The lawnmower that runs itself

You may have a lawn and a lawnmower, but that doesn’t mean you have good relationship with either. A new robot lawnmower may change all that – and it can even SMS you! But it won’t come cheap.

If you have a lawn, looking after it will increase your property value – but that doesn’t make it any easier to work up the energy to go mowing. Now, you can recline next to the pool, sip your iced tea and a Husqvarna Automower take care of the job – at a price, of course.

While gardening is a growing trend, according to the Global Garden Report – a study by Husqvarna – 40 percent of consumers around the world say they don’t have enough time to look after their garden as much as they would like. Longer working hours, alongside time consuming habits such as holidays and mini-breaks, are minimizing the time people spend maintaining their homes and gardens.

And, while passionate gardeners love to spend time in the garden, 32 percent of global consumers consider gardening a chore. As time pressure increases, we have seen an increased demand for smart and convenient ways to keep gardens in shape – therefore the demand for automated garden products, said Malcolm Corns, general manager: product marketing at Husqvarna South Africa.

‚The most coveted gardening tool is an automatic watering system, followed by a robotic mower,‚ says Corns.

Homeowners who are thinking of selling also need to remember the value of a well maintained garden. The Global Garden Report determined that owners’ property values increase on average by 16 percent worldwide by taking care of their gardens.

That’s where the Husqvarna Automowers come into the picture.

Suitable for gardens of up to 3000 sq/m, Husqvarna Automowers come with lift and tilt sensors and a setting panel that allows you to personalise your mower to suit your individual garden. Top of the range models come with dual guide wires to reduce searching times … and, if something goes wrong, your mower can send you a text message!

The Automower also succeeded in the prestigious industrial design competition Red Dot Design Award 2010 in the product design category demonstrating that the group’s priorities on design and ergonomics were being recognised.

‚Robotic lawnmowers are gaining in popularity in every market where they are sold,‚ says Corns.

There are several options in robot mowers:

Husqvarna Automower Solar Hybrid

The Husqvarna Automower Solar Hybrid comes with a large integrated solar panel in addition to a charging station. That means longer mowing time and less charging time. A PIN code and an alarm help prevent theft.

Being electrical, Husqvarna Automowers produce no emissions and very little noise ‚ and that means they will help protect the planet and won’t disturb your afternoon nap!

Husqvarna Automower 230 ACX

The Husqvarna Automower 230 ACX is an exclusive model, both in terms of design and function. The mowing and recharging are much faster than the other models. A more powerful motor and larger batteries mean it can manage lawns up to 3,000 square metres, which is larger than the average lawn. Undulating gardens are not a problem ‚ all robotic mowers from Husqvarna are designed to function on slopes of up to 30 percent.

Says Corns, ‚The Husqvarna Automower 230 ACX is the most versatile model, with its excellent accessibility and its wide range of settings. It’s also highly manoeuvrable thanks to a simple keypad and a logical menu system. With the backlit display you can change the settings in twilight, if necessary. If you don’t want to adjust the machine’s work hours or cutting patterns, of course you don’t have to. The Husqvarna Automower 230 ACX can manage the job superbly without any human involvement. Once installed in the garden, all you have to do is press start.”

The mower cuts in an irregular pattern which ensures an even result, and since the grass is cut more often than with traditional mowing, the quality of the lawn will improve.

The Husqvarna Automower is available from Husqvarna dealerships countrywide at the following recommended prices:

Automower 210C – R12999

Automower 220AC – R14999

Automower 230ACX – R18999

Automower Solar Hybrid – R23999

For more information on Husqvarna, visit www.husqvarna.co.za

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