Proper mulching blades and stainless

fittings. These stayed clean throughout

the test. Simple console with intuitive

programming. Very neat. Simple manual

cutting height adjustment. You don’t

have to chase it around when you want

to charge it; there’s a home button on

the docking station, which makes it come

home on demand.”

7. Good first-time robot. Fair for small lawns Flymo 1200R £999

Replacement battery £99 (life expectancy

1-3 years); replacement blades £4.40 a

set, three sets included (0844 844 4558;

flymo.co.uk)

Suitable for lawns up to 400sq m.

Tester comments “This doesn’t fly but

it does mow and it’s very orange. The

programming system is reasonably

easy. It’s compact, but a bit ‘rinky dink’.

Suitable for small areas. There are

three independent ‘floating’ blades. The

cutting height is easy to adjust with the

manualscrew.”

The verdict

If you can afford the outlay, aren’t physically

able to mow, don’t have the time or simply

hate it, then a robot is worth considering.

But you could get someone in to do it for

you, providing local employment. For larger

areas, a robot can be a hi-tech solution, but

they need some attention. What’s more,

they don’t all cut up to or over the boundary

line, so you may still need to edge the lawn

manually. “You can’t buy one thinking you

will never have to worry about the grass

again,” says Charlotte Allen, head gardener

at Montacute. “You still have to clean it

and make sure it hasn’t found any mole

hills or twigs that have fallen on the ground

overnight. It is not something that you can

completely forget about.”

Visit Montacute and test a mower

Montacute is open daily, 10am-5pm, until

end October. The robot mowers will be left

working in situ over the Easter weekend

and beyond, so if you are thinking of buying

one, this is a great chance to see them

working (possibly the only place in the

world!). There are also six push-mowers to

try, weather permitting, if you visit on a

Tuesday or Thursday afternoon. Please

check with the garden before travelling to

avoid disappointment (01935 823289;

nationaltrust.org.uk)

Dozens of silent, streamlined pods are dawdling along domestic lawns, feeding on grass tips and returning to small kennels to recharge

their batteries before heading out to graze again. It’s not a new phenomenon and, like many of the aliens arriving on our shores, they spread like wildfire in Europe first and have been relatively slow to take hold in Britain. The first robots were launched in Britain in the mid Nineties, but this year it’s expected to be the largest-growing sector in the British lawnmower market. With spring still a figment of our imagination it’s easy to forget that the grass is raring to grow. But in a matter of weeks the cold weather will be a distant memory and you’ll wonder why you weren’t prepared. With concerns for the environment high on the agenda and green credentials a vital consideration, will your next lawnmower be one of these hi-tech battery-powered robots? Despite the the risk of snow, we asked seven manufacturers to set up their robots on the extensive lawns of the exquisite National Trust garden at Montacute House in Somerset. Head gardener Charlotte Allen and engineering and machinery volunteer John Perring, plus a team of four gardeners, rated their performance.

Robot basics

Robotic lawnmowers are designed predominately for simply shaped, level lawns. The mower is controlled by a boundary wire, which is either pegged or buried around the perimeter of the lawn.

The robot works within this space. Normally a docking station is positioned on the boundary, although a few basic models (not included in this test) don’t have docking stations and are simply recharged by the user elsewhere.

The docking station needs an electricity source. Most have a generous cable, but you may need to add an earthed extension lead for remote lawns.

The mower returns to and recharges in the docking station when the battery charge drops below a certain level. The mowers usually cut randomly, cutting the tips of the grass every time they pass over. Initially, the mower is set to a high cut to get the area even and then the cutting height is reduced gradually over several weeks. Most will cope with slopes. The clippings are cut finely and recycled back into the lawn in a mulching mower technique.

Most have pin codes and alarms to prevent theft (although that won’t stop someone picking them up and carrying them off). Auto stops, lift/tilt sensors, blade stops and bump sensors are fitted to prevent unauthorised operation and ensure child/pet safety. Compared with a petrol mower, servicing costs are minimal, although a new battery can cost between £100 and £300. Replacement blades are the usual consumables; their longevity depends on the lawn conditions and area of cut.

Running costs are minimal (between around £14 and £34 a year depending on the robot and your lawn size), especially compared with a petrol machine that could consume hundreds of pounds of fuel each season, as well as engine oil and an essential annual service. Robots need cleaning, a diagnostic check and possibly a software update. Few parts except replacement blades are required.

Their green credentials are pretty good too: no harmful emissions, low noise and low energy consumption. Robo-mowers recycle the grass clippings back to the lawn, which adds nutrients, reduces the need for chemical fertilisers and reduces composting gases.

The test

Seven of the latest robot lawnmowers were installed onto separate formal lawn areas at Montacute. They were left running for approximately two weeks.

Robots v lawn

Cut above: Jean Vernon, left, and Charlotte Allen put the latest robo-mowers to the test

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1. Best for large lawns and rough grassRobomow RS630 £2,499

Replacement battery £239 (life expectancy

4-5 years); replacement blades £55 for set

of two (life expectancy two years). Smaller

models from £899 (0845 4588 905;

robomow.com; mail order mowdirect.co.uk)

Cuts lawns up to 3,000sq m and longer

grass up to 6in (15cm), so can be used for

first cut of season. Built-in temperature and

rain sensors that protect the battery. A

winter charger is included. Optional remote

control £49.

Tester comments “A chunky machine with

two solid cutters that give the widest cut

of those tested. It’s powerful and worked

through the early longer grass with ease

and coped well with the wet grass. This

mower didn’t go out during the colder

weather, which is a good feature — you don’t

want to cut frosty grass. The heaviest one

to transport (19kg) but has a good solid

handle. The user display is the least intuitive.

It can be rigged with a remote control, so

that you can use it on separate, smaller

areas of lawn.”

2. Good for large lawnsHusqvarna Automower 220AC

£1,999.99

Replacement battery £99 (life expectancy

2-4 seasons); replacement blades £4.40 a

set; three sets included (0844 243 5263;

husqvarna.com/uk)

Cuts lawns up to 1,800sq m. Optional

extras include GPS communication and

anti theft protection system (£399.99)

or two-way SMS text system to alter the

settings (£179.99). An iPhone app is also

available that lets you start, stop and

change the timer settings remotely.

Tester comments “This mower does

what it is supposed to do. The shell is

quite thin and plasticky. There is a

proper keypad for programming which

is fairly easy to use. Fitted with a good

stop button.”

3. Good, solid blades John Deere Tango E5 £2,090

Replacement battery £240 (life expectancy

5-10 years); replacement blades £25

(0800 085 2522; johndeere.co.uk)

Suitable for lawns up to 1,800sq m. High-

strength four-pronged star-shaped steel

blade. Double-wall construction for stability

and longevity.

Tester comments “Classic John Deere

livery that resembles a tractor bonnet. This

machine has a good solid blade that mows

the grass on the first cut reasonably well.

Manual cutting height adjustment is easy to

use. It is quite heavy (16kg) and bulky.”

4. Parallel cutting actionBosch Indego £1,299

Replacement battery £300 (life expectancy

5+ years); replacement blades £15.99

(0844 7360 109; bosch-garden.co.uk)

Suitable for lawns up to 1,000sq m.

Integrated parallel cutting strategy mows

in consecutive rows to ensure complete

coverage. Mower chooses the most

effective route to mow each time it goes

out and starts in a new position each time,

protecting against over-mowing.

Tester comments “Disappointingly noisy

in use. The deck on this machine clogged

up during use. It’s not very aesthetically

pleasing and a bit plasticky. It cuts in

parallel lines but it doesn’t cut the lines in

the same direction each time, so the lawn

looks untidy initially. The cutting height is

easily manually adjusted. It’s fiddly to

programme but the operating panel is

easy and intuitive. Ridiculously large

instruction manual and don’t like the

green colour; it’s fine for an electric drill

but not on the lawn.”

5.Joint favouriteHonda Miimo 500 £2,235

Replacement battery £140 (life expectancy

5-8 years); replacement blades £10 for

three (should last one season). A smaller

Miimo 300 costs £1,990 (0845 200 8000;

honda.co.uk/garden)

Suitable for larger, complex gardens with

several boundaries and obstacles. Cuts up

to 20cm from boundary. Three cutting

modes. Floating shatterproof blades.

Tester comments “This one is pretty fast

and hard to catch. It’s neat and it’s got the

fun factor. Good ergonomics and has a full

keyboard for easy programming. It has a

very narrow cut and initially the lawn looks

like a rabbit has run through it, but it soon

cuts to length. It’s cute and it beeps a lot.

The cutting height is easy to adjust manually

through five steps.”

6. Joint favourite (best for medium-sized lawns)AL-KO Robolinho 3000 £1,699

Replacement battery £195 (life expectancy

2-4 years); replacement blades £18.95 for

one set (01963 828055; al-ko.com/garden)

Cuts lawns up to 1,200sq m. Fitted with

unique double-blade mulching system.

Automatic recharging function and return-

home function. Rain sensor.

Tester comments “Small, neat,

compact and lightweight. Unobtrusive

on the lawn, the colour blends in better.

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G7TELEGRAPH GARDENING | Saturday, March 30, 2013