Lawn & Garden Tech: Robot Mowers, Smart Irrigation & More
Robot lawn mowers and smart sprinkler controllers compared — which are worth it, what they cost, and what to know before you buy.
Lawn tech has finally gotten good enough to be worth buying: modern robot mowers cut quietly every day without a boundary wire, and smart sprinkler controllers skip watering when it rains and cut water bills while they do it.
The catch is that results depend heavily on your yard — size, slopes, obstacles, Wi-Fi coverage, and your irrigation system. We explain what to check first, then rank the options by lawn type.
Best lawn & garden tech — top picks
Lawn & Garden Tech
Best Robot Lawn Mowers
Robot mowers have gotten good. Here's how Husqvarna, Segway Navimow, Mammotion and Worx compare — and how to choose by lawn size, slope and tree cover.
Top picks · 4 min read
Lawn & Garden Tech
Best Smart Sprinkler Controllers
Rachio, Orbit B-hyve and Hunter Hydrawise compared — how smart controllers work, what you need to install one and whether they pay for themselves.
Top picks · 3 min read
Comparisons & how-to guides
Lawn & Garden Tech
Husqvarna vs. Segway Navimow
Husqvarna Automower iQ vs. Segway Navimow i2 LiDAR and X4: lawn size, slopes, wire vs. wire-free navigation, installation, dealer support and price.
Comparison · 4 min read
Lawn & Garden Tech
Rachio vs. Orbit B-hyve
Rachio 3 vs. Orbit B-hyve XR (plus Hunter Hydrawise for bigger systems): app quality, features, installation and which smart controller to buy.
Comparison · 4 min read
Browse every lawn & garden tech product we've researched
Filter by price tier and jump to the guide that covers each one.
Lawn & Garden Tech: quick answers
Are robot lawn mowers worth it?
If your lawn is reasonably open and you hate mowing, yes — they handle the routine mowing for you. They're a poor fit for very hilly, cluttered or tiny yards, and the premium models cost as much as a good riding mower.
Do smart sprinkler controllers save money?
They usually pay for themselves by skipping watering when it rains and adjusting for weather. Savings depend on how wasteful your old schedule was; some utilities also offer rebates for qualifying models.
Do robot mowers need a boundary wire?
Older and entry-level models do. Newer wire-free models use satellite (RTK), cameras or LiDAR to map your yard, but each approach has its own limitations — see our robot mower guide.