I tested a Husqvarna robot mower, and it caused me too many headaches to truly recommend

• View or buy at Husqvarna

Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA: two-minute review

The Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA promises cutting-edge convenience with its wire-free EPOS technology, but in practice it feels like an expensive compromise. Granted, the satellite-based system eliminates the hassle of burying boundary wires, but its onboard GPS module appears to demand an even more unobstructed sky view than other models, making it unreliable in gardens with tall trees or shaded corners.

And because this model isn't equipped with a highfalutin camera like much of the competition, its obstacle avoidance is pretty woeful and entirely reliant on the sensitivity of the unit's front bumper. In other words, it's not a mower to have on the lawn when small kids are running around.

While the 305E's cutting performance is perfectly adequate – it mows in neat parallel stripes like all the best wireless mowers and even cuts to the very edge using a second, much smaller cutting deck – it underwhelmed me with its complex setup procedure and its regular inability to locate satellites where every other model I've reviewed has succeeded.

I'd love to be able to recommend this model since Husqvarna is a highly respected brand with a generally excellent after-sales record. But I found the 305E NERA too complicated to set up and use, and with too many head-scratching anomalies cropping up during normal day-to-day use. Read on for my full Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA review.

Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA review: price & availability

• List price: £1,948
• Available: UK

If you consider a similar model like the 800m² Mammotion LUBA Mini that sells for £1,299 and can be easily installed by the user, the Automower 305E NERA starts to look very expensive indeed.

There's also installation costs to consider. One of the brands' USPs is that it'll send someone (via an accredited dealer) to set up your bot for you. I had assumed this was always included in the cost of the lawnbot itself, but it seems the truth is more complicated. After contacting Husqvarna to clarify, I was told installation wasn't included, and would cost between £200 and £300 for a small garden, £400 for a medium-sized lawn and upwards of £500 for a large garden. (I didn't use this option, but set up the mower myself.)

In the UK, you can buy this wireless NERA-equipped model direct from Husqvarna for the stated £1,948 or some of the company's main dealers like Garden Machinery Direct (£1,748) and Ron Smith & Co (£1,835).

If you live in the US, you won't find this particular model because its operating range is too short and American gardens are usually big with a capital B. The nearest US-spec model to the 305E is the Automower 410 iQ which has a cutting capacity of 0.5 acre. In the US this wireless model retails at a whopping $2,999.99. Not the best value, it has to be said.

• Value for money score: 2.5 out of 5

Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA specs

Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA review: design

• Impressive build quality
• Unique edge-cutting disc
• No navigation cameras on board

The Mammotion LUBA 2 and forthcoming Lymow One aside, most robot mowers look pretty much the same but, in its favor, the 305E is nearer the top in terms of racy aesthetics. And, of course, anyone with a Husqvarna product roaming around their lawn will likely garner glances from neighbors who will also likely assume that the owner must be well heeled enough to afford such a prestigious brand.

The Automower 305E is available in two variants – wired or wireless. The machines themselves are identical though the wireless model comes either with an optional GPS module called NERA that's fitted into the top of the mower, out of sight under a cowling, or an RTK GPS antennae that's spiked into the lawn. For the purposes of this review I will only discuss the wireless NERA model since that's the one I was sent.

Like all robotic lawn mowers, the 305E has a manual control interface on top of the machine along with a rain sensor and a huge Stop button for emergencies. However, you will only occasionally need to access this interface after stopping or lifting the mower, or turning it on its side. For the rest of its operation you'll need to download the Husqvarna Automower Connect app (iOS and Android).

The vast majority of robot mowers use a set of razorblades attached to a spinning disk and this method works surprisingly well on the majority of lawns, especially if the grass isn't too long. The Automower 305E's 22cm cutting disc is equipped with just three razors but they still perform well, even though only a couple of centimeters of blade protrudes beyond the disc. The disc's height is motorized and can be adjusted to a range of cutting heights from 20mm to 55mm.

However, this mower has something that I've not seen on other models – another smaller three-bladed cutting disc at the very back of the mower with small protection bars around it. This mini cutting deck is used for Husqvarna's unique edge cutting system and I expect other manufacturers to follow suit because it's a great innovation that allows the mower to reach border edges that others can't. This mower also has decent climbing ability and can handle slopes up to 30%.

My lawn has an area of around 185 square meters so this 900m² (0.22 acre) model is sufficient enough to cover the entire area without having to return for a recharge mid-cut. I wish I had been able to test the 305E's multi zone feature but, truth is, I only have one lawn.

One major oversight with this model – at least in this day and age – is the lack of any cameras on the unit and that means the 305E can't avoid obstacles in advance like most other wire-free models on the market. Instead, it simply trundles into the obstacle and if the obstacle is sturdy enough to compress the robot's front bumper enough, it will turn around and continue in the other direction before picking up where it left off. Hence, for reasons of safety, I wouldn't advise a mower like this if you have young kids or pets running around.

You'll be thrilled to learn that, unlike some old-fashioned wired models that cut in haphazard fashion, this one mows a lawn in perfectly straight parallel lines, leaving narrow but very attractive stripes in its wake.

• Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA review: performance

• Complicated user setup and frustrating software
• Great cutting system including edges
• No obstacle avoidance

Setup

Husqvarna invented the robot lawn mower and prides itself on its established dealership networks around the world. Hence, the Swedish company prefers to carry out installations of its robot mower range itself (whether this is or isn't included in the overall price is unclear).

Alternatively you can install the system yourself though I should add that even this wire-free model is a lot more complicated to set up than any of the RTK GPS and camera-based models I've reviewed over the past two years – by a long way. For this reason I would absolutely recommend using Husqvarna's included installation service or your head might explode with all the shenanigans that may crop up during self-installation, especially if you've never done this kind of thing before. But for the record, here's the process in a large nutshell…

The 305E came in a huge box with the mower, charging base, mains adaptor and about 10m of thin but firm low-voltage mains cable. Huskie also sent me the wireless NERA module which I fitted to the top of the mower by removing some of the cowling and screwing in the module. I then realized that there was no RTK GPS antennae in the box but then luckily noticed in a hints-and-tips online instruction that, like Mammotion, Husqvarna also offers the option to install its NERA-equipped mowers using its cloud-based RTK system that doesn't involve any aerials at all.

Instead, the NERA module in the mower has built-in GPS and it communicates with Husqvarna's cloud servers for GPS correction down to a few centimeters of accuracy. All you need is a good Wi-Fi signal that reaches all areas of the lawn (you can check this using your phone).

As soon as I'd paired the 305E with the Husqvarna Connect app and set my own four-digit security pin, it started to perform a firmware update which started off quickly but then slowed to a crawl at about 85%. After some head scratching I realized that the mower hadn't been charged properly – my bad given my eagerness to test it – and its battery was at just 30% which very likely stalled the update.

Thankfully after positioning it back on its charging base, the battery reached the magic 50% battery mark and the install continued successfully. Once installed, the 305E created a docking point by driving itself nine feet from the docking station. This took about five minutes to complete.

The bot was now ready for me to map the lawn by driving it around the perimeter and any permanent obstacles like arbors, furniture etc. Since I don't have any obstacles, I simply stuck to the perimeter. But here's the thing. Every other wireless robot I've used when mapping a lawn has simply involved driving it around the perimeter like an RC car until it meets the point it started or, in some cases, tapping an automatic mapping option where the robot maps the lawn itself. Voila, instant map of the entire lawn.

By contrast, this model required setting loads of waypoints every time I steered it around a protruding tree trunk or curvy border section. It didn't help that the robot's dual trolley-wheels made steering so tricky it was almost impossible to keep it in a straight line.

Why the Husqvarna mapping system works in such a complicated and convoluted manner is a mystery but it's certainly one main reason why you might wish to leave installation to one of Husqvarna's installation companies like AutoCut and not attempt it yourself.

Cutting and usability

By comparison to the likes of Mammotion, Anthbot, Eufy, Lymow and Ecovacs, Husqvarna lags way behind the Chinese brands in terms of its robotics software and front-end user-friendliness. It's a good job, therefore, that Husqvarna provides an installation service because without one, many other reviewers might find this mower as difficult as I do to recommend, especially given the comparatively easy setup of other brands' products. But on the other hand, Husqvarna has an established and wide-ranging after sales service that few Chinese brands can compete with.

After a few glitches – including ongoing issues with the 305E's achingly slow ability to locate any satellites – the mower has mostly settled in and has performed at least five full cuts out of eight with no major issues. I should add that my garden is surrounded on two sides by tall trees, including two 80-foot beeches. I have two different-branded RTK antennas positioned under the beech trees and yet they're still able to locate enough satellites for both the Mammotion LUBA 2 and Anthbot Genie to run without any connection issues whatsoever.

I suspect that Huskie's installer team would almost certainly recommend a wall-mounted RTK station for my lawn space rather than the robot relying on its built-in GPS module and Wi-Fi cloud connection. Consequently, if your lawn has plenty of clear sky above it, you might not experience any satellite signal issues at all.

In terms of cutting quality, I see no major differences between this model and the amazing Anthbot Genie which has roughly the same 22cm cutting width. Both models cut in perfectly parallel lines and leave a trail of attractive mini stripes in their wake though this model seems to perform much slower. Yes, I prefer the wider span of the Mammotion LUBA 2's 40cm cut but that's because I've been a bit spoiled by the LUBA 2 which, in my opinion, is still the best robot mower currently on the market.

But in the Huskie's favour, the separate edge-cutting system is a coup and works really well – but only if the lawn has been mapped very close to the border. I can definitely see other manufacturers adopting this type of edge-cutting system in the future.

Speaking of which, the user can increase or decrease the border sections in the app if they notice that the robot is either too close or not close enough. However, in the case of this model it involves adjusting the map's waypoints by selecting each one in turn and adjusting the distance to each border. Given the complexity of this process, if you're having it professionally installed I would absolutely recommend that you make sure the installer doesn't leave your home before you've checked that the mower is mowing all borders as close as possible. The alternative – you editing the map – is a world of pain.

Another thing I find difficult to get my head around with this model is its working method, which is nigh on impossible to pin down. Yes, it goes out and performs the task it was designed for, but almost every time it mysteriously heads back to its charging station towards the end of a session – when it still has about 35% of battery left – and stays there for about 15 minutes for what I presume is a battery top-up before heading out to the last section of my 185m² lawn to finish the job.

I therefore imagine that this model would likely recharge several times if mowing to its maximum area of 900m². Mind, this shouldn't be of much consequence because the idea with robots is not to watch them. Instead just leave them alone and they will finish the job – eventually.

I've also noticed that this lawnbot starts its cutting procedure in a completely haphazard fashion before settling down to its parallel cutting patterns, and you can see this crazy cutting path unfold on the app's map as a series of criss-cross lines. Also, unlike other lawnbot manufacturers, Husqvarna's map is overlayed onto an aerial Google map and I'm not sure about their accuracy in relation to each other.

Given the complete lack of onboard cameras, the Automower 305E relies entirely on its not especially sensitive front bumper when it encounters obstacles. This means that it will literally bump into any heavy object before turning around. And if that object is light like a children's toy, it will simply run slipshod over it and very likely damage it with its blades.

I tested this using a piece of hard piping which it almost ran over before reversing and one of my dog's soft toys which it ran straight over before spitting it out the other side with a long two-inch gash in its material. In the arena of obstacle avoidance, that's a resounding fail in my book.

Overall, I'd say that I'm quite disappointed in this model. Not by its very decent cutting performance but by all the ancillary conundrums I've been faced with during day to day use and, of course, its very poor obstacle avoidance. When you've tested a range of similar models that simply work without any baffling behavioral issues, it makes it very difficult to fully recommend a product that performs in such a completely different – and often confusing – way.

• Performance score: 2.5 out of 5

Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA review: app

• Poor menu layout
• Awkward mapping system
• Not comprehensive enough

Aside from being slow to send its signals to the robot, I've found the layout of this app confusing to navigate, but perhaps that's because I'm used to the user-friendly way in which other robot apps behave. While it has some decent functions like the illustrative cutting angle configurator and map that overlays an aerial Google shot of your home, its border editing section is extremely convoluted and very time-consuming to adjust.

Also, despite me definitely seeing grass height measurements in centimeters on a video I watched of this mower being set up, the app itself just shows the measurements in imperial inches, even though the measurements can be seen in centimeters on the robot's interface. This makes it awkward for Brits who are used to metric measurements.

I think Husqvarna will need to do some tweaks in this app if the company wants to match the efficiency and ease of use provided by the majority of its competitors, most notably those from China. As it stands I can't see most technophobes getting a happy handle on it.

• App score: 2.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA

Like indoor robot vacuum cleaners, robot mowers require long test periods in order to get on top of any unusual behavior patterns. This model was tested over a two-week period on a fairly basic lawn with no demanding areas. Like all lawnbots I've tested, I set it up myself, manually mapped the lawn and set it to work. I then kept an eye on it as much as possible in order to spot any strange anomalies. Sadly there were more annoying hiccups with this model than others I've reviewed.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed August 2025