Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS review: A breakthrough for robot lawn mowers
I had the chance to test out my first ever robot lawn mower in 2019, and while I did enjoy the convenience of not having to slave under the sweltering sun, I realized it wasn’t that efficient at its job. Furthermore, it required a professional to install the boundary wires to keep the mower on my lawn. Thankfully, there’s finally a model that takes the next step in making robot lawn mowers smarter and more efficient.
The Automower 450XH EPOS is Husqvarna’s first residential model to feature GPS-assisted technology to break free from the wired boundaries that contained previous models. I’ve been testing it for more than two months now and was surprised most by how much different it performed versus the Automower 430XH I tested out a while back. Since it features a new technology, it does come at a steep cost. Read the rest of my Husqvarna 450XH EPOS review to see if you should drop $5,900 — yes, you read that right — on this robot lawnmower.
Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS review: Pricing and availability
Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS: Specs
Size: 29.5 x 24.8 x 13.8-inches
Weight: 34.6 pounds
Battery capacity: 10 Ah
Working area: 2.5 acres
Mow time: 200 mins
Max incline: 45%
The toughest thing about the Automower 450XH EPOS is its hefty $5,900 price tag. It’s obnoxiously expensive when you compare it to the $2,000 cost of Husqavarna’s entry-level model in the Automower 415X, so you’ll really need to consider if it’s worth buying.
Prior to using the Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS, I was paying a rate of $40 each week for lawn cutting service. Let’s assume that I would require six months of service (about 24 weeks). That turns out to be $960 for the entire season, which looks better on paper than buying the Automower 450XH EPOS. At that rate, the cost of the mower would be equivalent to about paying six years of professional lawn cutting service.
Currently, you can buy the Automower 450XH EPOS through Husqvarna directly — along with select Husqvarna dealers nationwide. You might have to do some research to uncover local dealers, but it’s not yet sold in home improvement chains like Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS review: Design
The Automower 450XH doesn’t deviate from the design language that Husqavarna’s known for, so it looks exactly like its other robotic lawn mowers. Actually, it reminded me of a stingray slithering on the ocean floor foraging for food, but on wheels with skinny looking eyes that light up when the sun goes down — with a sprawling lawn to call its home.
I’m neither excited nor unenthused about the design because one thing is for sure: it’s constantly garnering attention from everyone who comes across it while walking on the sidewalk. They’re either startled or enchanted by it, especially when it silently moves around my lawn — and I can’t tell you the countless times my Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 has captured someone taking a snapshot of it!
It’s only available in this metallic grayish color, which makes sense in its attempt to appear discreet while cutting grass. Two huge wheels in the rear propel its movement, while the two smaller ones toward the front help guide it. Rounding things out, there’s a small plastic cover on top of the mower that manually starts or stops it.
Even though the design has been recycled from previous bots, it honestly doesn’t matter because regardless of the aesthetic, it’s going to catch people off because it’s something you don’t see every day.
Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS review: Installation
One of the perks about the Automower 450XH is that installing and setting it up is easier than previous models because of its GPS system. Previously, Husqavarna’s robotic lawn mowers required you to install wires flush to your lawn to establish boundaries. However, that all goes away because it uses Husqvarna EPOS (Exact Positioning Operating System) to create virtual boundaries.
I had the Automower 450XH EPOS professionally installed by an authorized vendor, but I’m confident anyone could do it on their own with ease. In addition to staking down the charging station, the only other thing required to get it set up is mounting the reference station.
I had it posted on top of a metal pole that was already on my deck, but it’s imperative that the location isn’t obscured by other obstructions — like being too close to the side of your home or an overhang of some kind — since it needs as much line of sight as possible to the sky.
Due to this wireless system, it finally makes self-installation a breeze because you don’t have to worry about installing pesky wires throughout your lawn. That'll save you money from getting a professional to do it.
Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS review: Performance
When I reviewed the Automower 430XH a few years back, I complained how it faced the same issues as early robot vacuums with its navigation. Specifically, it would wander aimlessly around the lawn while cutting grass — with no methodology on how it would do it. That’s been all squashed with the Automower 450XH EPOS because of its GPS-assisted navigation.
It’s such a relief too, because for once, it can cut in straight lines. This is my favorite thing about the Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS, since it gave my lawn those distinct lines I got using a standard push mower. Even better, there are options for cutting my lawn in checkerboard or triangle patterns. Although, they’re less apparent in the narrower areas of my lawn — so I’d suggest sticking with the parallel or irregular patterns instead.
In any event, my lawn was kept in tip-top shape thanks to the daily cutting schedule of the Automower 450XH EPOS. I also kept the cutting height to three inches to reduce grass burn, which helps when the clippings fall back to the lawn as it’s cutting.
I was also impressed by its battery life. My property sits on an 8,300 square feet lot and the Automower 450XH EPOS kept on cutting for nearly six hours straight before retiring. I’ve also seen it finish in less time, but its longevity is boosted by the fact that it can cover up to 2.5 acres.
While it doesn't have the same class-leading 50% incline rating of the Automower 435X AWD, the 450XH EPOS' 45% incline rating still handled the hillier sections of my lawn with ease. That's because it mows at an extremely low rate of speed on flat surfaces, while pulling back going downhill.
When it comes to obstacle avoidance, I will say that it’s the one area that still needs work. There are sonar-based sensors on the front of the robot lawn mower to help it gauge distance to larger objects, like my car and the fence on the sides of my property, but it would collide with smaller objects. When it does this, though, it would be a gentle push, followed by a short pause, and then redirecting itself to a new direction.
Another issue that I came across during my testing was that it would sometimes stop dead in its tracks due to the loss of satellite connection. This happened most when it was close to the base of the tree in my backyard. Usually it would resume after a period of time when it senses those satellites, but there are times when I've waited close to an hour and then was forced to manually resume it.
I’ve stopped paying for lawn maintenance service since using the Automower 450XH EPOS. Not only does it save me from the hard work of mowing the lawn myself on humid days, but the straight line pattern of my lawn gave it that professional look.
Husqvarna Automower 450XH review: App
Before it could start mowing my lawn, I had to map out my property by using the Automower Connect app and driving the Automower 450XH. This took the longest time because of the amount of pinpoints I needed to add to the map, in order to establish the boundaries of where it would work — along with stay-out zones where I don’t want the mower to cut, like the pear tree and dog pen area in my yard.
Even when the mapping wasn’t perfect during the initial run, I do like how I’m able to adjust those pinpoints on the map to better fine tune the boundaries. It helped to get the mower to get as close to the edges of my lawn, without entering public spaces like the sidewalk. The software also does a good job of setting custom schedules and a history of the last mowing session.
If there’s one feature missing that I’d love to see in the future, it has to be the ability for the software to categorize all the different areas of my lawn. That way, I could just have it mow specific areas of my lawn instead of everything each time. The only way to do this is to individually create separate maps of the front, back, sides, and other areas of my lawn, which would be a tedious process.
Husqvarna Automower 450XH review: Verdict
Instead of taking time off on the weekend to cut my lawn, I can now reliably let a robot lawn mower do it. Thanks to the precision of the Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS, I can confidently let it mow on its own without my supervision. This GPS-assisted robot lawn mower also cuts more efficiently to save time, while also maintaining my lawn on a daily basis.
I’m still torn about its steep $5,900 cost, but it’s proven to be a far more reliable residential robot lawn mower than what I’ve used before. In fact, it fundamentally raises the expectation level for all models going forward because of its wire-free installation, efficient cutting, and long lasting battery life.
