The bottom of the SmartMow

The picture above shows SmartMow’s 3 blade mulching system (Please see:  http://smartmow.com/blog/?p=16 ) after mowing my lawn this morning.  It’s been raining all week in my area, so the grass is a little longer than I typically mow it … showing you some larger grass pieces.

Regardless of the height you mow your lawn, the cleaning is the same.  Just power the SmartMow off and use the cleaning brush to clean the grass accumulation.

It’s better to clean the SmartMow shortly after use or you will get “caked on” grass that you can get off with a screw driver.   I typically run my SmartMow every 3 days and clean it in between runs.

It’s always great to hear from you!

Mike

SmartMow Series-1

The SmartMow has been gaining popularity at an impressive rate. We only have a few SmartMow Series-1 left in stock, with a Series-2 on the way. Consumers who have purchased the Series-1 will be allowed to upgrade to the Series-2 technology for Free!.

The SmartMow is a smart choice for anyone who is tired of mowing their lawn and wants to save money. Backed by an American company, great customer service, a solid warantee, and new technology – we feel that the SmartMow is the best robotic lawn mower for the money.

If you didn’t get your SmartMow yet, now would be a great time!

Thank you very much for the great comments and wonderful support, and stay tuned for more updates on the Series-2.

Spring is here and many people are enjoying their SmartMow. I love my SmartMow because it’s great for mulching the lawn, and also for attacking those dandelions! I’m also glad that now YouTube supports HD video’s and I’m hoping that capability will allow us to share more valuable videos.

Things to know about the SmartMow Series-1…..

It is very important to follow the directions and properly install the perimeter wire.  If the perimeter wire is too high and the grass does not cover the wire adequately, then the SmartMow may loosen the wire with a wheel and chop it into little bits.

Fully charge your SmartMow before using.  I know it’s hard to avoid testing out the SmartMow as soon as you get it … just try to charge it fully first, you’ll have more fun later.

Check your installation.  Watch the SmartMow operate for the first time, it will follow the perimeter wire back to the docking station and then bump the docking station and continue working.  If the SmartMow is able to accomplish this around your yard with out moving out of the perimeter wire range, your install is good.

If you have a completely fenced in yard…. You do not need the perimeter wire.  Just set the SmartMow in your back yard and let it work… or drink a cold beverage and use the remote control.  You can charge the SmartMow manually when it runs low….

I find it helpful to place the SmartMow near, but not on, the docking station when starting and inside the perimeter (see picture).

This is to ensure the SmartMow operates only inside the perimeter wire.

Zones.  You can have multiple zones for the SmartMow, by using the expansion pack.  You can connect wires together to share a bounding wire.

Grass height.  If the grass is taller then the front IR sensor on the SmartMow, then your SmartMow will think there are obstacles all around it and get confused.  This is more noticeable in low light levels since solar light slightly effects some IR sensors.

Note:  The SmartMow Series-1 is not a toy and should not be lifted during operation.  It has built in safety features, but there is no substitute for proper use and care as you would with any lawn mower.

We’re here for you.  If you have any questions e-mail us, call us, or leave comments on the blog.  What ever is easier for you, we’re here to help.

In 1) The costs vary greatly depending on the size of your lawn, and the equipment you purchase.  I used to have a Sears Craftsman lawn mower (model 38845 ~$250) that I used to mow my almost 1 acre mowing area.  With that lawn mower it took me about 2-3 hours to finish mowing my grass.  I could have purchased a more expensive “ride on” lawn mower for over $1,000… but I couldn’t justify that expense knowing I would still have to mow the grass, buy fuel, and still purchase parts for maintenance.  Besides, what is your time worth?

I became a father last year, and realized that I would much rather spend time with my son – than mow my lawn.  This leads us to 2).   I looked at several lawn care services, everywhere between my neighbor’s kid; and professional services.  They all had the same general problems, cost and the occasional “excuse.”

The lowest cost I had was $35 / week.  For eight months, that has a cost of over $1,120 a year – every year! That’s a lot of money.

For 3)  I looked at the price of my competitors and how they mowed the grass.  I thought they were too expensive, and they didn’t mulch my lawn – they trimmed. This is why we made the SmartMow, and not only is it cost effective but you should really enjoy some of the new features we’re adding prior to selling them.

Compute your Cost of Lawn Care vs SmartMow here.

We had a good time introducing SmartMow to everyone at the CES 2009 trade show.  There were lots of eager people wanting to get a SmartMow, and I also got to meet some bloggers, and one of my competitors as well.  It was a nice time making friends and getting to know people along with hearing concerns about robot lawn mowers, and additional features they were looking for.  We’re trying our best to add some of these features, before shipping the SmartMow in the spring.

I typically use the SmartMow on the tallest setting (3-4 inches) and mow my grass frequently.   This results in the SmartMow producing very small grass clippings that feed the lawn.  In most of the video’s the SmartMow is on this setting, and may not properly display the mowing action as mentioned by many of our video viewers.

This is why we’ve created the following video.  In this video, we let the grass grow long and placed the SmartMow on the 2nd lowest setting.  We used these settings to better display the SmartMow’s cutting ability for the lawn, and may not display the best “mulching” situation as described above.  Please note that YouTube (and other video compression schemes) have pixelated the video.

As always, I really appreciate your feedback and I look forward to hearing from you.

The SmartMow is the first robot lawn mower sold in the US, by an American Company, and costs less than $1,000. At the time of this writing, people can pre-order the SmartMow for about $750 on SmartMow.com.

There’s lots of information to share on the SmartMow, and I invite your feedback on each blog entry. There’s nothing more important to me than hearing your thoughts.