Each lawn is different, so you will need to consider a few characteristics of yours in order to determine what type of robot mower would be best for you. There are three main characteristics of your lawn that can help you find the best mower, which are its total area, how level it is, and whether or not there are a lot of obstructions. The area of your lawn will be a primary factor in choosing a robot mower, since you will want to select a unit that is capable of completely mowing your lawn in a reasonable amount of time. Levelness is also important, since some robot lawn mowers are incapable of climbing steep grades. The configuration and amount of obstructions are also important, since you may need to physically carry your mower between different sections of your property, or use more than one robot mower at a time.
Robotic lawn mowers are devices that can automatically cut grass, usually with the assistance of a boundary wire. These devices can be fully or semi-autonomous, and in some cases are even capable of returning to a charging station after the grass has been cut. Some robot mowers are designed for very small lawns, while others are capable of covering up to five acres (about 20,000 square meters). That makes it important to consider the individual lawn when buying one of these units.
The first item to consider before purchasing a robot mower is the size of your lawn. To arrive at a useful figure you should determine the total square footage or square meters of your land, and then subtract areas the robot will not have to mow, such as your house and outbuildings, driveway, and flower beds. Robot mowers are usually grouped according to the amount of space they can cover, so you can use the size of your lawn to narrow down your initial choices. If you have a fence or other obstructions on your property, you will need to consider buying two robot mowers or cutting a hole in the bottom of the fence.
Another important concern is how level your lawn is. Robot mowers are typically also grouped according to the maximum grade they are able to handle. That means you should determine the grade of the steepest slope on your lawn so that you can get a robot mower capable of climbing up it. Some robot mowers can handle grades of up to about 27 degrees, while others can only be used on lawns with grades of 15 degrees or less.
Most robot mowers can deal with a certain amount of obstructions, and if your lawn has a few trees, bushes, or flower beds you should be fine. If your lawn has a lot of tree roots, stumps, holes, ruts or other obstructions then you may not be able to find a robot mower that can handle that environment. A robot mower with a lot of ground clearance and large tires is best for those situations, though you may need to physically move the mower away from certain obstructions or maintain some areas of the lawn with a traditional mower.