Robot mowers

Author
Discussion

Driller

8,310 posts

278 months

Saturday 11th February 2017
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What? You'd rather spend 2 hours every week piddling around pushing a mower and emptying grass out?

The guide wire took me 2 hours to install for 1300m2 of lawn and that's including going around multiple trees. Now it's installed the robot takes care of everything.

davek_964

Original Poster:

8,818 posts

175 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
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Where did the Robomow owners get their mower from?

Usually, I rely on Amazon for pretty much everything - but the few Robomow they list are from third party sellers - some of which look very dodgy ("We can't dispatch to all addresses, please mail us before add to basket".... and poorly translated descriptions).

I think the Robomow RC series does tick all the boxes I have, but it's a case of finding one!

biggiles

1,713 posts

225 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
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davek_964 said:
Where did the Robomow owners get their mower from?

Usually, I rely on Amazon for pretty much everything - but the few Robomow they list are from third party sellers - some of which look very dodgy ("We can't dispatch to all addresses, please mail us before add to basket".... and poorly translated descriptions).
I bought ours (Husqvarna) last year from Robot Centre in Europe: https://www.myrobotcenter.eu/en/lawn-and-pool-robo...

Robot mowers are much more popular in Germany and France. Delivery was easy, and they were able to give some advice.

davek_964

Original Poster:

8,818 posts

175 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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Thanks.

I've now ordered an RC306. I wanted a pro model because I fancied GSM but I can live without it.
I don't actually expect my order to be fulfilled though! Amazon UK now list some Robomow and although not fulfilled by them, they are not 3rd party sellers. They are cheaper than I'd expect though, so suspect I will need Amazon to refund me...

ETA : Order cancelled almost immediately with no explanation. Think I need to find one that isn't a scam...

Edited by davek_964 on Sunday 19th February 13:05

rfisher

5,024 posts

283 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
quotequote all
davek_964 said:
Thanks.

I've now ordered an RC306. I wanted a pro model because I fancied GSM but I can live without it.
I don't actually expect my order to be fulfilled though! Amazon UK now list some Robomow and although not fulfilled by them, they are not 3rd party sellers. They are cheaper than I'd expect though, so suspect I will need Amazon to refund me...

ETA : Order cancelled almost immediately with no explanation. Think I need to find one that isn't a scam...

Edited by davek_964 on Sunday 19th February 13:05
wavey

dealmaker

2,215 posts

254 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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Guys,

Anyone had any experience with Viking robot mowers?

I need TWO robot mowers due to the size and complexity of my lawns. I have two local competing companies vying for the work. One is the Husqvarna dealer - and the other is a Viking dealer.

The Husqvarna dealer is offering two of the Automower 450X models (largest one they do) - and the Viking dealer two of their MI 632PC models (their largest)

The Viking dealer if offering a more "hands off" installation and will do all of the work for me - and won't leave until I am happy. The Husqvarna dealer wants me to do some of the prep work and lay some conduit under the drive etc etc.

The Vikings have a wider cut than the Husqvarna, and a steeper gradeability - but seems to lose a little on battery capacity and cutting time - though this shouldn't be an issue due to there being two of them. They both appear to have App's to control them and do the programming - but I don't know who's App is the best? I think the Husq has GPS - bit not sure about the Viking.

The Vikings work out about 25% cheaper. The Vikings have a 5 year warranty - whereas the Husqvarna is only 2 years........

I hear very good things about the entire Viking product range - so that is comforting - but I'm not sure of the relative performance of the robot mowers?

Anyone have any experience or thoughts?

Thanks!

Origin Unknown

2,297 posts

169 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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This looks great value?

https://www.johnlewis.com/robomow-rx12u-robotic-la... @ £499

My grass is ~5m x ~4m total, flat and edged with raised borders. My petrol self-propelled is completely overkill for it.

39sl

168 posts

124 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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dealmaker said:
Guys,

Anyone had any experience with Viking robot mowers?

I need TWO robot mowers due to the size and complexity of my lawns. I have two local competing companies vying for the work. One is the Husqvarna dealer - and the other is a Viking dealer.

The Husqvarna dealer is offering two of the Automower 450X models (largest one they do) - and the Viking dealer two of their MI 632PC models (their largest)

The Viking dealer if offering a more "hands off" installation and will do all of the work for me - and won't leave until I am happy. The Husqvarna dealer wants me to do some of the prep work and lay some conduit under the drive etc etc.

The Vikings have a wider cut than the Husqvarna, and a steeper gradeability - but seems to lose a little on battery capacity and cutting time - though this shouldn't be an issue due to there being two of them. They both appear to have App's to control them and do the programming - but I don't know who's App is the best? I think the Husq has GPS - bit not sure about the Viking.

The Vikings work out about 25% cheaper. The Vikings have a 5 year warranty - whereas the Husqvarna is only 2 years........

I hear very good things about the entire Viking product range - so that is comforting - but I'm not sure of the relative performance of the robot mowers?

Anyone have any experience or thoughts?

Thanks!
I've had the Husqvarna 420 for 4 months now.
After a month, I had the GPS module added as I wanted to stop it mowing the grass in the rain; it doesn't care if it rains or not, it will still mow but I have a couple of steep hills in the garden that it won't handle well when wet...I have a plan to move the perimeter wire which may help.
I like the app and with the GPS module, it does seem to become more aware of its surroundings and mows more efficiently now (seems to cover the garden better).

The only thing I would say is missing from the Husqvarna is the rain detector...it would be better (for me) if it had the option to stay on the charger when it rains..but that's my own wish list.

Finally, moving from mowing my lawn when it looked like it needed it to having the mower do it regularly (mine is set to 3 hours per day for 4 days per week) means the grass looks significantly greener and healthier...and I don't need to keep emptying the bloody grass - win / win.

HTH

Steve

swisstoni

17,012 posts

279 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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How hard can it be (given even current technology) to tell the flipping things that there are 2 or more areas to mow, precisely where to mow, don't mow when it's raining or on Tuesdays,etc, etc?

The thickness of the current crop of mowers surprises me.

V8LM

5,174 posts

209 months

Saturday 27th May 2017
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I've a 450x and I'm very impressed. Shaun is busy mowing as I type this, concentrating on the bottom of the lawn:



It's set to work during the day seven days a week but using the Weather Timer where it measures how quickly the grass grows and adjusts mowing accordingly.

The biggest problem I have are the Scotch Pines that are currently dropping their cones on the lawn and whilst the mower easily rides over these and the blades pivot out of the way, the blades blunt more quickly and I think upsets the Weather Timer. The App is ok, although doesn't have an IFTTT channel - I would like to integrate with a weather station to park when it's raining heavily and shut down in a thunderstorm, and to park when the gate buzzer is pressed (we've had a delivery of clothes that were left on the lawn mown). You also can't programme it to travel to a particular GPS point and then to start mowing there, so one has to carry it between secondary areas even if there is a simple route between them.

Podie

46,630 posts

275 months

Saturday 27th May 2017
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Driller said:
I have to say without wanting to sound like a badge snob, I wouldn't touch the Flymo. Just get the Husqvarna and the highest capacity one you can afford. It's best to not have the thing banging away all day every day if you don't want it to wear out.

We have about 1300m2 of lawn but went for the 420 model for this very reason. I have it programmed to work 12 hours a day Mon, Tue and Wed.
Flymo, Gardena and Husqvana are the same company.

Having looked at both the 1200R and R40Li, I can confirm that there are Husqvarna branded components on the mowers.

mikelima

60 posts

95 months

Sunday 28th May 2017
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swisstoni said:
How hard can it be (given even current technology) to tell the flipping things that there are 2 or more areas to mow, precisely where to mow, don't mow when it's raining or on Tuesdays,etc, etc?

The thickness of the current crop of mowers surprises me.
I can set a numnber of zones on my Robomow, it rerturns to base automaticallywhen it begins to rain and I set the number of days per week to cut the grass (currently has Sundays off!).

wjwren

4,484 posts

135 months

Tuesday 30th May 2017
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Do any of these cut right to the edge of the grass - up to the border ?

Too Late

5,094 posts

235 months

Wednesday 31st May 2017
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I would love a robot mower but I enjoy cutting the lawn.

What happens if there is dog mess on the lawn, does robie the mower go through it? Urgggg

wjwren

4,484 posts

135 months

Wednesday 31st May 2017
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I'm a bit put off as I don't think the technology is quite there yet. I purchased a ryobi cordless machine about a year ago which does a great cut. The new Bosch indigo 350 looks pretty good. I'm still in 2 minds.
Can anyone who has one advise if they cut up to the perimeter wire or just over it and can they fall off into the border or do you put the perimeter wire a few inches in from the edge.
There is a new Worx model not sure of model number but was about 800 quid which is meant to do up to the edge but I saw a review and someone said it felt an unfinished product.

mikelima

60 posts

95 months

Wednesday 31st May 2017
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wjwren said:
I'm a bit put off as I don't think the technology is quite there yet. I purchased a ryobi cordless machine about a year ago which does a great cut. The new Bosch indigo 350 looks pretty good. I'm still in 2 minds.
Can anyone who has one advise if they cut up to the perimeter wire or just over it and can they fall off into the border or do you put the perimeter wire a few inches in from the edge.
There is a new Worx model not sure of model number but was about 800 quid which is meant to do up to the edge but I saw a review and someone said it felt an unfinished product.
my Robomow has an offset blade which means that the cutting area sticks out to one side. This is meant to ensure a cut right to the edge, but in reality it doesn't as the wire needs to be set back sufficiently to ensure that the wheels of the mower don't go beyond the lawn edge. This invariably leaves a thin strip of uncut grass. Once a week I have to trim around the border, but I don't mind this - a lot quicker than cutting the lawn every day...

RedLeicester

6,869 posts

245 months

Wednesday 31st May 2017
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Are any of these yet designed for decent sized lawns, or do you just have to order several? Landroid thing seems to say 2000m2, the Robomow thing 5000

wjwren

4,484 posts

135 months

Wednesday 31st May 2017
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John deer is 3 or 4 acres I believe

RedLeicester

6,869 posts

245 months

Wednesday 31st May 2017
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wjwren said:
John deer is 3 or 4 acres I believe
2200m2, so a smidge over half an acre for their "Tango" thing.

wjwren

4,484 posts

135 months

Wednesday 31st May 2017
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Maybe it was a husqvarna that had a higher capacity. What is the current Best Buy for a small lawn? I quite like the look of the Worx Landroid WR106SI. Although the flymo gets good reviews. Any idea if this due to be replaced as it's been out a while.