Posted June 1st, 2010 by sharkdancer
Let’s face it. In today’s times, saving money is priority. To save money, we switch to lower cost television and phone plans. We cut back on power usage, use less water and even replace old appliances to save maybe a couple hundred dollars a year, but what can we do to really cut cost at home? Perhaps we should look outdoors.
Lets do some quick math. If you pay a lawn service $40 per week for 5 months out of the year, that’s $800 each year. In four years you’ve paid $3,200 to your lawn service company. If your lawn is medium sized, you would pay as much as $75 to $125 a week. That’s costing you $7,500 in just 3 years making it easy to see why considering a lawn service alternative might be a bright idea.
But who’s got time to push or ride a lawn mower every weekend? Wouldn’t you rather spend the time doing other things? That’s where technology steps in. About eight years ago, robotic lawn mowers quietly eased their way into the household market. Today, hundreds of thousands of lawns worldwide and here in the US are being maintained by home robotic lawn mowers.
A robotic lawn mower may be one of the smartest investment purchases you can make in order to save money. This is especially so if you have a quarter acre lawn or larger. Dollar for dollar, a robotic lawn mower will not only save you time, but will cost considerably less than a lawn service or owning and maintaining riding lawn mower.
But with prices ranging from $1,299 to $4,200, robotic lawn mowers tend to scare some people away; that is, until they do the math. If you add the cost you pay a lawn service on a year-to-year basis, a robotic lawn mower can pay for itself with the first 2 to 3 years of ownership. Since some robotic lawn mowers can have a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years, you’ll be in the green years before you can expect to repair a broken old robotic lawn mower.
Posted May 31st, 2010 by sharkdancer
The days of the Lawn Mower tasks on Sunday are long gone, no more family arguments about chores and duties and work in the hot sun… the robotic lawn mower operating rights is something your kids will have fights on for some time.
This futuristic invention was something you could only dream about twenty years ago, when lawn mower designs were constantly trying to impress the public, when you will have one of those circular disks that shoot across your yard, gently humming and leaving grass clippings in its wake you will feel like your in a robotic dream. Did you think you were dreaming? Well, you are not. Welcome to the twenty-first century and the advent of the robotic lawn mower.
This is no space invaded robot, the robotic lawn mower is self-propelled, battery powered mower that can be programmed to cut your grass all on its own. All you need to do is to set the parameters and the time of day that you would like the lawn to be cut and wait for the robot to go do its thing. Some of the robots can run up to an hour on their powered batteries and when they are done, they return to their docking station to begin charging for its next session, as a obedient worker should do.
Another great feature is that you can program robotic lawn mower to mow in several ways, thus it can follow your mowing plan. You can tell it to begin on the perimeter and work its way to the interior, or it can begin in a spot in the center and work its way outward. Some people like to have the robotic lawn mower to move in a crisscross pattern, creating your own little backyard fairway pattern, maybe even encourage you to work on your approach golf game. Doesn’t the idea of having a small private golf course in the backyard sound nice?.
A robotic lawn mower has several advantages over its noisy, manual, gas-powered classic designed lawn mower cousins. The prime advantage here is naturally the fact that you do not have to do anything other than watch the amazing technology as it winds its way through the yard. The other, more mundane advantage is that robotic lawn mowers are quieter, their gas or oil use are nothing and would not cost you anything, and they are as “green” as you can possibly be, they will not harm the environment m and would not pollute your backyard.
What about those flowers bordering the walk or the maple tree in the middle of the yard? Do not worry. Robotic mowers are equipped with sensors that can detect an object in its path. The flowers, the trees, and even your pets are safe from the wrath of the modern robotic lawn mower. They can operate on just about any slope and most are fully guarded from the elements. So, if a shower breaks out on your mower, it will live to fight those dandelions another day.
Posted May 30th, 2010 by sharkdancer
The idea of a robot with sharp blades attached to a powerful motor wandering around the lawn can sound frightening. But should it be? If you have seen a robotic mower, whether in person or on the internet, the thought may have crossed your mind. But exactly how do accidents with lawn mowers happen?
Each year, about 68,000 people with injuries caused by traditional power lawn mowers are treated in hospitals. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics) The most injuries from traditional lawn mowers occur when people place their fingers near the blade, generally in an attempt to clear away a clump of grass or other undesired matter. Most of these accidents occur when the person reaches under the “skirt” of the mower, or reaches into the discharge chute. (Source: Technology Associates) Other common injuries are caused by flying objects. Traditional lawn mowers have large blades that can throw objects as much as 50 feet.
Combine that with risk of the operator slipping underneath, flipping over in a riding lawn mower, or being run over; one can easily see the concern for safety when it comes to lawn mowers in general.
But robotic lawn mowers are completely different. The one biggest safety advantage robotic lawn mowers have over traditional lawn mowers is that you do not have to stand behind it or ride on top of it. By removing the person, this alone eliminates most causes of lawn mower injuries.
Robotic lawn mowers are unlikely to clog. Take it from someone who has been an exclusively user of robotic lawn mowers for over 7 years – robotic mowers mow frequently and chop grass fine enough that the likelihood of clumps forming under the mower (or anywhere for that matter) are eliminated. But even if you attempt to lift the mower while it is operating, the blade will immediately stop spinning. However, if the blade(s) were to get snagged onto something, the robotic lawn mower’s computer is smart enough to shut down the blade(s) and signal for help.
Robotic lawn mowers have very different blades than the traditional mowers. First, the blades are a lot smaller which play a large part as to why it is less likely to throw objects far away. Even though robotic lawn mower blades spin a lot faster and yields a better-cut quality than traditional mower blades, the force behind the smaller blades just isn’t enough to launch objects nearly as far as larger heavier blades. Also robotic lawn mowers blades are usually recessed or protected on all sides obstructing a clear pathway for flying objects to travel.
Being an avid user and tester of robotic lawn mowers, I have personally seen objects thrown for a maximum of 5 feet max from a robotic lawn mower. The objects rarely make it more than 8 inches off the ground and do not have nearly the amount of force behind them compared to if a traditional mower throws the same object.
Since the safety mechanisms of robotic lawn mowers are integrated into the mower’s computer, they are difficult to bypass. Some robotic lawn mowers, like LawnBott utilize touch handles that work similar to touch lamps. By merely touching the handle, the blade stops spinning in an instant. All robotic mowers have lift detectors that stop the blade when lifted or flipped over.
Other safety features include PIN codes, bump sensors that detect objects left in the yard, and the ability to run during night hours are all among the palette of safety features that traditional lawn mowers couldn’t dream of.
Posted May 29th, 2010 by sharkdancer
First of all, you should evaluate your lawn. Your yard does not have to be a perfect “postage stamp” lawn in order to get good results from a robotic lawn mower. In fact, most robotic lawn mowers are designed to manage odd shaped lawns and all different grass types. Robot lawn mowers can maneuver around obstacles like pools, trees, flower beds, poles, mailboxes and even playground equipment.
Estimate your lawn size
Robotic lawn mowers can be used on lawns ranging from 100 square feet to 2+ acres. Some models will allow multiple units to be installed on the same lawn expanding coverage far beyond 2 acres. If your lawn is on the smaller side of the spectrum, a lower priced unit may be sufficient for your needs. Before you decide on a price range, keep in mind that special features, durability and quality also influence price.
Do you have a hilly lawn or is it relatively flat? Another big deciding factor for which robotic lawn mower to buy is how it can handle hills. If you have hills or slopes, learn how steep they are. Some robot lawn mowers are designed to mow relatively flat lawns while others can be upgraded to handle steep hills. For example, the LawnBott LB3500 robotic lawn mower (found at LawnBotts.com) can mow hills up to 30 degrees with add on spiked wheels. This particular model utilizes an on board compass to keep it on course as it navigates hilly terrains.
Determining the degree of your slope can be done in minutes. Email sales@lawnbotts.com for instructions.
Robotic lawn mower models differ in how long they take to recharge and how long they can mow before needing a charge. Charge times can vary from 2.5 hours to upward 24 hours depending on the model you choose. With recharge times in mind, remember that robotic lawn mowers will take longer to mow your yard than a human would. Therefore, if you have a large lawn, it could take a few consecutive runs to cover the whole area. Since the robot is doing all the work, consecutive runs are effortless on your part, but you want to choose a model that can keep your lawn looking its best without falling behind during peak growing seasons.
Run times for robotic lawn mowers can vary from 90 minutes to 7 hours before needing to recharge. Some higher end models like the LawnBott LB3550 can mow up to 15 hours per day with a recharge period in between.
Many robotic lawn mowers completely automate lawn mowing by working on a time and day schedule. The lawn mower will automatically leave its charging station; mow the lawn, and then dock when it’s done. Lower end robotic mowers will require you to bring it indoors to charge.
Consider special features your may want:
• Higher end robot lawn mowers can detect how quickly your lawn is growing and will adjust its schedule to according to when the lawn needs to be mowed. This feature can be useful during droughts or fast growing seasons.
• Most fully automated robotic lawn mowers utilize a rain sensor to automatically pause mowing sessions until the lawn dries out
• Some robotic lawn mowers are big and heavy while others are small and light weight. It’s important to consider weight and size of the mower in case you need to ship it for repairs or servicing. Depending on which model you choose, weight can range from 21 pounds to 80 pounds. For example the LawnBott LB3210 weighs only 21 pounds while the Robomower RL1000 weighs about 80 pounds.
Consider how much maintenance will be required on the mower of your choice. Maintenance is very simple for robotic lawn mowers. There is no need to empty bags or clean up grass clippings because they mulch. Most manufactures recommend replacing the blade(s) once a year. Robotic lawn mowers are electric lawn mowers, which translate into no gas, oil or spark plugs to replace.
Another thing to keep in mind is replacement part cost. Some robotic lawn mowers (like LawnBott) claim to have a life expectancy of about 8 to 10 years before major repairs are needed. Higher end robot lawn mowers generally have better quality, longer lasting parts, which also means higher upfront and replacement part cost. On the flip side, lower cost robotic lawn mowers use cheaper parts, which may result in more frequent repair needs that could end up costing more to upkeep than higher end models. With that said, robotic lawn mower maintenance cost will almost always fall well below the cost to upkeep and maintain traditional lawn mowers or paying a lawn service.
Most robotic lawn mowers come with a 2-year warranty with varying warranties on the battery. Some warranties include pickup and return shipping cost depending on which model you choose.
Prepare your lawn.
• Although most robotic lawn mower’s bump sensors can detect objects over 4 inches high, you would want to remove small toys, strings, hose pipes, lightweight objects and other objects lying around on the lawn just as you would with any lawn mower
• Fill in big holes. Some robotic lawn mowers have problems with “lawn pot holes.” LawnBotts.com suggest filling in holes with topsoil or sand as needed
• If your robotic lawn mower requires perimeter wire, plan your install. A good dealer will offer to illustrate a customized installation plan free of charge. It’s best to have an idea of where to lay perimeter wire in order to gain the best efficiency out of the lawn mower. Installation for most yards can be very simple while others may require special wiring tricks. Expect to set aside the most part of a day to peg down the perimeter wire.
• Last but not least, it is important to buy from a dealer who is knowledgeable about robotic lawn mowers. An uninformed dealer can give poor advice, which could ultimately lead to your dissatisfaction with a robotic lawn mower.
It’s also advisable to buy from a dealer who offers free online lawn evaluations. After all, it is better to have an expert evaluate your lawn than to buy the wrong robot for your lawn.
www.LawnBotts.com offers a satisfaction guarantee behind robotic lawn mower we recommend for your yard. We offer free unlimited support, years of experience and expertise to all our customers.
Posted May 28th, 2010 by sharkdancer
The use of robots around the home to mow lawns, vacuum floors and manage other chores has surged up as more consumers prefer smart machines to handle their day to day activities without a need to attend to those machines.
A report, issued by the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe and the International Federation of Robotics at the end of 2003, said that out of total domestic robot sales 570,000 were robot lawnmowers and Sales of vacuum cleaning robots reached 37,000.
Fully automatic lawn mowers are designed to mow your lawn all by themselves. The Basic L200 Auto Lawn Mow model can mow an area of up to one third of an acre of lawn and then return home to recharge at the base station – all without human intervention and Auto Lawn Mow Evolution L200 model can handle over one acre of grass! Clean, effective and fully automatic, you can sit back and relax while the robot does all the work.
Robot Lawn mowers are environmentally Friendly- With global warming now being a major concern you can have peace of mind with these mowers. All Auto Lawn Mow models run on rechargeable Lithium ion batteries; and do not use petrol or burn oil like conventional lawn mowers.
Our Robot lawn mowers work very quietly, so you can program them to work in night while you sleep.
AutoLawnMow’s Robot Lawn Mowers are specially designed to cope with rainy weather. Rain Sensors in these robot lawn mowers alerts the robot to return to its docking station or stay in it’s docking station while it’s raining but on the other hand if you are using a simple electric lawn mower without a rain sensor, either you have to run yourself in rain to get your mower in shed or it will be useless.
Bump sensors in our robotic lawnmower protects the lawn mower from running over items that may be lying in the yard, hence increasing its life and efficiency.
Robot lawn mowers are a boon for People with allergy problems. Robot lawn mowers cut your grass while you sitting faraway, reading your favorite novel, and providing you with allergy relief.