Robotic lawn mowers are very appealing to many homeowners. They give you a freshly cut lawn every week, are better for the air and environment, and give you back some of your personal time.
However, these devices can get very expensive, with some costing as much as $5,000. Several tech, safety, and performance features all go into the sometimes very high price tag. Keeping those features functional is another expense if they start glitching up.
But you shouldn’t be scared away by the cost. A robotic lawn mower is worth every penny. And today we’ll break down the costs so you see how it’s worth it.
Cost to Own a Robotic Lawn Mower
In many cases, a regular lawn mower will require some assembly before using it; the exception usually being zero-turn mowers. Robot mowers themselves won’t need much assembly, but the perimeter wire will. Luckily, all that you need to get started is in the box. You would just need a few of your hand tools.
Here are the costs that come with keeping up with a robotic lawn mower.
Maintenance
One of the main benefits of robot mowers is that you can run it more frequently than a traditional mower. That means you won’t have to worry about your grass getting too tall as the weeks pass by. Cleaning the blades is a breeze, too. Simply lift the mower, remove chunks of clippings, and spray the blades with a hose (unless you’re advised against this).
Read: How to regularly clean your Husqvarna Automower
However, with the blades being used more frequently, they will experience wear and tear sooner. The packaging should come with additional blades for you to replace when needed. You should change the blades out monthly or at least twice per mowing season.
If you need a new set of blades, a six pack would cost around $25. You can shop around for larger packs to have a bunch of blades handy. The price for replacement blades will vary based on the brand and the robot mower they’re compatible with.
Robot mowers are generally powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Because of factors like lawn size, run frequency, and charging cycles, there’s no exact length of time for when a battery needs replacing. But expect to get between two and four years use out of a fresh one. Replacement batteries start at around $100.
Of course, you can do routine maintenance on your robot mower yourself. Or you can have it serviced. Manufacturers will suggest that you service your robot mower once a year. Doing so will greatly extend the lifespan of your mower, making it well worth the investment.
You can expect to pay at least $100, not including replacement parts. Professionals will check the mower’s moving parts, possible electricity faults, clean in hard-to-reach spots, and sharpen/replace blades.
Electricity
You may think that a battery-powered mower will eat away at your electricity bill. All that time recharging in the charging station after every use consuming your home’s kilowatts. Plus, even the charging station takes up some power to flow through the sensors in the perimeter wire.
Sounds pricey, doesn’t it?
Rest assured that it’s so much cheaper to charge a robot mower than it would be to get gas for a traditional mower. Depending on the size of your mower, it should only take between 30 minutes to two hours for a full charge. And a full charge will yield up to two hours of lawn mowing.
With regular usage of your robotic mower, you’ll only see a slight increase in your electricity bill. Your robotic mower will probably contribute around $20 annually to electricity expenses.
Read: expected electricity costs for a robotic lawn mower
Some factors that fluctuate the robot mower’s contribution to the bill include:
- Lawn size
- Lawn complexity (slopes, trees or bushes in the way, etc.)
- Debris (leaves, fallen branches, toys, tools, etc.)
Setting Perimeter Wire
This item is one of the main reasons for a robotic lawn mower’s high price tag. And it’s rare to find a mower that doesn’t require one to operate.
The perimeter wire is a very long cable that connects to the charging station. You lay it around your property to your liking and peg it into the soil. This acts as the barrier for the mower to navigate around without accidentally mowing your neighbor’s lawn or riding into the concrete. As mentioned earlier, the charging station powers its sensors for the mower to notice.
One of the annoying traits of perimeter wire is that it can get damaged. Replacing it can cost from $50 to well over $100, depending on the meter length and brand.
The other annoyance of perimeter wire is installing it. It takes up so much of your time; expect to spend at least an afternoon laying the wire around your home.
For those of you who value your time, our Autmow experts can come to your home and install the perimeter wire for you. Find an installer near you.
Are Robotic Lawn Mowers Worth the Price?
Like we mentioned in the beginning, some robotic lawn mowers can cost you a few thousand dollars. Upfront, it’s understandable if you don’t quite see the value. But robot mowers are a great, long term investment.
Over time, you’ll see that electricity power surpasses gas power in terms of energy costs. Cleaning and repair costs are cheaper, too.
By choosing robotic over traditional mowing, you get an abundance of benefits like:
- More time for you to tackle other chores
- SIgnificantly less lawnmower related accidents
Read: What you need to know: Lawnmower infographic
- Better air quality for your home
- A greener, healthier lawn
Don’t Let the Upfront Costs Scare You
As you can see, a lot of pricey things go into the use of a robotic lawn mower. But in due time, you’ll see that it’s well worth it. If you’re still not yet convinced, check out our detailed post about why robotic lawn mowers are a worthwhile purchase.