Robomow RC 308u vs Flymo 1200R: which robot lawn mower is better?

If you're tired of cutting your own grass, we hear you. That's why we've spent so much time finding the best robot lawn mower, making the job as easy as sitting in a chair, sipping your drink, watching the device do its job. Today, we're comparing the Robomow RC 308u and Flymo 1200R to help you get the right robot lawn mower. 

As the weather gets nicer, and we can all return to hosting, having nicely trimmed grass is something of a must, but it does usually involve a lot of effort. A robot lawn mower handles all of that, cutting your grass to perfection in mere moments. 

In our testing, the robot lawn mowers worked just as well as human- and petrol-powered mowers; the main difference is that you don't have to put any effort in besides reminding to charge the thing up and keep it away from rain (although some models do this themselves). 

If, for some reason, you prefer to do it yourself, check out our guide to the best lawn mowers and the best petrol lawn mowers, depending on the size of your lawn. For everyone else, carry on reading to find out which is the best robot lawn mower on the market right now. 

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Robomow RC 308u vs Flymo 1200R: features

The biggest difference between these two lawn mowers is pretty simple: Robomow's is the more high-end, covering a great area, while Flymo's is the more accessible, covering less area but also costing significantly less, which makes it available to more people. 

In raw numbers, Robomow's RC 308u can cut up to 1,500m sq., with a blade width of 28cm, over a 70 minute runtime. Flymo's more modest 1200R can cut up to 400m sq., with a 17cm blade width and 65 minute runtime. 

While you might be inclined to immediately go for the Robomow, bare in mind that 400m sq. is still a reasonably sized garden, especially if you live in an urban area. It could well be worth checking the size of your garden first and potentially saving some money on the way. 

In other areas, too, the Robomow is the more sophisticated and capable of the two, cutting on greater angles and moving to 60mm, as opposed to 50mm on the Flymo. When it comes to noise, the tables are turned: Robomow emits 69db while Flymo is quieter at 45-58db. 

As we said, which model you end up going for really depends on (a) how big your garden is and (b) how much you want to spend. If you have a big budget and garden, the Robomow is the choice to beat and vice versa. 

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Robomow RC 308u vs Flymo 1200R: design and use

Unlike some other robot lawn mowers, the Flymo 1200R and Robomow RC 308u have pretty distinctive and different designs. Flymo has put the main wheels at the front, with a hatch towards the back with controls, grass storage, and so on. Robomow, on the other hand, has the main wheels at the back, creating the inverse of the Flymo. 

We don't mind either design and since this is mostly a functional piece of equipment – at least for most it will be – the aesthetics don't matter that much. Perhaps the biggest difference comes from the colour schemes: orange/black for Flymo, green/black for Robomow. 

In terms of use, Robomow has perhaps the most arduous setup process, involving special perimeter wire that either needs to be placed or buried, both of which take a while. Once that's done, though, the RC 308u is perfect, zig-zagging across any lawn with ease for the nicest cut. 

Flymo's is equally simple, leaving no tire marks at all. Its blade, according to the company, is specifically designed to reduce mess and we were impressed when we use it. Perhaps the most striking thing about the 1200R is how quiet it is: 58db is roughly the same amount of noise as a spoken conversation. 

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Robomow RC 308u vs Flymo 1200R: verdict

Choosing between the Robomow and Flymo is actually pretty easy and depends entirely on the size of your lawn. With a coverage area of up to 1,500m sq., Robomow is the clear winner for anyone with a lot of grass, while the respectable 400m sq. on the Flymo confines it to more urban gardens. 

We heartily recommend both the Robomow RC 308u and Flymo 1200R for anyone who wants to get away from having to spend time and energy cutting the grass, a wise choice as summer rolls around. 

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