Hearth & Lawn

Robot lawn mowers UK: a plain-English guide and the best picks

Last updated: · By the Hearth & Lawn team

How we chose these: We haven't tested these mowers ourselves. Our picks are based on manufacturer specifications, UK retailer listings, independent lab and long-term tests (Which?, BBC Gardeners' World Magazine) and patterns in owner reviews. We tell you where a figure comes from, and we flag where sources disagree. Prices were checked on 17 October 2026 and change often, especially in spring.

A robot mower is a small, quiet, battery-powered mower that lives on your lawn. It cuts a little and often, then goes back to its dock to charge. Once it's set up, the grass looks as if it has just been mown, all season, without you doing anything.

The technology has changed a lot in the last two years. Many new models no longer need a boundary wire pegged around the lawn. Cheap "drop and mow" models now start at about £300, and mid-range wire-free robots cost about the same as a good self-propelled cordless mower did a few years ago.

Quick picks

Pick Best for Lawn size (maker's figure) Price checked Oct 2026
LawnMaster OcuMow AMB16-400 Simple small gardens with clear edges, no app Up to 400m² £399.99
Ecovacs GOAT O600 RTK Best value wire-free robot for a typical semi Up to 600m² About £450–£610 depending on retailer
Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR303E Small lawns, and anyone already on Worx PowerShare batteries Up to 300m² £599.99 offer (RRP £699.99)
Segway Navimow i208 LiDAR Gardens with trees, shade or patchy satellite signal Up to 800m² £1,099 (seen on sale from £999)
Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD 1000 Slopes, bumps and awkward lawns Up to 1,000m² £1,399

Is a robot lawn mower worth it?

A robot mower is probably worth it if:

  • mowing is a chore you put off, or pushing a mower is hard work for you
  • you're away a lot in late spring and summer, when UK grass grows fastest
  • your lawn is fairly open, with edges the robot can recognise (paving, a path, a raised bed or a clear grass-to-border line)

It's probably not worth it if:

  • your lawn is tiny. Under about 50m², a light cordless push mower is cheaper and quicker.
  • you want stripes and a bowling-green finish. A few robots can do lines, but a rear-roller mower does stripes better.
  • the lawn is broken up by lots of narrow strips, steps or gravel paths the robot can't cross
  • you have nowhere sensible for the dock. Most need an outdoor socket, level ground and some clear space around them.

Bear in mind that every robot still leaves some edge trimming. A few models, such as the LUBA mini 2 with its side edge-cutting disc, get much closer than others. You'll still want a strimmer or edging shears for a few minutes now and then.

How robot mowers find their way around

There are four main navigation types. Which one suits you depends on your garden more than your budget.

  1. Boundary wire. The traditional way. You peg a thin wire around the lawn edge, and the mower turns when it detects it. It's reliable and works under trees, but setup takes time. Gardeners' World reported 3–4 hours to lay wire on a 1,250m² test garden. You also have to re-lay the wire if you change the borders.
  2. Camera only ("vision"). A camera recognises grass. It's cheap and very simple, but it needs well-defined lawn edges and can be confused by grass that blends into a wild patch or gravel. Example: LawnMaster OcuMow.
  3. RTK satellite positioning. An upgraded GPS that pinpoints the mower to within centimetres. Some models need a small antenna on a pole in the garden (Ecovacs GOAT O600). Others get correction data over the internet with no antenna (Worx Vision Cloud, Mammotion NetRTK). Accuracy can drop under heavy tree cover or beside tall walls, which is why most RTK robots also use cameras.
  4. LiDAR. A laser scanner builds a 3D map of the garden. It works under trees and in poor light, and setup is very quick, but it costs more. Example: Navimow i208 LiDAR.

Rule of thumb: an open lawn with a clear sky suits RTK. Lots of trees, high walls or a shady side return suit LiDAR or a strong camera-plus-RTK system. A small, simple, well-edged lawn on a tight budget suits camera-only.

How to choose: the specs that matter

1. Lawn size: be honest, then add headroom

Every robot has a maximum lawn area. Measure yours. The free distance and area tools in Google Maps or Apple Maps work well, or pace it out. Buy a model rated comfortably above your actual lawn, because:

  • batteries lose capacity over the years
  • slopes, long grass and complicated shapes all cut real-world coverage
  • the rated figure is often over a full day's mowing, not one charge (Gardeners' World describes the GOAT O600's 600m² as a 24-hour figure)

2. Slopes

Makers quote slopes as a percentage or in degrees, and they aren't the same thing: 45% is about 24°. Most two-wheel-drive robots manage roughly 17–24°. If your lawn has a real bank, look at all-wheel-drive models such as the LUBA mini 2, which is rated to 80% (38.6°). Check the "slope at boundary" figure too if it's given. It's often much lower than the headline number.

3. Narrow passages and multiple lawns

If the robot has to get from the back lawn to the front through a side passage, check the minimum passage width (Ecovacs quotes 70cm for the O600) and how many zones the app supports. Cheap camera-only models have no maps at all. For a second lawn, you carry them over and use "drop and mow".

4. Cutting height and width

Most robots cut between about 20mm and 60–80mm. A wider cutting disc covers ground faster, and a narrower one turns more tightly. For UK lawns, being able to raise the height in a dry spell is useful. App-adjustable height is easier than a manual dial.

5. Connectivity and subscriptions

Some robots include 4G for remote control and theft tracking. Check how long it's free:

  • Navimow says 12 months free on the i208 LiDAR
  • Mammotion says 3 years free 4G on the LUBA mini 2
  • Stiga includes 10 years on its A 6v, according to Gardeners' World

Also check whether any features are paywalled. Gardeners' World noted that some Stiga features cost extra.

6. Batteries: fixed or swappable?

Which? won't give a Best Buy to robots whose battery you can't replace, because lithium-ion batteries wear out. Look for a user-replaceable battery and check that the maker sells spares. The Worx WR303E goes a step further: it uses the same 20V PowerShare battery as Worx's other garden tools.

7. Rain, wildlife and security

  • Rain sensor. Most mid-range robots pause in rain, which is useful given the British weather.
  • Wildlife. Hedgehogs are most active at dusk and overnight, so set the robot to mow during the day only. Which? recommends this, and some models enforce it (the OcuMow runs in daylight only).
  • Theft. Look for a PIN code, a lift alarm and ideally GPS tracking with a geofence alert.

Running costs: what does a robot mower cost to run?

Not much in electricity. A robot's battery is small: for example, Easymower's calculation puts the GOAT O600's battery at about 45Wh. At the Ofgem price cap of 26.32p per kWh (average direct debit electricity rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026), one full charge works out at:

0.045kWh × 26.32p ≈ 1.2p per charge, before charger losses.

Even at several charges a day through the growing season, that's pennies a week. The real running costs are:

  • Replacement blades. Typically small razor-type blades, changed a few times a season. LawnMaster sells its OcuMow blades at £19.99 a pack.
  • A replacement battery after several years
  • 4G renewal, if you want remote features after the free period
  • Optional extras such as a garage or shelter. LawnMaster sells a charging-station shelter for the AMB16 at £59.99; Ecovacs and Mammotion sell their own.

Work out your own figures with our running-cost calculator

Noise

Robots are far quieter than petrol mowers. Makers quote around 54–59 dB(A) for the wire-free models below, roughly the level of a normal conversation. That's why it's realistic to run them while you're home. Avoid early-morning starts if you have close neighbours.

The best robot lawn mowers for UK gardens

1. LawnMaster OcuMow AMB16-400: best simple, no-app robot

Price checked: £399.99 at Cleva UK (LawnMaster's maker). Gardeners' World also lists it at Argos and Amazon for around £400.

Key specs (manufacturer):

  • Up to 400m²; 35% (19°) slopes
  • 16cm cut; 20–60mm in five steps
  • Built-in 18V 2.2Ah battery
  • Random mowing pattern; rain sensor; 6.3kg
  • 2-year guarantee

This is the robot for people who don't want a robot that needs managing. There's no app, no boundary wire and no antenna. You plug in the dock, set a schedule on the keypad and let it go. A camera and ultrasonic sensors tell grass from border. It comes with 5m of magnetic "No-Go" strip for ponds or flower beds, and a Drop & Mow mode for a second lawn.

The catch is that it only really works on lawns with clearly defined edges, such as paving, sleepers or a crisp border edge. LawnMaster says so itself. It also mows in a random pattern, so you won't get neat lines.

Pros

  • Very simple setup
  • Charges itself, unlike the cheaper OcuMow 16
  • Light enough to carry to a front lawn
  • Daylight-only running is wildlife-friendly

Cons

  • Needs clear lawn edges
  • No app, maps or zones
  • Built-in battery isn't part of LawnMaster's MX 24V tool system
  • Edges will need trimming

Owner feedback: this model is newer than its smaller sibling, so there are few reviews yet; Amazon UK showed only a handful at the time of checking. The OcuMow 16, its non-docking sibling, scored 4.5/5 from Gardeners' World. We'll update this section as owner reviews build up.

2. Ecovacs GOAT O600 RTK: best-value wire-free robot

Price checked: £449.99 at Currys (down from £649), £599.99 at Marks Electrical. Ecovacs UK lists £609 but showed it as sold out, with a note about upcoming products, so a replacement model may be close.

Key specs (manufacturer):

  • Up to 600m²; 45% (24°) slopes; fits through 70cm passages
  • 19cm cut; 30–80mm in 0.5cm steps, set in the app
  • RTK plus AI camera obstacle avoidance; IPX6
  • Ecovacs quotes about 100m²/h in its delicate mode

This is the cheapest way into "proper" wire-free mowing with maps, zones and neat parallel lines. It uses an RTK antenna on a small pole, so you'll need a spot with a reasonably clear view of the sky. You also control it from the same app as Ecovacs robot vacuums.

Gardeners' World gave it 4.5/5 and called it best value for medium lawns. They found setup simple and obstacle avoidance quick, though the 19cm cut means it isn't fast on bigger lawns.

Pros

  • Strong feature list for the price
  • Cutting height set in the app
  • Rain sensor
  • Fits narrow side passages

Cons

  • The RTK antenna pole isn't pretty
  • Narrow cut
  • Not designed for large or very bumpy lawns
  • Warranty differs by retailer: Ecovacs quotes 3 years; Currys and Marks Electrical list 2 years

Worth knowing: retailer specs disagree on weight and runtime (Currys lists 14.7kg and "up to 120 minutes"). We've used Ecovacs's own figures above.

3. Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR303E: best for small lawns and Worx tool owners

Price checked: £599.99 on offer at Worx UK and Screwfix (RRP £699.99).

Key specs (manufacturer and Screwfix):

  • Up to 300m²; 30% (17°) slopes
  • 18cm cut; 30–60mm, set manually
  • 20V 2.5Ah PowerShare battery
  • Cloud RTK plus camera (V-SLAM) navigation; no antenna to install; Wi-Fi
  • Screwfix lists a 3-year manufacturer guarantee (T&Cs apply)

What makes this one different is the battery. It's the same removable 20V PowerShare pack that runs Worx hedge trimmers, blowers and drills. If you already own Worx tools, you're buying into a system you have. If you don't, it's a reason to stick with one brand for the rest of your garden kit.

Navigation combines satellite correction data from the cloud (no pole in the lawn) with a camera that takes over in shady spots. Gardeners' World rated it 4.5/5. They found it cautious near bushy borders, leaving some edge tufts, and noted that the Cut-to-Edge module, night light and anti-theft module cost extra.

Pros

  • Swappable battery shared with other Worx tools
  • No antenna
  • Auto-mapping with straight-line mowing
  • Worx says cloud RTK is included with no subscription

Cons

  • Only 300m²
  • Cutting height is manual
  • Useful extras sold separately
  • Needs Wi-Fi at the charging station. Worx says only the station needs coverage, not the whole lawn.

4. Segway Navimow i208 LiDAR: best for trees, shade and easy setup

Price checked: £1,099 at Navimow UK, which has also shown it on sale from £999.

Key specs (manufacturer and Easymower spec sheet):

  • Up to 800m²; 45% (24°) slopes; rear-wheel drive
  • 22cm cut; 20–70mm, set electrically
  • LiDAR plus 140° camera; no wire, no antenna; IP66
  • 59 dB(A); 4G built in (12 months free)
  • 3-year warranty on the robot

If your lawn sits under trees or beside a tall house wall, which is where satellite robots struggle, LiDAR is the answer. The laser scanner maps the garden in minutes and doesn't need a good sky view or even daylight. Gardeners' World found automapping almost instant on their test lawn and liked the full-colour map you can edit.

The trade-offs are that it's two-wheel drive, so it's less sure-footed on soft or uneven ground than an AWD robot. Its centrally mounted blades also can't reach right to the edge.

Pros

  • Very easy setup
  • Works under trees and in poor signal
  • Different cutting heights per zone
  • Quiet
  • Strong anti-theft features (GPS, lift sensor, PIN, geofence)

Cons

  • Expensive for an 800m² robot
  • Not ideal for bumpy or steep lawns
  • More edge trimming than some rivals
  • 4G remote features need paying for after year one

5. Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD 1000: best for slopes and awkward lawns

Price checked: £1,399 at Mammotion UK. Godfreys of Sevenoaks also lists it at £1,399.

Key specs (manufacturer):

  • Up to 1,000m²; all-wheel drive, rated to 80% (38.6°) slopes
  • Three-camera AI vision plus network RTK (no base station or antenna)
  • 6.1Ah battery, up to 150 minutes per charge
  • Edge-cutting disc reaches 5.5cm from walls
  • 58 dB; IPX6; built-in 4G with 3 years free

This is the most capable robot here on difficult ground. All four wheels are driven, so it handles banks, bumps and small steps that strand two-wheel-drive robots. The extra side disc tackles one of the biggest annoyances with robot mowers: the uncut strip along the edges.

Gardeners' World gave it 5/5 and called its off-road ability some of the best they'd tested. On Mammotion's UK site it had 58 reviews averaging 5.0. Treat brand-site reviews with some caution, but they are consistent with the independent verdict.

Pros

  • Excellent on slopes
  • Much better edge cutting than most
  • Up to 10 zones, plus cloud backup for multiple maps
  • Drop & Mow for a second garden
  • No antenna to install

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Fairly slow to cover a large lawn
  • Two features advertised on the product page (LiveMap and Straight-Line Adjustment) are due "late 2026", so check they've arrived
  • Relies on 4G for its network RTK

Also worth a look

  • Stihl iMOW 5. If you'd rather have a proven boundary-wire robot from a dealer brand, Gardeners' World rated it 4.8/5, with a 5-year warranty (RRP £1,729). You lay the wire yourself or pay a dealer to install it.
  • Husqvarna Automower 308V. Gardeners' World rated it 4/5 (RRP £1,249). They praised the finish and quietness, but it relies on good Wi-Fi across the garden unless you add Husqvarna's EPOS kit.

See also: best leaf blowers for autumn clear-ups.

FAQs

Do robot mowers work on UK lawns in wet weather? Most mid-range models have rain sensors and go back to the dock, and wet grass cuts poorly anyway. The robots above are rated IPX5–IPX6 or IP66, so they can live outside. A shelter keeps them cleaner and out of direct sun.

Do I still need a normal mower? Probably not for regular mowing. You'll want a strimmer or edging shears for edges. If the grass has grown long over winter, cut it down with a conventional mower before the robot's first run of the season.

Will a robot mower get stolen? They're attractive to thieves. Look for a PIN, a lift alarm and GPS tracking with geofence alerts (the Navimow and LUBA both have these). Keep the dock out of view of the street if you can, and photograph the serial number.

Are robot mowers safe for hedgehogs and pets? They have lift and bump sensors, and the better ones use cameras to spot obstacles. No robot can guarantee it will avoid small wildlife, though. Mow in daylight only and check the lawn before the first cut of the season.

How long do they last? It depends on build quality and how well you look after them: clean the underside, change the blades and store the robot dry over winter. Batteries are usually the first part to wear out, so choose a model with a replaceable battery (Which? won't give Best Buys to models without one).

What should I do with it in winter? Clean it, charge it to around half to three-quarters, and store it somewhere dry and frost-free. Check your manual, as makers differ. Some docks can be left out; others should be brought in.

Does it need Wi-Fi? It varies. The OcuMow needs none. The Worx needs Wi-Fi at the charging station. The Navimow and LUBA have 4G built in, but the free data period differs.

Sources