Best robot mowers for gardens with trees

Satellite-guided (RTK) mowers need a clear view of the sky. Under a large tree, or close to a house wall, the signal is blocked or bounced back, the mower loses its position and usually stops until you move it. Navimow, which sells both RTK and LiDAR mowers, says the same in its own guide.

Every mower below can find its way without satellites: by LiDAR, which scans the garden with a laser, by cameras, or by following a boundary wire. A few LiDAR models also use network RTK on the open parts of the lawn, which is shown in the Navigation column. Camera-only mowers can struggle in deep shade or at dusk, so under heavy cover LiDAR or a wire is the safer choice. If your trees are at the edges rather than over the middle, an RTK mower may still cope; see navigation explained.

Spec scores, not hands-on tests (how we score). For your own lawn, try the garden-fit tool.

* Hours of mowing saved a year on a lawn of the rated size, mown weekly April to October at about 600 m² an hour, less 10 minutes a week of robot upkeep. Above about 2,000 m² most people use a ride-on, which is faster, so we count those lawns at ride-on speed. Why a robot mower?