How to choose the best robotic lawn mower for your garden

RTK, NetRTK, LiDAR, cameras, automatic mapping, drive wheels and cutting width: robotic lawn mowers come with no shortage of selling points. The key is knowing which ones matter for your garden. In this buying guide, the Presse-citron editorial team unpacks the essential criteria for finding a robotic lawn mower suited to your plot and budget.

If you are looking for a robotic lawn mower, prices ranging from modest to five times as much, alongside specification sheets packed with acronyms, can make it hard to know where to begin. Navigation, mapping, traction, mowing performance and customisation through dedicated apps are all factors to assess before paying.

Having thoroughly tested numerous models for our comparison of the best robotic lawn mowers, the Presse-citron team reviews the criteria that genuinely matter, helping you select a robotic lawn mower for both your garden and your budget.

Installation and navigation: the first criterion to assess

For years, industry pioneers such as Husqvarna and Gardena imposed the same routine: unrolling and burying a boundary wire around the entire lawn to define the mowing area, often with an additional guide wire to help the robot return to its station. The first generation of wire-free robots later replaced this arrangement with an RTK antenna placed in the garden, although it still needed connecting to the charging station.

Today, robotic lawn mowers promise a completely wire-free experience, making both installation and day-to-day management as straightforward as possible. While current machines no longer need a boundary wire, they must solve three challenges in return.

First, they need centimetre-level positioning, while also detecting and avoiding obstacles, whether that is a permanent tree or a toy left in the grass. Their routes must also be coherent enough to cover the full lawn without repeatedly crossing the same areas.

Four major technologies now coexist on the market. The real complexity is that they are not mutually exclusive. Each manufacturer combines them into its own formula, then often gives it a proprietary name to impress buyers and stand apart from rivals.

For instance, in 2026 Segway Navimow promotes its new EFLS system, which combines triple-frequency network RTK, vSLAM and VIO. In plain terms, this is antenna-free satellite positioning supported by cameras that take over if the signal weakens. The same approach is used by every manufacturer, from Mova and Dreame to Ecovacs and Roborock.

We will therefore help you decode these labels and distinguish genuine technical differences from occasionally overblown jargon.

RTK antenna: traditional satellite precision

Let us start with the oldest wire-free robot technology. Despite appearances, it has not vanished from shop shelves: certain models launched in 2026 still require it, including the Roborock RockNeo Q105 that we tested.

On paper, the concept is straightforward. An antenna installed in the garden receives satellite signals, calculates location errors and sends corrections to the robot in real time. Accuracy consequently improves from one or two metres with conventional GPS to just a few centimetres.

Its advantages are substantial. Navigation is highly reliable and the technology is fully mature. Above all, satellite signals work in bright sunshine, at night and under cloudy skies.

Unlike robots relying exclusively on cameras, an RTK-antenna model can mow at any hour without becoming less dependable. Better still, this technical choice can allow manufacturers to offer keen prices, sometimes below €1,000.

Its drawbacks are mainly practical. The antenna needs an open position with a clear view of the sky, which rarely enhances a garden’s appearance. Signal quality also declines when the robot operates beneath large, dense trees or alongside a building.

NetRTK: identical accuracy without installing anything

NetRTK, also called NRTK or wireless RTK, uses exactly the same satellite-correction principle. There is one significant difference: no antenna is needed in your garden.

It works in two stages. Satellites first provide the robot with a raw position accurate to within one or two metres. A network of fixed stations distributed across the country then calculates the current error and sends it to the robot, refining its location to centimetre accuracy. To receive this correction stream continuously, the robot needs an internet connection, through Wi-Fi or an integrated mobile link depending on the model.

The good news is that the trend is towards free access. Leading manufacturers now include NetRTK access and data at no extra cost, while some even removed the subscription they had charged until 2026. A few brands still charge, notably Husqvarna, so this is an important point to check on the product listing.

Do not confuse this free service with the 4G plan for remote control, alerts and locating a stolen robot. That separate service may become chargeable after the manufacturer’s complimentary period. We will return to it in the apps section. NetRTK’s greatest benefit is clearly easy installation: place the charging station, connect the robot and begin the first mapping process.

It is not flawless, however. If your broadband router does not reach the far end of the garden and mobile coverage is unreliable locally, accuracy can collapse. This is why Segway lets prospective buyers check, by postcode before purchasing, whether its NetRTK network is reliable in their garden.

One final point: positioning still relies on satellites and carries the same blind spots as a conventional RTK antenna. When vegetation or building façades block the sky, the robot loses its bearings.

LiDAR: the most independent option, but not the cheapest

LiDAR takes an entirely different approach. There are no satellites here. A laser continuously scans the robot’s surroundings and reconstructs the garden in three dimensions. It maps trees, walls, flowerbeds, furniture and unexpected obstacles, enabling the robot to locate itself using what it actually sees around it in real time.

This independence makes a major difference in places that defeat satellite technologies, such as beneath dense foliage, beside a low wall or in a narrow passage. LiDAR also ignores lighting conditions, retaining its accuracy when daylight fades.

A note on specification sheets, though, as brands are happy to create confusion. Many models list both LiDAR and satellite positioning. There is no contradiction: the two systems simply share the workload.

The satellite system roughly places the robot in the garden, while LiDAR refines the position and takes full control when sky signal strength drops. Some machines take this principle further and dispense with satellites altogether, such as the Dreame A3 we tested, whose 360° 3D LiDAR handles all navigation.

The obvious trade-off is price. A LiDAR-equipped robot is expensive to manufacture, and models using it start at around €1,200. For a plain, open rectangle of grass, it is clearly a luxury. In a complex garden, however, it is the market’s most reassuring investment.

Cameras: the common denominator for every robotic lawn mower

We finish with the most widespread building block, now found across wire-free robotic lawn mowers. The question is not whether your next robot has cameras, but exactly what part they play.

On the most affordable models, cameras do all the work. The robot navigates purely through its eyes, aided by artificial intelligence that interprets camera data to identify the lawn, plot boundaries and obstacles. This pared-back formula brings wire-free robots below €800, as with the Mova ViAX 250.

The weak point of an “all-camera” system is lighting. Without infrared illumination, vision becomes less accurate as light levels fall. On the models concerned, night mowing is therefore impossible, as their vision loses precision in poor light.

Elsewhere, cameras act as supporting systems. Combined with an antenna or NetRTK positioning, they spot what satellites cannot detect at all: obstacles such as a forgotten toy, a trailing hose or moved furniture. Paired with LiDAR, they add object recognition to the laser’s 3D map. In every case, they make the rest of the technical package more dependable.

Camera counts generally range from one to three, and manufacturers readily advertise viewing angles of 150, 300 or even 360 degrees. A wide field of view chiefly helps with manoeuvres and narrow passages; it tells you nothing about obstacle-detection quality.

Above all, remember that cameras branded HD, HDR or AI-enhanced are not all equal. With the same number of camera units, differences lie in recognition algorithms and the robot’s processing power. These details do not appear on specification sheets, and only real-world testing can separate them.

Mapping: the stage that determines mowing quality

This step deserves care if you want your robot to mow accurately from its first runs. Mapping defines where it should work, where its wheels must never go, and how it can travel between different areas.

Automatic mapping: the robot explores on its own

The newest method favours complete autonomy. Once the station is positioned at the lawn’s edge, the robot explores its new territory, identifies boundaries, flowerbeds and obstacles, then creates its map without intervention. The Eufy E18 robotic lawn mower impressed us in this respect: its fully automatic mapping is among the most advanced we have tested.

Although appealing on paper, this approach is mainly relevant to simple, square or rectangular lawns. Each robot’s tutorial also recommends clearing the ground and starting with short grass before exploration, showing that the machine prefers unambiguous conditions.

On a fragmented plot, one overgrown with tall grass or with unclear boundaries, the generated layout will often need manual adjustments.

Manual mapping: a full-size remote-control car

For the vast majority of gardens, we still recommend manual mapping. Using a virtual joystick on your smartphone, you steer the robot around the edges to draw the lawn’s outline, like a life-sized remote-control car. It is fairly enjoyable, although it requires some dexterity where the plot has many corners and recesses.

Most apps let you pause the route, and some allow you to increase the robot’s speed if you are in a hurry or your lawn consists of long straight lines. In any case, our testing advice is simple: take your time. A rushed route, particularly near edges, affects every subsequent mow.

Improving your map: the real secret to stress-free mowing

Drawing boundaries is only the first layer. What matters most is the detail added to your map. Start with no-go areas around flowerbeds, exposed roots, a children’s trampoline or the vegetable patch: anything the blades must never approach.

Next come passages, virtual corridors that show the robot how to reach a second lawn section separated by a path or patio. Depending on the model, you draw these settings directly on the app map. In other cases, you must guide the robot around the object to record it. Do not rush this process, particularly with camera-equipped robots without LiDAR. Navigation quality will depend heavily on your precision.

One map or several: a key detail for fragmented gardens

Finally, consider multi-map management. Do not confuse it with zones, which all robots can handle by dividing one map into several mowing spaces with separate settings.

Multiple maps serve different situations, such as lawns split between the front and back of a house, or divided into entirely separate plots with no usable connection for the robot. A short, flat, unobstructed path is not a problem: declare it on the map as a connecting corridor.

A few high steps, a closed gate or a gravel parking area, by contrast, are enough to stop the machine permanently. This flexibility is generally reserved for premium models that can store two maps.

To use it, though, you will need to carry the robot by hand whenever you change area. Some models add another complication. Most can mow the adjacent plot using their battery alone, meaning one station is enough.

Other models link each map to a specific station. To work on a separate plot, you must then buy a second base, typically priced between €150 and €250.

Traction: an essential criterion for sloping gardens

In theory, once charged, every robot moves along without complaint. In practice, a damp bank, side slope, large root or hole is enough to disrupt the best mechanics. Broadly speaking, traction falls into three distinct categories based on the number of driven wheels.

Before looking at them in detail, here is a useful reference point. Slopes are expressed as percentages, not degrees. If a robot claims it can tackle 30% gradients, it can climb ground that rises 30 cm for every horizontal metre travelled.

Two driven wheels: the conventional layout

The overwhelming majority of robots use the same architecture: two large driven rear wheels, often treaded for grip, together with one or two free-rolling front wheels.

Much smaller, these front wheels are free like those on a shopping trolley and merely follow the movement to guide the machine through turns. On level or gently uneven grass, this arrangement performs perfectly well.

Once the ground becomes more challenging, this mobility system soon shows its limitations. Free wheels can jam in dips, slip on soft ground and allow the robot to drift downhill on a slope.

Manufacturers usually claim a maximum gradient of 40 to 45%, but remember that these figures are measured in ideal conditions: short, dry grass. In damp weather or after a rainy night, actual capability is different.

These same two wheels also control U-turns. To pivot, the machine brakes one wheel while turning the other, rotating almost in place.

Three driven wheels: a sound compromise for winding gardens

This recently introduced intermediate architecture addresses the weak point of the front free wheel. It becomes driven too, delivering benefits in three specific situations. First, uphill climbs, where the extra traction limits wheelspin. Second, uneven edges, where conventional models eventually rub against fences.

Finally, it improves U-turns, because rotating in place has a hidden cost. On a slope, it can shear the turf and leave unsightly marks. An extra driven wheel makes the manoeuvre cleaner and much less harsh on the lawn. This configuration costs slightly more than the conventional setup, but it is worthwhile in an undulating garden filled with edges and corners.

All-wheel drive: the lawn’s 4×4

At the top end are all-wheel-drive models with four driven wheels, sometimes each powered by an independent motor, such as the Dreame A3 AWD Pro 5000. Power is continuously distributed across all four contact points, almost completely eliminating wheelspin, even on slippery ground.

These machines can tackle stated gradients of up to 80%, and sometimes slightly more from certain manufacturers. Such values are simply unattainable for the previous two categories.

This abundance of traction has drawbacks. First is size: expect well over 20 kg on the scales, a weight that marks waterlogged ground and makes the machine unpleasant to lift. Then there is the price, as these models sit firmly in the premium category, often from €2,500.

Mowing: cutting width and edge management

Since wire-free robots arrived, mowing itself has paradoxically been pushed into the background. Yet it deserves close attention, especially because one principle differs completely from a petrol or electric mower.

A wire-free robotic lawn mower does not collect its cuttings. It uses mulching, finely shredding grass into pieces only a few millimetres long. These remain on the ground as natural fertiliser.

Personalisation is also worth checking before purchase. Some robots adjust cutting height through the app, while others still require you to reach for a physical dial hidden beneath the cover. Height generally adjusts from 2 to 6 cm, although some models reach 9 cm.

The best-equipped models go further, offering separate settings for each map zone, including height, mowing frequency and stripe direction.

One disc or two discs with pivoting blades

Nearly every robot has the same cutting component underneath: a disc fitted with three to six small razor-sharp blades. They are not rigidly fixed, as each blade pivots freely on its screw. When it touches a hard object, it folds back rather than forcing its way through. This design reduces breakages and accidents, although it does not prevent the blades from becoming blunt.

Manufacturers recommend replacement every four to eight weeks during peak season, but you do not have to follow that timetable rigidly. It depends on your ground and usage rate. The clearest sign is grass that is torn rather than cleanly cut, with tips turning yellow within days. In all cases, replacement takes a few minutes using an ordinary screwdriver, and blade sets cost around €20.

Disc diameter generally ranges from 20 to 25 cm. This width directly determines mowing time: the wider it is, the fewer passes the robot needs. Watch this closely if your lawn exceeds 500 m².

Models intended for larger grounds double up with two decks mounted side by side, increasing cutting width to between 35 and 44 cm. Each pass handles almost twice as much grass, a decisive benefit above 1,000 m², where a single disc would force the robot to make repeated runs to keep the lawn under control.

Edges: the Achilles’ heel of almost every robotic lawn mower

First, it is important to understand why edges trouble these robots. For obvious safety reasons, blades sit inboard from the chassis and never flush with the bodywork. The direct consequence is that the machine cannot cut where its wheels cannot travel.

Not all edges are equal, either. Along a path or patio level with the lawn, the issue is minor. The robot can run its wheels over the surface, allowing its blades to reach almost to the grass edge. The strip left behind is therefore only a few centimetres wide.

Against a wall, fence or planter, matters become more difficult. The robot cannot overhang, so it stops before the blades get close, and the uncut strip can reach 10 or even 15 cm. If you want a finish worthy of an English garden, you will still need to get involved and take the edge trimmer out of the shed.

Every robot tries to find a solution for edges

The most common response is software-based: an edge-mowing option activated in the app. It makes the robot follow the perimeter one final time at the end of a session. On the hardware side, certain models offset their disc towards the side of the chassis to gain a few extra centimetres.

In 2026, Ecovacs goes much further with its GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro. It is the first robot to include a genuine edge trimmer on its side. There is no blade here, but a nylon line spinning at high speed.

It lashes the grass in exactly the same way as a gardener’s strimmer. This is ideal for closely following walls and stones without damage. It has the same drawback as its hand-held cousin, however: it is noticeably noisier than standard mowing.

The final, smartest and least expensive option is manual control, offered by some apps. Here, you finish the job yourself. The robot becomes a remote-control mower, as it does during mapping, allowing you to deal with corners and awkward spaces.

This can admittedly take some time depending on the size of your garden. It is more of a fallback than an ideal solution, but it has the merit of existing.

The app: your robotic lawn mower’s remote control

Once the robot is installed and mapping is complete, its app becomes your main way of interacting with it. It is worth knowing immediately that they are not all equal. Some offer only the essentials, while others improve the experience with many features.

The most common options

A core set of functions is now found on almost every new model. Scheduling prevents the robot from starting unexpectedly and can be configured day by day, zone by zone and even by season. Choosing stripe direction, alternating it between sessions, stops grass from always lying the same way.

Some apps even let you adjust obstacle avoidance, from a cautious machine that gives every potential hazard a wide berth to a bold one that will pass close to larger flowerbeds.

Every app also keeps the robot within reach. Its location appears in real time, and a button can send it back to base whenever needed. Work is organised from the same screen, from the centre of the lawn to the edge finishing mentioned above. The map is never fixed either: a flowerbed planted in spring or an inflatable pool installed for summer can be added in seconds.

On security, a PIN code and lift alarm are standard across most of the market, with the machine sounding as soon as someone lifts it from the ground. Many models also narrate what they are doing in a small voice, always available in French. This can be useful when you need to understand why the robot refuses to begin work.

Add notifications for blockages, mowing history and manufacturer updates, which can sometimes bring genuinely useful functions months after purchase.

Premium functions

The most ambitious, and often most expensive, models add several more sophisticated extras. The most common is a rain sensor that sends the robot back under cover at the first drops. Smarter examples do not even wait for rain, consulting online weather forecasts to postpone their session.

Hedgehogs and cats receive attention too, as small-wildlife protection softens the machine’s behaviour after dark. Other features include low-branch detection to prevent the robot getting stuck under a shrub, mowing modes based on seasonal growth, and voice control through Alexa or Google Home from a few brands.

None of these features is essential, but some directly suit real situations: a garden bordered by low hedges, for example, or living in a particularly rainy area.

4G module and camera feed: remote monitoring

Two functions deserve separate explanation because they can be confusing. First is the 4G module, the built-in SIM card that keeps the robot connected beyond Wi-Fi range. It enables remote control and lets you receive notifications wherever you are, so you can start a mowing session from anywhere.

Another advantage is theft tracking. The robot can then be located from your smartphone. Be careful about charges, though: this service is often free in the first year and then requires a subscription. Expect €20 to €30 per year depending on the brand.

A camera feed also turns the robot into a mobile sentry. In the app, you see what its cameras see, allowing you to check a gate is shut or monitor your garden while on holiday. Some models even offer patrol mode, making rounds between mowing sessions and sending you a photo when they encounter an unknown presence. A few can also let you speak through the machine to deter unwanted visitors.

One final subtlety: not every camera-equipped robot offers video feedback. Navigation and surveillance are two distinct functions. If this feature appeals to you, check the robot’s product listing before buying.

After-sales support and spare parts: buyers’ legitimate concern

These issues still put off many buyers, and the concerns are justified given how quickly the market has filled with brands that are very new to Europe. A few checks can clarify matters before you buy. First, confirm that spare parts, including blades, wheels and batteries, are readily available to order.

This information generally appears on the product page or the brand’s online shop. A battery that can be replaced with a few turns of a screwdriver, without using after-sales support, is a genuine advantage. It can extend the machine’s life by several years.

Then check whether the manufacturer has a repairer or after-sales support contact in Europe. The best apps also help here, offering direct support contact, step-by-step maintenance tutorials and tracking for consumable wear.

Battery life: a matter of size

As with a smartphone, the logic is mechanical: the larger the machine, the bigger the battery it carries. A small 250 m² robot needs only a modest cell. By contrast, a 24 kg 4×4 contains a battery sized for several dozen ares. There is no point comparing battery life in isolation; what matters is the area covered per charge.

Manufacturers can be vague on this point. A robot marketed for 5,000 m² clearly does not cover that entire area in one go. In our tests, the best-equipped machines manage 800 to 900 m² per charge. Full maintenance of a very large plot will therefore take several days. Terrain also matters, as slopes use far more energy than flat ground.

The good news is that you do not need to manage this process. Like a robot vacuum, modern mowers return to recharge themselves when their battery approaches 15%. They then resume work exactly where they stopped. Most models take around two hours to charge, while some smaller ones finish in under an hour.

Choosing a robotic lawn mower is no small task

By the end of this guide, one fact is clear: there is no universally perfect robotic lawn mower, because every garden has its own requirements. An overpowered machine adds nothing to a small, flat patch of grass, while an entry-level model will quickly struggle on a large, uneven property.

Area, slope, obstacles, plot fragmentation and network coverage should therefore carry much more weight in your decision than the flashiest specification sheet. To move from theory to practice, see our comparison of the best robotic lawn mowers, where we recommend a model we have tested for every lawn type and budget.