Robotic lawn mowers are one of the most convenient, hassle-free ways to do lawn care. You program it to run on whatever schedule you want, then you kick back and relax. But then you get a little uneasy once you step away.
You start wondering if it’s safe to let the robotic lawn mower run free without watching over it. Or you’re worried about the blades doing harm to something or someone.
And those are valid things to be worried about.
Regular lawn mowers are dangerous tools. A study done by Johns Hopkins University shows that the most common injuries include lacerations (46%), fractures (22%), or amputations (21%) to the hand or foot.
Robotic lawn mowers are a much safer tool to mow your lawn. Today, you’re going to learn how that’s so.
How Robotic Lawn Mowers Work
Before you see how safe robotic lawn mowers are, first let’s understand how they work.
Before using one for the first time, you need to set the perimeter wire. This basically lets it know what areas it’s supposed to work in. Once set, it won’t mow beyond the area outside of the set perimeter wire.
Once set, you can program your robotic mower to do its job according to what schedule you set for it. If you felt uneasy, you could schedule it to only mow during a time when you know nobody will be outside. You could schedule it to run in the morning so you can check on it periodically as you start your day.
The major difference between robotic and regular mowers is the blades. Blades in a robotic mower are less exposed. They don’t cut grass as close to the surface as for regular push lawn mowers; the cutting height allows it to just cut the tops of grass blades.
Because the tech in robotic mowers has advanced so much, you can operate it with just your smartphone or smart home device. If you want to stop the mower’s operation, change the schedule, or check its overall progress, you can without having to get up from your comfy spot.
What makes robotic mowers much safer to use than regular mowers is the number of various sensors in a robotic mower’s system. Those sensors will relieve you from the fears of the mower causing harm to the following.
Are Robotic Lawn Mowers Safe With Pets?
One of the sensors that make robotic mowers safe is collision or touch sensors. Whenever it senses that something is blocking the path, whether an object or a living thing, it’ll mow around the obstacle.
We know your pets get curious. They see some weird device moving on its own. They wonder if it’s a threat or not. As soon as the mower senses that your pet(s) is in the way, it’ll navigate around them. Your little companion will experience no harm whatsoever.
Even if they attack the robotic mower, they won’t endure physical harm. The blades are much more shielded and hidden. No pet will come in contact with any spinning blade.
Additionally, if you feel like your pet is getting a little too playful with the mower, use its tech smarts to set off the alarm. This will likely scare off your pet, keeping it a safe distance away.
If that’s not enough, robotic lawn mowers are smart enough to stop working altogether thanks to these other features.
Are Robotic Lawn Mowers Safe With Children?
The main features we’re focusing on here are the lift and tilt sensors, and the emergency stop features.
Lift sensors are included in every robotic mower. These sensors sense whenever the mower is lifted from the ground. Once it detects when it’s been lifted, it almost immediately stops spinning the blades.
If your child(ren) likes to play with everything, you won’t have to worry about them getting injured from messing with your robotic mower. It stops almost as soon as your child picks it up.
This works similarly with tilt sensors. Robotic mowers can mow at an angle; the maximum slope height varies by manufacturer. But if it senses that it’s at too steep of an angle, it’ll stop in this scenario too.
Mowing at too high of an angle slightly exposes the blades. When the mower is at too high of a slope, it automatically stops right as someone lifts it. So your toddler can chase it up a slope and not get hurt at all.
If none of this relieves your concern, know that there is an emergency shut-off button. As soon as you feel like your child is dangerously close to the robotic mower, press the button and it’ll stop right away. This may be useful to know for whenever you need to clean it.
Some Robotic Lawn Mowers Worth Considering
“Ok, so all these safety features sound fantastic. But if these are features in almost every robotic mower, which ones should I look into?”
Glad you asked. Check out these manufacturers to find the best mower for you.
Husqvarna
Husqvarna is a robotic mower manufacturer that focuses heavily on safety and security. One of the best overall rated robotic mowers is the Automower 315X. Starting at $1,800, you get full control of how this mower operates with Automower Connect. With the GPS navigation, you can see where it’s mowing at all times.
Gardena
Those looking for a bargain should eye products from Gardena. For an option that handles complex and smaller yards at a budget-friendly price, the Sileno Minimo is for you. Its size and AI-assisted navigation system make it great at mowing around tight spaces and avoiding obstacles.
Never Fear Injuries Again
Regular lawn mowers expose too much of their blades. If you have kids or pets, that’s not ideal for their safety. Switch over to robotic lawn mowers for a better lawn without the risk of harming those you love.