Glossary of robot lawn mowers

Navigation type

Determines how the mower finds its way around the garden and avoids obstacles, which affects setup effort and mowing precision.

With perimeter wire

Relies on a buried or surface cable marking the mowing area, so the robot must stay within a fixed boundary you install once.

Wire-free

Maps and confines the mowing area using onboard sensors instead of a cable, making boundary setup and changes much simpler.

RTK GPS

Uses satellite positioning corrected for extra accuracy to follow precise, repeatable paths and keep tidy mowing patterns.

Camera vision

Uses onboard cameras to recognize the lawn, obstacles, and edges in real time, helping the mower react to changes in the yard.

Artificial intelligence

Processes sensor and camera data to recognize objects and adapt mowing behavior, improving obstacle avoidance over time.

Number of zones managed

Indicates how many separate lawn areas the mower can handle from a single base, useful for gardens split by paths or driveways.

Connectivity

Covers how the mower can be controlled or monitored remotely, which determines what features like scheduling or alerts are available.

Wi-Fi

Lets the mower connect to your home network so you can control it and check its status from anywhere with internet access.

Bluetooth

Allows short-range control from a nearby phone without needing a home network, useful mainly for setup or close monitoring.

Mobile app

Provides a smartphone interface to schedule mowing, adjust settings, and check status without using the mower's physical controls.

Amazon Alexa

Lets you start or check the mower using voice commands through a connected Alexa device.

Google Home

Lets you start or check the mower using voice commands through a connected Google Home device.

Rain sensor

Detects moisture and pauses mowing during rain, protecting the grass and the mower while it works unattended.

Anti-theft alarm

Triggers a warning sound and can lock the mower if it is lifted or moved outside its working area without authorization.

Mulching

Determines whether cut grass is finely shredded and left on the lawn as natural fertilizer instead of being collected.

Protection rating (IP)

Indicates how well the mower's housing resists dust and water exposure, which affects how safely it can work in wet conditions.

IPX4

Withstands splashing water from any direction, suitable for typical dew and light rain exposure.

IPX5

Withstands low-pressure water jets from any direction, offering stronger protection against rain than lighter ratings.

IP54

Protects against limited dust ingress and splashing water, a common baseline for outdoor garden equipment.

IP55

Protects against limited dust ingress and low-pressure water jets, offering better weather resistance than basic splash protection.

IP65

Fully protects against dust ingress and resists low-pressure water jets, a higher weatherproofing level for outdoor use.

IP66

A rating meaning the mower resists dust and heavy rain but should not be submerged in water.

IP67

A rating meaning the mower is dust-tight and can withstand brief immersion, offering stronger protection than most models need.

Scheduling

Determines how much manual effort is needed to set and adjust mowing times day to day.

Manual

Mowing times are set directly on the mower itself, with no app or automatic adjustment.

Via app

Mowing times are set and adjusted remotely through a smartphone app.

Weekly schedule

A fixed weekly timetable tells the mower which days and hours to work.

Smart mowing sensor

The mower adjusts its own mowing frequency based on grass growth instead of following a fixed timetable.