Automower 305E NERA
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →Husqvarna's smallest wire-free Automower, steering by satellite. It leaves a superb finish, edges included, on open lawns. But it needs clear sky and Wi-Fi across the whole lawn, and it finds obstacles by bumping into them.
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Where it sits in Husqvarna’s range
Feedback
What reviewers found
Two proper home tests, with very different verdicts. Expert Reviews had a dealer install it under open sky and gave it a Best Buy. TechRadar set it up alone in a garden flanked by tall beech trees, struggled with satellite reception and the app, and gave it low marks for value, performance and software. Both loved the cut and the edge trimming, so the gap between them is mostly about installation and sky view, not the mowing itself.
Expert Reviews, hands-on, Apr 2025 · TechRadar, hands-on, Sept 2025
Cut quality and edges
Reviewers rate it highlyExpert Reviews called it one of the best cutters it had seen, with the most impressive edge trimming yet, and TechRadar got neat parallel stripes and edges that work well, provided the map runs tight to the border.
Setup and boundaries
Mixed resultsIt depends who installs it. A dealer made it the easiest setup Expert Reviews had seen, while TechRadar, doing it alone, found mapping by waypoints far more complicated than other wire-free mowers and editing borders painful.
Navigation
Mixed resultsUnder open sky, Expert Reviews found the satellite guidance precise to the millimetre. Beside tall trees, TechRadar had it slow to find satellites, with problems on some cuts, and saw it start each job haphazardly before settling into rows.
Slopes and rough ground
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use tested it on a steep slope, as neither test garden was steep.
Obstacles and safety
Not enough evidenceOnly TechRadar judged obstacles: with no camera, it bumps into things and can run over light toys, so it wouldn't recommend it round young children or pets. Expert Reviews didn't cover this.
Weather
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has tested it in the rain or on wet grass yet.
App and software
Mixed resultsExpert Reviews found the map easy to adjust and liked setting cutting height from the phone. TechRadar found the app not very user-friendly, with fiddly waypoint editing and heights shown only in inches.
Upkeep
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has covered blade changes or cleaning yet. Expert Reviews notes dealer servicing costs around £180 a time.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has run it long-term. Expert Reviews praised the dealer who installed it, but no other review we use judged Husqvarna's support.
Value
Mixed resultsExpert Reviews found it expensive but the best robot mower you can buy if money is no object. TechRadar rated it poorly on value, given the high price and the complexity of the system.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
A superb cut, right to the edge
Expert Reviews called it one of the best cutters its reviewer had seen, with the most impressive edge trimming they'd come across. TechRadar agreed on the finish: neat parallel stripes, and a rear edge disc that works really well, but only if the lawn has been mapped very close to the border. The edging is only as good as the map, so make sure whoever installs it traces your borders tightly.
Trees and Wi-Fi decide everything
TechRadar's garden has tall trees on two sides, including two very tall beeches. The mower was slow to find satellites and managed at least five full cuts out of eight without major problems, while rival mowers in the same garden ran fine. The reviewer suspects an installer would have fitted a wall-mounted reference station. Expert Reviews stresses the need for a clear view of the sky, with a temporary wire for blind spots. If your lawn is shaded, get a site survey first.
Setting it up yourself is hard work
TechRadar found it far more complicated to set up than other wire-free mowers it has tested. Mapping meant dropping lots of waypoints, and the mower was awkward to steer in a straight line. Editing borders afterwards was, in the reviewer's words, a world of pain, so they suggest checking every border before the installer leaves. Expert Reviews had a dealer do the work, though it notes that fitting the satellite module yourself isn't beyond a keen amateur.
No camera, so it bumps
There's no camera on board. TechRadar found it simply drives into obstacles and turns once the front bumper is pressed, and wouldn't recommend it where young children or pets are running around. Expert Reviews doesn't discuss obstacles at all, so nothing contradicts that. Tidy the lawn before it runs, and schedule it for when nobody's playing on the grass.
Short runs, frequent top-ups
Husqvarna quotes about 50 minutes of mowing per charge, and Expert Reviews saw it head back to charge after roughly that long and pick up again later. TechRadar noticed it returning with about a third of its battery left, waiting around 15 minutes, then finishing its 185m² lawn. On a lawn near the 900m² limit, expect plenty of trips back to the charger. That's fine if you set a generous schedule and leave it to get on with it.
Our take
Should you buy the Automower 305E NERA?
Best for: Open lawns with little tree cover. Skip it if: Wi-Fi does not reach all parts of your lawn.
buy it if your lawn is open to the sky, your Wi-Fi reaches every corner and a dealer sets it up. The camera-equipped 405VE NERA is better at spotting objects, but keep children and pets off the lawn while either mower runs.
The 305E NERA is the entry to Husqvarna's wire-free range, rated for lawns up to 900m². It works out where it is by satellite, with correction data sent over your home Wi-Fi, so you draw the lawn's edges in the app rather than burying a cable. A second, smaller blade disc at the back trims right up to the border. There is no camera.
Both testers loved the finish. Expert Reviews called it one of the best cutters it had seen, with the most impressive edge trimming yet, and gave it a Best Buy after a dealer installed it under open sky. TechRadar set it up alone in a garden flanked by tall beech trees and had a much rougher time. It found mapping by waypoints far more complicated than other wire-free mowers, the mower slow to find satellites, and several of its cuts ran into problems, while rival mowers in the same garden ran fine. TechRadar also found it simply drives into things and can run over light toys, so it would not recommend it round young children or pets. Expert Reviews thought it the best mower money can buy, TechRadar rated its value poorly.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
No. It uses virtual boundaries drawn in the app, though it can also run on a perimeter wire, per the specifications. Expert Reviews notes that a short temporary wire can bridge spots where buildings or trees block the satellites.
Does it need a clear view of the sky?
Yes, more than most. TechRadar had repeated trouble finding satellites beside tall trees, while Expert Reviews, under open sky, didn't. Husqvarna also sells a separate reference station for tricky gardens. If your lawn is shaded, ask a dealer to check the site before you commit.
How close does it cut to the edge?
Very close, thanks to a small second blade disc at the back. Expert Reviews rated the edge trimming the best it had seen, and TechRadar agreed it works well, provided the map runs tight to the border. A loosely drawn map leaves a strip.
Will it cope with my slope?
Husqvarna rates it for 30% inside the lawn and 20% along the boundary, per the specifications. Neither test garden was steep, so those limits haven't been checked independently. For a steep bank, look at a model rated higher rather than hoping it copes.
Is there a subscription for 4G or anti-theft?
Husqvarna says the satellite correction data comes over the internet at no extra cost, but you need Wi-Fi across the whole lawn, per the specifications. A cellular kit is optional and dealer-fitted. There's a GeoFence alarm and PIN code, but no GPS theft tracking on this model.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
Automower 405VE NERA
Why consider it: Same 900m² class with a camera, and a three-month test needed remarkably little help and left tidy edges.
The compromise: That tester still had reception trouble under thicker foliage and on steep banks, and found the app less polished than the hardware.
Automower 310E NERA
Why consider it: The same design for lawns up to 1,500m², and a Husqvarna-installed test found an attractive cut with neat edges.
The compromise: It ran over small objects, and a map glitch interrupted otherwise capable mowing.
LUBA mini 2 AWD 1000
Why consider it: Its side edge disc cut much of the grass other mowers leave along borders, and there's no wire or antenna to install.
The compromise: The tested app and a fixed edge-cutting height set some practical limits.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
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Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
Sources
Videos
- Husqvarna: Husqvarna Automower® 305E NERA / 310E NERA with wire free technology - Features and benefits ↗
- Husqvarna: Husqvarna Automower® 305E NERA EdgeCut ↗
- Search YouTube for Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.