Robot mowers

Author
Discussion

biggiles

1,733 posts

226 months

Tuesday 12th March 2019
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Lawn seed + robotic lawnmowers:

We're now laying a new lawn, and I need to choose seed. Call it 1200sqm. I have the Lawn Expert book, but it doesn't cover robotic lawn mowers! We've had our Husqvarna automower for a few years and it's been great.

There is typically a choice between "hard-wearing family lawn" and "ornamental". Logically the "family lawn" would be the right choice, but is there anything better, because the mower is always trimming? (We also have large-scale sprinklers + bore-hole, so I'm not worried about it drying out).

The children won't be playing football on it, but they're bound to ride bikes over it at some point.

Rib

2,552 posts

190 months

Tuesday 12th March 2019
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Honestly even the 'family lawn' type are still more than capable of looking nice. Tbh I hate it when I go to a customer who has paid a fortune for a 'premium' turf as given a few years they've built up so much matted thatch that you really need to start again.

Look at Boston seeds as an example - family lawn seed is 50% rye and 50% fescue so is still a very fine turf. Drought resistant turf is also usually red chewing fescue so Hardy yet fine.

Our seed we use is a 50 50 mix of rye and fescue (4 varieties), is drought and disease resistant compared to most turfs and looks awesome if mown regularly.

Something else to consider is also a clover mix grass seed, clover naturally feeds the soil nitrogen so keeps the grass growing healthy, adds some extra wear and good for wildlife,no good though if you want the weed free look

lebouch

36 posts

149 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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Bugger. I prevaricated and the McCulloch R1000 has gone back up from £550 to £850 on Amazon. Argos also had them at £550 but they don’t list them anymore. Was waiting until we exchanged on the house - should’ve pulled the trigger.

Flibble

6,476 posts

182 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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lebouch said:
Bugger. I prevaricated and the McCulloch R1000 has gone back up from £550 to £850 on Amazon. Argos also had them at £550 but they don’t list them anymore. Was waiting until we exchanged on the house - should’ve pulled the trigger.
I had a robot mower in the cupboard for about 4 months while we were preparing for exchange. It's still not made it out of the box as it was winter before we got moved.

will_

6,027 posts

204 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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I asked a few months ago if anyone had any experience of using a robo on a larger patch but didn't get any replies - is there anything suitable (i.e. reliable enough) to do circa 1.5 acres?

Zoon

6,719 posts

122 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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will_ said:
I asked a few months ago if anyone had any experience of using a robo on a larger patch but didn't get any replies - is there anything suitable (i.e. reliable enough) to do circa 1.5 acres?
HUSQVARNA 450X should be able to do that.

lebouch

36 posts

149 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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Flibble said:
I had a robot mower in the cupboard for about 4 months while we were preparing for exchange. It's still not made it out of the box as it was winter before we got moved.
Yeah that’s what I was wary of. That said, we accepted the offer on our place last September (!) and it’s only finally edging to exchange in the next few weeks.
The estate agent presented our buyers to us as having a “substantial deposit”, only needing a “nominal” mortgage.
Turns out the ‘nice couple’ who viewed were just representing a trust, with some members abroad. It’s been a very frustrating experience - quite unlike the times I’ve sold houses before.

Amateurish

7,760 posts

223 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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will_ said:
I asked a few months ago if anyone had any experience of using a robo on a larger patch but didn't get any replies - is there anything suitable (i.e. reliable enough) to do circa 1.5 acres?
I've been using a McCulloch R1000 for a garden of similar size since September. It seems to be OK so far. I don't know if it will cope when the grass starts to put on extra growth in the next few months. Time will tell.

Podie

46,630 posts

276 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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Zoon said:
will_ said:
I asked a few months ago if anyone had any experience of using a robo on a larger patch but didn't get any replies - is there anything suitable (i.e. reliable enough) to do circa 1.5 acres?
HUSQVARNA 450X should be able to do that.
Husqvarna or Robomow offer products to cover that sort of area.

Rib

2,552 posts

190 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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Husqvana or I've been recommended ambrogio recently and research shows they're a pretty serious contender.

will_

6,027 posts

204 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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Podie said:
Zoon said:
will_ said:
I asked a few months ago if anyone had any experience of using a robo on a larger patch but didn't get any replies - is there anything suitable (i.e. reliable enough) to do circa 1.5 acres?
HUSQVARNA 450X should be able to do that.
Husqvarna or Robomow offer products to cover that sort of area.
Thanks - presumably it pretty much runs all day and night to cover that acreage!

Podie

46,630 posts

276 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
quotequote all
will_ said:
Podie said:
Zoon said:
will_ said:
I asked a few months ago if anyone had any experience of using a robo on a larger patch but didn't get any replies - is there anything suitable (i.e. reliable enough) to do circa 1.5 acres?
HUSQVARNA 450X should be able to do that.
Husqvarna or Robomow offer products to cover that sort of area.
Thanks - presumably it pretty much runs all day and night to cover that acreage!
I would assume so. They’re pretty quiet though. Happy for ours to run at night.

Rib

2,552 posts

190 months

Tuesday 19th March 2019
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The larger ones apparantly also slowly learn the land so to speak, so it slowly becomes more and more efficient so it doesn't just do random cutting

Whites

2 posts

62 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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lebouch said:
Bugger. I prevaricated and the McCulloch R1000 has gone back up from £550 to £850 on Amazon. Argos also had them at £550 but they don’t list them anymore. Was waiting until we exchanged on the house - should’ve pulled the trigger.
Been looking into a robot mower for our small garden which is set over three areas this spring and found this forum really useful
lebouch if you search in Argos clearance robot mowers you will see your R1000 at £550?
I am considering either a RobS400 or a Stihl 442 The Stihl is dearer but the dealer will install whereas the Rob has app functions and can cope with additional areas I believe?

lancs16

88 posts

95 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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Back at £544 on Amazon for the Rob1000 (need to be a Prime member/free trial of Prime)

lebouch

36 posts

149 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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Thanks both! Still haven’t exchanged on our house so hoping they’ll still be around next week...

Zoon

6,719 posts

122 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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Whites said:
lebouch said:
Bugger. I prevaricated and the McCulloch R1000 has gone back up from £550 to £850 on Amazon. Argos also had them at £550 but they don’t list them anymore. Was waiting until we exchanged on the house - should’ve pulled the trigger.
Been looking into a robot mower for our small garden which is set over three areas this spring and found this forum really useful
lebouch if you search in Argos clearance robot mowers you will see your R1000 at £550?
I am considering either a RobS400 or a Stihl 442 The Stihl is dearer but the dealer will install whereas the Rob has app functions and can cope with additional areas I believe?
Keep an eye out for the Viking 422. It's the same machine as the Stihl (same company) but comes in green rather than fluorescent orange and about £150 cheaper.

Whites

2 posts

62 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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Zoon said:
Keep an eye out for the Viking 422. It's the same machine as the Stihl (same company) but comes in green rather than fluorescent orange and about £150 cheaper.
Thanks for the heads up

Podie

46,630 posts

276 months

Tuesday 9th April 2019
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Amazon deal of the day for the Flymo 1200R at £462.99 (down from £549) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flymo-1200R-Lithium-Ion-R...

Not the cheapest it's been, but a drop on recent prices.

Worth keeping an eye out this week in the Amazon spring sale....

SlimRick

2,258 posts

166 months

Tuesday 9th April 2019
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Podie said:
Amazon deal of the day for the Flymo 1200R at £462.99 (down from £549) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flymo-1200R-Lithium-Ion-R...

Not the cheapest it's been, but a drop on recent prices.

Worth keeping an eye out this week in the Amazon spring sale....
I have the smallest garden, approx 3m x 5m but I despise mowing lawns. At that price I couldn’t refuse!