The best robot lawn mowers are not just for the cash rich but time poor anymore. While some might still be at the luxury end of your budget, as the market has become more competitive, so has pricing. So if you don't exactly love the task of mowing the lawn, or need a little help every now and then, this guide is for you.
Maintenance is one of the necessary evils of having a lovely lush grassy plain and sadly, regular little trims are the way to go if you want a healthy and even law. Automated lawn mowing is therefore a great way to keep a good schedule year round, adapting as the seasons change no matter how short of time you may be,
This is why robotic lawn mowers really have revolutionised the world of lawn care. Some are simple push button operation – set a boundary, press a few buttons and let them get to work. While others come with smart app controls for those who want a little more oversight without having to lift a finger. From setting mowing schedules to finding their way back to their charging stations, some of the best robot lawn mowers really are set up and go.
We have looked at a wide range of robot mowers, tested a few for ourselves and researched third party reviews to see what everyone else is saying to get a good range of opinions from people with differing needs. Our list includes a mix of press and go and app controlled mowers, and we even have one that doesn't need a boundary wire installing. They will tackle gardens as small as 200m2 (and below of course) or as large as 600m2, plus we have some that will handle up to a 50 per cent slope – perfect for those thinking a robot mower couldn't handle a hill.
Enjoy mowing the lawn yourself and don't want to hand it over to a robot? You'll find all the latest buys in our guide to the best lawn mowers. But first, check out our best robotic mowers to see the better fits of AI mowing (we have lots more buying advice at the end too).
The best robot lawn mowers 2022
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If you want an affordable robot mower that lets you get on with other jobs as it mows, then the Flymo Easilife 200 is for you.
Robo-gardener
This robot mower is suitable for lawns up to 200m2 – in other words, up to medium size. It can work on gradients up to 35 per cent. Simply set it up with its charging station and boundary wire, then it does the rest for you. The battery life is plenty for a modest garden, bit even if it does run out of juice, it returns to it's charging station and in an hour it is ready to go again.
Working practices
The mower adapts the cutting schedule automatically based on the lawn growth and weather conditions, and mows in an irregular pattern for full coverage and to avoid track marks. It mulches so you don’t have to worry about emptying a grass box.
Smart features
You can set the schedule from the keypad or via the EasiLife app. With the latter, you can access mower status and support information from your phone.
Gardeningetc rating 4.5 out of 5 stars – head over to our Flymo Cordless EasiLife 200 Robotic Lawn Mower review for the full details.
If you have a spacious but simple lawn, the Worx Landroid M500 could be for you.
Mowing tech
Designed to mow your lawn often, the Landroid has patented mowing AIA cutting technology which ensures that it can navigate and mow narrow spaces really easily. This one also comes with optional extras such as voice control, ACS obstacle control, anti-theft, and digital fence which make the robot mower even more intelligent.
It also has a mulching function to maintain your garden which reuses the clippings to serve as a natural fertilizer.
Smart features
Controlled by an easy-to-use app, this robot lawn mower will mow your entire lawn with just the touch of a button and even set up a mowing schedule. The app is called Landroid which can be downloaded to your iPhone or Android device, and be used across your home Wi-Fi connection. It has fun features like 'save the hedgehogs' to avoid nighttime mows which could harm wildlife and 'party mode' allowing you to suspend any preset schedules while you enjoy your garden.
Brilliant at the basics
This mower will make a great job of a simple lawn format without too many complex edges or obstructions. It is designed to cut to edges, but can struggle with imposing tufts of grass or shrubbery. However if you have a formal rectangular lawn and aim for a pristine look, the Worx Landroid M500 can do that with ease and will leave your lawn healthier after every cut.
Gardeningetc rating 4 out of 5 stars – head over to our Worx Landroid M500 robot lawn mower review for the full details.
If you want versatile operation and easy use for a medium sized garden, consider the Bosch Indego 350 Connect Robotic lawn mower.
Easy to operate
The Bosch Indego is our top pick of robotic lawn mowers for a reason: it's so clever, you really won't need to do anything to achieve the perfect lawn. You can start, pause, and even change a programme all at the touch of a button – or from your phone.
Smart features
The connectivity features on this machine are really good, and the mower will even remember the layout of your lawn and when it needs to be cut with a calendar function.
Good to know
The battery life isn't the longest, but it should cope with small and medium-sized lawns without a problem. The manufacturer website says 45 minutes run time, but third parties have listed it much lower. Either way, it will return to the docking station for charge when it needs it and is ready to go again in just 45 minutes.
Wiring
The McCulloch R600 is one mighty machine – just what you need to cope with gardens that have a challenging layout. Amazingly, this lawn mower lays down boundary wires as it works its way around the perimeter of your lawn; these disappear into the ground after a few weeks and won't be noticeable.
Collision sensors
You'll never have an issue with this mower bumping into trees or edges thanks to its sensitive collision sensors. The McCulloch also can tackle sloping gardens, coping effortlessly with inclines of up to 25 per cent.
Easy setup
The set up and operation is pretty fuss free with this model which has an integrated LCD display and controls for operation. This is one place it falls short of other models – it is easy to control, but with no app functionality you don't get to program cutting schedules like you do with some of the more affordable models in our list. However, if you like simple push button autonomy, this is for you.
Even a small lawn can take time to mow, so if you want to remove the faff of getting the mower out, but don't have much budget, the LANDXCAPE LX799 is a great option.
Mowing tech
With a 16cm cutting width and a cutting height of 20 to 50mm, this LANDXCAPE mower can tackle gardens with a 15˚ incline. The patented mowing technology built inside this lawn mower enhances its efficiency by 30 per cent, while it uses both forward and reverses rotations in order to reduce the wear of the blade by half. There's a three-blade cutting/mulching system meaning that similar to other robot lawnmowers, it cuts the grass and disperses it back into your lawn to be used as a fertilizer.
Ease of use
This robot lawn mower is better for smaller gardens – up to 300m2 – and it will take itself home when power is low. It also doesn't need to be programmed and will start mowing at the press of one button. It has bump sensors so as not to hit your furniture (or the kids' climbing frame), while the robot will navigate away from narrow or tricky paths, too. Though not Wi-Fi enabled, it's very easy to use as it features a keypad on the top of the device.
Safety
The LANDXCAPE mower requires a PIN code to work – this will protect the lawnmower from unauthorized activation. If the mower is picked up, its blades will stop moving immediately.
Have slopes and complex lawns that you don't want to set up wires round? The Ambrogio L60 Deluxe is the most convenient of robot mowers when it comes to getting started.
Great for sloped gardens
A deluxe lawn mower indeed, the Ambrogio L60 will safely and reliable tackle pretty much any garden, including a steeply sloping one – it will confidently climb up an incline of up to 40 per cent with a maximum permissible slop of 50 per cent.
Grass sensors
Intelligent grass sensors ensure that this mower always stays on the grass, never ending up on a path or drive – without the need for wiring. It's lightweight, too, which makes picking it up when it's done no problem at all.
Expensive
All this clever design comes at a steep price, though, so it only worth it if you do have a sloped garden. However, if you have the cash and want a mower that won't require hands on set up, then it is worth the money. It is also great for fiddly layouts with lots of slopes.
This robot mower offering from McCulloch might be for smaller gardens than the R600, but has the added benefit of smart phone connectivity.
Advanced features
One of the most advanced robot lawn mower from McCulloch, the ROB S400 will do all the hard work for you, including figuring out when your grass needs cutting, so that you don't over-mow your lawn unnecessarily. Connect to your smart phone to control and troublshoot.
Will return to charging station
It also finds its charging station when it's running out of battery, so you don't need to even remember to re-charge it. Amazingly, it will do this even if you change the position of the charging station, making it very flexible to operate.
Batteries may need replacing soon
The batteries are perhaps not the best, though, so be prepared that you might need to replace them after a while.
What is the best robot lawn mower?
We love the Flymo Easilife 200 robot lawn mower as it is easy to use and very affordable considering its range of features. However, this is probably best suited to small urban lawns so if you need to cover a bit more ground we think the Worx Landroid M500 is the best balance of price and function.
How to buy the best robot lawn mowers
Connectivity
When buying a robot lawn mower, it's good to check out what connectivity features it has. Can be linked up to an app on your phone, and if so, how many features does it have apart from on and off? Some of the best robot lawn mowers will have connectivity features like remembering the layout of your lawn and when it needs cutting. However, as we know this isn't for everyone, we have a couple of models that are set up and go, meaning you put the boundary wire in place, connect to the docking station and press a button on the mower to start it. They are intelligent enough to work out their course and this might suit people who find app control actually more complicated.
Battery life vs. charge time
As with any other type of cordless lawn mower, a robot mower will only run for so long continuously before it will need recharging. Think about the size of your lawn: smaller lawns can be covered in about half an hour, but a larger lawn will need 45 minutes and longer. Also look out for smart robot mowers that will return to their docking station without you needing to remember to recharge them. This can get round the issues of a shorter battery life as they will automatically recharge, but does mean the job can take longer on a larger lawn, putting your grass out of use as it works – not the best news on a sunny day when you want to be outside.
Sensors
Quite simply, the quality of the sensors will determine whether your robot mower will be able to dodge tricky corners and lawn edging, and whether it will eventually end up lost on your drive.
Wiring or not?
Some robot mowers require the perimeter of your lawn to be wired: this is useful for gardens with unusual layouts, but not so much for smaller, simpler gardens.
Slopes and lawn size
Before buying, measure the area of your lawn and any slopes. Robot lawn mowers are often accused of not being able to handle slopes, but ours can all cope with at least 15 per cent gradient – one can handle up to 50 per cent which is pretty steep.
The lawn size is often indicated in the model number. Some models on our list come in bigger lawn sizes, but have similar functionality – albeit for a higher price. The lawn size is generally limited by the boundary set up, the distance the mower can travel to and from the dock and the battery life.
Do robot lawn mowers collect grass?
The answer to this is almost always, no. That is the case for those on our list. Instead of wasting weight and unit space on a grass box, these mowers disperse the clippings as they go. This is actually a handy feature of many mowers and allows the lawn to benefit from the fertilisation of its own clippings.
Do robot mowers get stolen?
As with anything in your garden, should an intruder get in, the mower is at risk of being stolen. However, there are a few safety enhancements on some of our mowers to prevent theft. Many have a pin meaning thieves would not be able to use the stolen mower, others register you as the user so nobody else can app control them, and some will tell you where they are should they get taken away.
Also, a robot mower with a boundary wire is not much use by itself so it would take a desperate thief to take the wire and dock too. We recommend making sure your mower is included in your home and garden contents insurance to be covered.
Will a robot lawn mower harm wildlife?
A robot mower is no more likely to harm wildlife than a human controlled one. In some ways they are safer for small animals in your garden as they are not capable of 'off roading' like a larger mower that most often catches animals unawares in patches of long grass. Robot mowers are narrower and move slower than you would with a push mower, so they cover less ground and wildlife should have time to clear the way.
That said, it is pleasing to see manufacturers have taken the needs of wildlife into account with features such as wildlife safe cutting schedules. For example, there are settings that mean the mower will not run at dawn or dusk when animals are most likely to be out and about.
Do note, that cutting your lawn too short is not the best for biodiversity though, so if possible, adopt a cutting schedule that keeps your lawn neat, yet long enough for creepy crawlies to enjoy.
