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Having a healthy, green lawn is a source of pride for many homeowners. Growing a lush lawn takes time, commitment and the proper equipment — things not all busy homeowners have. That’s where professional lawn care services come in. Lawn care companies can help homeowners achieve the ideal lawn.
Today’s Homeowner analyzed services, pricing and availability of many professional lawn care companies to determine our top pick. This research led to our thorough Robin Autopilot review.
Robin Autopilot is a robotic lawn mowing service, and a great option for homeowners, especially those who enjoy convenience services like grocery delivery.
Ultimately, because Robin Autopilot is only available in a dozen states nationwide, our top recommendation for professional lawn care is TruGreen, a lawn service provider known for its comprehensive variety of lawn care options, natural lawn products and discounts.
To get a free quote for your lawn, call TruGreen at 877-386-6512 or fill out this easy, quick form.
Table of Contents:
- Robin Autopilot’s Offerings
- Robin Autopilot Locations
- The Cost of Robin Autopilot
- Why Robin Autopilot?
- The Results
- Our Recommended Provider: TruGreen
Robin Autopilot’s Offerings
Robin Autopilot customers pay a set monthly fee based on their property size and level of service. To accommodate various lawn care needs, Robin Autopilot offers three plans: Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each plan offers different services at different rates. All plans offer theft insurance for the lawn robot.
- Silver: This plan type includes a mower and regular maintenance.
- Gold: This plan features a mower and regular maintenance, plus edging and trimming (includes sidewalks, driveways, flower beds and around fence lines and trees).
- Platinum: In addition to all the equipment and services of Gold, this plan level includes bed weeding and shrub trimming.
There are three robot mower styles available (with several models in each category) for residential and commercial use, including sports turf management and corporate properties. Each mower can be scheduled to run during specific days and times, allowing homeowners the ability to control and prevent interactions between the mower and children, pets or irrigation systems. Plus, all Robin Autopilot robot mowers are very quiet, so you can even operate the mower at nighttime. With the Robin Autopilot app, users can monitor or make changes to the mowing schedule with just a few taps, whether the current schedule isn’t working out or the schedule needs to be adjusted during scheduled vacations, for example.
Safety is a crucial component for all Robin Autopilot robot mowers. Each robot mower has a built-in sensor to detect if they are going to bump into something (like a potted plant), and if the mower is picked up while in use, the blades stop in less than one second. To ensure curious children or pets don’t interfere with mower and receive any injuries as a result, each mower has a three-inch barrier to prevent fingers or toes from reaching any of the blades while operating. Additionally, the company has a patented auto-locking robot door for fences to keep pets securely fenced in. A built-in GPS assists in a rare incidence of theft.
The Robin Autopilot team will manage maintenance for each robot mower, including changing the blades, fixing any wiring issues and preparing the mower for winter storage. During winter months, homeowners and commercial property owners have the option of pausing their service until the next growing season or, in some parts of the country, participating in the company’s free rye grass planting offerings.
Regular lawn equipment generates five percent of pollution in the United States and uses more than 17 million gallons of fuel are spilled each year from gassing lawn equipment. Robin Autopilot robots, however, are emissions-free and only use 11kw/H of electricity per month ? an excellent choice for eco-conscious consumers.
Robin Autopilot Locations
The first-full service landscaping service focused on robotic mowing, Robin Autopilot was founded in Europe around 2010, and by the spring of 2018, it had over a million robots servicing lawns across the continent.
Since then, the company has expanded to the United States, which opened its headquarters in Dallas, Texas and moved its headquarters to Cleveland, Ohio after being purchased by Fahey Group. The company currently operates locations in twelve states throughout the United States, though those states are not listed on the site. You can enter your zip code to see if you can get service in your area.
The Cost of Robin Autopilot
Rates for Robin Autopilot lawn care service vary based on location and service type. The Silver plan is the least expensive of the three plan offerings, while the Platinum plan provides several add-on lawn options to care for the entire landscape of your lawn or commercial property. Purchasing, maintaining and storing a robot mower costs more than hiring a professional service like Robin Autopilot to lease and maintain your robot mower.
Robin Autopilot Pros and Cons
PROS | CONS |
Works in the rain | Lawns larger than a half-acre require more than one robot |
Emissions-free robots, so it doesn’tuse fuel or cause pollution | More expensive than regular lawn care |
Completely sound-free, so you can use it anytime | Lawn robot is leased, not owned |
Includes a built-in GPS in case of theft | Doesn’t offer additional pest control |
Why Robin Autopilot?
Overall, Robin Autopilot does not have very many customer reviews online, and a majority of its reviews appear to be negative. On its Better Business Bureau (BBB) page, multiple consumers report that Robin Autopilot did not show for its scheduled mowing. The company is not accredited by the BBB and currently has an “F” rating through the BBB.
Consumers who did enjoy the service said:
“I’ve used these guys for a full season now on the Robot Program. I was one of the first to get in on them. here were bugs, yes, but they jumped on every issue and got things fixed quickly and for the most part, service was perfect. Our mower was stolen two times, but with the built-in GPS system, it was gone less than 24 hours in each case. The price is amazing for the service you get and I just can’t see using anyone else as long as they can service the home I live in.”
– James D., March 2019
Other reviewers warn potential customers not to waste their time:
“Just don’t do it. It’s not worth it. I’d give zero if I could. I had this service for about 12 mows, so I gave them numerous opportunities to make the mistakes right. Details below. I have had nothing but problems with this service. I have called emailed left messages and so on… The Customer service has always been helpful but apparently don’t actually do what they say they will. I will break this down into bullets so that it isn’t long winded. 1. They don’t always show up. If you have pets and kids like me I need a day to get the stuff picked up in the yard. 2. If they come when you don’t expect them, they will just run over everything with the mower. 3. If you have a gate they will more then likely not close it or re-lock it…”
-Ty H., September 22, 2017
The Results
At Today’s Homeowner, we value environmental and climate-friendly products and services, knowledgeable and helpful lawn professionals and lawn care options for all budget types. While Robin Autopilot does offer eco-conscious products, friendly staff and plan options with varying prices, its lack of nationwide availability, lack of pest control and some landscaping services, and negative customer reviews mean it’s not our top choice for excellent lawn care service in the United States.
Recommended Provider: TruGreen
While Robin Autopilot is a solid choice for homeowners who want automated, eco-friendly lawn service, its lack of availability nationwide and its poor consumer ratings are some of the reasons we value TruGreen over Robin Autopilot as a top-tier professional lawn care service.
TruGreen, a company who has been in operation for almost 50 years, offers services and products that help homeowners and commercial property owners achieve and maintain a healthy, lush lawn throughout the year. The company provides personalized care at affordable rates, including options for pest control. Though the company doesn’t have locations in Alaska or Hawaii, its A+ rating with the BBB and its discount options make it our top pick for lawn care treatment services for consumers nationwide.
If you want to receive a quick quote at no cost, call TruGreen at 877-386-6512 or fill out this easy form.