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Pros
- Excellent cutting performance
- Ideal for rough or steep terrains
- Easy to control
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Cons
- Very expensive
- No phone control or scheduling capabilities
Mowrator S1 Remote Control Lawn Mower 4WD Specs
Product Category | Appliances |
Robot lawn mowers are ideal for those who wish to take a hands-off approach to cutting the grass, but most models are limited in their abilities to navigate steep or rough terrain. At $3,999 as tested, the Mowrator S1 Remote Control Lawn Mower 4WD is one of the pricier models we’ve come across, but if your lawn has difficult-to-reach spots, rough terrain, and steep grades, this battery-powered, remote-controlled robot mower will get the job done. You don’t get any smart features such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can’t control the S1 with an app or create work schedules, but it does a fantastic job of cutting high grass and traversing steep slopes, and it's fun and easy to steer. It's also equipped with several safety features, including multiple avoidance sensors, and it offers the widest cutting width of any mower we’ve tested. That said, if you prefer a smart mower that you can control with your phone or voice, we recommend the Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD, which also handles steep terrain and can be found for as low as $2,999.99.
Design and Features: 4WD, Zero-Turn Steering, and a Big Blade
With its gray powder-coated finish, steel tube frame, and oversized all-terrain tires, the S1 looks like it just drove off the set of a Mad Max movie. Weighing in at 135 pounds (including the battery) and measuring 16.7 by 25.8 by 37.8 inches (HWL), the S1 is big and heavy. Installing the included grass catcher bag adds another 22.6 inches to the length. The mower uses four-wheel drive to traverse rough terrain and climb slopes with a 75% (or 37-degree) incline. It also uses a zero-turn steering system. For durability, it has an IP54 weatherproof rating, meaning it can withstand light rain and splashes. Note that a two-wheel drive version is also available, starting at $2,499, but it can't handle slopes as steep as the 4WD.
The aluminum alloy cutting deck uses a single blade with a 21-inch cutting width, the widest we’ve seen. For comparison, the Husqvarna 435X AWD has an 8.7-inch cutting width, and the EcoFlow Blade ($2,899) has a 10.2-inch cutting width. The Mowrator is powered by an 800-watt motor and an 18Ah battery rated to last up to 2.25 hours between charges. Designed for large yards, it can cover 1.12 acres on a charge. Recharging the battery takes around 90 minutes. A model with a 12Ah battery is available for $3,499.
The removable battery sits under a flip-up panel on the top of the mower. Here you’ll find a charging port and a round power button with four LED battery level indicators. Each illuminated indicator represents a quarter of remaining battery life. There are two red emergency stop buttons (one on each side of the battery compartment) that will shut down the mower when pressed. Other safety features include a large front bumper that will automatically stop the mower’s movement and the blade when it bumps up against something, four ultrasonic sensors embedded in the front and sides that will shut down the mower if people, pets, lawn ornaments, and other obstacles are detected. There’s also a sensor located in the rear bagging area that will shut things down if the bag is removed during operation.
The S1 has a cutting height range of 1.5 to 4.3 inches, which can be adjusted by moving the lever located on the back right side of the mower. There are five adjustment points, with 1 being the lowest cutting height and 5 being the highest. The mower comes with a 600-watt charging brick, a grass catcher bag and grass outlet cover, a mulcher insert, assorted hardware and tools for assembly, four tires and hubcaps, a remote controller and USB-C charging cable, a quick start guide, and an owner’s manual. Optional accessories (sold separately) include a $499 auto-dumping grass bag that you can control with the remote and a $299 vacuum kit that sucks up leaves and other debris.
The handheld remote control is similar to the type of remote you would use for an RC car. It measures 2.3 by 6.9 by 6.7 inches (HWD), weighs 1 pound, and has a metal carry handle and a USB-C charging port on the top edge and rubber handgrips on each side. It is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is rated to last up to eight hours between charges.
The top part of the remote contains two blade start buttons, two joystick control dials, left and right U-turn buttons, and a cruise control button. Pressing both blade start buttons at the same time starts the blades spinning. You must keep one button pressed while mowing to keep the blade spinning otherwise it will shut down. The left joystick dial is used for forward and backward movement, and the right dial is used for left and right steering. When cruise control is enabled, it sends the mower in a straight line without having to use the left joystick control, but you can use the right joystick control to make steering corrections.
Below the joystick dials are buttons labeled C1 and C2. The C1 button is used to engage the above-mentioned auto-dumping grass bag, and the C2 button is used to clear any safety warnings or error codes. The bottom part of the controller holds a cutting mode button that lets you manually select a blade speed, or you can use the smart setting, which automatically adjusts the blade speeds based on grass height and thickness. The blade speed button offers three settings (2600rpm, 2900rpm, and 3200rpm) and the moving speed button offers three travel speeds (0.8m/s, 1.2m/s, and 1.5m/s). The remote also features an emergency stop button that shuts down the blades and mower movement. A power button on the bottom right turns the remote itself on and off.
In the center of the remote is a 2.35-inch color touch screen that displays both the mower and the controller battery status and a button for switching between manual and smart modes. There’s also a button that opens a settings screen where you can enable/disable the safety sensors, create and modify a PIN code for access to the remote, calibrate the joystick controls, update the firmware, and enable a stability-enhancing mode that helps keep the mower smoothly navigate extremely rough terrain.
The S1 lacks Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and, therefore, cannot be controlled with a mobile app, but Mowrator offers an Android-only app that can be used for over-the-air firmware upgrades. An iOS firmware app was not available at the time of our review.
Installation and Performance: Like Controlling an RC Car
The S1 is easy to assemble, but it is rather heavy. You may want to have an extra set of hands when it comes time to attach the wheels, which requires turning the beast on its side. Following the written instructions, I removed the foam blocks from the rear wheels, attached the front and rear wheels using the included lug screws, hubcaps, and Allen wrench, then attached the grass outlet cover. I charged up the battery and was ready to roll.
The S1 was easy to use and did a great job of mowing my lawn. It took a few minutes to get the hang of the remote but once I did I found the mower to be very responsive and fun to drive. The U-turn button was especially helpful when cutting long, straight lines. The mulching insert did its job, leaving small cuttings behind to nourish the lawn, and the grass catcher worked perfectly.
I don’t have any steep inclines on my property, but my neighbor does, so I brought the mower over there and put it to the test. It had no trouble climbing a 30-degree slope and mowing through tall grass in the back of the yard.
The safety sensors worked as intended, shutting down the mower when it got too close to objects such as lawn ornaments and landscaping rocks.
Battery life was impressive: After cutting my entire 1,950-square-foot lawn, the S1 still had three-quarters of its battery capacity left.
Verdict: Built Like a Tank, Mows Like a Pro
The Mowrator S1 won’t come out and cut your lawn automatically, nor will it return to a charging dock when the battery needs charging. In fact, it doesn’t possess any of the smart features that you get with a Wi-Fi-enabled mower. At $3,999 for the 4WD model we tested, it's a sizable investment, but it does a remarkable job of cutting tall grass, tackling steep slopes, and navigating rough and uneven terrain. It offers several safety features and comes with a remote control that lets you steer the mower, perform quick U-turns, and change blade and travel speeds with the touch of a button. It also just makes mowing fun. That said, if you want a mower that can be controlled with your phone, the Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD can be found for $1,000 less than the Mowrator S1 if you shop around.