Asking if we here at Autmow love making videos is a bit like asking Michael Jordan if he loves winning. (Indeed, we hope to make a documentary just before retiring called The Last Mow.) However, our favorite videos to make are those involving robotic mower comparisons. We find it fascinating to put these machines through various challenges. We can see how different mowers handle each challenge differently. And sometimes, we even find a clear winner.
In that spirit, we made our latest video, comparing the Mammotion Luba 2, the Sunseeker Orion X7, and the Kress RTKn. For this video, we really focused on the Map and Mow features of the robotic mowers. In our next video, we will dig into other features, such as obstacle avoidance and AWD.
You can see the video below. However, if you would rather not see our hair fluttering in the breeze, you can read a summary below the video.
Why We Chose this Robotic Mower Comparison
Of course, whenever we set out to do a robot mower comparison video, it raises the question of which ones to choose. Obviously, we try to choose robotic mowers that are similar in some ways. That way, consumers who might be considering those mowers can make a more informed decision.
In this case, the Luba 2, the Orion X7, and the Kress RTKn are all considered among the best robotic mowers on the market. In particular, however, they share these features:
- Completely wireless
- Advanced obstacle avoidance system
- Easy setup
Due to these similarities, customers with more challenging yards looking for a user-friendly solution often choose from these three mowers. That’s why we wanted to pit them against each other in a fight to the…end of the video. (You didn’t actually think we were going to destroy our precious machines, did you?!?!?!?!?)
Let’s see how they did in our robotic mower comparison tests.
Sunseeker Orion X7
The Sunseeker Orion X7 is one of the newest robotic mowers on the market, In fact, this was one of the first times we were able to test a production model, not just a beta model. So how does it stack up to the competition? Let’s dive in.
Specs
The Sunseeker Orion X7 comes in 3 different models: .75 acre, 1.5 acre, and the soon-to-be-released 3 acre. Unlike many other robotic mowers, the Orion X7 does not come with both regular- and high-cut models. You might think that this is a serious ding on our view of this Sunseeker robot mower. However, we actually consider that a strength: the Orion X7 has a massive cutting range, from .8” all the way up to 4”. We love the versatility Sunseeker provides here.
One other strength of the Orion X7 is that it features a redundant mapping/obstacle avoidance system. In other words, RTK and vision technology work together in this robotic mower.
Analyzing its Map and Mow Performance
How did the Orion X7 do during this part of the robotic mower comparison test? Overall, it did well, but we had a few small quibbles.
First, let’s discuss what we liked about this Sunseeker product. We discovered three highlights in particular:
- Phenomenal obstacle avoidance
- Great maneuverability due to the AWD and the rear power; we were able to get very close to tight boundaries while mapping
- User-friendly app interface, which made setup and mapping easier
However, we did find a few small areas for improvement with the Orion X7. That said, we want to be fair to this robotic mower and acknowledge that these areas could be because of other factors. You can see what we mean in the list below:
- Some connectivity issues, but a) we were not using the model with built-in 4G and b) these could have been because of our relative inexperience with the product (compared to others) with it being new to the market
- Made a few inefficient pattern decisions, in part because it seemed to see clumps of grass as obstacles; however, we would expect that to change if the Orion mowed this patch again or as the vision algorithms are improved and updated over time
- Lines were not as straight as others, but the mower was trying to handle really long grass and again, was mowing this area for the first time.
Future Testing Potential
In future videos/blogs, we hope to test the Sunseeker Orion X7 a bit more. Here is what we hope to check:
- The AI mapping feature
- How the robotic mower does in its 2nd pass on the same property
- How it handles hills
Stay tuned for updates on what we find.
Mammotion Luba 2
Next up in our robotic mower comparison test? A model that is slightly more veteran than the Orion X7 but still relatively new.
We have been fans of the Mammotion Luba series since its initial release a few years ago, and when the Luba 2 came out, we were excited to give it a try. As a result, we were happy to run this robot mower through our series of tests.
But before we discuss that, let’s give some basic info about the Luba 2.
Specs
The Mammotion Luba 2 comes in a huge variety of models. You can find a model that covers up to 4 different areas, from .25 acres to 2.5 acres. Each of these models features a standard version (1” to 2.7” cut) and a high-cut version (2.2” to 4” cut). All told, you have 8 different variations of the Luba 2 on the market right now.
Just like the Orion X7, the Luba 2 features both RTK and vision technology working together for obstacle avoidance. And for our tests, we dialed up the most sensitive obstacle avoidance setting.
In our test, we also set up the robotic mower to do zero turns. However, one cool feature of the Luba 2 is that you can set it up to do 3-point turns as well.
Analyzing its Map and Mow Performance
Overall, we were very impressed during this test of the Luba 2. We really didn’t have any critiques of its performance during this portion of the robotic mower comparison test, only positives. Here are some of the elements that impressed us in particular:
- A very clean cut, with very few blades of grass missed, especially impressive given the thick mat the mower was working with
- Solid obstacle avoidance, even though the obstacle we placed was a small and seemingly inconspicuous cone
- Even, straight lines
- Intuitive mapping using easy controls
Thanks to its AWD technology, Mammotion is well-known for robot mowers that can dominate steeper slopes, so we are excited to see how the Luba 2 does in that test. Check out the second part of our robotic mower comparison videos to see what happens.
Kress RTKn
The last robotic mower we added to our comparison test is the Kress RTKn. Of the three, this mower has been around the longest. So while we knew it the best, we wanted to see how it stacked up when put directly next to the Orion and the Luba 2, especially since it does not feature all-wheel drive.
Spoiler alert: it held its own quite well, thank you.
Specs
The Kress RTKn has one significant difference from the other two participants in our robotic mower comparison. With Kress RTKn, you do not need a reference station on your property. Instead, Kress uses a network of base stations installed at various dealers. So as long as your property is within roughly 30 miles of one of these stations, the Kress RTKn can navigate around your property.
The great news is that with Kress, you don’t have to clutter your property with a big ol’ satellite-seeking box. However, if you live in a more remote area, you may not be able to use the Kress RTKn.
The Kress RTKn features two other differences from the other models in this robotic mower comparison test. One is that it uses rear-wheel drive. Another difference with the Kress RTKn is that it does not use vision technology. Instead, the robotic mower uses sonar as its primary method of avoiding obstacles.
Two other fast facts about the Kress RTKn. You can find 6 models, ranging from a .25-acre capacity all the way up to a whopping 9-acre capacity. The cutting height on the RTKn ranges from 1.57” to 3.54”.
Analyzing its Map and Mow Performance
So, apparently when you give a spoiler alert, you don’t have much of a surprise reveal. But you do get to repeat the important point: we thought the Kress RTKn performed quite admirably in our initial test. In particular, we noticed two main differences compared to the Orion X7 and the Luba 2. One of these was an advantage and one was an area where the Kress RTKn barely fell short.
Let’s start with the positive: installation was faster with this robotic mower than the other two models. Why? With the Kress RTKn, you can use a mapping cart. You do not need to walk behind the mower like you do with the other two brands.
The one area where the Kress RTKn was slightly behind the other two models was in obstacle avoidance. To be fair, we are splitting hairs a bit here. The RTKn did just fine with obstacle avoidance and went back to its line quickly. However, it is the only mower that had to use its front bumper once because it hit our little cone. At the end of the day, while you were using the robotic mowers, would this make a difference? No; your mower and your obstacle are going to be completely unscathed. However, we like to be thorough, so we did want to point it out.
More Robotic Mower Comparisons Ahead!
Those were some of our initial thoughts regarding our comparison between the Sunseeker Orion X7, the Mammotion Luba 2, and the Kress RTKn. All three performed admirably during the setup and the initial mow. In our next video and blog, we will continue to run these three models through even more tests.
It will be another fight to the…point where we stop filming and go clean/polish our robotic mowers. Once again, if you think we are going to destroy our robotic mowers Battlebots-style, you clearly haven’t seen how much we love these things!
