Summary
What is the The Husqvarna Automower 450X. The Husqvarna Automower 450X is a robot mower designed for medium to large lawns of up to 5,000m² in size. It can handles slopes up to 45%, has built in GPS and mobile phone connectivity.
The Husqvarna 450X Automower really is in a league of its own.
With a max lawn size of 5000m², the 450X doesn’t have much in the way of competition, apart from a couple of other models.
The Honda Miimo 510 and the Ambrogio L300 comes closest in terms of lawn coverage so I think they make the best comparison.
To get an inside to the 450Xs features, functions and capabilities, and how it fairs against these competitors stay around because that’s exactly what I’ll be doing in the review.
Main Features
- Rating: 9/10
- Can covers areas reaching 5,000m² in size
- Spot Cutting function
- Built-in GPS system
- Mobile phone connection
Husqvarna 450X Video
To get you started and familiar with what the Husqvarna 450X has to offer, watch the video below. We will go into these features in more detail later on.
Capabilities
The 450X is the most premium model that Husqvarna have on offer.
It covers areas reaching 5,000 m² in size, so is only suitable to those with extremely large gardens.
It can produce an incredible mowing time of 260 minutes with only a 75 minute charge, a truly astounding feat that no one else on the market can compete with.
Model Comparison | |||
---|---|---|---|
Mowers | Honda Miimo 510 | Husqvarna 450X | Ambrogio L300 |
Lawn Coverage | 3000 m² | 5000 m² | 2000 m² |
Noise Level | 62 dB | 58 dB | 65-75 dB |
Mowing Time | 70 minutes | 260 minutes | 5 – 8 hours |
Charging Time | 60 minutes | 75 minutes | 5 – 1- hours |
Dimensions | 63.5x55x28.7 cm | 31x72x56 cm | 91x80x39cm |
Weight | 11.9 kg | 13.9 kg | 18.4 – 19.8 kg |
Mobile App | No | Yes | Yes |
Rating | n/a | 9/10 | 8/10 |
Power System
As mentioned before, the 450X can cover gardens reaching 5000 m² in size. For those with lawns this size, it would normally take you about 2 – 3 hours to mow the lawn yourself and you would probably only do this once a week.
I have no doubts that your garden will look great immediately afterwards but would about after 3 – 4 days?
It probably begins to look a rugged and maybe the grass starts to grow a little uneven. You may even begin to see patches of dead grass appear.
Well that’s why the 450X is so helpful.
It will cover this area with no problems and can do it as many times as you want – even every day is you so pleased (which is actually recommended!).
Taking a huge weight off your shoulders and gives you a whole load of time to do whatever you want. All is required of you is to check up on the mowers work after each cut and make adjustments accordingly.
Now I don’t mean big, drastic changes but ones such as shortening the cutting height as the weeks go on – which you can do with the touch of a button!
Cutting Blades
The 450X is equipped with 3 razor sharp, carbon steel, cutting blades attached to a rotating disk in the centre of its base.
As they are not fixed in one place, the 450X’s blades just fly out due to centrifugal force. Because of this they are only powerful enough to cut through the grass and nothing else.
So when a small object (like stones, toys or twigs) crawls under the bot, the will not be damaged, and neither will the blades.
This solves a big problem that affects most models in the market and makes the point clear that you don’t need a large blade to be an effective mower. A very simple system is all that is needed.
This means you won’t have to clear the lawn before every mow like you would with most mowers.
But when the 450X does come into contact with any object, its sensors will automatically switch of its rotating disk and stop it in motion, preventing any damage caused to the blades.
Mulching
The 450X cuts the grass into tiny pieces so the clippings can drop all the way down to the soil. As they decompose, they pass on nutrients to the soil to promote much healthier grass growth.
This makes for a much healthier, thicker and better looking lawn.
Mowing Features
The 450X is capable of mowing on areas where the slope reaches 24° (higher than the 315 by 2°) which is a little higher than most competitors can reach (only by 2°).
But I must say, the Husqvarna models handle these so much better than other models.
Most (not all) would either get stuck and turn off or begin to trundle down the hill again. Whereas as the Husqvarna models will glide up them with ease.
So to those with a slopped garden, no mower will be able to deal with your lawn better than these models.
Spot Cutting
This feature is to ensure proper mowing over longer areas of grass.
Just place the mower in an area of long grass and select the “Spot Cutting” mode. It will then cover the chosen area in tight spirals and once finished will resume mowing just as normal.
This is particularly useful for areas under garden furniture – once the furniture is removed of course.
Narrow Passages
So that it can calculate the best way through the narrowest of gaps, the 450X has special built-in sensors which detect narrow passages.
Once the data is recorded the 450X will vary its route through those passages to avoid unpleasant tracks. This reduces the possibility of the mower getting into any sticky situations.
Programming
The unit has an easy to use settings panel which enables you to personalise its settings to your garden. For example, you can use it to choose which days and times you want the 450X to operate.
So that it adapts to the time of year, you can change its cutting height. This adjustment can be made from anywhere between 20mm and 60mm. Simply decide which length you want and then turn one large knob on top of the unit.
But make sure you don’t set this to the shortest length straight away.
By doing this you won’t make use of the ‘mulching function‘.
This is when the clippings are cut so small that they can seep in-between the grass and own to the soil. Once here they pass on nutrients onto the soils to produce a much natural and healthy lawn.
By gradually bringing down the cutting height each week, you will be able to take full advantage of this function.
Husqvarna App
So this feature is not so special but it definitely help remove you from the whole lawn mowing experience – which is main point of a robot mower!
First you’ll need to get the Husqvarna App sim card can plug it into your automower and then download the Husqvarna App to your phone. You can either do this through the app store for iPhones or through the Google Play store for android users.
Once you have downloaded it you will have to create a new account and just follow the steps. From here you can give the mower a name and then connect it to your phone.
For a visual on what to do, watch the video below:
Once you have the app up and running, you can begin making changes to 450X mowing system.
You can do stuff like alter its mowing schedule, cutting height and send it out or bring it back from a mow.
It also shows & notifies you of any problems caused to the mower at any point and shows you a map of the garden. From this you can see the progress it has made throughout the day using a heat map or a line trail.
Now I’m not going to say this is any better than the others, because I think it’s on par with the likes of Bosch and Robomow, but take nothing away from it.
This is a great feature and will prove very useful during winter when the last thing you want to do is go out and fiddle around with a freezing cold mower.
Weather Timer
A unique feature of the 450X is its lawn height sensors.
These enable this model to adapt its schedule according to the lawn’s changing growth throughout the year. So in times of strong grass growth the 450X will maximise mowing for a more effective cut.
In periods of sunny or dry weather the 450X will spend less time mowing.
Preserving your grass and reducing wear on your mower.
Eco-Friendly
As the 450X has an electric motor it doesn’t produce harmful emissions.
It also operates at a very quiet 58 dB, so no noise pollution either. So you can program it to work during the night, it won’t wake you up and will certainly keep the neighbours happy.
Due to efficient energy management and unique cutting system, the 450X Consumes low quantities of energy therefore operating at a fraction of the cost of conventional lawnmowers.
Weather Proof Design
The 450X is designed to work your lawn constantly throughout the year, functioning fully and unattended regardless of weather conditions.
This is because it has been designed to withstand the harsh Nordic climate – so it’s pretty tough!
And if you have a particularly tough lawn for the mower to travel over, you can order special coarse-treaded wheels. These promotes much better grip and allow the mower to work in slippery, wet conditions.
Rain Sensor
Now even though it can mow in the rain, doesn’t mean it has to. In most cases this will cause damages.
So the 450X has been fitted with a rain sensor to detect when the rainfall gets that little bit too heavy. It will then lead itself to its docking station to charge and then, when the rain stops, it’ll lead itself back out to continue mowing.
Limiting any damage to your lawn.
The only real problem that the mower can’t deal with is frost. When it gets really cold, the bottom of the mower may freeze over, stopping it in its tracks.
Safety Features
To ensure complete safety to you, your children and pets the 450X has several built-in safety features.
Quick Stop Blade Function
If at any point during mowing you attempt to pick up the 450X, or if for any reason it tips over, the cutting disk will automatically stop rotating preventing any injuries to the hand.
Not only that but as an extra precaution, the 450X has adequate space between its border and blades.
Leaving just enough room for your fingers.
Remote Object Detection
As said earlier, 450X has ‘remote object detection’ as well as bump sensors.
So when the unit comes into near contact with an obstacle during its route, it will stop, redirect itself and continue mowing in a different direction.
It will also avoid this area for future mowing.
PIN & Alarm System
A PIN and alarm security system has been built-in to prevent operation by anyone unfamiliar with the controls.
This should scare off the odd burglar who tries to chance his luck and will stop the kids trying to use it without your supervision. A very common but equally important and useful feature.
You will also get notification of unusual activity on your phone provided you have your phone.
Object Sensors
It has built-in object sensors which make use of Ultrasonic technology. This helps the mower detect obstacles more accurately, lower its speed quicker and avoid hard collisions.
If the unit does come into near contact with an obstacle during its route it will stop, redirect itself and continue mowing in a different direction.
Downsides
There is just one downside to this mower, and it affects all the robomowers in the market. As of yet no one has been able to fix it and Husqvarna are just the same.
- Like all mowers, this model can’t reach any grass outside of its loop wire so you will have to do some trimming every few days.
And that’s it. Only one flaw in an otherwise perfect mower.
So you can see why I rate these models so highly.
Conclusion
With so many great features and only the single downside, I definitely think that the 450X has outshone the Miimo 510 and the Ambrogio L300.
Its mowing system is second to none, it makes use of some of the finest technology in the market, it’s super efficient and has all the bells and whistles you could ever need.
Considering how easy this system is to use, the results it produces and how much energy you would save, I honestly believe that this model is the best in the market for its lawn size.
Should You Buy This Model?
Now deciding whether or not this model is for you isn’t all that simple, there are few things you’ll need to consider before purchasing. Below I’ve outlined a few categories that should help you understand if you’re suited to the 450X:
- Your garden reaches 5,000m² in size
- Your garden is bumpy and sloped in places
- You’re looking for a high end model
- You have a busy lifestyle and cannot spare the time necessary to take care of the garden
- You don’t mind doing some trimming every now and then
- You live in an area of harsh climate
- You know roughly what kind of treatment your garden needs
Hopefully this has made it clear to whether or not you should purchase this model. But if you’re still a little stuck then please leave me a comment below, all I want to do is help you out as much as I can so I will reply as soon as possible.
Additional Specifications | |
---|---|
Working Area | 5000m² |
Max Incline | 24° |
Keypad | 19 Buttons |
Timer | Yes |
Wheel Threads | Coarse |
Battery Type | Lithium-Ion |
Typical Charging Time | 70 minutes |
Typical Mowing Time | 260 Minutes |
Power Consumption | 35W |
Cutting System | 3 Pivoting Razor Blades |
Mean Energy Consumption at Max Use | 23 kWh |
Mean Energy Consumption at Max Use | 5000 m² |
Cutting Height (min-max) | 20 – 60 mm |
Cutting Width | 22cm |
Sound Level | 58 dB (A) |
Alarm | Yes |
PIN Code | Yes |
Installation Lock | Yes |
Time Lock | Yes |
Lift Sensor | Yes |
Tilt Sensor | Yes |
Product Size LxWxH | 31x72x56 cm |
Weight | 13.9 kg |
As a seasoned expert in the field of garden power tools, I have dedicated over a decade to working with and reviewing a wide variety of lawn mowers. My extensive experience has allowed me to gain a deep understanding of the benefits and limitations of different types of mowers and garden tools.
Over the years, I have honed my skills in writing informative articles and creating helpful videos for various blogs and publications. This has given me the ability to not only recognise what makes a good lawn mower, but also to help you choose the perfect garden tool for your specific needs and requirements.
With my wealth of knowledge and expertise, I am confident that I can provide you with valuable insights and recommendations when it comes to selecting the right lawn mower for your lawn. So, whether you're looking for a battery cordless, electric, petrol, or robotic mower, you can trust in my expertise to guide you towards the best option for your garden.
Hi Mark.
Great review. this model would suit my needs perfectly. A couple of questions if I may.
1. how is the charging station connected to the mains?
2. what happens if they layout changes over time. week I have to rewire the boundaries? what if the cable is then to short? are there any connectors to extend the loop wire? (I watched the video for installing)
3. how does the robot handle puddles? some areas in the lawn turn into puddles up to 5cm deep I guess, after heavy rain. can it detect those or drive through them
thank you
Hi, thanks for your feedback. The charging station needs to be connected to the power supply via a low voltage cable and the power supply connected either inside or via a weather proof mains socket. (please refer to the manual to read the full safety requirements)
The boundary wire can be easily extended/repaired, if needed, with available wire connection clamps.
The mower will not detect the puddle, however it will mow through it and as long it is not too deep, it should not be a problem. It may be worth checking with Husqvarna to confirm that there are no long term problems that may occur. It would be good if somehow the drainage could be improved or the lawn levelled. There is a rain sensor, this sensor will ensure that the mower is not mowing during the rain.
Hope this helps.
Our lawn has quite a number of fruit trees (surrounded by about 1m did of soil. Would I have to buy extra perimeter wire and put some around the edge of each of these ares?
Hi Colin, yes if there is soil around your trees you will have to treat them as beds, and therefore the boundary wire will need to run around each tree and then back to the main loop. This will prevent the mower from getting stuck.
Mark
If I put lawn edging around the soil areas, would I still need boundary wire as well?
Hi Colin, yes you can do this but I would advice to run the boundary wire around each tree to create an island, ensuring that you do not cross the wires. For more information take a look at the video below at around 12.24mins as it explains the concept of islands.
https://youtu.be/tB3LHIXqBoY?t=744
Hope this helps
Mark
Hi Mark, great review . Our garden is spread acrosss 3 large areas with gravel driveway separating two of them and a narrow grass path the other two. Is there any mower that can be set to go from area to area?
Thanks
Martin
Hi Martin
Thanks for your question.
Please take a look at this video that explains the options for this setup.You could jump to around 18:00 minutes of the video to be relevant.
https://youtu.be/k4etAYu9rc8
Thanks
Mark
Hi Mark,
Thanks for a great review. My garden is not that big, being about 0.25 acres.
I do like all the features this has, but will this model be to big for my lawn or will it be a waste of money compared to the others in the Husqvarna range?
I have been offered this model at a discounted price and am considering taking the plunge !!
Many thanks
Matt
Hello
Thank you for such a useful site. Please can you telk me something. My neighbour has one of these and it runs from 8.00 a.m inthe morning until 5 .00 in the evening.
Is this too much?it has one day off a week. His lawn looks amazing but isnt this going to make it wear out realky quickly?
Many thanks
Ann
Hi Ann
Thanks for your question.
You would normally set your robotic mower to 6-7 days per week at the highest setting when you first install the mower.
You would then normally reduce the number of days and the cutting height once the lawn was in good shape and depending on the size of the lawn..
Robotic mowers are so cheap to run and running them more regularly helps to ensure they are not put under too much strain when cutting longer grass that has been left for a while.
So the 6 days per week could be what is required depending on the size of the lawn.
Hope this helps a little.
Thanks
Mark
Hi Ben
That’s great!
Thanks for the comment and for sharing your experience.
Please let us know how you get on going forward.
Hi Mark
Following your really helpful and comprehensive review of all the main models, I took the plunge and bought a Husqvarna 450x for our large, complex lawn. So far it has been brilliant, and was easy to set up too. Thanks for taking the time to produce a really helpful resource for us robomower newbies!
Hi,
Bought this model last season and as we go away frequently its a god send! We had the wheel brushes installed at time of purshase and was given 4 spares. I gave the mower a good overall and thought I would change the brushes.. But for the life of me..cannot see how this is done. I’ve googled the problem etc but to no avail…can you help in anyway.
Regards….
Hi Geogina
Please take a look at this post and the video here
https://easylawnmowing.co.uk/how-to-install-husqvarna-terrain-kit/
Hope this helps.
Vince
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
The battery pack is priced at £178.55 inc vat. And you could have one in 2 working days from ordering.
The price quoted is from the supplier below.
Good luck!
Hertfordshire Garden Machinery LTD,
Units 1-4 Greenhall farm,
Bramfield Road,
Bramfield,
Hertfordshire,
SG14 2QT
Tel: 01707 375551 or 01992 500290
Vince
Yes, your battery will last around 2 seasons with 12 months continued usage. In order to save your battery you should ensure you set the timer according to the size of your lawn. With regard to the price of replacement batteries, I have made some enquiries and will post an update when I hear back from the suppliers.
Thanks for the comment.
Hi Mark . I’m really considering the mower I live a busy life and any help around doing the lawn would be great .I live on 1 acre level block the 450x would be the ideal mower . My only concern is the life span of the battery before it needs replacing . reading reviews over seas they pack it away in the winter but here in sunny Australia you can mow all year long. they say between 2 to 4 seasons in saying that, that could mean 1 to 2 seasons here.. Are they expensive to replace and long should I expect it to last .
Can the cutting height be set differently for certain areas of the plot?
Hi Mick, no I don’t believe that the cutting height can be adjusted to different areas of the lawn.
You may be able to do something with separate zones, and then use the home assistance to control the height, but this is not something that will work on a single lawn/zone. Thanks
How does the 450X cope with mole hills or dog faeces?
It depends on how big the mole hills are and the route the mower takes but if the wheel rolls over it then I’d imagine the 450X will get stuck.
I’m assuming you mean dog faces so the 450X’s sensors will stop it from harming you or any of your pets.
Hope this helps ;-)
I call the Husqvarna 405X Automower the lazy man’s way to cutting a lawn, granted its okay if you are rushed for time and have a busy weekly schedule. That’s the plus side.
I have a quite a large lawn and use the Bosch electric lawn mower. In the summer I cut the lawn about once a week. In the spring I use the lawn mower about twice a month.
Price wise you can buy a lawn mower that you can drive yourself. That’s one way of keeping fit.
Yeah I guess you can say that, they do take loads of time and effort of your hands, all the while giving you a great looking lawn. Although I think it depends on how you use your time that you’ve saved, for example I don’t think you can call someone lazy if they’re using their time to workout or run errands, they’re actually being more active.
But of course if they are just sitting back on the couch watching TV then you’re totally right!
Thanks for the comment and for sharing you opinion, I know these mowers will get mixed responses so I think it’s good to hear from both sides!
P.S. there are models that take care of larger lawns, you’ll find the on my Reviews Page so make sure to check them out.
Hello Mark,
I must say I have never hear of this and did not know they even existed. It makes sense and now days when everyone wants a gadget that makes life easier or provides more time why not.
I have never lived in a place where I did not have to worry about sticks twigs, and other debris in the lawn. Obviously it’s not going to chop up large sticks for me but with that said, if I live in the woods and have a yard but consistently have small twigs and things etc. how effective would that be? Would I need to clean up the yards prior. One other thing that came to mind when dealing with the yard, how does it do with leaves? I am assuming if it consistently is mowing than there are never a significant amount of leaves on the ground. This would have no problem addressing leaves as long as you don’t have a months worth of leaves laying on your yard huh?
I love a riding lawnmower but wow how things have changed. I could not believe this was even option and really gets you thinking.
Great post I will share with others who I know have a lawn.
Mario
Thanks for the comment Mario. This is a high end model so it should have no problems dealing with twigs. It’s cutting system is designed in such a way that small objects that get under will not cause damage to the blades – these are free moving and are able to flick back whenever they hit something.
So give this model a little thought, it’ll be much cheaper than a riding mower and might do a better job. I know yous said you love it but you might love a robomower more.
Thanks for the comment and if you have any other questions then please ask me :-)
Husqvarna 450x Easy Lawn Mowing. A dream come true. I started watching your video and was amazed at how easy it would be to take care of my yard with one of these mowers.
The set up reminds me of a system used for keeping your dog in the yard. You run a wire in the ground around the area you want to keep your pet in and then put his collar on. Instant invisible fence.
I ‘m not sure this would be beneficial for me at this time. I have four acres. Maybe I cold get a couple of them.
I like it. Keith
Wow never really thought about it that way Keith but yeah that’s totally it. The wire does act as an invisible fence, keeping your fence, plants and pretty much anything else in your garden away from bother.
With a lawn size of yours Keith you will maybe have consider getting a few of them (maybe even four) so its probably best to check the prices of a riding mower and compare them. It’s really up to you but if you want to do absolutely no mowing what so ever then robomowers are the way to go.
Maybe just something to keep in the back of your mind for now!
Glad you enjoyed the read and feel to ask me any questions if you need any help
Cheers,
Mark