I went to Barcelona to play with ECOVACS new robot lawn mowers – this is the one I think you should buy

As spring is on the horizon, many robot lawn mower manufacturers are launching new products for 2026, including the likes of Husqvarna, Segway and ECOVACS. Key trends for this year’s models include wire-free designs, AI sensors and improved edge trimming, the latter of which is something ECOVACS is focusing on with its new GOAT line-up.

This week, I was kindly invited to Barcelona to see the new ECOVACS GOAT robot lawn mowers in action. I was introduced to ECOVACS’ mission for the year, which included its newest robot vacuum cleaners and window cleaners, but as the warm weather was a pleasant respite from the UK cold, I spent most of my time outside looking at the lawn mowers.

Now, the ECOVACS GOAT line-up is finally available to buy after previously being announced at CES 2026. Having seen the new range for myself, this is the one I think you should buy.

The new GOAT lawn mowers consist of the A and O series, both of which were on display in Barcelona. The GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro was the model that most caught my attention due to its navigation, edge trimming and design.

Built for medium to large gardens, the ECOVACS GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro has a classic robot lawn mower design, but it now features a new HoloScope 360 Dual-LiDAR navigation system. It uses a combination of sensors to map your garden in 3D and it does so within two centimetres accuracy.

At the top of the ECOVACS GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro is a circular camera which scans your garden to detect obstacles and differentiate between grass and non-grass. When you flip it around – which appeared very lightweight and easy to do considering the size – the ECOVACS GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro hides its many trimmers and blades, including a dual blade-disc which cuts and trims grass precisely.

The ECOVACS GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro is the first time ECOVACS has introduced an integrated trimmer with an AI camera to its mowers. At the event, I got to see it trimming edges and it did this well, especially on taller and overgrown parts of the grass.

I was most impressed by the mapping as the ECOVACS GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro easily navigated around the audience, as well as sharp window ledges that were just above the long grass edges. It did make a considerable amount of noise, but the grass was pretty long and it didn’t affect its performance.

While trimming, the ECOVACS GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro left a clean, distinct line on the grass, showing where it had been and what it had cut. It made the lawn look much tidier and professional, so I was impressed by its movement and power.

I also got to see the GOAT O Series which includes the GOAT O1200 LiDAR Pro and the GOAT O600 RTK. While I didn’t get to see them moving around, I like the design of them, particularly the GOAT O600 RTK which has TrueMapping 2.0 RTK Navigation for reliable boundary detection.

The new ECOVACS GOAT lawn mowers are available to buy now at ECOVACS, with the GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro costing £1,299. The GOAT O1200 LiDAR Pro is priced at £949 while the GOAT O600 RTK is £649.