The Automated Lawn: Are Robot Mowers a Smart Investment or a Costly Tech Gimmick?

Lawn care is essential, but for many homeowners, it’s also a time-consuming hassle.Some people hire services to tackle the yard work for them. Others have leaped into the future, with robot mowers becoming the latest must-have for homeowners across the country. “Robot mowers have been popular in Europe as lawns are simpler there. As technology has advanced, however, they’ve increased in popularity in the U.S.,” says Steve Uljua, senior robotics product manager at Kress in Charlotte.So, should you splurge on a robot to mow your lawn?It all depends on your yard, lifestyle, and budget—because letting the robot take over might not actually be cheaper than you think.How do robot mowers work?Robotic mowers are designed to maintain your lawn at a regular cadence by mowing multiple times a week. And unlike traditional mowers, they’re extremely quiet so you can have them operating in the early hours of the morning or, in some cases, at night. “Since robot mowers usually mow multiple times a week, your lawn can maintain a consistent height at all times,” explains Bryan Saxton, communications manager at Navimow in Bedford, NH.At a basic level, a robot mower uses advanced positioning and navig...