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Roborock Saros 20: two-minute review

Roborock has raised the bar so high with its robot vacuums that it must be struggling to find new ways to improve, but the Saros 20 manages to do just that. It takes everything that was great about its predecessor — the Roborock Saros 10R; one of the best robot vacuums we've tested — and adds a couple of intriguing features on top.

While a lengthy feature list might be eye-catching, it needs to be in service of great cleaning power, and I'm pleased to report that Saros 20 doesn't disappoint on that front. In my tests, the bot delivered efficient vacuuming (I was especially impressed with its ability to pull pet hair from carpet), and was an equally capable mopper. Reliable and accurate navigation meant the cleaning coverage was always thorough, with the LiDAR puck-free design ensuring the bot was shallow enough to slide under low furniture with ease. Thanks to an extendable side sweeper and mop pad, room edges didn't get neglected, either.

Primary amongst the new additions on this robot vacuum is a 3.0 version of Roborock's 'AdaptiLift' chassis, which can now lift the bot over even taller steps, as well as enabling it to hover at exactly the right height for effective cleaning on chunky rugs and thick carpets. I could see clear evidence of this upgrade in action, with the Saros 20 adjusting itself as it made its way about in my tests. From a robovac's point of view, my home is relatively straightforward, but I suspect upgrade will really come into its own if you have thick rugs or especially tall room thresholds.

As is the standard with premium robovacs these days, the dock will take care of the vast majority of maintenance tasks for you — not only simple things like emptying the dust cup, but also washing (with hot water) and drying (with hot air) the mop pads, topping up water and dispensing detergent. It's so effective that the only thing I've had to do over around a month of use is refill the main water tank and empty out the dirty one.

New to this model is the fact that the jauntily named 'RockDock' will also dry off the internal dust bag, to stop things getting musty over time. I'm not sure this is essential, although if your bot will be tackling damp debris, it could be key to avoiding things getting pongy or unhygienic.

The Roborock Saros 20 is ultra-pricey, but that's no surprise given the amount of cutting-edge tech crammed in here, and the extensive feature list. Nor is the pricing out of whack with other brands' flagship models. If you want the best of the best, the Saros 20 should be in the mix. However, given the rate at which Roborock releases new models, I'd expect discounts to start to appear fairly quickly, so I'd still hang on a few months to avoid paying full whack.

That's the short version; read on for my full Roborock Saros 20 review.

(Image credit: Future)Roborock Saros 20 review: price & availability

• List price: $1,599.99 / £1,309 / AU$2,999
• Available: Widely, including US, UK and AU
• Launched: Announced Jan 2026, on sale from Feb 2026

The Roborock Saros 20 was unveiled at CES in January 2026, and first went on sale in various European countries from February, at a price of €1,499. As of late March, it's now also available in US, UK and Australia, at a list price of $1,599.99 / £1,309 / AU$2,999.

Regardless of where you live, this bot sits at the top of the premium price bracket. The high price is somewhat justified by the amount of cutting-edge tech crammed in here, the high build quality and the extensive feature list. This is one of the most capable robovacs on the market. However, some of the capabilities are nice-to-haves rather than essentials, and many people will be able to get away with paying less for a lower-specced machine, with very little compromise on performance.

It's also worth noting that Roborock releases new models at quite a rapid rate — the Saros is one of three new bots to be unveiled at CES — and as a result we tend to see prices dropping pretty quickly. If you're willing to be patient, you should be able to avoid paying full price on this model. In fact, at time of writing there's already an early bird deal that knocks off $210 in the US, and £180 off in the UK.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Roborock Saros 20 specs

Max suction:

35,000Pa

Robot size:

13.8 x 13.9in / 35 x 35.3cm

Robot height:

3.14in / 7.98cm

Dock dimensions (W x D x H):

15 x 120.6 x 124 in / 38.1 x 47.5 x 48.8cm

Mop type:

D-shaped, Dual spinning discs, Roller

Max threshold clearance: 

Double layer thresholds up to 1.77 + 1.57 in / 4.5 + 4cm)

Dust bin volume (base):

2.5L

Water tank volume:

4L (clean), 3.5L (dirty)

Base functions:

Charge, empty dust, wash mop pads, dry mop pads, self-clean

Roborock Saros 20 review: design

• Chassis boosts the bot over thresholds and hovers it over thick carpet
• Two spinning mop pads, one of which extends to clean edges
• Dock takes care of most maintenance, including drying the dust bag

Roborock has honed its robot vacuum designs to near perfection over the years, and the Saros 10 is a feast of features picked from previous models, plus a few all-new additions.

The Roborock Saros 20 is an upgraded version of the excellent Roborock Saros 10R and has a sister model, the Saros 20 Sonic (itself an upgrade of the Saros 10). The headline new addition is that the AdaptiLift Chassis — essentially, the little feet that can raise the robovac up — has been upgraded to a 3.0 version, and gained some cool new capabilities in the process. As well as enabling the Saros 20 to vault itself over tall room thresholds, and lift itself out of the situation if it gets stuck, it has a further trick that makes it especially good at handling thick carpet.

The bot can assess the depth of the carpet or rug in front of it, and elevate itself to one of a selection of preset heights, where it will hover as it cleans. This theoretically means an efficient clean without the risk of getting bogged down in the fibers. It's suitable for pile up to 1.18in / 3cm.

(Image credit: Future)

One key point of difference between the Saros 20 and its Sonic sibling is the mopping setup. While the 20 Sonic has a single, D-shaped mop pad, the 20 has dual spinning discs. One can kick out to the side to mop close to the edges of rooms.

In fact, there's a whole clever lifting-and-lowering setup that can adjust to exactly what's going on under-bot. If the Saros 20 is tackling a mop-only task, its main roller will be elevated so floors get a thorough scrub without fine particles getting spread around or stuck in the roller. If tasked with just vacuuming, it'll leave its mop pads in its dock. And if it's on a mixed route, it can raise or lower its main roller and mops as required.

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On the vacuuming front, you've got a roller that includes rubber fins and bristles, to agitate carpet fibers and sweep up debris from hard floor. It's split in the middle to help combat hair wrap, and the whole thing can be popped out from its casing for cleaning if required. This roller is supplemented by a side sweeper that can extend out to one side when the bot needs to sweep the edges of a room.

(Image credit: Future)

Another notable feature is the navigation system. The Saros 20 uses an upgraded version of 'StarSight', Roborock's own navigation technology that does not require a raised LiDAR puck to be positioned on top of the robot. This means it's shallow in profile, and as a result can sneak under relatively low furniture.

The object recognition has been improved, with Roborock promising recognition of over 200 common object types, as small as 0.8in / 2cm in height or width. In contrast, its Sonic sibling model uses more traditional LiDAR, but has a LiDAR puck that can raise or retract as required.

(Image credit: Future)

The jauntily named 'RockDock' clean station is the all-singing, all-dancing type that empties the bins, tops up the water tanks and washes and dries the mop pads for you. As is the current trend, Roborock has upped the cleaning temperatures to tackle grease and dirt more effectively: the mop pad cleaning water is 212°F / 100°C (i.e. boiling) and the drying air is 131°F / 55°C. Another added trick is that the dock will also dry its base and internal dust bag, apparently to lessen the risk of mold or odors.

• Design score: 5 out of 5

Roborock Saros 20 review: performance

• Although hesitant at first, AdaptiLift lifting works well on tall thresholds
• Excellent at tackling pet hair on carpet
• Even, full-coverage mopping and very good vacuuming too

To get started with my review, I set the Saros 20 up in my home and used it as my main vacuum for around three weeks. During this time, I scheduled regular cleans of different types, and observed the bot's capabilities. Having tested a number of Roborock robot vacuums now, I was expecting a straightforward setup process, and the Saros 20 didn't let me down.

Getting it hooked up to my WiFi was painless, and the speedy initial mapping run produced a map that was decently accurate, even if it did think my lounge was a 'sunroom' (what even is a sunroom?).

In general, it just trundled out and completed its scheduled cleaning tasks with no fuss. It never got lost or needed rescuing, and based on the data it almost always followed a logical route around each room, too.

(Image credit: Roborock / Future)

However, I did experience a few odd behaviors following more specific cleaning requests. Once, I sent it out to mop, but the mop pads were completely dry. Another time, I tasked it with a simple Zone clean, but rather than just cleaning the designated 1.5 square-meter area, it took a very convoluted, 20-minute sightseeing tour of my living room, stopping only when I instructed it to 'Return to dock'. However, in day-to-day use it proved reliable and behaved how I expected and wanted it to.

Vacuuming

After a couple of weeks of regular vacuuming with the Saros 20, I was impressed. It consistently did a thorough job on both carpets and hard flooring, and I didn't have any issues with clogging during self-empty, either — even though it was dealing with a decent amount of pet hair.

I also ran TechRadar's standard robot vacuum suction tests, using loose tea (to represent fine particles), dry oats (to represent chunky particles) and dog hair (self-explanatory). I tested pickup on both a mid-pile carpet and a tiled floor, and the results were very good.

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On carpet, almost all the oats were cleared in a couple of passes — with only a few being flicked out of my chosen cleaning zone — and the robovac made a very good attempt at clearing the tea, too (a purposefully very tricky task). On hard floor the results were equally strong, although it required a higher setting to tackle the finest dusty tea particles.

The Saros 20 handled oats at the edge of a room fairly well, but I did need to go in with a manual vacuum and a crevice tool to clear these completely. As with all robovacs I've tested, the side sweeper brush can only do so much, but this model's sweeper handled the challenge better than most.

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I was most impressed with how well the Saros 20 handled dog hair on carpet. I rubbed a fistful of loose hair clippings into our living room floor, being sure to dig it right into the fibers. I then set the Saros 20 on a Zone clean using the maximum vacuum settings. After two passes only a fine layer of hair remained, and two more all-but cleared it all. That's an excellent result — typically, to clear pet hair you really need to get a manual vacuum out.

Mopping

In general use, the Saros 20 put in a seriously good shift when it came to mopping. The rotating mop pads did a stellar job of cleaning my tiled kitchen floor, covering the whole space evenly, removing marks and leaving a streak-free finish. It also reliably avoided mopping the thin, canvas rug, and I could see one of its pads popping out to one side as required to mop the edges of rooms.

To challenge the robovac further, I dribbled soy sauce and smeared honey on the tiled kitchen floor, then sent it out on a two-pass zone clean. It smeared the soy sauce about a bit on the first pass, then cleared it more effectively on the second. The honey put up more of a fight, and while the two passes did remove some of this sticky substance, I still needed to go in with a cloth to clear the remainder.

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That's not a surprise — no matter what the marketing materials would have you believe, no robot vacuum can match a damp cloth and a bit of elbow grease when it comes to cleaning hard floors.

Note too that this style of mop pad isn't a particularly choice for sticky or messy spills. The pads are only being cleaned when the bot returns to its dock, so to a certain extent the bot can only really smear the spillage around. (Roller mops, which are fed with clean water and the dirt scraped off as they go, tend to deliver more of a thorough mop. Although that mop style has its own down-sides, which I won't get into here.)

The Saros 20 reliably dropped off its mop pads in the dock when embarking on a vacuum-only run, but I was surprised — given the precise lifting/lowering setup this robovac has — that the rotating side brush didn't lift when mopping, even though the bot was on a mop-only pass. It pained me to see those spindly fibers spinning their way towards a puddle of soy sauce, and knowing they wouldn't be cleaned during the mop pad washing process.

Navigation & object avoidance

The Saros 20 performed well on my object avoidance task, skirting carefully around a shoe and pausing to judge the gap between two objects before slowly making its way between them. The performance here wasn't perfect — some things got pushed around when they should have been avoided, and as with every robot vacuum I've used, the Saros 20 couldn't resist chowing down on a cable or two — but it's good enough that I'd still recommend this bot for use in a fairly cluttered home.

I was especially interested in the advanced 'AdaptiLift' features, designed for use on thick carpet and for crossing tall thresholds. There was clear evidence that something was happening; on several occasions I could see the bot lifting and lowering in response to its surroundings. Although hesitant at first, the Saros 20 also learned how to cross the chunky room threshold between our wood laminate hall and carpeted living room, by backing up, raising its body up at the front, and approaching at speed.

Dock

The dock cleaning features are very impressive. After mopping the honey and soy sauce mess I expected to need to remove the mop pads and wash them manually, but after the self-clean cycle was complete they looked (and smelled) good as new, and with no stickiness to the touch, either.

I also had no issues with the self-empty mechanism jamming, as can happen when a robot vacuum has gobbled up too much pet hair. The automatic cleaning fluid dispensing is useful, and in general the dock just takes care of a good chunk of the maintenance so you just don't have to think about it.

I'm yet to make my mind up on the self-drying feature. The dock emits a humming noise while this is going on, and while it's not loud it is understandably noisier than a dock that doesn't have this mode. I've never had problems with a dock getting musty or clogging due to dampness, but that's not to say this drying feature isn't doing good things for my robot vacuum setup hygiene.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Roborock Saros 20 review: app

• Oodles of control options
• Fairly easy to navigate, with a few exceptions
• Perhaps a little overwhelming for newcomers

As a seasoned robot vacuum tester, I'm generally a fan of the Roborock app. It offers plenty of control options, is pretty logical in layout, and I've never had any issues with bugs, glitches, or sloppy mistranslations. However, the sheer volume of information that Roborock is wrangling here means things can get a little overwhelming.

(Image credit: Roborock / Future)

There are a few sections I feel could be streamlined, and I can imagine that a newcomer who's not especially tech-savvy could have problems making sense of it all. Thankfully, the presets and 'smart' options mean even if you haven't dug into all the various settings, you can still achieve some very decent cleaning.

• App score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Roborock Saros 20?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Expensive, but justified by all the tech crammed in — plus deals will start appearing soon.

3.5 / 5

Design

Low-profile, high-quality bot packed with useful features including a chassis that enables the bot to hover over thick carpet, and a dock that can dry itself to prevent mold and odors.

5 / 5

Performance

Strong vacuuming and very good mopping. Occasional odd behaviors, but very reliable in daily use. AdaptiLift innovation works well.

4.5 / 5

App

Well laid out and relatively intuitive given the sheer number of control options.

4 / 5

How I tested the Roborock Saros 20

I used the Saros 20 as my main robot vacuum for around a month, during which time it followed a set cleaning schedule of mopping and vacuuming. During this time I got a feel for its cleaning capabilities as well as any failings. I also ran a series of standardized cleaning tests to get a more objective view of its position in the wider market. These included testing the vacuuming powers on carpet and hard floor, and with fine and chunky particles as well as dog hair. To test mopping, I used honey and soy sauce, and for object avoidance I laid out an obstacle course for it to make its way around.

I compared my findings to the many other robot vacuums I've tested, and weighed everything up against the price to ascertain if it offers strong value for money.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners

• First reviewed March 2026

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Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro: two-minute review

I have been exceedingly impressed with the Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro and consider it one of the most sophisticated mid-range robot mowers in a marketplace positively rammed with wire-free models of all shapes and sizes.

Like many new mowbots in 2026, this one combines advanced LiDAR, Net RTK satellite data via Wi-Fi and 4G, and an array of vision cameras for highly accurate and reliable navigation even under trees or in complex gardens. Its three-wheel traction, meanwhile, helps it cope with slopes of up to 55% and most uneven terrain.

While the Navimow i210E's modest 22cm cutting width is no match for the much wider Mammotion LUBA 3, its logical mowing pattern produces a neatly striped finish across lawns of up to 1,000m² in area, albeit with recharge cycles mid-cut when tackling larger areas in excess of around 165m². Its onboard geo-location security system with alarm and notifications is an especially welcome addition.

The Navimow i210E's obstacle detection is capable of recognising most garden objects, pets, children and obstacles the size of a small rubber ball so you can feel confident it won't run slipshod over everything. Extremely quiet running and mostly intuitive app control further enhance its day-to-day usability, making this bot a particularly appealing choice for those seeking reliable lawn care with minimal intervention and zero noise pollution.

However, the Navimow i210E's premium tech inevitably raises the price, and some simpler gardens may not fully benefit from its sophisticated mapping and terrain capability.

Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro: price & availability

• How much does it cost? £1,399 / $1,399
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? UK, Europe and USA

Availability of the Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro is steadily improving across the UK, with the model starting to appear at authorized specialist dealers and selected online retailers. At the moment, you can purchase the Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro direct from Segway for £1,399 and Cheap Mowers or Mow With Us, where it sells for the same price. In Europe, the same model sells for €1,599.

In the USA, this model is called the Navimow i2 AWD where it is available in two variants: the i206 AWD ($999) with a maximum coverage of 0.15 acre and the i210 AWD, with a max coverage of 0.25 acre. You can purchase it direct from Navimow USA.

As part of Segway’s newer iSeries line-up, the LiDAR Pro variant sits towards the premium end of the mid-range category, reflecting its sophisticated navigation technology and all-wheel-drive capability. Some retailers may occasionally list slightly lower prices for closely related i210E variants, but the full LiDAR Pro AWD specification generally commands a higher premium due to its enhanced mapping accuracy and rough terrain handling.

Compared with other flagship robotic mowers that often exceed £1,600 and even £2,000, the i210E LiDAR Pro occupies a sensible middle ground, offering advanced positioning technology without reaching eye-watering price territory.

For buyers prioritising neat, methodical cutting and cable-free installation, I feel the price of the i210E feels competitive though at the expense of a narrower, standardized 22cm cutting deck.

Value score: 4 out of 5

Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro: specs

Max lawn size

1,000㎡

Mowing area per charge

195m²

Navigation

LiDAR + NetRTK + Vision

Antennae installation

Not required

Cutting deck width

22cm (1 x disc; 6 blades)

Cutting height adjustment

20-70mm, motorized

Drivetrain

3-wheel drive

Maximum climbing ability

55% (29°)

Maximum zones

20 zones

Drop-and-mow ability

Yes

Obstacle avoidance

VisionFence (140° RGB Camera + LiDAR)

Connectivity

Wi-fi, Bluetooth & 4G (1 year free data)

Security

GPS tracking, 4G, lift alarm, Apple ‘Find My’

Noise

59dB

Waterproof

IP66

Rain sensor

Yes

Mow time per charge

75 mins

Charging time

90 mins

Weight

17.35kgs

Dimensions

655.5 × 445 × 289.7mm

Product code

Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro

Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro: design

• Three-way navigation, including LiDAR
• All-wheel drive
• Recharges quite frequently

I'm a committed fan of robot mowers that don't require having a boundary wire pegged into the lawn. In fact, I see no point in wired models at all and would advise avoiding that old-fashioned tech and embracing a wire-free model like this new Segway or indeed any other model equipped with sophisticated navigation technology. Many are now available for under £700 and you can bet that prices will come down even further over the next year or two.

Most robotic lawn mower manufacturers have adopted a simple rectangular shaped design for their bots and the Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro is no different. In fact, it's quite difficult to tell it apart from the Anthbot Genie, Mammotion Yuka and Ecovacs Goat. On the plus side, the Navimow's outer shell feels robust enough to withstand regular knocks from boundary edges and garden obstacles, while its IP66 weather sealing provides good protection against rain.

(Image credit: Future)

The Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro is a top choice for lawn sizes up to 1,000m² or a combination of that figure if you have several lawn spaces – up to 20 zones in this instance. However, this 1,000m² figure applies to a full 24-hour cutting period with recharge cycles in between. Hence, if you have a lawn that is over, say, 165m² in area and you have selected the slower 'Precision Mowing' setting in the Navimow app, the i210E may not be able to complete the task on a single charge. I know this because my lawn is 170m² and twice now it has headed back for an 80-minute top-up charge with just 4% of the lawn left to do, and with 15% of battery in the tank. If you'd rather your similarly-sized lawn was cut on a single charge every time, I would suggest the Navimow i220E LiDAR Pro instead, which is good for lawn areas of up to 2,000m².

The reason for this seemingly inflated measurement is that a robot mower's cutting area is measured as a total capacity over a given time period – in this case a single day rather than all at once — by calculating its efficiency per hour and factoring in charging cycles. Many manufacturers usually define the working area capacity by assuming that the robot will operate continuously — mowing, recharging and returning to mow — to maintain a maximum surface area. Yes, it's confusing but that's how the cookie crumbles. You can easily check your lawn size by visiting the Stiga website and using its simple click-and-drag tool to measure the size of your sward.

(Image credit: Future)

The Navimow i210E is equipped with three types of navigation — LiDAR, Network RTK and camera vision — that combine to form Segway's proprietary EFLS (Exact Fusion Location System) positioning tech. This clever combo allows the Navimow to negotiate narrow pathways, avoid obstacles and flowered borders, and mow under trees or even at night.

For the uninitiated, LiDAR is a form of navigation system that fires laser pulses ahead of the bot's progress, creating detailed 3D representations of the environment. Network RTK (Real-Time Kinematic), meanwhile, is a satellite navigation technique that provides centimeter-level positioning accuracy by using a network of online reference stations. Since Network RTK is Wi-Fi based, there is no need to have a satellite antennae spiked into the lawn, though you will need a Wi-Fi or 4G signal for the entire lawn space (Segway offers one-year of free 4G cellular data). The final part of this triple fusion navigation tech is something called VisionFence and it comprises a 140° RGB camera along with LiDAR to keep track of objects as small as a tennis ball and ensure that they're avoided.

Since there are just three main parts in the package — the mower, its charging dock and a longer-than-average power cable for the dock — I found this model amazingly easy to set up. You have two methods of initial lawn mapping at your fingertips – auto or manual. I used the manual mapping method of steering the bot around the perimeter like an RC car because my lawn has some rough borders with a few earthy bits. However, if your borders are neat and tidy, use the auto-map method instead. Mind, I will add that its single motorized front wheel isn’t as easy to steer as the LUBA range which comes with two front wheels so you’ll need to take it slow – which is always the best method when mapping anyway.

(Image credit: Future)

This model's AWD drivetrain is comprised of two heavily treaded rear wheels and the aforementioned single motorized front wheel that does most of the steering. Plenty of grip, in other words, for the i210E to tackle most rough ground and scale gradients of up to 55% (29°) – most standard robot mowers can only handle gradients of between 25% and 45%. Furthermore, Segway’s Xero-Turn system allows the machine to pivot smoothly without damaging turf and that's a big bonus if your lawn has lots of shaded areas where grass is thinner or less established.

The Navimow i210E features a fast-spinning 22cm cutting disc equipped with six razor-like blades — three more than most — that slice through grass like a fine pair of scissors. As long as you set a bi-weekly schedule, you should see no evidence of grass cuttings littering the lawn. In fact, this mulching technique is very good for the lawn because, as the cuttings decay they release nitrogen which helps keep the lawn in tip-top condition.

Thankfully the i210E's cutting height — 20mm to 70mm in 5mm increments — is motorized and easily changed using the Navimow app. And don't worry about it cutting in the rain because the unit's rain sensor will cause the robot to return to the dock for a few hours until it thinks the lawn has dried.

I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of robot mowers with small 20-22cm cutting decks because a) they take longer to complete a cutting task and b) the pseudo stripes they leave in their wake are overly slim and don't look quite as authentic as those made using a 40cm model like the Mammotion LUBA 3.

The Mammotion LUBA 3 (left) has a wider cutting deck that makes more authentic lookig stripes than the Navimow (Image credit: Future)

Also, as is the case with many models at the moment, the Navimow i210E's spinning cutting disc is centrally positioned with a gap of three inches on either side and that means it leaves a three-inch gap of uncut grass alongside solid borders which you will need to tidy up with a grass trimmer. Thankfully, pathways that are flush with the lawn are no issue because you can map the lawn to include part of the pathway so the mower straddles both when working.

I'll leave final words of praise to this model's exceptional security measures. To start with, the robot itself is indelibly linked to the user's Wi-Fi, email account and four-number pin code, rendering it useless to any prospective thieves. But more than that, it is also equipped with GPS tracking and a loud 'whoop whoop whoop' alarm that sounds the moment the bot is lifted or tilted — and the only way to stop the racket is by inserting the pin code on the machine or in the app. A notification is also sent the moment the robot leaves its working area. Perhaps best of all, this model's GPS tracking is linked to Apple's excellent 'Find My' app for extra reassurance.

• Design score: 4/5

Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro: performance

• Reliable and easy to use
• Great cutting performance
• Ability to work on rougher terrain

I've been exceedingly impressed by this model's cutting quality and its ability to create perfectly straight lawn stripes. In fact, I’d argue that the current enthusiasm for wire-free robotic mowers is driven just as much by their precise, systematic cutting patterns as by the welcome freedom from burying a silly perimeter wire around the lawn. The fact that they can be operated using an app and be scheduled to run regular bi-weekly cutting sessions while one gets on with other things in life is the icing on the cake.

One thing I've noticed with all the wire-free robot mowers I've reviewed is that their first cutting session always seems to follow the longest dimension of my south-facing rectangular lawn. At first I thought they were following a compass-based system from north to south but now I'm thinking that they simply choose their initial cutting direction based on the shape of the map that was created when first unboxing.

(Image credit: Future)

Hence, like every other bot I've tested, this model set off in the direction of my lawn's longest dimension, which is the way I want to view the lovely stripes they make when looking from the patio doors. Fear not if your lawn is a completely different shape or angle because you can change this mower's cutting direction in the app, albeit with some frustration.

In my tests, the Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro has always cut the perimeter of the lawn first, starting a good eight inches from where I originally mapped the borders. It has then worked its way outwards for each subsequent pass. Crucially, it has never once veered off course into the rhododendrons. In fact it has followed the exact path of my original mapped route with centimeter accuracy, even performing the same sharp turns I made when manually mapping the lawn using the app's virtual joysticks. Very impressive. However, as expected, some of my borders will need tackling with the grass trimmer, which is par for the course with lawn mowers of every kind.

(Image credit: Future)

After it has finished the perimeter, the i210E has mysteriously started cutting the main part of my lawn from the center to one side before heading over to the other side to complete the task. Mind, this is of no consequence because everything has always been perfectly cut by the end of its working session.

I haven't experienced any issues with the Navimow i210E's obstacle avoidance and tested it with a dog toy that I knew it would circumvent and a small rubber ball that I expected it to annihilate. Well it evaded both with self-assured coolness by turning around and going in the opposite direction before eventually returning to the same area to mow the strip on the other side of the obstacle. No, I still wouldn't trust this robot mower — or any other — to avoid dog mess, so pet owners will need to perform regular cleanups unless they want mashed turd all over the robot's wheels. Lovely.

The Navimow neatly avoided unexpected obstacles including a small rubber ball and a dog toy (Image credit: Future)

As pointed out earlier, the Navimow i210E doesn’t quite finish my 170m² lawn on a single charge and has always had to return to its charging base with just 4% of lawn area remaining. Which just goes to show that even though this model is good for 1,000m², it could take several re-charging sessions to complete a full task if the lawn's total area is at or beyond the mower's stated maximum work-space capacity. This is especially pertinent if you plan to use the Navimow on several different lawns — it can mow up to 20 zones in turn by following a preset route from one lawn to the next — so bear this in mind when making your final decision.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro: Navimow app

• Clean interface
• Not especially comprehensive
• Could do with some tweaks

The Segway Navimow app's interface feels clean and modern, placing the most useful controls — scheduling, zone editing and cutting height adjustments – exactly where you’d expect them. Particularly pleasing is the way the app presents the lawn map, with crisp visual boundaries that make it easy to refine mowing areas or create no-go zones around flowerbeds and furniture. You can view this map with or without illustrated terrain.

While there is a pleasing absence of clutter in the Navimow app, I personally miss some of the deeper customisation possibilities that the Mammotion app provides. I have also been a bit confused by some of its elements, especially the mowing direction feature.

FutureFutureFuture

With other apps you're able to see superimposed stripes on the map that delineate the direction of the cut, which you can alter by touching and swivelling two fingers on the screen. However, in this app you're shown a superimposed multi-point compass-like image with the letters A to F for each one of its 12 different points — very confusing. In fact, for my first attempt at changing the cutting angle, I inadvertently tasked the mower with cutting the lawn in 12 different directions before hastily stopping it and selecting just one path, in my case from D to D for a north-to-south cut.

Despite this particular route direction anomaly, I think the Navimow app complements the hardware very well, offering an experience that feels mostly polished, practical and relatively easy to navigate. Crucially, connectivity has proved dependable in day-to-day use, while firmware updates have arrived without any dramas attached.

• App functionality score: 4/5

Should you buy the Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro?

Section

Notes

Score

Value for money

Premium navigation, good terrain ability and genuinely useful wire-free convenience make the price feel fairly justified for smaller, complex landscapes

4/5

Design

Sleek, purposeful design with triple fusion navigation and robust AWD that feels durable and reassuringly premium

4/5

Performance

Precise, systematic mowing with confident slope capability, strong obstacle detection and neat results with minimal supervision

4.5/5

App functionality

Clean and mostly intuitive, the Navimow app makes mapping and scheduling pretty straightforward. But it's not perfect

4/5

Average rating

4/5

Buy it if

You want true wire-free setup

Instead of a perimeter cable, this mower uses LiDAR and RTK mapping, making installation a doddle

Your garden is a bit wayward

The Navimow i210E can handle gradients of up to 55% (29°), making it suitable for uneven or complex lawns

You value silence on a Sunday morning

You will never hear this mower working, even from a few meters away

Don't buy it if

Your lawn has a very simple layout

The AWD drivetrain and advanced sensor suite may be unnecessary if your lawn is flat, unobstructed and under 1,000m²

Your lawn is field-like with steep gradients

A three-wheeled model like this will likely struggle, especially on very gnarly terrain

You don't want any highfalutin tech

While the Navimow is very easy to set up and use, if you're a complete technophobe without a smartphone, perhaps stick to a conventional mower

How I tested the Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro

While my lawn has a simple layout, my garden is surrounded by tall shrubs and humongous trees that produce a lot of shady areas where a mowbot might struggle. I set up the Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro's charging station in the usual place under a tall-standing beech tree, mapped my lawn manually and watched it work while I wrote much of this review under a parasol on the patio.

I checked its straight-line accuracy, how well it tackled the borders and, crucially, how efficiently it cut the grass. Fortunately, today's lawn robots are so advanced that I am rarely disappointed. As predicted, the Navimow mostly did exactly what I expected it to do, though I was flummoxed by its insistence to cut my lawn from the center outwards instead of more logically from the edge inwards. But hey, it eventually tackled the other side and all was well.

Segway's latest robot mower brings composed performance to challenging terrain

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