Husqvarna Automower 430x Review | Guide and FAQs

Welcome to the future of lawn care

Robot lawn mowers have changed the landscape of lawn care, and the Husqvarna Automower 430x is one of the best there is to keep your lawn neat and trimmed at all times.

Gone are the days of looking out your window, wondering when you will get time to cut that grass, before finally getting round to it three weeks later. This little beauty will work every day through rain or shine, keeping your lawn looking immaculate. Just install it, turn it on and let it do its thing.

The Automower 430x is designed for medium to large gardens, up to the size of 0.8 acres. With a myriad of smart features, there’s no doubt this is one of the best robot lawn mowers that are currently available.

Coming up

• Two-minute review
• How the Husqvarna Automower 430x works
• Installation
• Key features
• The app
• Anti-theft features
• Other features
• Maintenance
• Pros and cons
• The wrap
• FAQs

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Two-minute review

What we loved

• It’s so reliable
• The anti-theft system ensures alarm sounds and GPS tracking we tell you where it is should the worst happen
• The cutting blades are cheap and easy to replace
• Once set up, you can just forget about it
• Leaves you free to spend more time with your family

What we didn’t

• Can get stuck on small obstacles and minor potholes may need filling in before use
• Needs some effort to install
• The installation kit and optional dock house are quite expensive for what they are
• There are reports that Husqvarna tech support isn’t the best
• You may be expected to spend more time with your family

Key features

Obstacle avoidance

Advanced sensors ensure that your mower detects and avoids obstacles, including trees, children, and dogs.

Weather Prediction

Clocked at a maximum of 58 decibels, your robot works discreetly and quietly when you want it to.

Inbuilt GPS Features

An onboard GPS system creates a map of your garden, where the guide wires are installed and adjusts its mowing pattern accordingly.

Automatic Charging

When your mower needs more juice, it will find its own way to the charging station, juice up and head off again.

Summary: The Husqvarna Automower 430x is a large, advanced and very capable computerized lawn mower. It is a perfect choice if you are looking for a product that you can just turn on and forget about.

With the ability to work in all conditions and sensitive object avoidance, this model is one of the best on the market for medium to large gardens up to 0.8 acres. The installation can take a bit of time, and if you are not sure what you are doing, it may be worth finding a local handyman who can set it up for you.

It may take a few days to bed in properly and get used to your yard and it may be necessary to fill in small potholes, but once up and running, the 430x can navigate the most complex of lawns including narrow passages and slopes up to 45%.

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Let’s take a closer look

So, the fact that you are reading this tells me that you are already looking for ways to make cutting your grass easier as you probably have better things to do. Either that or you just love the ever-developing world domestic robots and are looking to add a new weapon to your arsenal.

Husqvarna is a well known and reliable Swedish gardening equipment manufacturer, and their Automower range is one of their finest achievements. In this review, we will break down the main features of the mower, list the pros and cons, take a look at some of the many FAQs you may have about this model with a neat wrap up at the end.

How the Husqvarna Automower 430x works

Switching from a manual mow to an automatic mow takes some getting used to at first. Before, the thought process went a little along the lines of looking at your grass, thinking it could do with a trim and then at some point doing it before repeating the cycle.

With a robotic lawnmower, this is slightly different. Once the installation is complete, and your smart lawnmower is set up and ready to go, it will just happily mow the lawn every day based on the area you designate.

It will chop the grass until the battery is too low to carry on, return to its little home, recharge, and once ready, continue. The technology on board will ensure that it always knows where it got to and will continue where it left off.

What this means is rather than monthly cutting, your lawn will constantly. After a couple of weeks when your new friend is on top of its game (yes, many people consider their mower their friend and even name it), you won’t even notice the grass growing as it just trims it every couple of days and keeps it looking fabulous.

A nice side effect of this method is that you won’t have to worry about the cuttings, they are so tiny that you won’t even notice they are there.

Another beautiful thing about robotic lawn mowers is that because they are electric, they are incredibly quiet when compared to ride on or manual, engine driven mowers. In fact, this model has been a clocked at a maximum of 58 decibels, which is a little louder than a refrigerator.

What this means is many owners set their lawn mower to mow through the night or early in the morning and it doesn’t upset the neighbors, which is excellent, unless you have ongoing disputes and are the kind of person that loves mowing at 5am. Don’t be that person.

 

Automower Installation

The installation of the mower is a simple 5-step process; however, it can take a bit of time and effort to get set up.

Although the robot is GPS enabled, it still requires the use of a perimeter wire which will need to be installed. The wire can either be stapled down or, if you would prefer to make it disappear, the recommended depth to bury the wire is between 1 – 4 inches.

There are official Husqvarna Automower installation kits which contain perimeter wire and staples to pin your wire down. If you are planning to bury your wire, you can save some money by just buying a spool of wire rather than the whole kit as you won’t be needing so many of the staples.

Laying the auto mower perimeter wire can be quite a laborious task, especially if your garden is quite large. If you don’t fancy taking it on yourself, it should be quite easy to find a local handyman who can help you out. Alternatively, if you plan on burying the wire yourself, I would recommend hiring a small trencher machine for the day.

Key features

So now you know a little more about what to expect from your mower, let’s take a closer look at some of the key stats.

The Automower Connect app

Husqvarna’s Automower Connect app keeps you up to date and in touch with your mower at all times. It can be downloaded from your app store and connecting to your mower is as simple as pressing search.

Once you have the connection, you can use the features to set a schedule for your mower and even track its progress. Using the GPS, you will always know where your mower is and what direction it is going wherever you are in the world. You’ll probably find yourself doing that a lot in the first few weeks while you’re getting used to your new friend.

A couple of other great features of the app include a messaging service that notifies you if the mower is stuck so you can go and give it a helping hand and it will also track your mower in case someone decides to run away with it. Which brings us nicely on to . . .

Anti-theft features​

Due to the mower using a unique pin during set up, it is useless to any thief as it simply will not work. However, we know that that doesn’t worry these guys as the kind of person that would steal a robotic mower is probably an idiot, so, what happens if someone does try to grab it?

The mower has an inbuilt alarm which will start sounding should it be taken away unexpectedly, throw in the fact that the mower is a little over 13kgs, this should be enough to encourage the would-be thief to drop it and leg it.

Should they not be deterred by the alarm, then you can always track it with the built-in GPS. Either follow it yourself or hand over the coordinates and ask the police to assist. Either way, you should be able to keep your mower safe.

Ongoing Maintenance

One of the best things about these mowers is how simple they are to keep running. The main thing you will need to do is to replace the three cutting blades every three months. It is a simple process of flipping it over, taking off the old and bolting on the new. Shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.

Other than that, you just need to make sure your yard is free of small obstacles, while it can easily handle trees, frisbees and dog toys could well be a potential risk.

Optional extras

Replacement Blades

Automower House Kit

Husqvarna Install Kit

Pros and Cons of the Husqvarna Automower 430x

What we loved

• Just set it up and let it get to work
• Keeps your lawn looking immaculate
• The app is intuitive and straightforward
• Effortless maintenance
• Very quiet

What we didn’t

• May get stuck in smaller potholes
• The initial set up is a bit of a chore
• There are reports that Husqvarna doesn’t have the best product support
• The manual supplied is a little limited
• Not cheap

The Wrap

There’s no doubt in our mind that the Husqvarna Automower 430x is one of the best robot mowers currently available. It has a great balance of smart features while keeping the setup and usage simple. Just check out some of the reviews on Amazon, and you’ll see more great feedback from product owners.

A robot mower that mows just a little but frequently ensures a healthy lawn that always looks its best and after a while, you will forget about it altogether.

That said, it is certainly not the cheapest robot mower on the market. As a premium product, it carries a premium price tag, but if you are looking for a reliable robot mower, it may be worth spending that little bit more.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Installation

Do I need to be tech-savvy to use Automower?
You need to be comfortable downloading apps on your phone, other than that, not really. I’d assume the fact you are considering a robotic lawn mower and reading this online, you are savvy enough to work it out.

Do I need to buy the official installation kit or can I just pick up some generic wire and pegs?
The installation kit is designed specifically for this product and is of a very high quality so I would recommend using the official kit. However, if you plan to bury the wire, you may be better off just purchasing the perimeter wire rather than the whole kit as you won’t be needing the staples.

Will the mower cross over concrete?
Yes, there is no problem going over concrete. You can either have separate zones or run the wire over the driveway to create a passage for the mower to pass from one side to the other.

If I am upgrading from an old robot mower, can I use the same perimeter wire I already have?
Yes. There may be some small differences in the distance from walls and curbs which may need to be adjusted, but the wire should be fine. You may need to add a guide wire to assist the Husqvarna in finding its way back to the base, but other then that, you should be good to go

If my backyard is completely enclosed, will I still need the perimeter wire?
Yes, it will not work without it.

Do you need to put a cover over the charging station?
It’s not necessary, but if you live in an area prone to extreme weather, it may be a good idea. While the mower can mow in all conditions, it’s worth considering bringing it into a garage outside of mowing months.

Obstacles

Do raised sprinklers require to be surrounded in the wire?
No, the small blades are mounted on a pivot so if the hit anything they swing out of place until the object is passed.

Do I need to put wire around the base of every tree?
There is no need to do this as the robot will just nudge it and move on around. The only time you may want to consider this is if you have landscaping or flower beds surrounding the base of your trees, then it would be a good idea to add some wire.

Will it detect my pond?
Better safe than sorry, surround it in perimeter wire, and you should be fine. If you are unsure, get a professional to take a look, robot mowers driving into ponds does not have a happy ending for anyone involved.

Can it detect small objects such as toys?
If the toy is small, it is likely that it won’t be recognized. While there isn’t much risk for damage to the mower or the toy, it is best to keep your lawn free of clutter.

If the mower safe around children?
Yes, the built-in safety features will automatically stop the blades if the mower it lifted or turned over. There is also a lot of space between the outer body and the blades preventing hands or feet reaching them by accident. However, kids will be kids, and if they can find a way to get in trouble they will, so the best recommendation is to try to avoid small children playing in the proximity of the mower.

Performance

How long does it take to cut ¾ acre?
This is hard to answer as it’s not like mowing the lawn yourself. When you first unleash it, it will mow for around 145 mins, then return to charge before heading out again. So depending on the shape of your yard and the initial challenge, it could take a week or so to settle in. However, once on top of things, it knows where it has been and will target specific areas at a time, so from your viewpoint, it will seem that the grass simply never grows.

Will it send your phone a text message if it gets stuck?
It can be set up to send text messages, up to 10 a month, however, if you install Autoconnect app, the notifications will come through that which are unlimited.

Can the 430x mow larger areas if you are willing to accept longer mowing cycles from additional recharge visits?
No, this model maxes out at 0.8 acres. If you need more, then look at the larger 450x. However, before you do, remember the acres refers to real grass. If you live on a one-acre site, by the time you remove the footprint of your house, driveway, flower beds and maybe a pool, you could be left with less than you thought when it comes to the cuttable area.

How long do the batteries last?
Expect batteries to last 2-3 years of use. You can buy replacements via most dealers and are usually around $100.

What does it do with the grass clippings?
The clippings remain on the ground, but unlike what you may be used to, you probably won’t even notice. As the mower is running all the time, the clippings are tiny, so you won’t need to worry about bagging them all up.