I've been looking at those automatic mowers like the Husqvarna and Worx models since they're getting cheaper. My yard is maybe half an acre with some slopes. Does anyone actually use these things regularly or do they just sit in the garage? Wondering if they handle thick grass or if they're really just a gimmick.
Robotic mowers work best on flat to gently sloped yards under maybe a quarter acre, so your half-acre with slopes is pushing the limits of what they're designed for. I've seen folks with similar setups use them successfully, but they end up babysitting the thing more than they'd like - repositioning it when it gets stuck on slopes, clearing debris before each run, and doing occasional touch-ups around edges. They're genuinely useful if you have a small, mostly flat lawn and don't mind the weekly maintenance routine, but if you've got thick overgrown grass or significant grade changes, you might find yourself mowing manually half the time anyway. The real question is whether the convenience of set-it-and-forget-it (which honestly isn't that forgetful) beats the upfront cost for your specific yard.
The slope thing is real - I'd check the specs on whatever model catches your eye, because most of these get sketchy on anything steeper than like 20 degrees or so. That said, half an acre isn't crazy if your yard's mostly gentle; the bigger question is whether you want to deal with perimeter setup and charging stations, and whether thick, fast-growing grass is your norm. If you've got a relatively tidy yard that doesn't explode with growth every two weeks, they actually do the job and people use them. If your grass gets wild or you're lazy about maintenance, it'll probably end up collecting dust because they work best with a bit of upkeep.
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