Robotic Lawnmowers: Advantages, Disadvantages and Costs
What Are the Advantages of a Robotic Lawnmower?
It is absolutely worth getting a robotic lawnmower, as there are numerous very clear advantages straight away.
- Time saving
For most people, a significant advantage of the robotic lawnmower is the time it saves. Because while you are taking care of other things in the garden or house, the robotic lawnmower takes on lawn maintenance. You can decide whether you use the time for other work, or if you simply don’t want to do anything at all for once. - Maintenance while you’re away
The robotic lawnmower keeps the lawn in shape if you are away from the house for longer periods. So if you decide to take a holiday far away, for example, your lawn will still be well looked after with a robotic lawnmower. When you return, it will look well cared for, sparing you the burden of having to immediately reach for a lawnmower when you return home. So your that relaxed feeling you found on holiday will last a bit longer. - Fewer weeds
A robotic lawnmower can be sent out as often as you like. If you like, you can let it trim the lawn every day. Regular cutting not only ensures an attractive look. When grass is kept very short it also grows more densely. This makes it harder for weeds to take hold. - Quiet operation
Robotic lawnmowers are powered by electricity. This makes them significantly quieter than petrol or electric lawnmowers. In fact, they are so quiet you’ll hardly notice them. This means many models are even allowed to mow during legal rest periods. - Automatic fertilizing through mulching
Some robotic lawnmowers, such as the Indego M 700 and the Indego M+ 700 from Bosch not only keep the lawn short - they also take on another task simultaneously: The robotic lawnmower distributes the cut grass tips evenly over the lawn surface. These lawn cuttings provide regular fertilizing to the area, without you having to take care of it. Thus, the lawn grows more healthily and stronger and simply looks more beautiful. - Less maintenance effort
Robotic lawnmowers are not completely maintenance-free. However, in comparison to a petrol lawnmower, the maintenance effort is very low.
Where Can You Use a Robotic Lawnmower?
In principle, you can use a robotic lawnmower on all areas. It will reliably take care of the lawn maintenance.
However, there are some obstacles which the equipment cannot overcome. These include steps or narrow spaces. Extremely crooked areas or very steep surfaces can also be a problem.
But you can put your robotic lawnmower on the correct path with some guide wires. However, if it is too wide for certain passages then it has no chance. Consult an expert to find out which of the possible solutions is the best one for your property.
Which Robotic Lawnmower Should You Buy?
There are numerous different robotic lawnmower models in the trade shops. Selecting the correct product primarily comes down to the quality. You should certainly trust brand manufacturers here. You will get equipment made to a high-quality standard which will also reliably do its job for many years.
In addition to quality, another significant factor when selecting the correct robotic lawnmower is also the size of the area the robot should mow. There are recommended lawn areas assigned to different devices. It is important that you assess this size correctly: the robotic lawnmower can only manage this area if it is deployed practically all day, every day.
If you can only let the robotic lawnmower do its job at certain times - for example, only in the morning - it will not be able to permanently maintain the given area evenly. In this case it is better to select a model for larger areas. The Indego M+ 700 from Bosch, for example, is designed for a lawn area of up to 7535 square feet.
Pay attention to any additional functions when purchasing a robotic lawnmower. You can also control some equipment, for example, the Indego M+, from a smartphone. This can prove very practical in daily life. The also have anti-theft security: As soon as the robotic lawnmower is lifted up or taken out of its mowing area it gives out a high-pitched alarm signal. Generally, the equipment will then automatically turn off and can only be reactivated after a security code is entered.
Howe Much Does a Robotic Lawnmower Cost?
Robotic lawnmowers are becoming increasingly popular and also more and more advanced. They are already available from around 750 pounds.
If you install the robotic lawnmower yourself, apart from the purchase price, the only thing you will still have to pay for is the electricity. However, as the devices only consume very little electricity, you can assume a total of around 18 pounds per year for a mowing area of 500 m2..
You should replace the robotic lawnmower blades every one to two years. These cost about 18 pounds. After about three years you may need a new battery. They cost around 100 pounds.
Can You Install the Robotic Lawnmower Yourself?
It isn’t complicated to install a robotic lawnmower. Provided the garden is not too crooked or has too many obstacles, you can easily do it yourself.
The most important thing in the installation is laying out the limitation cable. You use this to determine which areas the robotic lawnmower should work and which areas it should leave. Afterwards, set up the charging station and connect it.
The required accessories for installation are included with brand devices. If you have a particularly large property, you can also buy additional limitation wire later.
If your property has a very complicated shape, lots of obstacles, or narrow spaces, it may be helpful to get support from a specialist for the installation.
How Do I Operate the Robotic Lawnmower?
Operating a robotic lawnmower is very easy. Most models can be deployed with the push of a button. Usually, the device will return to the charging station itself when the work is done. So you only need to take care of starting the robotic lawnmower.
However, many devices can also be programmed, so that they set out and do their work on the desired days at the desired times.
You can also control some robotic lawnmowers by smartphone. Meaning you don’t have to stand next to the equipment to start it. All you have to do is tap your smartphone. Alternatively, you can also incorporate the robotic lawnmower into your smart home. Then, you can start the mowing depending on certain conditions.
How Efficiently Does the Robotic Lawnmower Mow?
The precision of the robotic lawnmowers currently available in trade shops is astounding. They even work evenly and reliably on large lawn areas. It is only in very tight corners that the equipment may not get every blade, due to its size. In these spaces, you just need to finish now and again with a trimmer.
What Lawn Care Is Important if a Robotic Lawnmower Is Mowing?
If you have regularly fertilised your lawn in the past, you can save yourself some time and also money if you let a robotic lawnmower take over the mowing work. As mentioned above, it distributes the cuttings evenly across the lawn area. The cuttings decompose to become a completely natural fertiliser.
You won’t have to dethatch the lawn any more either if you used a robotic lawnmower. The cuttings decompose very quickly. So hardly any thatch forms in the lawn.
How Safe Is a Robotic Lawnmower?
The robotic lawnmowers available in the UK are safe. This applies in particular to equipment from brand manufacturers. The blade stops immediately if the robotic lawnmower is lifted up.
However, even with robotic lawnmowers, caution is better than hindsight. Therefore, as soon as there are children or pets on the lawn, the equipment should be sent back to the charging station.
It is possible that small animals such as hedgehogs, frogs, or toads could be injured by the equipment. However, the same applies to standard lawnmowers. You can reduce the risk greatly by only setting the robotic lawnmower to work during the day, as the animals mentioned are mainly out and about at dusk and in the night. If the robotic lawnmower doesn’t meet the animals, there is no danger.
Are there any Disadvantages to Robotic Lawnmowers?
The advantages of robotic lawnmowers are immense. However, the equipment is not completely without its disadvantages. It is difficult to deploy in the rain. In this case, the robotic lawnmower may leave tracks in the lawn. This applies in particular to the area in front of the charging station. This is driven over a lot by the equipment. And it puts a strain on it accordingly. When it rains, this can lead to bare patches.
One solution here is to secure the space in front of the charging station. For example, by laying paving stones. Then the device can manoeuvre without a problem.
In addition, some of the cheaper equipment has an issue with tall grass. You can solve this problem by purchasing a high-quality product and setting it to work regularly. This will leave your lawn mowed regularly and it won’t be able to reach a problematic height.