite do a good job.
Shame they can't keep the rats at bay also. ....although since I got the robomower I've not had to kill a single rat inside the house. Maybe there is a correlation......night not be causation but it is less tenuous than the articles I read on lawnmowers killing hedgehogs.
Our local council use one on a busy junction to keep the grass short. How it’s not been stolen yet is beyond me 😂
Anyone had issues with the small clippings causing chaos and mess. I'm thinking small children running around barefoot or wet from a paddling pool, getting coated in grass clippings?
If your using it right the clippings are nigh on undetectable.
It's not a once a week job it's a send it out regularly every day or 2 and it cuts super short self mulch
Wet feet are as likely to attract the earth under neath as they are the grass cuttings.
As trail rat says, Send out often. Weather permitting I send Luba out every 2nd day. One day does the front next day the back, even if not much is cut it maintains the grass stripes. I alternate the cut direction as well to give a checker board look.
We have one it’s a brilliant thing, goes out everyday clippings are undetectable. Also have a robot vacuum/mop which I can hear downstairs now and robot window cleaner plus a human cleaner. But Im not young or fit and don’t have an electric bike.
Stupid question probs but are they OK with a "more moss than grass" type lawn.
I have a place where I have to pay £30 a go for a guy to do 20 mins work when I'm not there.
A robot could be a great addition.
Yes, this is mothers "lawns"
Mowses of 'Kress' handles a very large area - 12 acres approx - with great care and attention. GPS location enables Mowses to avoid the lake, flower beds, tree's, wild places and the river. Mowses is set up to do different areas at different times so he isn't constantly crossing the gravel drive. Kress rep came out pre purchase and spent time explaining how Mowses would work, then came back to set Mowses up for the task. The lawn is stripey and in better condition than in the last 100 or so years it has been there.
For saving time Mowses great, local farmer used to come on his tractor to mow the lawn when he had time, the farmer was great but didn't really have the time. Mowses has 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Mowses has been a revelation, get one and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
That’s all very well, but can ‘Mowses’ make a nice cup of tea?
Stupid question probs but are they OK with a "more moss than grass" type lawn.
Not if you want to keep the moss. The daily mowing tends to kill it off in a few weeks. So you get grass instead...
So this lazy bastid has sent the luba out to cut my grass twice this week. I'm currently in New York enjoying trumps new world.
It's good to know i won't come home to half a metre of grass to strim.
Not if you want to keep the moss. The daily mowing tends to kill it off in a few weeks. So you get grass instead..
agreed - my grass has never looked so good - and i have a few buried dead tree roots under a very wet area at the bottom so lots of moss and mushrooms were regular
I gave the edges the first strim the other night after i got back from holidays - mowers been going out when the temp suits for about a month every other day.
I did give it a weed and feed last year and again this year something i never did with my old lawnmower due to the speed at which the grass would grow after.... may account for the improvement - but either way im not trying to squeeze in time before the kids go to bed to cut grass.
