Mammotion Luba 2 AWD Review

Mammotion Luba 2 AWD: Introduction

Most robot lawn mowers have a rather unassuming appearance; with many designs taking on a familiar form factor that is somewhat boxy and, dare I say it, ugly.

But the Mammotion Luba 2 AWD stands out from an ever-increasing crowd with its sleek, white and black, Formula One-inspired design.

This robust robo lawnmower operates without the need for boundary wires and boasts a dual grass cutting deck for an extra-wide cut.

While the Luba 2 doesn’t come cheap, it is a powerhouse robo lawnmower, capable of handling rough terrain and large lawns.

It actually comes in four different variations – the AWD 1000, AWD 3000, AWD 5000 and AWD 1000; designed for lawns up to 1,000m², 3,000m², 5,000m² or 10,000m², and capable of storing 10, 20, 30 or 60 zones respectively.

I’ve had the Mammotion Luba 2 AWD 1000 zooming around my lawn for the past few weeks, read on for my full review.

Design and components

As mentioned, the Mammotion Luba 2 AWD comes in four versions but, aside from those maximum coverage areas and zone storing capacities described above, are all identical in functionality and appearance.

Price-wise, you’re looking at $2,099 / £,2149 for the AWD 1000 with prices jumping $500 / £500 for the next size up. The AWD 10000, which is only available in the US comes in at $4,099.

In terms of price and size, for the AWD 1000, it competes with the likes of the Husqvarna Automower 310E Nera or the Stihl iMow 7. You could get the Husqvarna Aspire R4 for around half the price, but the Luba 2 is a much more complete machine.

Weighing in at 17kg, the Mammotion Luba 2 AWD is an absolute unit, and it’s impossible to get past those F1 car comparisons.

Its substantial size is partly due to its 400mm cutting width, which is comparable to a conventional lawnmower. Instead of a single large cutting deck, it has two smaller decks underneath, each equipped with three blades (that you’ll have to replace every now and again.)

This large cutting area allows the robot to cover extensive lawns at a rapid pace… it handles my garden in less than half the time of a number of rivals that I’ve tested.

Included in the box are the lawn mower, docking station, and RTK Reference Station (Real Time Kinematic).

The RTK system uses an additional remote GPS receiver alongside the mower’s built-in GPS for precise positioning, eliminating the need for boundary wires, which – if you’ve ever used a robo lawnmower with boundary wires before – you’ll understand is an absolute game changer.

Rather than a set up and installation process that can take hours, you should have the Luba 2 up and running inside an hour and most of that time is taken up before you even touch your lawn.

There’s a bit of assembly to do before your Luba 2 can get to work. You have to screw the Vision Module on the top of the main unit (which looks like a cute little robot / webcam) and then attach the bumper.

You get a tool that doubles up as a screwdriver and hex in the box and everything is pretty straightforward. There’s also a safety key that pops in and out of the back, that means the blades won’t start spinning when you’re cleaning it etc.

The most complicated part of the setup process is getting the base station and RTK in place and talking to one another.

You’ve actually got a couple of options for this but the important thing to remember is that the RTK needs a clear line of sight up to the sky to talk to the satellites; don’t put it under a tree or close to a fence or a wall.

The good news is that, while you can just have the RTK attached to the base station – the kit includes a ground mount for the RTK receiver, which connects to the docking station’s power supply – there is also an extra power brick and wire in the box so you can have it remotely positioned.

There’s also an optional wall mount accessory ($85 / £85) for the RTK that may be useful depending on the shape and size of your lawn, as you may want to mount it higher on an out-building etc.

The main power supply for the robot has a long cable connecting to the base station. You have the option of having the wires come out of the back or out of a slot at the bottom, making it easy to hide the cables.

A garage can be purchased to protect it from UV rays – but it’s very expensive at $179 / £179 for what is essentially a sheet of moulded plastic.

Once you’ve got all the physical parts set up and power reaching the base station and the RTK, it’s time to dock the robot, to start the charging process. This is where I first encountered problems.

I left the Luba 2 ‘charging’ for 24 hours but couldn’t get it to pair nor power on, despite a voice on the robot saying “power on” every time I repositioned it in the dock.

After a few more days of non-charging I was ready to give up but checked online forums to see if there was something I was missing.

A lot of people seemingly had the same problem and the general advice seemed to be to wiggle the robot about in the dock to get it charging. After a couple of minutes the lights at the side started flashing and I was able to successfully pair the Luba 2 to my Wi-Fi and see it in the app.

I haven’t had any issues with charging since, the Luba 2 returns to its base and attaches to the charging pins with no problems, so I’m not sure why the initial charge seems to be a common problem.

It’s worth noting that you have to pair the RTK and the Luba 2 individually, they are treated as two devices in the app.

Once you have them both paired up you’ll be able to see the LoRa network details that are binding the pair.

However, there is a quirk in the app whereby the RTK and the Luba 2 will never show as online at the same time.

They are both online, the system works fine, but it seems that the app disconnects one when you connect to the other… although I don’t think any disconnection is actually happening, the green light on the RTK indicates that it is indeed online, despite what the app says.

If you’re in Bluetooth range of the Luba 2, then it can connect to your phone and the app using this method as well.

Once you’re charged up it’s time to start creating the zones you want the Luba 2 to cover. The app guides you through creating a map of your garden; you basically drive the robot around like a remote control car, creating a perimeter for the area you want covered.

It’s super easy to do and the turning circles are incredibly tight thanks to the all wheel drive system on board and the omni-wheels that can turn in two directions.

Once you’ve created a map, you are ready to start mowing. If you notice that the map has parts missing or errors, it’s easy enough to go back in and edit too.

The Mammotion Luba 2 AWD also features a SIM card slot for 4G connectivity, allowing remote monitoring even in large gardens.

Features and in use

As mentioned, the Luba 2 features an all-wheel drive (AWD) system, with each wheel capable of independent movement. The robust rear wheels provide excellent traction and propulsion, while the front Omi-Wheels – comprising a standard wheel surrounded by smaller rollers – allow for precise turns without damaging the lawn.

It can turn on incredibly tight areas and actually looks quite weird when it turns tight circles without actually moving.

Thanks to its AWD capability, the Mammotion Luba 2 AWD can manage slopes up to 45% (24°) and can climb up to 80% (38°), far exceeding the typical 30-40% range of other robotic mowers.

The AWD 1000 model I had for testing can manage up to 10 zones, connected by paths, and includes no-go zones to keep it out of certain areas like ponds and flower beds.

The robot’s physical controls, found on the top of the main body, are minimal, featuring start/stop buttons and a large emergency stop button.

For detailed control, the somewhat confusing app offers extensive options, including different mowing patterns and obstacle detection modes.

In standard mowing mode, the cutting height can be adjusted on the go, ranging from 25mm to 70mm, in 5mm increments.

Scheduling options are flexible, allowing for weekly, specific date, or interval-based mowing. Manual mowing mode is also available for hard-to-reach areas.

You can choose to mow just the perimeter or select from various patterns like zig-zag, chessboard, or adaptive zigzag. While having these options is beneficial, it can feel a bit overwhelming compared to other robots that automatically select the optimal mowing pattern for your lawn and the wording in the app isn’t exactly easy to understand.

You can also customize the obstacle detection mode. The Direct touch setting allows the Luba 2 to bump into objects with its bumper before moving around them. Slow touch operates similarly but uses the camera to slow down before making contact. Less touch employs the camera to avoid objects altogether, while No touch is even more cautious in avoiding obstacles.

I started with Less touch mode but found the Luba 2 was too conservative, leaving long patches around fixed objects on my lawn like the kids’ jungle gym.

I found that the Slow touch mode worked best for me. Mammotion recommends removing toys and smaller objects before mowing for the best results and you get a warning to do so before every mowing session, along with a nice check-list of everything working as it should hardware and software wise.

The live video feed in the app lets you monitor the mower in real-time; doubling up as a roaming security camera for your garden, and the lawn printing feature can cut patterns or letters into your lawn. While it’s a fun feature, it’s not something most will use regularly.

Alexa and Google Assistant support offer convenient voice control control options too.

Performance

The Mammotion Luba 2 AWD excels in both power and intelligence. My lawn, with numerous bumps and divots from years of kids and pets running about, posed no challenge for it. It navigated through these areas effortlessly and was also able to navigate narrow channels around fixed garden objects too.

Its navigation is very impressive. Despite its robust appearance, the Mammotion Luba 2 AWD slows down near objects and boundaries, mowing neatly up to the edges before turning. The dual cutting decks quickly tackle even the toughest grass, leaving my lawn immaculate.

I would say that it is overly cautious when it comes to boundaries, so I redid the map with the wheels hanging over the edge a bit to account for this.

The small clippings mulch into the lawn, enhancing its health. The onboard rain sensor lets you have the mower stay docked during unsuitable conditions, resuming work once the weather improves.

Final thoughts

Quite possibly the best robo lawnmower on the market, the Luba 2’s AWD system and omni-wheel setup allow incredibly accurate navigation, driven by precise GPS tech. The app is a faff but, get used to it and some of the complex terminology used and you’ll have the Luba 2 cutting your lawn exactly the way you want it, in no time at all.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Robot mowers usually live within an ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. And they are designed to offer a range of different cleaning options. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a robot for a week and deliver a verdict.

Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular smart cleaning machine compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our guide on how we test robots to learn more.