If you’re like most homeowners you love your lawn you just don’t love spending every other Saturday afternoon in the yard mowing it. We know, that’s what teenagers are for. But what if there are no eligible teens looking to earn some pocket in your neighborhood? Enter robot mowers. They’re the robotic sweeper gone all outdoors and they’re here to make your life just a little bit easier. At least in theory. Whether or not robot mowers actually relieve you of the sturm und drang of mowing the lawn depends almost entirely on the build quality and the amount of setup and input required. In this review we’re going to look at the RoboMow RS612 and see if it’s all it’ cracked up to be.
RoboMow RS612 First Impressions
The RS612 looks like your robotic vacuum on steroids. It has the standard green and black color scheme you’ll find on most robot lawn mowers and a durable plastic cover that’s fully weather resistant, so there’s no need to worry about sudden summer downpours. (The RS612 actually has a rain sensor that will order it back to its base should it detect the wet stuff.) At 28 x 25 x 12 inches it dwarfs your robotic vacuum but if it were any smaller it would be impractical for the task of mowing a sizeable lawn in a timely fashion.
Key Features
As far as robot lawn mowers go the RS612 is feature rich. Those features include:
- Large heavy duty blades – With a 22 inch cutting diameter and heavy duty twin stainless steel blades the RS612 does an impressive job on large, thick lawns.
- Remote accessibility and control – The RoboMow RS612 comes with a mobile app that allows you to control the device from your smartphone or tablet.
- Rain sensor – The RS612 can actually detect rainfall and when it does it retreats to the base to wait things out.
- Slope control – The RS612 can handle a slopey lawn with a pitch of up to 35 degrees.
- Edge control – RoboMow is unique among robot lawn mowers with heavy duty blades that extend to the outer limits of its base. Because of this the RoboMow RS612 won’t leave wide borders that you have to get after with the edger.
- Eco mode – RoboMow’s eco mode allows for low power mowing that reduces your carbon footprint. Essential for the environmentally aware homeowner.
- Zone control – Have a large lawn you want handled in different ways in different areas? No problem with RoboMow’s zone control system. Program in different cut lengths for different zones and turn the RS612 lose for perfect results.
- Child lock – Kids are curious beings. They see something new they want to know what it is and how it works. This could be a problem with something like robot mowers but the RS612 has an effective child lock system that prevents inquisitive kids from getting themselves in hot water.
- Additional safety features – The RS612 not only comes with a child lock it also has an auto-stop feature on the blades so if the unit is lifted off the ground or the device bumps into an obstacle while working the blades stop automatically.
- Anti-theft– The anti-theft feature of the RS612 is pretty simple but effective. Just program in a PIN code and no one else will be able to start the unit up.
Setup
Setup for the RoboMow RS612 is simple and straightforward. Just establish a perimeter around your lawn using the wire that comes with the unit, program in a few basic commands and preferences and plug the unit into the power base. Ideally, the base will be sheltered in some fashion in order to both ensure its physical longevity and to deter prying eyes from getting any ideas.
Performance
The RS612 from RoboMow will make a believer out of you when it comes to robot mowers. It’s easy to set up, easy to program, can handle just about any typical backyard terrain right to the edge and won’t pose a danger to your kids or the pets due to its effective autostop features. Because of its wide cutting surface it will make relatively quick work of your lawn and should be able to handle the whole thing (up to ¼ acre) on a single charge. At 68 decibels it’s also significantly quieter than most standard mowers and the smartphone app means you can mow the lawn while you’re on vacation in Venice. As an added bonus replacing the blades is a simple task that won’t require you to return the mower to the company.
Considerations
Robot lawn mowers are typically more expensive than push mowers and the RS612 is no exception. You’ll need to weigh just how much it will add to your life convenience-wise against the price before purchasing because you don’t want it to turn into just another expensive curiosity. Also, you’ll have to establish a perimeter for your lawn using the wire that comes with device and you may find this presents a problem with curious pets or even guests who may trip over it if you have the wire crossing an open area.
Recommended?
As far as robot lawn mowers go you’re going to be hard pressed to find one better than this at a comparable price. It’s easy to set up, easy to operate, easy to access from the other side of the world, has robust safety features, a wide cutting surface and knows that it should go home if the rain starts falling. What’s not to like? About the only downside we could find was the aforementioned price which runs about $1,900, or 3 times what a decent push mower will cost you. In light of that our recommendation is this: If you can swing it financially the RoboMow RS612 should provide you several years of reliable service. If you have a problem with the price check out some less expensive robot lawn mowers that may not be so feature rich but will still cut your grass for you without complaint.
Our Rating
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