Robot Lawn Mowers
Best Prices & Latest Robot Lawn Mowers
Robot mowers work harder than you realise. They battle grass, mud, stones and rain daily. Neglect basic maintenance and expect breakdowns. Follow a simple routine and your mower lasts 8-10 years trouble-free.
Maintenance isn't complicated. Most tasks take five minutes. Blade changes need ten minutes every two months. A proper service twice yearly prevents 90% of common failures. This guide shows you exactly what to do and when.
Weekly cleaning prevents grass buildup affecting performance. Turn off your mower and flip it over. Grass clumps underneath. Remove it. Use a plastic scraper or stiff brush. Never use a pressure washer. High pressure damages seals and bearings.
Damp grass clogs faster than dry grass. Clean more frequently during wet periods. Spring growth means heavy clippings. Check under the mower twice weekly from April to June.
Keep a dedicated brush and plastic scraper near the charging station. Five minutes weekly beats an hour scraping hardened grass monthly. Fresh clippings wipe away easily. Dried grass requires serious effort.
Robot mower blades are consumables. They dull quickly. Small pivoting blades strike soil and stones daily. Replace them every 6-10 weeks depending on lawn conditions.
Blunt blades tear grass instead of cutting cleanly. Your lawn looks tatty. Brown tips appear. The mower works harder consuming more battery. Sharp blades make enormous difference to cut quality and battery life.
Always switch the mower off using the main power switch before handling blades. Blades are extremely sharp. Wear gloves. Keep replacement blades away from children. Dispose of old blades safely wrapped in newspaper.
Blade costs vary. Budget £10-15 per blade set for entry models. Premium brands charge £20-30. Buy several sets together for better value. Blades last indefinitely in storage.
Lithium-ion batteries power your mower. Treat them properly and expect 3-5 years service. Abuse them and replacement comes within 18 months. Battery replacements cost £60-150. Care pays dividends.
Use your mower consistently through the season. Batteries degrade faster sitting idle. Running keeps cells balanced.
Charge to 50-60% before winter storage. Store in frost-free location. Never store flat or fully charged.
Avoid extreme temperatures. Don't charge below 5°C or above 35°C. Cold damages cells permanently.
Charging station placement affects battery health. Direct summer sun creates excessive heat. Position the station in partial shade. This extends battery lifespan significantly. Morning sun is fine. Afternoon sun in July damages batteries.
Manufacturers claim 2000+ charge cycles. Real-world usage delivers 1500-2000 cycles with proper care. That's 3-4 years for daily summer use. Budget mowers using cheaper cells fail faster. Premium brands using Samsung or Panasonic cells reach 5 years easily.
Sensors guide your mower. Grass juice and dirt coat them. Performance suffers. The mower misses the charging station. It bumps obstacles harder. Navigation becomes erratic.
Collision sensors sit behind front bumpers. Lift sensors detect when someone picks up the mower. Tilt sensors prevent operation on steep slopes. Rain sensors detect wet conditions. Each needs cleaning monthly.
Charging contact cleaning matters most. Dirty contacts prevent charging. The mower dies on the lawn. Wipe contacts monthly with a dry cloth. Stubborn deposits clean away with a pencil eraser. Never use metal tools on contacts.
Boundary wires last 5-10 years when installed correctly. Damage happens from gardening tools, frost heave or animals. A broken wire stops the mower working. Prevention beats repair.
An AM radio detects boundary wire signal. Tune between 600-800kHz. Walk the wire route. Signal disappears at break points. This saves hours searching hundreds of metres of buried wire. Wire break detectors cost £30-50 and work brilliantly.
Wheels and drive motors handle significant loads. They power the mower up slopes daily. Grass wraps around axles. Bearings wear. Simple maintenance prevents premature failure.
Check wheels weekly. Grass wrapped tightly around axles increases motor load. This drains batteries faster. Remove wrapped grass with scissors or a knife. Spin each wheel freely. Rough grinding noises indicate bearing problems.
Tread wear tells stories. Uneven wear means navigation problems. One wheel working harder than the other causes diagonal wear. This indicates a failing motor or damaged wheel. Catch it early and replacement is straightforward. Ignore it and expensive damage results.
Spring and autumn need thorough services. Spring preparation ensures peak performance. Autumn service protects components through winter storage. Each service takes 30-45 minutes.
Winter storage determines spring reliability. Moisture causes corrosion. Freezing damages batteries. Mice nest in motor housings. Proper storage prevents all these problems.
Battery storage temperature matters enormously. Below 0°C causes permanent capacity loss. Store batteries between 5-20°C. A garage usually works fine. Garden sheds often freeze. Bring the battery indoors if your shed isn't insulated.
Annual professional servicing costs £80-120. Engineers check motor brushes, test electrical systems and update software. Worth doing every 2-3 years even if you maintain the mower yourself. They catch problems before expensive failures occur.
Most problems have simple solutions. Learn basic troubleshooting and save service call costs. These fixes solve 80% of common faults.
Likely causes:
Solutions: Check app schedule, clean wheels, test base station, charge overnight.
Likely causes:
Solutions: Clean contacts, check wire continuity, verify base power, test sensors.
Likely causes:
Solutions: Replace blades, adjust height, increase mowing frequency.
Likely causes:
Solutions: Remove obstacles, check slope capability, replace wheels, simplify routes.
Mowers display error codes when problems occur. Codes vary by brand but common patterns exist. Your manual lists specific codes. These general meanings help quick diagnosis.
Attempt basic fixes yourself. Motor faults, persistent error codes, electrical problems and navigation issues need professional diagnosis. Don't dismantle the motor housing. You'll void warranties and probably make things worse. Pay the £80 call-out charge.
Understanding costs helps budget for ownership. Some parts are consumables. Others last years. Here's realistic pricing for common replacements.
Blades: £10-30 per set
Wheels: £15-40 per pair
Cleaning brush: £5-10
Screws: £3-8 per pack
Battery: £60-150
Boundary wire: £15-30 per 100m
Charging station: £80-150
Wire connectors: £8-15 per pack
Wheel motors: £60-120 each
Blade motor: £80-160
Control board: £100-200
Body shell: £40-80
Budget £40-60 annually for consumables. Add £150 every 3-4 years for battery replacement. Total ten-year ownership costs typically £500-800 for parts. Premium brands cost more but parts last longer. False economy buying cheap and replacing frequently.
Modern mowers receive software updates. These fix bugs, improve navigation and add features. Check for updates monthly during mowing season. Updates usually download via WiFi automatically. Some brands require USB connection.
Software updates often improve battery efficiency and navigation performance. A 2023 Husqvarna update added 15% battery life through better motor control. Always install updates when available. Takes 10-15 minutes and can dramatically improve performance.
Wrong cleaning products damage plastic housings and seals. Stick to simple solutions. Expensive products aren't necessary. These work perfectly.
Track maintenance in a simple log. Note blade changes, battery charges and issues encountered. This helps diagnose patterns. Selling the mower later? Buyers pay more for documented maintenance history.
Robot mowers need less maintenance than traditional mowers. No oil changes. No spark plugs. No air filters. Five minutes weekly plus blade changes every two months. That's genuinely all most mowers need. Simple, quick and effective maintenance keeps them running brilliantly for years.
Consistent basic maintenance beats occasional deep cleaning. The mower that gets five minutes weekly lasts twice as long as one cleaned thoroughly twice yearly. Build the habit. Your future self will thank you when that mower still runs perfectly eight years later.