I’ve used a few robot lawn mowers and they’ve saved me a lot of time walking mowers around my lawn every 2-3 weeks. However, they still had some shortcomings and requires some minor manual works from me. The Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD is a premium lawn mower that addresses those disadvantages. I tested the 5000HX which is priced at around $2,999 to see if it lives up to its promise.
Unboxing & Setup
There are some variants of this LUBA 2. Mine is the 5000HX which is designed for a cutting range of 2.2 to 4.0 inches and 1.25-acre lawn. The LUBA 2 is very easy to set up and the whole process took me less than 30 minutes. There’s no perimeter wire to bury as it comes with the RTK-GPS system (Real-Time Kinematic satellite navigation system).
After quick installation of the mower, RTK antenna, and the charging base, I could use the app to drive the mower around my lawn’s perimeter, setting up zones and no-go areas. Many users might like the auto-map feature as this reduces time setting up the mower. You don’t have to walk the mower around the perimeter of your lawn to create a virtual boundary, the auto-map function allows the mower to do it itself. It uses its RTK-GPS and onboard cameras to detect the edges of the lawn and create a mowing zone. Unfortunately, I can’t use this feature since my lawn is continuous with my neighbor’s, with no physical barrier to tell where my yard ends and theirs begins. The auto-map relies on detecting a clear change in terrain or a definitive edge to establish a boundary. Therefore, I had to use the manual mapping method to precisely define the boundary.
The setup process is generally smooth, but the app can be a little clunky. The app allows you to create multiple mowing zones, adjust speed, cutting height for each zone, and set up intricate schedules. My only issue is when I tried to modify a zone, it kept showing errors and I had to drive the mower multiple times to make it work.
The LUBA feels like a miniature off-road vehicle. It has a solid and heavyweight build to handle tough conditions. The mower’s weather-resistant design allows you to leave it outdoors and operate reliably in various conditions. It also includes a rain sensor to return to its dock during heavy rains. Notably, it is equipped with independent suspension and omnidirectional front wheels for smooth movement on all terrains.
After setting up with the app, you can pair it with Amazon Alexa or Google Home for voice commands like “Alexa, start the LUBA”. For security, the mower includes anti-theft measures such as GPS tracking and ownership authentication, and it also offers an optional AirTag compatibility.
Navigation
What makes the LUBA different is the UltraSense AI Vision system. If you use some older robot mowers with simple sensors, they can’t distinguish between tall grass and obstacles. The LUBA combines a 3D vision camera, ultrasonic radar, and a physical bumper to detect and navigate around over 120 different objects, including trees, flower beds, rocks, and even large roots. Therefore, I almost don’t have to check my lawn for unwanted objects like rocks, dog toys, or garden tools that could potentially damage the mower’s blades. This turns mowing to a truly hands-off experience and less uncut sections on my lawn.
The mower manages to produce neat, professional stripes, thanks to its precise positioning and optimal mowing paths. I set up the RTK station with the charging station, just a few feet away from the wall but it still has very good signal. I set up 2 zones for my front yard and back yard with a channel to travel between areas. The mower never gets stuck or fails to return to its dock.
Through the Mammotion app, you can access a live feed from the camera. However, this is more like a gimmick since I can’t use it when the mower is far from my house and doesn’t have Wi-Fi signal. Another interesting features is 3D lawn printing which allows you to select from a library of pre-designed patterns or even create your own. The mower then follows a programmed path to create these designs, which are visible due to the way the blades cut and bend the grass at different angles. However, this feature also doesn’t work well as expected.
Mowing Performance
As compared to my previous robot mowers, the LUBA 2 has a dual-disc design with a larger cutting width of 15.7 inches (400mm). Besides, each disc is equipped with 6 pivoting razor blades, instead of 3 like many models. This contributes to its ability to cover large areas, produce clean cuts and professional-looking stripes on the lawn.
As my model is the H version, it offers a cutting range of 2.2 to 4.0 inches. This is suitable for people who want to maintain a taller, healthier lawn or when your lawn requires taller cuts, such as ones with Bermuda or Kentucky Bluegrass.
Powering this mower is an All-Wheel Drive system with 165W motors on each wheel. This easily handles slopes up to 38 degrees and uneven terrain that a less capable machine struggles. This is especially important if you don’t have a perfectly flat lawn. Notably, the LUBA has a very bright LED light on the front, so it has no problem mowing at night as well.
The mower provides up to 220-minute runtime with its 12Ah lithium-ion battery. This is just enough to mow my 0.18-acre lawn, so I can mow both of my front and back yards on a single charge. The mower’s capacity of 1.25 acres might be reached in perfect conditions, not with complex lawns like mine. In case you have a larger lawn, you still can use this mower as it automatically returns to its dock for recharging and resumes where it left off. A full charge takes more than 2 hours.
Conclusion
Pros
- Exceptional terrain handling
- Wire-free setup
- Durable build
- Clean and even cut with sharp blades
- Obstacle detection reduces the need for pre-mow clearing
Cons
- Price is still high
- The real mowing capacity on a single charge could be much lower than 1.25 acres
The Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD 5000HX is a top-tier robotic lawn mower that is suitable for complex yards. If you are tired of manual mowing or paying for lawn services, this definitely can transform lawn maintenance into a hands-off experience. I’ve used some different robot mowers in the last year and almost haven’t pushed traditional lawn mowers since then. If you can afford its premium price, we at TechWalls highly recommend the LUBA 2.
