Complete Review of the Novabot Autonomous Lawn Mower

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Robot lawn mowers are taking the world by storm. The days of wasting your Saturdays sweating behind a mower, or paying thousands of dollars a year to have someone come out and do it for you, are almost behind us.

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, robots can now cut your lawn for you. Using GPS, WiFi, electric motors, and apps from your phone, robot mowers take care of this weekly nuisance for you.

However, despite being a relatively new technology (at least on the consumer market) there are a lot of companies out there offering robot lawn mowers, all of which have different features at different price points.

One of the newcomers to the robot lawn mower scene — the Novabot — has been making a lot of noise because of some exciting new features. But is it the right robot lawn mower for you? Is it one of the best robot lawn mowers out there?

Read our full review to find out, and then get it here.

Features of the Novabot

One of the things that helps the Novabot stand out is that it comes packed with a number of features you won’t find on any other robot lawn mower on the market. 

Here are some of its most significant features:

  • Completely autonomous

    Unlike other robot lawn mowers, the Novabot doesn’t use a guide wire. Instead, you set the mowing area on the app using a map and the mower does the rest. This allows for more customizable mowing areas and also makes the Novabot more autonomous because it doesn’t depend on a physical wire to run.

  • ½ acre cutting area

    One knock on robot lawn mowers is that they don’t cover a very large area. But that’s not the case with the Novabot, which has a 0.5 acre cutting area. This is more than enough for most lawns, especially those located in urban areas.

  • Multi-zone mowing

    Using Novabot’s proprietary app, you can set up multiple mowing areas, such as the front and back yard, and then customize the mowing schedule accordingly. Because other robot mowers use guide wires, they don’t usually allow for this option.

  • Mows in a straight line

    Another thing the Novabot does differently as compared to other robot lawn mowers is that it mows in a straight line. Since other mowers use guidewires, they choose their mowing pattern based on an algorithm. The Novabot doesn’t do this, so the process is simpler and it can mow in a straight line, much like you would if you were using a standard mower.

  • Rugged tires and 45percent grade rated

    Since a robot mower is self-propelled, you may be worried about how it could handle your lawn, especially if your property has hills. In most cases, the Novabot does quite well. It comes equipped with rugged all-terrain tires and is rated for slopes up to 45 percent.

  • Camera-equipped

    The Novabot comes standard with a 360-camera, which allows it to easily detect obstacles (and avoid them) and also mow more autonomously.

  • Complex AI (under the hood)

    Most other robot lawn mowers use sensors to communicate with the guide wire and detect obstacles, but the Novabot uses its camera and GPS, which means it needs a complex artificial intelligence system to take in all this information and process it in real time. This is exciting from a tech perspective, but you don’t need to be an IT expert to know how to work the Novabot.

  • Silent

    Because the Novabot uses a brushless electric motor, it emits fewer than 60 dB of sound, which to the regular person means it’s effectively silent. You won’t even know it’s running.

  • Anti-theft

    Robot lawn mowers require a somewhat significant upfront investment, and since they are small, it might seem like it would be easy for someone to walk off with your device. But the Novabot comes equipped with an anti-theft system that will alert you when it is taken off your property without your approval.

  • Automatic charging

    The Novabot is completely autonomous, and this includes charging. When it’s done cutting your lawn, or when it runs out of battery, whichever comes first, it will automatically return to its charging port until it’s full again and then either wait until your next scheduled mow or head back out to finish your lawn.

  • Rain sensors and waterproof shell

    Although the Novabot is rugged enough to cut your grass in the rain, and comes with a waterproof shell that will protect it no matter the weather, it’s not ideal as this requires more energy and drains your battery. To prevent this, the Novabot has rain sensors that will tell it to abandon mowing during inclement weather to save your lawn and your mower.

Pros and Cons of the Novabot Autonomous Lawn Mower

As you can see, the Novabot comes jam packed with exciting features. But which ones are actually useful? And which ones leave a little to be desired?

Let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of the Novabot

Pros

Here are some of the things we really like about the Novabot:

  • Easiest Installation on the Market

    Because it doesn’t use a guide wire, the Novabot is the easiest robot lawn mower to install on the market, and this will also help you save a good bit of money. 

    Some of the higher-end robot lawn mowers, such as the Husqvarna 435X, include installation as part of the cost of the mower. But others do not, and this can cost as much as $500. That you don’t have to do this with the Novabot allows for a lot more customization and also means you can start using your robot lawn mower as soon as it arrives at your door.

  • Professional Mowing Patterns

    Because the Novabot doesn’t use a guide wire and instead relies on cameras and an advanced AI system, it can mow your lawn in a straight line, which results in more professional mowing patterns than you get with other mowers. 

    Most robot mowers operate in what appears to be a haphazard path to try and use the space more efficiently, but this doesn’t produce that crisp look of straight rows so many of us are used to.

  • Automatic Foreign Object Identification

    Another thing the Novabot does really well is that it can detect and avoid objects really easily. It does this using radar and also a camera, which no other robot mower has. This means it can spot objects more easily and plot a more efficient path around them so that its mowing pattern won’t get disrupted.

  • Anti-Theft System

    As we mentioned, the Novabot comes with its own anti-theft system that will alert you if it is taken off the property without you knowing. But because it comes equipped with a 360-degree camera, it can also double as a security system and will alert you if it notices anything suspicious on your property, such as someone trying to break into your home.

  • Reasonably Priced

    Robot lawn mowers can sometimes be really expensive. Some even go for $3,000 or more. But despite the fact that the Novabot comes equipped with a lot of features, it’s still relatively well-priced. It currently retails for around $1,500. You can get it here.

    If you’re looking for a cheaper robot lawn mower, there are options, such as the WORX Landroid 140 and the Gardenia Silenio. But the Novabot holds its own when considering price and the features it offers.

Cons

Although the Novabot has a lot to offer, there are of course things it could do better. Here are some of the things the Novabot doesn’t do so well:

  • No Perimeter Wire?

    The lack of perimeter wire is an exciting idea, but it’s also a brand new feature in the world of robot lawn mowers. In theory, and in our tests, it works pretty well. But is the technology really there? It does seem to struggle when the lawn pattern is a little more complex. 

    A good alternative would be to go for a GPS lawn mower, such as the Worx Landroid 147 or the Husqvarna 430X. These use traditional guide wire methods and GPS technology to chart accurate maps of your lawn and create the most efficient cutting methods.

  • Not Great on Rugged Terrain

    Another thing the Novabot doesn’t do so well is that it’s not amazing on rugged terrain. While equipped for up to 45% grades, this isn’t all that much, especially compared to the WORX Landroid L model.

  • An Unknown Brand

    Lastly, while Novabot offers a lot of exciting features and may be helping to usher in a new era of robot lawn mowers, the reality is that it’s still a relatively new and unknown brand. They offer a 5-year warranty on their products, but we don’t have anything to compare it to. 

    On the other hand, WORX and Husqvarna are well known brands who have been doing this for a while and have a proven track record of building quality machines. 

    This doesn’t mean Novabot is bad, but it’s something to keep in mind when deciding if its the right mower for you. 

The Novabot Automatic Lawn Mower: The Most Advanced Robot Lawn Mower on the Market

As compared to other models on the market, the Novabot is one of the most advanced robot lawn mowers you can buy. Is it the best? We’re not sure yet. We need some time to let the brand prove itself. But it certainly could be. Buy it here, or check out some of our reviews on other robot lawn mowers to help you find the one that’s ideal for you and your lawn.

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