5 Robot Mower Brands More Affordable Than Husqvarna

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Husqvarna started to make robotic lawn mowers back in 1995, when it first introduced a solar-powered model. Three decades later, the company still ranks among the best robot lawn mower brands, offering machines built for everything from suburban yards to steep hillsides. Its prices reflect that reputation and can be a bit of a shock, especially if you just want something to keep your grass short.

The half-acre Automower 410 iQ, for example, is listed at $2,599.99 and lets you set a virtual boundary or install a perimeter wire, while the 420 iQ doubles that coverage. The 435 iQ AWD uses all-wheel drive to tackle slopes of up to 70%, and all three options work with the Automower Connect app, allowing you to control mowing schedules and cutting heights with your phone.

If you're interested in saving some money, it's possible to spend considerably less and still get a robotic lawn mower. Although those models might give you fewer options for keeping your grass trimmed, some brands offer cheaper alternatives to Husqvarna. So we've picked some of them for different budgets and looked at what each one provides for the money.

The LawnMaster OcuMow 400 Series lists for $449.99 at Walmart, roughly one-sixth the price of the Husqvarna Automower 410 iQ. On the performance side, it can cut up to 2,600 square feet on a charge, or about 0.06 acres of grass. So if you're interested in one, check the size of your yard before buying a robotic lawn mower, especially if you want the machine to cover all of it.

A wide-angle camera helps the mower distinguish grass from its surroundings, and ultrasonic sensors enable it to steer around obstacles. It can mow in parallel lines as well, and magnetic strips let you mark spots you want it to avoid, like a flower bed in the middle of the lawn.

While it's way cheaper than a Husqvarna, you'll have to do a bit more work yourself. This model from LawnMaster leaves it to you to take out the battery and put it into a separate charger after it runs out. Its cutting height also tops out at 2.5 inches, compared with 4 inches on the 410 iQ.

Even a small lawn can be awkward to mow if a narrow passage connects two patches of grass. Luckily, the Anthbot M5 Robot Lawn Mower is built for that kind of space. By using satellite positioning and two cameras to find its way around, it can work without a perimeter wire. Through the app, you can give each patch its own mowing schedule and adjust the cutting height from your phone if you'd rather leave the grass a little longer.

You can find the Anthbot M5 for $799, which is less than a third of the price of a Husqvarna Automower 410 iQ. Both models are engineered for slopes of up to 45% within the mowing area, but the M5 covers up to ⅛ acre, only a quarter of what the 410 iQ handles in systematic mowing mode. If you're willing to pay a little more for greater coverage, but want to stay among affordable robotic mowers, it's possible to get the Anthbot M9, which uses the same combination of cameras and satellite positioning but covers about a quarter acre for $899.

For less than $1,000, some Greenworks mower models can get you to the half-acre mark. The Greenworks AiMowbot Wire-Free RTKVision Robotic Mower C20, for example, is listed for $998 at some stores, which is about $1,600 below what you would pay for the 410 iQ. The C20 also matches Husqvarna's advertised lawn capacity and can handle slopes of up to 45%. 

Like some other products in this price range, it uses satellite positioning and a camera to navigate within virtual boundaries, so you don't have to worry about a perimeter wire. Another feature is that when the battery is running low, the mower heads back to its charging dock on its own. 

The C20 cuts an 8-inch strip on each pass, compared with 9.4 inches on the Husqvarna. That narrower cut means more runs across the same stretch of grass, which is easier to notice on larger lawns. Greenworks also sells the AiMowbot C40 for $1,448, which is designed for twice the acreage and has the same slope limit.

If the steepest part of your lawn is exactly the one you want to stop mowing yourself, the Sunseeker X5 has a higher slope rating than the Husqvarna Automower 410 iQ. Its all-wheel drive is designed to handle slopes of up to 60%, or about 30 degrees, compared with 45% for the Husqvarna within the mowing area.

It's possible to find the Sunseeker X5 AWD Robot Lawn Mower for $1,499.99, which means that you're paying less than you would for a Husqvarna while getting the same mowing capacity. You can also set virtual boundaries and mark areas like flower beds to keep the mower out, but you'll need to choose a spot with a clear view of the sky for the satellite reference station.

However, the X5 gives you less flexibility in how tall you can leave the grass. Its cutting-height settings span 1.6 to 3.2 inches, while the 410 iQ goes from 1 to 4 inches. If you like to keep your grass a little taller sometimes, that lower ceiling can be a drawback.

Setting up the Mova LiDAX Ultra 2000 Robot Lawn Mower starts with letting it scan the yard. It uses 3D LiDAR and a camera to build a map and detect objects in its path, with no perimeter wire to bury or satellite reference station to position. The app can also save up to two maps, which is handy if you have to carry the mower to different places, like the front lawn and a fenced backyard. You can view live video on your phone from the onboard camera.

Amazon has the Ultra 2000 on sale for $1,199, with a regular price of $1,799. Both prices are still below what Husqvarna asks for the 410 iQ. The Mova can map up to half an acre, but even its faster mode is designed for a maximum of 0.4 acres per day. If you're using its full coverage capacity, you may need to schedule mowing across multiple days to cut all of your grass.