Robotic lawnmowers (robot lawn mowers) are automated machines designed to cut grass with little or no human intervention, reducing the physical effort and time required to maintain a lawn, and taking the hassle and expense out of lawn care. Autonomously operating, robotic mowers require little physical effort and operate to the desired user setting.
Robotic lawn mowers operate on all types of lawns and are able to cut grass on different slopes and surfaces. Automatically cutting grass at the desired user's length between 20-60mm. They can operate at different cutting heights to account for the different surfaces, lawns and grass types. This enables a close cut and seamless experience for undulating, uneven or imperfect surfaces.
Robotic lawn mowers require no physical effort once set up and require minimal input during operation, operate autonomously, are controlled by an app or on-screen display and can operate at any time, day or night.
Owning one is a game changer when it comes to lawn care. They reduce physical labour and effort, time in maintaining a luscious and healthy lawn and save money. As a result, questions arise on the benefits of owning a robotic lawn mower, do they reduce effort and save time, are they low maintenance? In this article, we will articulate the 9 benefits of owning a robotic lawn mower.
How do robotic lawn mowers reduce physical effort?
Physical effort takes into account the exertion and strain put on your muscles in various ways when carrying out different tasks.
Robotic lawn mowers significantly reduce the physical effort required to maintain a healthy and well-kept lawn. They operate autonomously without human input once set up. A study from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology showed that robotic mowers reduce human workload because they can be used without manual operation, they save time and energy. If an individual spent 1 hour every fortnight mowing their lawn, that would be a saving of 26 hours annually, not taking into account their growth rate of grass and lawn condition. This does not take reflect that postponing lawn care due to its manual nature increases the physical effort and time required to maintain the lawn.
Elderly individuals who face challenges in performing a physical and strenuous activity such as pushing a heavy lawn mower can benefit from owning a robotic lawn mower to take over the task, allowing the elderly to maintain their lawn along with their independence and all while keeping costs low.
How do robotic lawn mowers save and increase time available?
Time investment encompasses the time invested in maintaining a well-kept lawn and the subsequent increase in available time when the physical exertion of the lawn is delegated to a robotic lawn mower. The time invested to maintain a lawn varies based on a range of factors from the size of the lawn, grass type and presence of terrain or slopes. Individuals overlook the expenses associated with the petrol and time invested when evaluating the worth of investing in a robotic lawn mower. Additionally, they tend to neglect the long-term benefits and economic advantages a robotic lawn mower provides throughout its lifespan.
Robotic lawn mowers prove to be a valuable time-saving asset however, quantifying the monetary worth of time is challenging, yet it’s undeniably more economical than the initial investment in acquiring a robotic lawn mower. Shouldering the burden of lawn maintenance, these autonomous machines free up valuable time offering a benefit that surpasses the financial cost of owning the device.
Are robotic lawn mowers low maintenance?
Maintenance encompasses the services required to ensure the optimal performance and operation of a robotic lawn mower, enabling it to function at its highest capacity. This includes annual servicing, battery replacement and blade replacements.
Robotic lawn mowers require maintenance, the maintenance and cost required are directly related to the model purchased. Pricier and more complex models like Ambrogio and Husqvarna require professional installation and annual servicing. This can significantly increase the cost of maintenance as there are limited dealers in New Zealand to install Ambrogio making it costly if there are call-outs, issues or replacements/ replacement parts needed.
Worx is an easy-to-use, well-known and trusted brand for New Zealand lawns, offering user-friendly installation. This lowers the ongoing maintenance costs as the parts are readily available and interchangeable. Worx models provide ease of use and convenience, making them a popular choice for maintaining lawns in New Zealand.
How do robotic lawn mowers increase savings?
The cost of owning a robotic lawn mower is directly influenced by several factors, including the initial cost of the mower, ongoing maintenance expenses and the cost of operating (blades, guidewires etc).
Are they cost-friendly?
The primary cost of owning (once set up) is electricity. Worx mowers, which are known to perform well in New Zealand lawn conditions, utilise a 20V lithium-ion battery that requires charging and can be shared across all of their Worx Landroid models.
The average cost for a medium-sized lawn is around $2.00 per month. Compared this to owning a petrol mower which requires fuel to operate. The fuel consumption depends on the size of the lawn and the regularity of mowing. Robotic mowers are designed to cut frequently, reducing the effort required to mow a lawn that gets out of control.
How do robotic lawn mowers improve lawn appearance & health?
Maintaining a healthy lawn is a desirable goal, characterised by a lush green appearance and a well-manicured look. This is achieved by regular cutting as consistent trimming promotes healthy growth. A robotic mower performs frequent grass-cutting sessions, ensuring the lawn always maintains its desired height. As a result, the individual no longer needs to worry about the thought of needing to cut the lawn, remaining immaculate effortlessly.
The advantage of its regular cutting produces the mulching effect. Unlike traditional petrol mowers, where longer grass clippings can sit on top of the lawn and decompose or rot, the shorter clippings produced by frequent mowing by the robotic lawn mower act as a natural fertiliser, nourishing the lawn.
A research article published by Hort Technology demonstrated the quality of tall Fescue grass increased turf quality by using an autonomous mower compared to a gasoline-powered walk-behind rotary mower. Additionally, the study found that the energy consumption of the autonomous mower was about 4.8 kWh/week compared with 12.6 kWh/week for a gasoline-powered rotary mower. Reflecting the efficiency and eco-friendly nature of robotic lawn mowers makes them the choice for promoting a healthy lawn while minimising energy consumption.
Are robotic mowers quiet?
Noise is measured in decibels (dB), a healthy dB range is between 30 to 65 decibels (dB). Prolonged exposure to noise above 70 decibels (dB) may start to damage hearing. A traditional petrol mower operates at a high noise level, ranging from 95-100 dB, requiring earmuffs while operating for hearing protection.
Robotic mowers operates at a decibel (dB) ranging from 60-70 dB, they don’t pose a risk of hearing loss or damage. Preprogramming is available to operate the mower at specific times of the day. Due to the low level of noise, robotic mowers can operate at night allowing the consumer to wake up to a freshly mowed lawn without any inconvenience to them or their neighbours.
Are robotic lawn mowers environmentally friendly?
Robotic lawn mowers are battery-powered and operate by charging and autonomously operating. When the battery runs low and requires charging the robotic lawn mower will automatically return to its charge station. They provide an environmentally friendly alternative to petrol mowers while promoting sustainable lawn care and minimising the impacts associated with gas-powered equipment such as emissions, and noise pollutants, while still ensuring effective and efficient lawn maintenance.
Reduced Emissions |
Robotic lawn mowers produce zero direct emissions during operation, compared to gas-powered lawn mowers that emit pollutants and greenhouse gases. |
Noise Reduction |
Robotic lawn mowers produce no noise pollutants. |
Energy Efficient |
Efficiently designed in terms of energy consumption. Their electric motors are efficient compared to combustion motors, less energy is required to operate. |
Reduced Chemical Usage |
Eliminated the need for chemical fertilisers. Through regular mowing the grass clippings are shorter which allows for a natural mulching effect. |
Soil Health |
Decomposing grass and replacing nutrients in the soil, allows for healthier soil through natural fertilisers. |
Water Consumption |
Operate frequently, cutting small amounts of grass during each session so an optimal grass height is achieved. Through a healthier lawn, robotic mowers contribute to water conservation efforts. |
Even growth |
Smart sensors prevent overcutting or scalping of the lawn and mow the grass consistently and evenly |
Reduced waste |
Smaller grass clippings are created through frequent mowing that act as a natural fertiliser, minimising green waste generation and reducing the amount of yard waste ending up in landfills. |
How do robotic mowers benefit allergy sufferers?
Individuals who suffer from hay fever, pollen allergies, or dust sensitivities often face challenges in maintaining a healthy and well-kept lawn. Pollen is released by grass and plants during the blooming season. Traditional lawn mowing methods, such as using gas-powered mowers or manual mowing, can stir up pollen into the air, increasing exposure to pollen, and worsening allergies.
Traditional petrol-powered lawnmowers kick dust and debris from the ground into the air. This worsens allergies and can lead to longer intervals between mowing as individuals try to avoid the discomfort caused by allergies, this then requires more effort to mow the lawn next time.
Petrol mowers can inadvertently bring dust and pollen into the house on clothing and shoes.
Robotic lawn mowers require less manual labour and the steady and frequent mowing of a robotic mower reduces the amount of pollen released into the air, minimising the effect on allergies. Allergy sufferers can avoid direct exposure to allergens by avoiding tasks such as changing oil, cleaning the filters and handling fuel. The less strenuous physical activity associated with robotic mowers reduced the likelihood of pollen dispersal and dust generation being walked inside. The cutting mechanism is designed to specifically minimise dust clouds by operating closer to the ground.
Robotic lawn mowers require little maintenance and once set up can be monitored from a distance.
Are robotic mowers safe for pets and children?
Safety features are important to consider, especially with pets and young children. Robotic mowers are safe for pets and children due to their range of innovative features.
Bump sensors:
Equipped with bump sensors that detect obstacles in their path. When the mower encounters an object, such as a pet toy, or children’s play equipment the robotic mower can immediately change its path of direction.
Lift sensors:
Designed to automatically shut off their cutting blades if they are lifted or tilted, this feature ensures if a child or pet picks up the mower or tips the mower, the blades stop spinning immediately, reducing the risk of injury.
The Worx Landroid which is equipped with low-inertia auto-retracting blades and sensors that stop the blades from spinning if the mower is lifted.
Electronic control:
The Worx Landroid boasts the feature of electronic control capable of differentiating between progressive load increases for denser grass and sudden load increases such as the blade hitting an obstacle.
Save the Hedgehog:
“save the hedgehog” is a function some mowers have that restricts the operation to daylight only, when the small nocturnal mammals are sleeping.
Defined Boundaries:
Act as a safety feature for robotic lawn mowers by establishing clear limits for their operation. Preventing the robotic lawn mower from straying into flower beds, gardens, ornaments or other delicate objects. Defined boundaries also keep the mower away from potential hazards or dangers such as steep slopes, water features, ponds or uneven terrain that could cause the mower to tip or get stuck.
Alarms:
Most mowers come with an alarm feature that emits a high-pitched alarm when the mower is lifted or senses it is out of bounds. It stops once the pin is entered adding additional safety from the mower being stolen.
The Worx Landroid won the 2021 product safety award, awarded by the European Commission for its smart and safe solutions for lawn care.
Why should you consider buying a robotic lawn mower?
Robotic mowers are a game changer when it comes to lawn care, they offer numerous benefits that make them a worthwhile investment for homeowners. At Robot Lawn Mower we are dedicated to providing you with the best solutions for your lawn care, assessing the benefits of owning a robot lawn mower vs a petrol mower.