This robot lawnmower is literally cutting edge
27.5.2026
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Cutter: Davide Arizzoli
Video: Davide Arizzoli
Chinese manufacturers are achieving what others have failed to do for years. Or maybe they just didn’t care? In this test, the Mammotion robot lawnmower barely left a single blade of grass along the edges.
I’ve been using and testing robot lawnmowers for about ten years. The early models used to follow a boundary wire buried in the ground. Today’s smart gardening tools use cameras, satellites and GPS to find their way. Despite all the progress, one problem has remained unsolved to date: trimming the edges.
For the 2026 garden season, various manufacturers of robot lawnmowers are launching models designed to keep grass growing along edges in check. One of them is the Luba Mini 2 AWD 1000 from Mammotion. The supplier sent me one for testing purposes. As always with our reviews, the following applies: I didn’t have to follow any guidelines, and neither the manufacturer nor the supplier had any influence on the review results or what I’ve published. Click the gear icon, «Subtitles/CC» and «Auto-translate» to watch the video above in your preferred language.
Installation and setup
Last season, I tested a Mammotion model for the first time (read about it here) and have been using it ever since. In other words, I know how to set up the mower and send it out for its first spin. In 30 minutes, I’ve downloaded the essential app, installed the firmware update on the robot lawnmower, set up the Wi-Fi connection, positioned the charging station, plugged it in and had my lawn mapped automatically for the first time.
The Luba Mini navigates its way using only its three cameras. This means you don’t have to lay a boundary wire or even set up an auxiliary antenna.
In my test, I’m focusing on the device’s ability to reach the edges of the lawn. In our garden, that means grass growing under or near hedges, flower beds, rocks and fences.
Mapping: manual is more precise
During its first run, I watched the mower as it covered a short distance before slowly turning on the spot and using its cameras to map the area. The testing grounds present a few challenges: there’s a tree and a large umbrella in the middle of the lawn, pathways leading to a paved seating area and rows of edging stones followed by low walls.
The Luba Mini automatically mapped the 63-square-metre lawn. For comparison: in manual mode, I managed to map 70 square metres. Why? Because I made the robot lawnmower cut closer along the wall. I also made it go nearer to the umbrella stand. In automatic mapping mode, the mower didn’t even venture beyond the protective cover. Overall, however, the automatic mapping feature is excellent and should do the trick in most gardens.
Is Cutting Edge a killer feature?
The 10-centimetre-wide edging stones in our garden have truly been a godsend. (Shoutout to the forward-thinking landscape architect who designed the borders for our lawn). The Luba Mini now cuts the grassy edges of these stones. In other words, the robot’s front and rear wheel on the right drive over the stones. Any grass growing to the left of it is trimmed by the additional small cutting disc. That’s what I was hoping for. As the wheels stay on the stones, they’re not pushing blades of grass down and preventing them from being snipped by the rotating blades.
However, there’s one problem the Cutting Edge feature can’t solve: right angles in the lawn. Instead, the Luba Mini drives curves, always leaving a few blades standing. In the corners where the walls meet, the robot first moves along the edge. When it hits the other wall, it turns off and runs along the other edge, leaving a small triangle of grass out of its reach. The triangle is as large as the radius the robot needs for turning.
These unmown patches are left in corners surrounded by high walls. Interestingly, they’re also left untrimmed in corners with enough space for the robot to manoeuvre. Using my human brain, I’d have taken a more generous turn to also chop the blades of grass growing in the corner. But AI auto-mode doesn’t think like my noggin does. Luckily, you can iron out the issue by adjusting the range in the app. That said, given Luba Mini’s hefty price tag, I’d have expected some really smart software to do this automatically.
Excellent cutting performance
In contrast, I’m very impressed with the mowing performance of the Luba Mini 2 AWD. The six blades on the 20-centimetre cutting disc trim the tips of the grass with razor-sharp precision. Mammotion has also come up with a clever solution to a common problem with robot lawnmowers. Namely, grass clippings that get caught between the blades and the mounting screws. When this happens, the blades can’t unfold when the disc is rotating and they stop cutting altogether. On the Luba Mini 2, the blades are mounted in a way that prevents this from happening.
It’s not just the hardware that’s impressive, it’s the software, too. The Mammotion mower moves cleverly, so it rarely mows the same area twice and saves a lot of time that way. My relatively small garden that spans about 70 square metres is done in just under an hour. That’s including the three rounds it takes the mower to do the edges. What’s more, the Luba Mini protects your lawn thanks to its special turning mode that doesn’t squish the grass by turning on the spot. Instead, it does a clever manoeuvre involving the four individual motors for each of the four wheels.
The Luba Mini 2 AWD also has a few other interesting features:
Good on rough terrain
Thanks to its all-wheel drive, it can climb gradients of up to 80 per cent, which equals an incline of just under 39 degrees. You can also divide your lawn into different sections connected by paths. For example, I also scanned my neighbour’s lawn for this test and saved it as Area 2. This was very straightforward and easy to do.
A smart solution for the battery
The battery has a capacity of 6.1 Ah, which will keep the robot running for 150 minutes. Mammotion says the Luba Mini 2 AWD is designed for a lawn spanning up to 1,000 square metres. However, this is only a rough estimate, as the shape of the lawn, slopes and other factors can affect mowing time. What I find more important is that the battery’s really easy to remove and can also be replaced at a later stage if necessary.
No crashes
The robot also features «smart drop protection». The mower’s cameras detect edges or steps, making it stop before toppling over the edge and sending it back to safe ground. It even worked when I tested the feature in a spot where our neighbours’ lawn is separated from ours by an open path with a small border.
Protects toys, but not baby hedgehogs
Given the impressive number of cameras, it’s no surprise that the manufacturer touts its obstacle detection feature. The Mammotion mower is designed to detect obstacles measuring at least 2.5 by 2.5 centimetres – a shuttlecock, for example. The mower safely goes around anything brightly coloured. But when I tested it on a little stuffed hedgehog, it was nothing less than carnage. I left the toy hiding in the grass, where the Luba Mini first ran it over with its wheel before slashing its belly open and then chopping off one of its legs on the next pass. Luckily, it wasn’t a real hedgehog.
In a nutshell
What more could my square heart want?
Sure, the Mammotion mower is top-of-the-line and has a price tag to match. But it’s money well spent. The mower runs smoothly, quietly and efficiently. The app’s well-designed, measuring your lawn’s a breeze, as is setting up schedules (watch out for hedgehogs!) You can also customise the app’s settings in great detail, right down to the spacing between individual cutting paths. But what I find most important is that it gets really, really close to the edges. The manufacturer’s five-centimetre claim isn’t a marketing bluff, but a fact – much to the delight of my OCD tendencies.
Pro
- Battery is easy to change
- App offers a wide range of settings
- Rain sensor
- Smart mowing logic for efficient operation
- Excellent triple-camera detection of your lawn surface
- Cuts all the way up to the edge thanks to an additional blade disc
- Gentle on the lawn because of its all-wheel drive and intelligent turning manoeuvres
Contra
- Problems with 90°-angle edges; AI not smart enough to mow accessible areas
- AI obstacle detection has its flaws – poor plush hedgehog!
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
These articles might also interest you
30 comments
later