Garden News test RM400
Robomow Gets 5 out of 5 from Garden News Magazine
August 5 2008 GARDEN NEWS 31 TESTEDNo-nonsense reviews of new products. The robotic mower. By Neil Pope, GARDEN NEWS EDITOR TRANSPORTING CUTTING HEIGHT CONTROLS BLADE ROBOMOW 400 AND BASE STATION But when I was invited to give its latest model a test, I obviously jumped at the chance. The Robomow 400 is much smaller than the model I tested last year. Instead of three blades it has one and is over £200 cheaper. The mower I tested came with its own base station. It’s designed to depart from the base station at the pre-set days and times, and at the end of each session it returns for charging until the next scheduled operation. In other words, once the initial set-up is complete, you don’t have to do a thing. Your lawn will be cut even when you are away from home. Robomow requires a one-off simple set-up. A standard electric wire is laid around the outer edges of the lawn with pegs every few metres. The wire, which is connected to the base station, will eventually be covered by grass and become unnoticeable within a matter of weeks. The Robomow recognises the wire using a special sensor and makes sure it always stays inside the perimeter. I did have one or two minor hiccups on one occasion it careered off into a flowerbed, and on another it crashed into the base station and somehow became wedged against a side panel. But since these things were sorted out, the Robomow has performed well. The cut is exceptional and the grass clippings are mulched back into the lawn itself. Impressive stuff. TEST NOTES Positives: I was a little concerned that with only one small mower blade, the cut wouldn’t be very impressive. But I was soon proved wrong on that score. The cut is exceptional. Another plus point is there are no clippings to collect, and the mulched grass provides nutrients to keep the lawn looking green and healthy. It also takes away the hassle of mowing the lawn, allowing you to get on with other garden tasks. Negatives: You need to spend a little time to set things up in the first place putting the perimeter wire in place, positioning the base station and connecting everything up. It’s worth taking time because once everything is running smoothly, the Robomow takes over. Verdict: It has to be five out of five even considering the initial teething problems. .What is costs The Robomow 400 (with base station) costs £859 or (without base station) £599. .How to find it Call 0845 123 5844 or visit the website www.mower-magic. co.uk
To safely move the mower from or within the working area there is a remote control available as an accessory. The mower is light enough to be lifted manually by using a specially designed carrying handle (right).
Adjusting the height of cutting is a simple task of turning a knob found by lifting up the mower’s cover.
On which day and at what time you want the mower to cut the lawn can be programmed. The timing of the next cutting is shown.
There is a single blade. It gives an exceptional cut to the lawn and its edges. The mower works in a criss-cross action to leave a clean finish. Grass clippings are mulched into the lawn.
WOULD you trust a robot to cut your lawn? I did last year and was extremely pleased with the results. Unfortunately, the robotic mower had to be returned to the manufacturer after testing so it was back to manually mowing.
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