How does this robot mower compare to the competition?

Stiga is a renowned Italian brand in the field of garden tools and lawnmowers. As such, it has just launched a new range of cordless robot lawnmowers: the A series. This one is equipped with GPS-RTK technology and has 4G connectivity. These robots do not require cables or beacons to locate themselves, allowing for simplified installation.

It comes in nine models suitable for areas ranging from 300 to 10,000 m², which is sometimes difficult to understand. Here we test the Stiga A 1500, a model designed to mow areas of up to 1500 m².

A design that can be seen

The Stiga A 1500 is quite compact, with dimensions of 545 x 405 x 245 mm. It sports a modern aesthetic, taking up slender shapes and a yellow color, making it eye-catching in a garden to add a touch of originality.

Its construction is quite robust, with good quality plastics that seem durable. The mower is IPX5 certified, ensuring good resistance to bad weather and allowing frequent cleaning with low pressure water, without the risk of damaging it.

On the top, we find the traditional STOP emergency button to interrupt mowing in the event of a problem, as well as a flap hiding a few buttons and a rudimentary control panel. This one is content with a few buttons and LEDs to indicate the status, which contrasts with the screens, sometimes even color, that we find on competing models like the Dreame A1 or the Ecovacs Goat GX-600.

On the front, we seem to distinguish an obstacle sensor or a camera, while in reality these are the charging connectors. As for the underside, the Stiga A1500 has two main wheels as well as two small casters for moving and four blades for cutting grass.

The charging base is particularly simple and quite sad. It also seems oversized compared to the size of the robot, probably because Stiga uses the same base regardless of the robot models.

A laborious installation

The Stiga A 1500 is a completely wireless robot mower. It uses GPS-RTK technology and does not require the installation of a perimeter wire, beacons or even an antenna. In fact, although a reference station is necessary for positioning the robot, it is directly integrated into the charging station, thus minimizing the number of elements to be installed in your garden.

Furthermore, unlike most robot mowers that connect via Wi-Fi, Stiga prefers to use a 4G connection to avoid connection losses, which are common in large gardens.

When pairing, the first connection and updates are done via Bluetooth. Once this step is done, the creation of virtual borders, paths and prohibited areas is then done in a fairly traditional way, that is to say by moving the robot from your smartphone. You can choose between adding points manually or automatically by following the borders.

Additionally, since the robot is geolocated using GPS positioning, it is placed on a satellite view, allowing for a visual representation of the border boundaries you create relative to the satellite image.

In fact, it’s very messy, and the robot is actually located several meters from its position on the satellite map, at the point where mine was, according to the application, in my neighbor’s garden!

Once a zone is created, the robot moves along the borders to visually confirm their accuracy. Each point can be edited individually, avoiding the need to recreate the entire zone. However, this step can be time-consuming, especially since the robot travels the entire outline of the zone’s borders each time it is edited.

A very complete application

The Stiga Go mobile app is very comprehensive, thanks to the many configuration and customization options it offers. Let’s start with the classic features, such as programming mowing times, selecting areas to mow and creating no-go zones. Up to ten separate zones can be created, with the option of adding no-go or temporary zones to protect certain areas.

In addition, the cutting height can be adjusted electronically from the app, ranging from 20 to 60 mm, allowing precise adaptation according to the needs of the lawn and each area. Likewise, the mowing orientation can be adjusted manually or automatically according to needs, allowing greater simplicity, even remotely.

On the other hand, unlike Chinese models, the application does not allow you to view the robot’s progress on a map in real time. It simply displays its status, without specifying the time or the area already mowed or remaining. In addition, the lack of compatibility with voice assistants limits the possibilities of remote control, while competitors from the Middle Kingdom offer this function as standard.

Mixed mowing performance

The Stiga A 1500 is equipped with an 18 cm cutting deck with four blades, promising on paper a quality cut. On the other hand, although this size is sufficient to cover large areas, it is smaller than that offered by some competing models. The cutting results are generally satisfactory, and it is carried out in absolute silence.

In fact, with a noise of only 57 dB, the mower is not noticeable in real conditions, which makes it particularly pleasant to use. The robot operates silently, emitting only 57 dB, a noise level that is barely noticeable outdoors.

It can also handle slopes of up to 25%, making it suitable for complex gardens with uneven terrain. However, the mower is a bit too careless with edges and corners, forcing you to manually switch back to the trimmer afterwards.

Finally, the satellite capture time for GPS-RTK navigation is particularly long and frequently exceeds 30 minutes. This is certainly not a problem for scheduled mowing, but it is very inconvenient for manually starting mowing. However, Stiga highlights its technology that automatically adjusts the mowing schedule according to the position of the satellites to optimize positioning. On the other hand, it would have been better to optimize it according to the needs of the lawn and not the satellites.

Unreliable navigation

The navigation of the Stiga A 1500 is based on GPS-RTK technology, which is found in many other brands, including Husqvarna (EPOS-RTK) and Mammotion. This requires the use of a reference station, often placed high on the roof or a stake, in particular to ensure reliable satellite reception for precise positioning, for models using GPS or EPOS. In particular, it promises precision to within four centimetres, allowing the defined limits to be respected as closely as possible.

In the case of the Stiga A 1500, the reference station is integrated directly into the charging base, which minimises the footprint and makes installation easier. However, this approach showed weaknesses in our tests, with unacceptable satellite acquisition times. In addition, the Stiga A 1500 follows a path that is sometimes not very precise, requiring frequent manual adjustments to ensure complete coverage of the lawn. Indeed, certain areas are missed and the robot seems to struggle to identify its path, which results in areas sometimes being missed and not mown. At this price, this is not acceptable, especially when rival mowers do much better and for less.

The robot’s obstacle detection is also too basic. It is only reactive and activates upon contact with an obstacle, which can cause problems with small objects left on the lawn. At this price, a radar sensor or a camera seem mandatory to me.

Simple maintenance

The Stiga A 1500 is easy and convenient to maintain thanks to its IPX5 certification. It can be cleaned regularly with a low-pressure water jet to remove accumulated grass and dirt. The robot’s body is removable, making repairs and maintenance easier. The charging base, which integrates the reference station, also requires occasional cleaning with a water jet and cloth to ensure optimal operation.

Price and availability

The Stiga A 1500 is available for around 3,000 euros, depending on the retailer. It can be purchased online, including at Rue Du Commerce and Cdiscount.