Fairly new to lawn care technology, Robot mowers are a helpful tool that help to manicure your lawn more efficiently. They operate in much the same way as a robot vacuum or mop does: utilizing sensors and guidewires to avoid obstacles and stay within boundaries, and also allow for scheduling and monitoring via Bluetooth companion apps.
A highlight feature of robot lawns is their small cutting decks, often just eight or nine inches wide, which makes them ideal for suburban lawns in particular. The included reels of guidewire also are often just big enough to mark off the edge of a quarter acre to half acre lot or the same size area of much larger lawns. Another appeal of a robot lawn mower is that they're autonomous. Once you set up a schedule, you don't have to worry about being home to mow your lawn, rather, the unit will leave the base station and start cutting the grass all on its own at the designated start time.
Also: The best riding mowers
Additionally, robot mowers are battery-powered, meaning they don't emit any gas, making them a more environmentally friendly solution to lawn care. Plus, the lack of a gas engine means there's very little maintenance other than changing out batteries and cleaning out dried grass and dirt.
To help you find the right fit for your lawn and your summer schedule, I rounded up the best robot mowers available, keeping in mind their key features, maximum cutting areas, and user-friendliness so you can find which model is best suited to your needs.
Best alternative for narrow spaces
GARDENA Automatic Robotic Lawn Mower
With AI-precise cutting patterns, tight corners and passages as narrow as 24 inches are cut reliably.
View at Amazon
Best long-lasting battery alternative
Robomow RX20
The Robomow RX20 Robotic Lawn Mower is ideal for small lawns up to 1/20 acre (200sq.m).
View at The Home Depot