Smart lawn mowers have made lawn maintenance easier than ever before, and there are a number of brands that all offer their own take on convenient, automatic grass trimming.
But how do you sort through the various features and find the mower that will work best for you? There are a lot of options on the market, and they’re definitely not all created equal.
Below we compare the Honda Miimo vs. Husqvarna Automower and give our thoughts on which is the superior product. Both smart lawn mowers have their perks, but will Honda or Husqvarna come out on top?
Let’s get into the details to help you figure out which mower is perfect to keep your lawn looking its best.
Honda Miimo vs. Husqvarna Automower — About
The Honda Miimo and Husqvarna Automower represent two different brands of smart lawn mowers that each have their own benefits to offer.
The Honda Miimo offers two models, the HRM310 and HRM520. Your Miimo will mow and charge all on its own, giving you a beautiful lawn with minimal required interaction. There’s a lot of technology that combines in order to give you that perfect cut, with a microcomputer, timer, and sensors all working together during each cutting session. When you invest in a Honda Miimo, you’ll have more time during the day to do what you want without worrying about cutting the grass.
Husqvarna is one of the most established brands on the smart lawn mower market, and they actually have 7 different models in the US, all offering their own combination of features and value. From the high-end mowers to more affordable options, there’s something there for most any budget that will keep your lawn looking fresh.
The Husqvarna Automower focuses on lawn maintenance rather than mowing, which essentially means that your mower will trim just a little bit at a time rather than cutting down in one trip. By maintaining through multiple small trips rather than waiting until the grass is super long, your lawn will be regularly fertilized by the small grass clippings produced from every run. Some models even offer features like a Weather Timer, which will adjust the mowing to match your grass growth — ensuring that there are extra trips made when your lawn is heavily watered, and less during dry conditions.
All in all, both brands have a lot to offer, but they do have some differences in features that make them best suited for different owners.
Honda Miimo vs. Husqvarna Automower — Things in Common
We’ll go over the main differences between the Honda Miimo and Husqvarna Automower below, but let’s start off with establishing what a both products have as a baseline.
The Honda Miimo features three cutting patterns, random, directional, and mixed in order to optimize its performance on different lawn types. The mower also features three special blades that are designed with durability in mind. These blades spin between clockwise and counterclockwise directions, which decreases wear and increases their lifespan. The blades will even swing back into their disc if a hard object is struck, which reduces damage to the object and the mower as well.
The Husqvarna has a free movement pattern that ensures that your lawn is beautifully manicured with a carpetlike look. The razor sharp blades tackle your grass from all directions, which will give you an even cut each and every time.
While the technology used to go about it is slightly different, both the Miimo and Automower will give you an excellent cutting result. Adjustable cutting length is available with the turn of a knob, and Husqvarna even offers electrically-adjustable blades to keep the lawn at your preferred length with just a few seconds of adjustments. Also, since your mower will be trimming on a frequent basis, you’ll enjoy frequent fertilization with small grass clippings with either device.
Both devices use electric power in order to mow, which offers a quiet source that is silent and cost-effective to run. The Miimo and Automower alike will intelligently navigate back to their charging stations when they’re done mowing, ensuring that they’re topped up and ready to go when it comes time to trim once again. Most notable about the Honda Miimo is its long life lithium-ion battery that will last well into the future, and if you opt for the Husqvarna, you’ll enjoy a flexible installation process that secures reliable docking each and every time.
When you make the decision to purchase a Honda Miimo or Husqvarna Automower, you’re making a significant investment to make your life a whole lot easier. Part of the appeal of the mowers is the ability to set them up with a customized schedule that allows you to mow day or night. This lets these robotic lawn mowers manicure your lawn throughout the day with zero input from the owner, but leaving your mower alone could potentially leave it an open target for thieves.
Fortunately, both the Miimo and Automower feature theft protection in the form of a loud alarm that sounds when the mower is picked up off the ground. Only with the entry of a specific PIN will the alarm stop, ensuring that no one will be able to lift your mower without everyone in a significant radius being made aware.
As far as the “smart” part of your lawn mower goes, both the Honda Miimo and Husqvarna automower offer support for remote object detection. Even the most careful owners will sometimes leave a stray lawn chair or garden tool out in the lawn, and not every lawn is free of obstacles by default. Regardless of whether you choose Honda or Husqvarna, you’ll be able to rest assured that your mower is equipped with the ability to navigate around obstacles and minimize damage should it happen to collide. Both systems also feature lift and tilt sensors that will stop the blades in their tracks should the mower be lifted — ensuring safety for you, your family, or anyone else who should happen to pick up your Miimo or Automower.
Another smart feature is the support for multiple starting points. Your mower is intelligent enough to know how to navigate your lawn from several different predetermined points. As long as you set it down in a supported area, your Automower or Miimo will be able to expertly navigate your lawn to ensure efficient coverage for your entire lawn. The multiple starting points allow your mower to orient itself effectively and cover every last inch of your yard.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that both the Honda Miimo and Husqvarna Automower are built to last, with weatherproofing that keeps your mower looking its best even through the harshest conditions. Rest assured that your new smart lawn mower will be chugging along for years to come.
Honda Miimo vs. Husqvarna Automower — Differences
- Difference #1: Technology – Perhaps the most notable difference between the Honda Miimo and Husqvarna Automower is the technology that backs each device.
With the Honda Miimo, there’s really no app control, so you’ll need to manually program the device. Because of the lack of smartphone support, there are a lot of smart features that just aren’t possible — holding it back from competing on an equal level with the Husqvarna Automower.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, the Automower actually has multiple ways that it can communicate with your phone — ranging from Bluetooth at home to cellular data that allows you to control your mower from wherever you can get online.
The basic models of Husqvarna Automower come with Automower Connect @ HOME, which is a bluetooth connection that allows you to control your mower from within a 10 meter radius. You’ll be able to easily send start, stop, and park commands, as well as adjust pretty much any setting from the palm of your hand. The only downside is that you’ll need to be at home in order to give commands because of the limited range with Bluetooth.
More advanced Husqvarna mowers feature Automower Connect, which comes with a 10 year mobile data contract. Since your mower will be able to communicate cellularly, you can issue commands from wherever you happen to be as long as you have reception. Start your mower up on the way home from work, or make sure it’s turned off while you’re on vacation; with full control whether you’re a few feet or hundreds of miles away, you’ll never have to worry about not having access to your Husqvarna mower. Automower Connect is standard on the X-Series, and is available as an optional add-on for all 300-400 series models.
Another technology advantage that the Automower has is its ability to support multiple profiles. Share the magic of Husqvarna mowers with your friends by allowing them to set up their own profiles with their own settings. Switching between settings is as simple as selecting the appropriate profile from the app, allowing your mower to adjust on the fly to load the map and preferences for wherever it happens to be.
Certain Husqvarna mowers also feature GPS-assisted navigation, which makes it easier for your mower to navigate complicated lawns. It will always know the areas of ground it has covered, and will dynamically adjust to ensure even coverage of your entire property. That same GPS feature allows for tracking in the case of theft, so you’ll never have to worry about being in the dark regarding your new smart mower’s location.
Long story short, the Miimo is missing some key features that come standard on the Automower. In terms of “smart” technology, the Automower definitely comes out on top.
- Difference #2: Working Area Capacity – Before you make the decision to buy, you’ll want to make sure that your mower has adequate working area capacity to cover the entirety of your lawn. Buying a mower that leaves certain areas uncut due to its limitations is going to be a major waste of money, and buying one with a range that’s completely overkill could be hard on the wallet.
The Honda Miimo offers the HRM310 that covers up to 0.37 acres, and the HRM520, which covers up to 0.75. This is perfect for small to mid-range lawns, but those with bigger properties will find that the Miimo doesn’t quite cut it (both literally and figuratively!).
The Husqvarna Automower line has far more models to offer, and with more models comes more options for coverage. The 310 is the perfect option for small lawns, covering 0.25 acres. Bump your model up to the 315 vs. 315x and you’ll be able to cover 0.4, and the 430x model can cover twice that area at 0.8 acres. For very large lawns, the 450x model has an impressive working area capacity of 1.25 acres.
Overall, the Husqvarna line has more options on both ends of the spectrum, allowing you to choose a model that is perfectly suited to your yard.
- Difference #3: Slopes Management – Not every lawn is perfectly flat, and it’s important that you have a mower that can handle slopes if you happen to have hills on your property. Both lawn mowers have the ability to handle slopes, although they do differ in their capabilities.
The Honda Miimo can handle complex lawns with ease — mowing on slopes as steep as 25 degrees. It will also navigate easily around features like ponds, flower beds, narrow passages, trees, swimming pools and more, ensuring that only your grass gets cut with no other property damage.
The Husqvarna Automower has slightly less impressive slope management on its lower-end 310, 315, and 315x models. However, the 430x and 450x models have the same 25 degree slope capabilities as the Honda Miimo. The large coarse-tread wheels also make for excellent traction even if the surface is slippery, allowing the mower to handle slopes with ease.
Ultimately, the Honda Miimo is a little bit better of a model when it comes to slope management, although the difference is negligible between the two brands — and even non-existent should you opt for the high-end Husqvarna models.
- Difference #4: Guide Wire – The primary way that the mowers find their way back to the charging station is by using guide wires.
The Honda Miimo and Husqvarna 310, 315, and 315x models have one guide wire which provides reasonable accuracy when the mowers seek out the charger. The higher-end Husqvarna models like the 430x have two guide wires, however, and the 450x model has three. The extra guide wires decrease searching times for the station, and this benefit is quite noticeable on larger and more complex lawns.
For small, simple yards, you’re probably not going to notice the drawbacks of a single guide wire. For sprawling landscapes and those with a lot of obstacles to navigate, the high-end Automowers will definitely demonstrate an advantage.
- Difference #5: Weather Timer – Since the Honda Miimo doesn’t have a ton of smart technology built in, it’s not capable of handling advanced smart features analogous to the Husqvarna Automower’s Weather Timer.
The Weather Timer is a unique utility that allows your mower to adjust its schedule as needed to match your lawn’s growth rate. During rainy weather and optimal temperatures, your grass will grow quickly and require extra trimming. Conversely, dry spells and harsh heat or cold will lead to a slower rate overall. With the Weather Timer capability, you can save time and money when your grass doesn’t need a trim, and give your grass extra attention when it desperately does.
- Difference #6: Mow Time on One Charge – Another pretty significant disparity between the Honda Miimo and Husqvarna Automower is their mow time on a single charge.
The Honda Miimo’s run time ranges from 30 minutes with the HRM310 model, to 60 minutes on the HR520. This may seem adequate, but it pales in comparison to the Husqvarna mowers.
The Automower line offers a 70 minute charge on the low end with their 310, 315, and 315x models, which is already better than the best Honda has to offer. The 430x, however, has a 145 minute charge, and the 450x has a whopping 290 minute run time.
It’s safe to say that the limitations of the Honda Miimo will start to show on larger lawns, while the Husqvarna Automower is nearly-guaranteed to keep chugging along until each inch of your yard is perfectly manicured.
- Difference #7: Cut Features – While both mowers do an admirable job of keeping your lawn trimmed to perfection, there are some different cutting features that set the mowers apart from one other.
In terms of similarities, both the Honda Miimo and Husqvarna Automower feature spiral cutting. Essentially, if your smart lower encounters a long area of grass, it will automatically cut in a spiral pattern in order to trim things down to size and ensure an even cut. After cutting down the long grass, it will switch back to its normal blade pattern until it encounters an uneven patch again. Just keep in mind that with Husqvarna models, the 450x does not feature the spiral cutting capabilities.
Outside of the spiral cutting, both mowers offer a unique feature.
The Honda Miimo will cut along the guide wire at the edge of your lawn twice a week. This cool perk ensures that the borders of your lawn are kept in check and makes sure that no hard-to-reach spots are left unaddressed.
Even Husqvarna model except the 310 has a spot cutting feature. This allows you to place your mower in an area of longer grass and select a specific mode that will prompt the device to mow in tight spirals — quickly cutting the patch down to the appropriate level.
It’s difficult to say which model has the better cut features as they both tackle different problems. It’s really going to come down to the types of benefits you’re looking for from your new mower.
Honda Miimo vs. Husqvarna Automower — Accessories
Accessories for your Honda Miimo or Husqvarna Automower are optional, but they can add some extra convenience to your mower and keep it running in optimal conditions.
For the Honda Miimo, there’s always the option to purchase should you suspect that they’re started to dull.
The Husqvarna Automower has a number of accessories that, while optional, all help to make owning the device a more convenient experience.
Since Automower Connect doesn’t come standard on non-X-Series models, you can always purchase the data plan for $224.95. It’s definitely an investment, but may be worth the cost if you’d like to control your mower while away from home.
Also worth looking into is the Husqvarna Installation Kit to make getting your system set up a breeze. However, if you don’t want to handle installation yourself, Expert Installation from Amazon is always another option.
When it comes to keeping your Automower in tip-top shape, it doesn’t get much better than the Automower 400 Series House Kit. It’s simple to install over the top of your mower, and it adds in some additional weather protection and sun damage resistance.
Last but not least, the Husqvarna Automower Wall Hanger is the perfect storage solution for those of us with limited space.
Honda Miimo vs. Husqvarna Automower — Our Thoughts
Ultimately, we feel that the Husqvarna Automower is the superior choice. It has many more smart features due to the convenient app control through Bluetooth or Cellular connections, and the product family offers many more options for work area capacity.
There are also more choices when it comes to slope management, cut features, guide wires, and more — largely due to the fact that there are so many more models to choose from in the Husqvarna line.
While the Miimo is certainly competitive with some of the lower-end Husqvarna mowers, it really starts to fall behind in a number of areas. The lower run time on a single charge is definitely a concern, and the fact that you have to manually program schedules and can’t control the device from an app is a definite detractor.
Both mowers will give you an excellent cut and are effective in their own right, but the Husqvarna Automower line as a whole definitely outclasses Honda.
Last update on 2024-04-18 at 21:17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
good evening, can you please tell me if better husquarna 310 or viking 422p? thank you
Hi Alessandro!
Husqvarna is pretty good, although we haven’t tried Viking yet. So, it’s totally up to you!
Whichever you decide to go with, let us know about your experience — it might help other readers make a good choice! 🙂
Hi.
You forgot the IP5 secured and Bluetooth operated Honda Miimo 3000, which compete with the bigger Automovers.