"Power on. Let's start a new journey," the EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower announces on boot up. From here, I carefully manoeuvre the specialist bit of kit around the garden with a virtual toggle stick that for a split second could be forgiven for that of a video game. Once the predetermined path is established, the Blade rolls off its charging station and begins its journey all by itself.
And quite the journey it's been since I first received the EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower for testing back in September 2023. Having first needed to send back the robot lawn mower due to technical issues surrounding account log-in with the app, and then subsequently entering into the winter period, the mower was rendered relatively useless until the sun started to shine again.
For most people, mowing the lawn is never a fun chore, so the Blade looks to eradicate that issue with lots of fancy features to automatically cut the grass whenever you need it. This won't turn the experience into that of say, riding a rollercoaster, but it does make what is a mundane task a little bit more exciting. All of it comes at a premium price, mind.
EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower review: Price and availability
Let's address the elephant in the room; no, not the weight of the Blade but the cost of the mower. The UK pricing for the EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower will set you back £2,699, so it's certainly not the cheapest. Picking up the Sweeper Kit will add another £500, totaling £3,199.
Then there are further add-ons like a 400-watt solar panel to run the mower on renewable energy and an extra battery to power the blade whenever there isn't an outlet or on the go. Picking up all of this comes to just under £4,847 so it's definitely an investment.
EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower review: Design
The unboxing process is relatively straightforward with everything nicely compact. While the instruction booklet needed more clarity, the EcoFlow App and online video tutorials provided a much better resource to get the robot up and running.
The Blade itself is hefty at 12.3kg, so caution is needed when moving it about (this isn't even taking into account the 4.6kg Sweeper Kit that can be purchased separately). In total, Blade's body is 66cm x 44cm x 31cm so it's a decent-sized thing. Thankfully, a handle is found on the back to wheel it about yet it's better to rely on the app controls where possible.
Described by the Chinese tech firm as the "world's first robotic lawn sweeping mower" it certainly fits the bill looking at it, not far off the robotic dogs that featured in Black Mirror. The four wheels are sturdy and able to overcome obstacles up to 40mm in height. Blade also arrives with a charging station (like a miniature carport) and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antenna to track movement, both of which are of strong quality.
EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower review: Features
Blade can cut grass between 20mm to 76mm, utilising X-Vision technology to avoid obstacles once the virtual boundary is established in the EcoFlow app along with an AI-powered mapping system. It has a LiDar sensor and an onboard camera that creates a real-time 3D map of your lawn.
How this works is that you essentially drive it around the path once, setting up what to cut and what restrictions to take into account. Then by pressing play it will pop off the charging station, perform its cutting duties and then return to where it started. It's very cool when it work, though you do need specific requirements to get the most out of it.
A built-in rain sensor means that it will retreat if it detects a drop of rain and an anti-theft system uses GPS, 4G and integrated eSim so you can track its location. This is done by using real-time kinematics combined with GPS data in the GNSS antenna so that it always knows where it's positioned. Considering the weight, it would take some job to steal without anyone noticing.
Additionally, it is IPX5 water-resistant so it can be left outside 365 days of the year. I've had it sat in my garden throughout the brunt of winter and you wouldn't know it. This does make it easier to clean than a standard lawnmower in my experience, simply blasting it with a hose. I only really struggled with the back wheels, which take more elbow grease.
EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower review: Performance
After 130 minutes of charging time, the Blade is connected via Bluetooth to the EcoFlow app where several tutorials walk you through the first steps. This includes stabbing the GPSS Antenna into the ground and finding a suitable spot for the charging station for both parts to receive signal – and that's the biggest hurdle for the Blade. The signal is very haphazard, needing to be seven feet away from tall buildings, high walls or trees.
EcoFlow has a high number of requirements for what it would consider a "suitable lawn" for the Blade to mow: grass needing to be between 100sqm~3000sqm (single length no shorter than 3m), already mowed to your expected grass length in 14 days, less than 20 per cent shadowed by trees as well as slopes lower than 27 degrees grade, and sunny weather. It's asking a lot, something I couldn't fulfil with a medium-sized lawn and only finding true success when testing in my parent's bigger garden. Even then, the signal often stated it was suitable only then to disconnect once it was time to get going.
It took a good few days to get into the swing of things and to work out exactly what spots it liked and what spots it didn't. From here, it was superb – if not futuristic – to see in action. The Sweeper Kit easily hooks onto the back of the Blade, able to effortlessly pick up leaves, sticks and whatnot, making it a great add-on. What I really appreciated was the number of different modes to suit your needs, like programming the Blade to cut first thing in the morning at a quieter decibel so it doesn't wake the neighbours, or switching to its faster setting to get the job done when time is short.
EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower review: Verdict
If you have a big garden and despise the maintenance that comes with it but still have lawn pride, then you might be convinced to pick up the EcoFlow Blade Robotic Lawn Mower. Just consider the large requirements for optimum results and the even larger price tag attached before committing.
