Guides
How to take the measurements the tools ask for, and what the makers' figures mean.
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Robot mowers
Measuring a lawn and its slope, what an area rating promises, and what each kind of navigation asks of the garden.
How to measure your lawn for a robot mower
Measure the grass a robot mower has to cover: split the lawn into shapes, or start from the lot size, and convert between m², sq ft and acres.
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How to measure lawn slope for a robot mower
Find the steepest stretch of your lawn, measure it with a board and a level, and read the result in percent and degrees against mower slope limits.
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Boundary wire vs wire-free robot mowers
How boundary wire, satellite positioning, cameras and LiDAR tell a robot mower where the lawn ends, and what each one asks of your garden.
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What robot mower area ratings mean
Why a 1,500 m² rating does not mean a 1,500 m² lawn: the four bases makers rate area on, the margin for shape and hours, and ratings that differ by market.
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Robot mower antennas and sky view
Where an RTK antenna goes, how much open sky a satellite robot mower needs, and how to judge a lawn under trees before you buy.
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Work it out with your own numbers
Your lawn against every rating and slope limit.
Shapes or lot size, in m², sq ft and acres.
Rise and run to percent and degrees.
Every model with its rating, slope and price.
Every factor and threshold.
Robot vacuums
Measuring thresholds and furniture gaps, why suction figures do not compare, and what each kind of dock does.
Measuring thresholds and furniture clearance
How to measure the tallest threshold between rooms and the lowest gap under furniture, and how the vacuum finder compares both with published specs.
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Why robot vacuum suction numbers do not compare
A pascal figure does not say which mode, where or how a maker measured it. Why the vacuum finder shows suction but never ranks by it.
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Robot vacuum docks explained
Charging bases, self emptying docks and full service docks: what each one does, what it needs from your home and how the vacuum finder checks it.
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Work it out with your own numbers
Your thresholds, furniture and dock against every model.
Every model with its climb, height, dock and price.
Every check and margin.