An honest review of the WORX LanDroid Vision, that I’ve been using at home for the past weeks. I’m not as impressed by this “AI wonder” as I had hoped.
After a lot of consideration I ended up getting a WORX LanDroid vision, as the million reviews I read, suggested that it was a good choice for our type of lawn.
It’s not a golf course, it has some slopes and a pond.
I usually don’t buy garden equipment in this price range, but my good old 2004 Stiga tractor is showing signs of age, and a new one is far outside my price range.
The plan was therefore to buy a robotic lawnmower, to keep the front lawn tidy, and instead only use the bigger Stiga for the parts that get clipped more seldomly, to keep the trees and scrubs from getting a foothold.
First impressions are rather good. It seems to be a quality build, and of good materials. On it’s first trip it showed that it handled our rough lawn very well, and it made some nice tidy stripes.
However already on it’s first trip, it couldn’t find home even though it only was 3-4 metres from its base-station/charging dock. More about that under the “Issues” section below.
Acceptable issues
Issues in this category are to be expected.
Molehills
Sometimes the LanDroid Vision desides to try crossing a molehill. This however, usually ends up with the lawnmower getting stuck, with one or both wheels being lifted off the ground, and leaving it in need of a rescue.
So far this has “only” happened twice. Normally the camera sees the molehill and the robot goes around it instead. After you have flattened the molehill, the LanDroid runs over it as if it never was there.
Annoying issues
These are the issues that some might want to know before buying a robotic lawnmower, and issues that very well could get you to chose another product.
The LanDroid cant find back to its charging station
After a week, I still haven’t experienced it finding back home one single time. So every day I have to go out, locate it and carry it home, by using it’s handle.
When faced with this issue, I can see I’m not the only one. However I didn’t search for “LanDroid can’t find base station” before I had the issue 😉
However this amazon review, and it’s “Best feature is the carry handle, which you’ll use a lot to take it back to base when the battery runs out.” is priceless.
The camera enclosure can and will be used a a ram
The camera looks downwards, to see if it is running over grass blades, or your precious cat.
It does not see what is infront of it. This means that while it will take care of not running over the local hedgehog with it’s rotating blades, it will not mind if it rams the painted panels of your car.
The same is seen when it rams our terrace, or a rock in the garden, because they slope inwards at the ground, and it can’t imagine that there can grow grass under an edge.
There are quite a lot of examples out there with LanDroids ramming stuff. Cars, trailers etc.
It likes to rub its rear end on everything
The LanDroid Vision has a tendency to rub it’s end upon anything in it’s surroundings, as it turns.
The two motorised wheels are at the front, so when it turns, the rear swings more than the front end. Thereby it scrapes against it’s surroundings, without taking care of what it is.
It gets exaggerated by the way it tends to reverse away from objects it wants to avoid, and then turns away from the object before going in a new direction. Here it dousnt take care of what’s behind it, only what is under it’s front camera.
Expect to get a scratched up lawnmower, as well as your buildings foundations, trees etc.
Water doesn’t run off the rain sensor.
Been away two days, and the grass is longer than when I left.
The display says it’s raining, and the sensor is covered with water. It doesn’t look like it runs off naturally.
It doesn’t look like it has mowed an inch while I was gone, witch indicates that the water has been left on the sensor for the past 24+ hours.
After wiping the water off the sensor the LanDroid starts of mowing.
This could have been minimised by having a roof over the base station/charging dock (I plan to build one later).
Disastrous issues
Issues that can cost you your lawnmower.
Ignores the magnetic fence.
Less than 15 minutes after it began cutting, I see it is sitting precariously on the edge of the slope above the pond.
The only way that it could end up there, is by crossing the magnetic fence, that should keep it on the lawn.
If it had continued, or if it had crossed the fence another place, it could easily have ended up submerged in our pond.
Do you have a WORX LanDroid Vision, please leave a comment with your experiences and solutions. If you are thinking about getting one, please feel free to comment as well 🙂