Automower

[rbell2915]

This is my first summer at my house I've put down lots of Bermuda seed and topsoil to have a yard (new construction home) while everyone else has dirt and dead grass. I bought the Automower and it's my favorite tool. This bad boy has adjustable cutting heights, schedules, and does it all for you. I have .7a and it keeps it all in check with no assistance from me.

 

[willpgn]

Looks like a mini bat-mobile!

How long does it take to do your .7? One charge or multiple to complete it?

 

[Jp8819]

How was intial setup and any upfront cost associated with that? Just curious as well but I am assuming it must maintain a wifi/internet connection?

 

[rbell2915]

It mows the lawn in a random pattern so it's always mowing from 8a-midnight.
I had to buy and install the boundary wire myself which wasn't too bad. It's a self contained unit so no wifi connection needed. This is a slightly older model so there is no way to connect it to your phone or Google Home right now (I can upgrade it though for ~$400) but the new models come with it standard.

 

[rbell2915]

Here is the backyard, it even operates through all the trees as well.

 

[Jp8819]

View attachment 504148

Sound impressive and has me curious. I had looked a little at the before but is the area in this picture with the rocks and pipe fenced out by the perimeter wire or does it navigate stuff like that on its on?

 

[rbell2915]

Sound impressive and has me curious. I had looked a little at the before but is the area in this picture with the rocks and pipe fenced out by the perimeter wire or does it navigate stuff like that on its on?

That is outside of the boundary wire. You can use the wire to make islands where the mower cannot go (I have it around two trees that gave me issues) but it'll bump into rocks, my fire pit, or anything else.

I love watching it. Sometimes I'll just follow it around and watch it work around the yard.

 

[Chriselalto]

So 16 hours to mow a yard that takes 45 with a push?

 

[rbell2915]

So 16 hours to mow a yard that takes 45 with a push?

The yard is kept perfect daily with zero effort on my part and there is no way you can mow this yard in 45m with a push mower.

Regardless, I value my time being spent better elsewhere than mowing a lawn.

 

[BigWaylon]

It mows the lawn in a random pattern so it's always mowing from 8a-midnight.

Does it do that once a week? Or whatever schedule you set?

I’m assuming it’s pretty quiet if it’s going that late at night.

Or does “always” mean it’s going 16 hours a day, every day?

Is the charger outside? So that it’s fully automatic and returns to charge when needed? Or do you have to “let it out” on the days it’s cutting?

 

[rbell2915]

Does it do that once a week? Or whatever schedule you set?

I’m assuming it’s pretty quiet if it’s going that late at night.

Or does “always” mean it’s going 16 hours a day, every day?

Is the charger outside? So that it’s fully automatic and returns to charge when needed? Or do you have to “let it out” on the days it’s cutting?

I have it scheduled to cut every day but you can schedule it to whatever works for you. You can have it run strictly at night if you use your yard a lot during the day. But it never gets in the way and will gently bump into you and go somewhere else. It's electric so the only thing you hear is a slight cutting sound. It is amazingly quiet.

The charger is outside and it will charge itself and resume cutting once fully charged. I am planning on getting a doghouse for it to protect it from the elements but it's fine without it.

It will also keep your yard cut while you are on vacation. Can't do that with a push mower when you're out of town and the labor is free.

 

[rbell2915]

 

[Oneofsix]

That's really cool.
I couldn't have one because my mutts would play with it, bark at it, drag it around the yard and chew on it.
And whizz on it, of course.

 

[nhusa]

I would consider getting one but someone might seal it and try to use it inside as a vacuum cleaner and sue me when it chops up their carpet

 

[rbell2915]

I would consider getting one but someone might seal it and try to use it inside as a vacuum cleaner and sue me when it chops up their carpet

If someone steals it it's worthless without the charging station. They are married together. If you have the mower connected to your phone you can see it's location via GPS.

 

[CZfool68]

A neighbor has something like that. We laugh at it when it gets stuck sometimes on the hilly part of his lawn by the sidewalk. It also is not a trimmer so his yard will be nice and trim, but since he’s not trimming he’ll have 1’ grass around the mailbox and other places the mower can’t get close enough to cut. Probably a good tool with a nice big flat yard.

 

[Schattenreiter]

I don't for a minute believe that thing can mow grass all by itself. Bring it over to my house and show me. And no I am not from Missouri. I just want you to mow my grass. LOL.

 

[rbell2915]

A neighbor has something like that. We laugh at it when it gets stuck sometimes on the hilly part of his lawn by the sidewalk. It also is not a trimmer so his yard will be nice and trim, but since he’s not trimming he’ll have 1’ grass around the mailbox and other places the mower can’t get close enough to cut. Probably a good tool with a nice big flat yard.

Yeah he should redo the boundary wire or have gotten the AWD version.

Funny enough I was at the Raleigh farmer's market and saw this.

 

[johnnyb]

Whats the make and model of it?

 

[rbell2915]

Whats the make and model of it?

Husqvarna Automower 430x

 

[rbell2915]

First season with the Automower is wrapping up and it was amazing. My yard work was kept to a minimum, all I needed to do was trim around the house. I think I solved all of the trouble spots as well so it doesn't get stuck anymore.

I put down a lot of Bermuda seed and topsoil this year and not all of it took, maybe I watered it too much. Next spring I'll overseed with more Bermuda and fill in the spots. It'll take some time and work but it's so nice having a manicured lawn every day.