Do I need it? Does wifi work? What will I not have if I don't pay for it?

We have been having 100 degree weather where I live since it is the summer, and all of a sudden my lawnmower is not holding a charge. I havent even had the anthbot m5 rtk for 90 days and now it charges to 100%, it starts to mow and then shuts down a minute later. I put it back on the charger and battery is completely drained...

Curious what this community would add if manufacturers were listening. Better obstacle detection? Longer battery life? Smarter app scheduling? Multi-zone support without a hub? Drop your wishlist below -- and mention which mower you currently run so we can see if it's brand-specific or a universal gripe.

We've all got one. That one spot where the mower turned in place a few too many times, scalped too low near a slope, or just decided your flower bed edge was fair game.

Drop a photo if you've got one (and don't worry, we won't judge... much) plus your mower model and what caused it. Curious if certain brands/models are more prone to specific types of damage, or if it's just bad luck and bad settings across the board.

Turf science has some counterintuitive findings that robot mower owners are stumbling into without realizing it:

- Frequent, low-volume clippings feed the soil. Mulching a small amount of leaf tissue daily returns nitrogen to the soil faster than bagging weekly clippings. Some studies show mulched lawns need up to 25% less fertilizer over a season.

- Cutting height controls root depth. Grass roots grow roughly proportional to blade height, so scalping it short shrinks the root system too, making the lawn more drought and weed prone. This is why a mower locked at a low fixed height (like some LIDAR models running about 1.2") can quietly stress warm-season grasses like St. Augustine or Zoysia that want 3"+.

- Daily mowing suppresses weeds through light denial, not just cutting them down. Weed seeds need a light trigger to germinate, and a dense, frequently-cut canopy blocks it better than a once-a-week gas mow ever could.

- Repeated pivot/tank turns compact soil in the same spot, crushing the pore structure roots need for oxygen and water. This is likely what's causing those dead turning patches people are reporting.

So, has your robot mower actually made your lawn thicker and healthier since switching, or introduced new problems like the scalping/compaction issues above? What cutting height are you running, and for what grass type? Curious if the "frequent mow" science is playing out in real yards or if the compaction/height tradeoffs are canceling out the benefits.

As we head into fall, it's a good time to rethink mowing height. Cool season grasses generally benefit from a slightly taller cut heading into autumn since it encourages deeper roots and better cold tolerance. Warm season varieties often do well being gradually lowered toward the end of the season before dormancy sets in. The one third rule (never removing more than a third of blade height in a single cut) still applies year round, including with robotic mowers, so it is worth adjusting your schedule gradually rather than making a big change all at once.

Soil type, sun exposure, and grass variety all play a role too. A shaded, poorly draining area might need a different approach than an open, well drained section of the same yard. For those running robotic mowers, this is also a good time to check your mowing frequency settings, since letting grass grow a bit longer between cuts in cooler weather can actually help the lawn store energy for winter.

Curious what heights everyone is dialing in for fall, and whether you're adjusting mow frequency or zones alongside it. Always interesting to hear how different soil types and setups change the approach.

Anthbot Promised an M9. Seventeen Days Later, They Still Refuse to Send It.

On July 20, Anthbot announced that I had won an Anthbot M9 in their giveaway. I was genuinely excited. I already own their Genie 3000, and despite its quirks, it’s the first robot mower I’ve had that actually performs well. Winning the M9 felt like a chance to upgrade and see Anthbot prove they could stand behind their products.

Seventeen days later, that excitement has turned into frustration.

Anthbot still refuses to mail the machine. Their explanation is simple and unbelievable: they don’t have any units to send. That raises a question any reasonable person would ask. Why would a company host a giveaway for a product they don’t have in stock? Why advertise a prize they cannot fulfill? Why make promises they cannot keep?

These aren’t small issues. They speak to the core of how a company treats its customers.

A Giveaway Without a Prize

A giveaway is a contract of trust. A company says, “We will give this item away,” and participants enter under the assumption that the company actually possesses the item. When Anthbot claims they have no M9 units available, it undermines the entire premise of the giveaway. It suggests poor planning at best, and deceptive marketing at worst.

If a company cannot fulfill a basic promotional promise, how can customers trust them with anything more serious - like warranties, repairs, or long‑term support?

Excuses Instead of Accountability

Anthbot’s communication has been slow, inconsistent, and evasive. Instead of providing a clear timeline, they offer excuses. Instead of honoring their commitment, they stall. Instead of taking responsibility, they deflect.

This behavior raises serious concerns about their reliability and their respect for customers who expect straightforward, honest treatment.

Is This a Company You Should Trust?

A company that cannot deliver a giveaway prize is a company that may struggle to deliver anything. A company that makes promises it cannot keep is a company that risks misleading its customers. And a company that treats its customers this way deserves scrutiny.

Consumers deserve honesty. They deserve reliability. They deserve companies that fulfill their obligations without excuses or delays.

Right now, Anthbot is failing on all three.

Until they correct this behavior, people should think carefully before doing business with them. A company that cannot honor its own giveaway is not a company anyone should trust with their money, their lawn, or their peace of mind.