---
title: "How to Choose a Robot Lawn Mower in 5 Simple Questions"
description: "Choose a robot mower with five questions: lawn size, slope, obstacles and shape, wire or no wire, and budget with app needs. See what each one narrows."
canonical: "https://homerobotcompared.com/articles/how-to-choose-a-robot-lawn-mower"
category: "The basics"
published: "2026-10-09"
updated: "2026-10-09"
---

# How to Choose a Robot Lawn Mower in 5 Simple Questions

**Short answer:** Answer five questions in order: how big is your lawn, how steep is it, how cluttered and oddly shaped is it, do you want a wire or no wire, and what is your budget and app preference. Each answer removes a chunk of the choices, and by the end you have a short list.

Figures come from our catalog of 378 robot lawn mowers (data as of 2026-10-07). They are what the makers claim.

## Question 1: How big is your lawn?

Start here, because size removes the most models. First [measure your lawn](/articles/how-to-measure-your-lawn/). A rough number is enough.

Of the 369 models with a claimed maximum area, makers split like this:

| Claimed maximum area | Models |
| --- | --- |
| Up to 500 m2 (about 5,400 sq ft) | 36 |
| 501 to 1,000 m2 (about 5,400 to 10,800 sq ft) | 99 |
| 1,001 to 2,000 m2 (about 10,800 to 21,500 sq ft) | 99 |
| 2,001 to 4,000 m2 (about 21,500 to 43,000 sq ft, up to about an acre) | 65 |
| Over 4,000 m2 (over about an acre) | 70 |

Claimed areas are maximums, so leave headroom. As a common-sense tip, pick a model that claims more than your lawn, not one that claims exactly your lawn. Real coverage drops when the lawn has narrow gaps, many obstacles or steep parts.

**What it narrows:** the size band. A yard of about 700 m2 (roughly 7,500 sq ft) points you at the middle bands or higher, not the smallest.

## Question 2: How steep is your lawn?

Slope is written as a percentage: rise divided by run, times 100. A 25% slope is about 14 degrees, 45% is about 24 degrees, 80% is about 39 degrees, and 100% is 45 degrees. If you are not sure how steep your lawn is, see [robot mowers for slopes and hills](/articles/robot-mowers-for-slopes-and-hills/).

Of the 349 models with a claimed maximum slope:

- 25 to 34%: 50 models
- 35 to 44%: 73 models
- 45 to 54%: 137 models
- 55 to 79%: 26 models
- 80% or more: 63 models

The middle model claims 45%. These are maximums. If your steepest part is close to a model's limit, treat it as borderline and check the manual.

**What it narrows:** a flat lawn keeps nearly everything on the table. A hilly one rules out the low bands.

## Question 3: How cluttered is it, and what shape?

Look at your yard honestly. Count trees, flower beds, play equipment, narrow gaps between sections and any areas that are separated by a path or drive. Open, simple shapes are easiest. Many islands, tight passages, or two lawns joined by a thin strip are harder for any robot.

The catalog does not rate how well a model copes with clutter, so use this question to decide how much headroom and which kind of navigation you want. More obstacles is another reason to choose a model with a larger claimed area than you strictly need, and to read the maker's guidance on narrow passages.

**What it narrows:** how cautious to be. Cluttered yards call for extra headroom and a careful reading of the manual.

## Question 4: Wire or no wire?

Older robots use a buried or pegged boundary wire that marks where the mower may go. Newer ones are wire-free and find their position using satellite signals, cameras, LiDAR or a mix. In our data, 292 models are listed as wire-free and 85 as using a wire.

By navigation type, the catalog lists 154 models as RTK plus vision, 70 as 3D LiDAR plus vision, 33 as RTK-GNSS, 27 as vision only, 8 as LiDAR, 72 as wire, and 13 as GPS plus wire. RTK is a way to make satellite positioning more exact, and 37 models list a separate RTK base station as needed.

Wire-free sounds easier, and for many people it is, but each type has trade-offs. Satellite-based models want a clear view of the sky. Camera-based models depend on what they can see. For a plain explanation, read [wire-free robot lawn mowers explained](/articles/wire-free-robot-lawn-mowers-explained/).

**What it narrows:** the whole technology family. If you have lots of tree cover, or a fence-bound lawn with simple edges, the right answer may differ from someone with an open yard.

## Question 5: What is your budget, and how much do you want an app?

Among the 145 models with a list price in our data, the manufacturer list price in US dollars has a middle value of $2,299. The middle half runs from $1,499.99 to $3,099.99, and the lowest is $629. These are list prices, not what you will pay, and prices are known for only part of the models. Very high values in the data are large commercial units.

Plan for the dock and any extras too, such as a base station, if the model needs one.

On apps: most listings mention a way to connect. Bluetooth appears in 224 listings, 4G in 206, Wi-Fi in 186 (and written as WiFi in 51 more). Alexa is mentioned in 104 and Google in 85. Decide whether you want to schedule and control the robot from your phone, how it connects when you are away from home, and whether a basic setup is enough. You can read more in [do robot mowers need Wi-Fi or an app](/articles/do-robot-mowers-need-wifi-or-an-app/).

**What it narrows:** price tier and connection style.

## What this means for you

Write your five answers on one line, for example: "about 800 m2, mostly flat, a few trees, no wire preferred, mid budget, phone control." That line is enough to compare models, and it keeps you from paying for size or slope you do not have.

## For the details-minded

The median claimed maximum area across all models is 1,500 m2, and the median claimed slope is 45%. Maximum area and slope claims come from makers and are not tested by us, so sources can differ. Once you have a short list, use [the buying checklist](/articles/robot-lawn-mower-buying-checklist/) to ask the questions that specs do not answer, such as setup place, support and returns.

## Next step

Take the quiz at [/help-me-choose/](/help-me-choose/). It asks the same questions and shows models that fit your answers.

## Quick answers

**Which question matters most?**
Lawn size, because it removes the most models. After that, slope and wire preference.

**How much bigger than my lawn should the claimed area be?**
Pick one that claims more than your lawn. How much more depends on shape and clutter, so there is no single number.

**Does a higher price mean a better fit?**
Not by itself. Price often goes with bigger areas, steeper slopes or extra features you may not need.

**Should I choose wire-free by default?**
Not necessarily. Check your sky view, your yard layout and the maker's setup notes first.

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