A 1000
STIGA's mid-sized satellite-guided mower for lawns up to 1,400m², with no boundary wire. Two tests, one of it and one of its bigger twin, found a precise, even cut, but it has no camera and struggles with obstacles.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
The short version
The A 1000 sits in the middle of STIGA's original wire-free A range, between the A 750 and the A 1500. It finds its way by satellite, with a reference aerial in the garden and a 4G link to STIGA's servers, and mows in planned stripes rather than at random. STIGA rates it for lawns up to 1,400m², seven zones and 45% slopes, and you set the cutting height in the app. STIGA includes the 4G connection at no extra cost.
The trade-off is that it senses obstacles only by bumping into them. There's no camera, so hoses, toys and garden tools on the lawn are at risk. It cuts a fairly narrow 18cm strip, and the app is basic. STIGA's newer A Vista range adds a camera, and the A 1000 has disappeared from several of STIGA's European shops.
Our take: Worth considering if your lawn is open to the sky, usually kept clear and fairly regular in shape, and you want neat, planned stripes without laying a wire, especially at a clearance price. If children's toys or hoses are often left out, a mower with a camera is safer: STIGA's own A Vista range, or the Husqvarna Automower 310E NERA if you'd rather have a finer finish at the edges.
Where it sits in STIGA’s range
- A 750Smaller sibling for lawns up to about 900m²
- A 1000This model
- A Vista range (A 6v to A 140v)2026 range that adds a camera
- A 1500Next size up in the same wire-free range
- A 5000Large-lawn model in the same range
What reviewers found
Two home tests. PC-WELT ran the A 1000 itself, and Gardens Illustrated spent six weeks with a pre-production A 1500, which shares the A 1000's body, cutting deck and slope rating but has a battery twice the size. Both praised the cut and how little help it needed once set up. Both found obstacles a weak spot: it bumps, pushes or gets stuck rather than steering round. The A 1000's own battery life and its 1,400m² rating are untested, and nobody has tested the slope claim.
PC-WELT, hands-on, Jun 2024 (Translated from Swedish sister site M3) · Gardens Illustrated, hands-on, Six weeks, Jun 2023 (tested on the A 1500; Tested before launch on a pre-production unit)
Precise, even cut once set up
PC-WELT found the A 1000 a reliable helper that keeps the lawn in shape with only occasional intervention, and its optional pass along the lawn edges very precise. It sometimes got caught on large pebbles or overgrown plants, but usually freed itself. Gardens Illustrated was mightily impressed with the level and evenness of the A 1500's cut, and reckoned its lawn looked about 80 per cent better after six weeks. It worked best on a regular central lawn; a section with fruit trees looked too confusing for it.
No camera, so tidy up first
This is the biggest drawback. PC-WELT notes the A 1000 has neither a camera nor radar, and only reacts after hitting something by reversing and turning. Small objects were often pushed along, and low items such as hoses or tools lying flat were often run over, which risks the blades cutting a hose. Gardens Illustrated found the A 1500 tries to go round things left in its way but is likely to get stuck. Check the lawn before each run.
Setup and app take patience
The reference aerial needs a 120° view of open sky, and PC-WELT found its five-metre cable to the dock limiting, though longer cables are sold. Mapping by trolley or a laggy on-screen joystick took patience, and the app was hard to follow, with slow changes. Gardens Illustrated had a STIGA dealer do the setup in about an hour and found the app easy afterwards, though its pre-production unit once stopped and needed a full reset with STIGA's help.
PC-WELT tested the A 1000. Gardens Illustrated tested the A 1500, which shares the A 1000's body, deck, blades and 45% slope rating, with a 5Ah battery instead of 2.5Ah; it was a pre-production unit. Run time and lawn coverage on the A 1000's own smaller battery are untested.
Prices
Where to buy the A 1000 in Australia
Not sold in Australia. Switch market above, or see the alternatives below.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
No. It steers by satellite, using a reference aerial that comes in the box and a 4G link to STIGA's servers, per the specifications. You map the boundary by pulling it round on a trolley or steering it in the app, which PC-WELT found laggy.
Does it need a clear view of the sky?
Yes. PC-WELT says the reference aerial should have a 120° view of the sky, and its short cable to the dock can make siting it awkward. The app gives clear guidance on getting the best satellite coverage. There's no camera or laser to fall back on under trees.
Will it cope with my slope?
STIGA rates it for 45%, per the specifications, the same as the A 1500. PC-WELT found the two large rear wheels and small front wheels let it manoeuvre well, but neither it nor Gardens Illustrated tested a steep slope, so the rating is untested.
What happens when it rains?
It has rain sensors and an IPX5 rating, per the specifications. Gardens Illustrated left the A 1500, which shares its body, out through a couple of huge downpours without trouble, and cleaned it with a hosepipe.
Can it handle two lawns or a narrow passage?
It supports up to seven cutting zones and 50 no-go areas, and each session starts where the last finished, per the specifications. How much of a 1,400m² lawn it covers on its smaller battery is untested. Gardens Illustrated found the A 1500 best on regular shapes rather than nooks and corners.
How noisy is it for neighbours?
STIGA gives a guaranteed sound power level of 59dB(A) and a measured 57dB(A), per the specifications. Gardens Illustrated found the same-bodied A 1500 so quiet and unobtrusive it barely noticed it; PC-WELT didn't comment on the A 1000's noise.
Compare with
A Vista range (A 6v to A 140v)
STIGA's newer wire-free range adds a camera, and testers agree the cut is excellent.
The camera, the app and the setup all drew real complaints.
Automower 310E NERA
A satellite-guided mower for similar lawn sizes, with a second disc that trims close to the edges and a finish testers loved.
It also has no camera, so it runs over small objects instead of avoiding them.
i2 AWD
All-wheel drive and a camera for bumpy, sloping lawns up to 1,000m², usually with no aerial to fit.
You'll still need to strim the edges.
Full specifications
Figures come from the manufacturer’s product page unless a source is named. A blank means nobody we trust has confirmed it.
Owner reviews
Own a A 1000?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner reviews are shown separately from expert tests and never mixed into the score.
Sources
Everything cited on this page. Expert scores are shown as the reviewer gave them.
- PC-WELT: Stiga A 1000 im Test · 4 / 5Hands-on · Translated from Swedish sister site M3
- Gardens Illustrated: STIGA A 1500 Robot Lawn Mower: does it work? · 4 / 5Hands-on, Six weeks · Tested on the A 1500 · Tested before launch on a pre-production unit
- STIGA: A 1000 product page (UK)Manufacturer