Nothing beats the appearance and scent of newly cut grass. However, unless you’re planning on enlisting a professional landscaper, you will need to invest a considerable amount of time to maintain your lawn in good condition. An increasing number of UK and Irish gardeners are more receptive to robotic lawnmowers as a no-hands alternative to conventional petrol and electric lawnmowers.
Considering how robotic lawnmowers are entirely automated, they can be an excellent alternative for gardeners with mobility issues, who are away most of the time or just consider mowing another chore. The right robot lawnmower for your garden will free you from manually operating a noisy, petrol-powered mower all over your yard each weekend. Websites such as gardentech.ie have a great selection to choose from.
How a Robotic Lawnmower Functions
Robot lawn mowers are driven by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack and are specially made to slash the grass evenly, little and routinely so the lawn always appears in ship-shape. The cuttings are mulched down back and used as compost to fertilise the lawn meaning there will be no piles of grass to handle or any need for collection bags.
Many robotic mowers function by identifying perimeter edges via a boundary wire or sensors. The former is outlaid around the edge of the grass – along with any impediments like flower beds or trees – to inform the lawnmower to remain within those bounds. When the robot lawnmower detects the boundary line, it will alter course to evade going off course beyond the lawn.
Most models have collision detectors so that if they come into contact with anything, the robotic mower will reverse and head in a different direction. Other models cut the grass randomly until they cover the whole lawn before going back to the docking point. Others have a more high-tech GPS system that enables you to programme certain pathways.
Robot lawnmowers are calibrated with a pin pad on the front side but most models can also be operated through an app which enables you to observe the lawnmower’s movement, schedule cutting times and informs you when servicing is needed remotely.
When the lawnmower is done clipping, or when the battery is low, the mower will go back to its docking point automatically, connect, and charge. Nevertheless, these mowers are pricey, need an exterior power source and correct installation, may not be ideal for every garden style and won’t form stripes.
Pros of robotic lawnmowers
-Less work: Once set up and automated, the robotic mower will routinely slash the grass per your express schedule. The grass will always look trim and the mower will move to its dock point when it requires recharging.
-Zero-emissions: In contrast to petrol mowers, robot lawnmowers use rechargeable Lithium-ion battery packs and don’t produce any emissions.
-Super-Quiet: The fact that it doesn’t run using an engine, means the mowers are super quiet.
Continue reading to find out the key factors to consider when selecting a robotic lawnmower.
Size Ranges and Price
Robotic mowers are costly, particularly in contrast to electric or cordless lawnmowers. Pricing begins at about £600 with first-rate models for bigger landscapes going for anything in the range of £3000 up. Many brands feature different size ranges of mowers to fit various garden sizes, from 400m2 small lawns to large landscapes up to 5000m2 in size.
Robotic Lawnmower Features
Besides being completely automatic, the extra features on the top robotic mowers contrast depending on the make. They can feature weather detectors, smart connectivity and GPS navigation, which is receiving traction and is convenient when it comes to programming the mower remotely. As it is easily accessible as an app on your smartphone, you can change the timetable for mowing and configure your phone without needing to bend over and operate the PIN board.
Another useful feature is that you can monitor the robotic mower from anywhere, trace it in case it gets stolen and know when it requires servicing. Proper security is integral when you pay for a machine in this range and all lawnmowers have basic security features. Others simply come inbuilt with a PIN code to kick-start the lawnmower, while others come with a GPS tracker, alarms, and lift sensors.
Robotic Lawnmower Installation
The question here is whether you should set up the automatic robotic mower by yourself or enlist a professional landscaper. Setting up a robot mower can be tiresome depending on the size of your garden, however, it’s not that hard. Almost all vendors provide written guidelines coupled with video tutorials, a spool of wire, a measuring tool, and stakes to keep the boundary wire in position. Prepare yourself to spend an hour or more (depending on the complexity and size of your lawn) on your knees fitting the wire.
A few manufacturers will offer aftersales services and set up the robotic lawnmower for you, while others will recommend that you enlist the dealer to handle the job. If you go for the latter choice, be ready to shell out some money for the service and ensure that you receive a quotation upfront.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
