EyePilot ZeroTrim KR271E
Limited evidenceRead the findings →A Kress EyePilot mower with satellite guidance, edge cutting and built-in mobile data. It's aimed at larger lawns beyond Wi-Fi range. Trees and buildings can still block its satellite signal, so get your dealer to check your garden first.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Kress’s range
- EyePilot ZeroTrim KR260EZeroTrim on Wi-Fi only, for up to 700m²
- EyePilot KR250EEyePilot without ZeroTrim, for up to 500m²
- EyePilot ZeroTrim KR271EThis model
- EyePilot 4x4 KR280EFour-wheel drive for steep lawns up to 800m²
- Kress EyePilot 4x4 KR285EFour-wheel-drive EyePilot for lawns up to 5,000m²
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What we know
Most of what we know comes from Kress, which documents its positioning, ZeroTrim edge cutting and built-in 4G, and admits trees and buildings can still affect satellite reception. An installer on Installer on PistonHeads reports early camera oversensitivity across the new Kress range, since fixed by a software update, and no positioning trouble where coverage was checked before sale. The same installer called the new app a step backwards that was still being improved.
No aerial, but coverage still matters
According to Kress, the mower gets its satellite corrections over the internet from Kress's own network of permanent base stations, so there's nothing to fix in the garden. Kress also admits trees and buildings can still block satellite signals, and then the camera, motion sensors and wheel tracking carry it through. An installer on Installer on PistonHeads reports no positioning problems wherever coverage had been checked before the sale, so ask your dealer to check your garden first.
Early camera trouble, since patched
An installer on Installer on PistonHeads, with about 50 of the new Kress mowers fitted in April, said the biggest problem was a camera that was too sensitive. Some mowers turned back at ramps, treating them as walls. A software update sorted that, they said, though the new app was a step backwards and still being improved. They didn't break this down by model, so take it as context for the range, not a verdict on this mower.
ZeroTrim and built-in 4G
Kress says ZeroTrim cuts precisely to the edge, reducing follow-up trimming, and that built-in 4G keeps it connected where home Wi-Fi doesn't reach, with a SIM and data service included at no extra fee. Both matter on a lawn this size. The 4G is the big step up from the KR260E, which also has ZeroTrim but relies on home Wi-Fi.
What's not checked yet
Kress quotes up to 1,500m² a day, slopes to 40%, 58 dB and a self-levelling blade disc that copes with dense grass. Nobody independent has checked any of it yet, so these are the open questions: how good the finish is, how narrow a strip ZeroTrim leaves at the border over a season, whether it gets through shaded side passages without help, how much remapping it needs, and how the app behaves day to day.
Our take
Should you buy the EyePilot ZeroTrim KR271E?
Best for: Open lawns with little tree cover. Skip it if: Your dealer cannot confirm it can find its way around your whole lawn.
have a dealer check satellite coverage before buying it for a lawn beyond Wi-Fi range. The Ecovacs GOAT A1600 RTK and STIGA A 1000 are tested mowers at this size.
The KR271E sits above the KR260E in Kress's two-wheel-drive EyePilot range. It keeps the satellite positioning corrected over the internet from Kress's own base stations, the camera for trees and obstacles, and ZeroTrim edge cutting. Over the KR260E it adds built-in 4G with the SIM and data included, a wider cut, electric height adjustment and a rating for lawns up to 1,500 square metres.
Built-in 4G means it doesn't rely on your Wi-Fi reaching the far end of a bigger lawn. Kress admits trees and buildings can still block satellite signals, so get your dealer to check coverage across your garden first. An installer on PistonHeads reports early camera oversensitivity across the new range, since fixed by a software update.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
No. It uses satellite positioning corrected by Kress's own base-station network, plus a camera, so there's no wire and no aerial to fit the specifications. Kress says mapping can be automatic, assisted or drawn in the app.
Does it need a clear view of the sky?
Mostly. Kress says trees and buildings can still block satellite signals, and the camera, motion sensors and wheel tracking take over for short stretches. An installer on Installer on PistonHeads had no positioning problems where coverage was checked before the sale, so ask your dealer to check your garden.
Do I have to pay a subscription for 4G or anti-theft?
Not according to Kress. Kress says the KR271E comes with an embedded SIM and active data service included, with no additional fees, so it stays connected, updated and trackable. It doesn't spell out how long that lasts, so check the terms with your dealer.
How close does it cut to the edge?
Kress says ZeroTrim cuts precisely to the edge and cuts down on hand trimming the specifications. None of the reviews we use has tested it yet, so there's no measured gap along walls or beds. Ask a dealer to show you before you buy.
Will it cope with my slope?
Kress rates it for slopes up to 40% the specifications, the same as its smaller EyePilot siblings. None of the reviews we use has tested that figure. For steep ground, Kress rates the four-wheel-drive KR280E for 84%.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
GOAT A1600 RTK
Why consider it: A fast satellite-guided mower for lawns up to 1,600m², and both testers found it quick and neat.
The compromise: It leaves uncut strips where plants hang over the edges.
A 1000
Why consider it: Satellite-guided with no wire for lawns up to 1,400m², and two tests found a precise, even cut.
The compromise: It has no camera and struggles with obstacles.
Automower 310E NERA
Why consider it: A second blade disc trims close to the edges on lawns up to 1,500m², and testers loved the finish.
The compromise: It has no camera, so it runs over small objects instead of avoiding them.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the EyePilot ZeroTrim KR271E?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Sources
Videos
- Kress KR271E lawn stress test ↗
- Search YouTube for Kress EyePilot ZeroTrim KR271E ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.