RockMow Z1
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →Roborock's heavy-duty four-wheel-drive flagship mower for big, hilly or cluttered gardens. Almost nothing stops it, so it suits gardens where cheaper mowers keep getting stuck. It's bulky, though, and proper edge cutting needs a paid add-on.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Roborock’s range
Feedback
What reviewers found
Two home tests of the satellite-guided Z1: T3 with the biggest Z150 over a few weeks, and Senses with a Z1 in Sweden. They agree on nearly everything. Both were impressed by the build, the grip on slopes and rough ground, and the even cut. Both found obstacle avoidance reliable but over-cautious, both felt the edge module should be included at this price, and Senses felt the software was still unfinished. Neither found a garden it couldn't handle.
T3, hands-on, A few weeks, Jul 2026 · Senses, hands-on, Jun 2026
Cut quality and edges
Mixed resultsAcross the lawn the cut is even: T3 found it clean and consistent and Senses called it even and fine. Borders are the catch, with about 10cm left in both tests unless you buy the PreciEdge module.
Setup and boundaries
Reviewers rate it highlyT3 went from box to first mow in about half an hour, driving the boundary by hand in the app. Senses found installation smooth, with Wi-Fi needed only for setup; its aerial needs open sky away from walls and trees.
Navigation
Reviewers rate it highlyNeither tester found a garden it couldn't handle. T3 set up zones and passages between lawns, and Senses found it reliable, though passages between zones needed at least a metre, not the claimed 80cm.
Slopes and rough ground
Reviewers rate it highlyThis is why you'd buy it. Senses struggled to find anything in its garden that stopped it, and T3 saw it power up slopes and over uneven ground without scuffing the grass. Neither measured the slope limit.
Obstacles and safety
Reviewers rate it highlyT3 saw it avoid garden furniture and plant pots, and Senses found it rounded slippers, toys and hoses almost perfectly. Both found it overcautious, leaving more grass standing around objects than expected.
Weather
Not enough evidenceNo review we use reported how it behaved in actual rain. T3 and Senses both describe its rain sensor sending it back to the dock.
App and software
Reviewers rate it highlyBoth liked the app: T3 found it clean and intuitive, with changes taking effect mid-mow, and Senses found it easy to understand. Senses notes some promised features, like pattern mowing, arrived late.
Upkeep
Not enough evidenceNo review we use has reported on cleaning or blade changes yet.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNo review we use has run it long-term or judged Roborock's support. Both praised the build quality.
Value
Mixed resultsBoth call it a lot of money, worth it only for a big, hilly or cluttered garden where cheaper mowers give up. T3 and Senses both felt the edge module should be included at this price.
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
Very hard to get stuck
This is why you'd buy it. Senses had real trouble finding anything in its garden that stopped it, crediting the four-wheel drive, steering front wheels and sprung rear. T3 found it powered up slopes and over uneven ground without pausing, and turned tightly without scuffing the grass. Neither measured the 80% slope claim. If your lawn is steep, bumpy or full of roots and other mowers give up, this is the one to look at.
Careful round obstacles, maybe too careful
T3 saw it spot and avoid garden furniture and plant pots, and Senses found it rounded slippers, toys and hoses almost perfectly. Both had the same complaint, though: it gives objects such a wide berth that more grass is left standing around them than you'd expect. That's still better than running over a hose. A front light lets the cameras work after dark, Senses found, so night mowing is an option.
Borders need the add-on
Without the PreciEdge module, both T3 and Senses saw about a 10cm strip left along borders. With it fitted, Senses found that dropped to roughly 3cm, but found the mower a little less nimble and able to climb only 5cm obstacles instead of 8cm. Both felt it should come in the box at this price. If you hate strimming, count the module in your budget.
Software still catching up
T3 couldn't find automatic mapping and drove the edges by hand in the app, which worked fine. Senses saw AI mapping arrive during its test and found it decent, though a manual lap was still more precise. It also found pattern mowing delayed, and passages between zones needing at least a metre, not the claimed 80cm. Both liked the app itself. Judge it on what it does now, not on promised features.
Big, heavy and a mulcher
At around 21kg, T3 found it bulky, hard to carry and a poor fit for compact gardens. It mulches rather than collecting clippings, so after a long gap between cuts T3 ended up raking. The big Z150 battery covered its garden on one charge. Senses needed Wi-Fi only for setup, using 4G after that, and liked the anti-theft alarm, PIN and tracking.
Covers the satellite-guided RockMow Z1 in its three battery sizes. T3 tested the Z150. The Z1 LiDAR is a different model with its own page.
Our take
Should you buy the RockMow Z1?
Best for: Large lawns with slopes or rough ground. Skip it if: Your lawn is small and flat, with no need for extra grip.
buy it for a large, steep or lumpy garden where cheaper mowers keep getting stuck, and count the edge module in your budget. For a small or flat lawn the RockMow S1 makes more sense, and if trees shade the lawn, the Z1 LiDAR needs no aerial.
The RockMow Z1 is the flagship of Roborock's garden range, with drive to all four wheels, steering at the front and springs at the back, so it's rated for steep slopes and 8cm bumps. It steers by satellite with an aerial you put up in the garden, and four cameras watch for things in its path. Three sizes, the Z115, Z130 and Z150, differ only in battery. It mulches rather than collecting clippings, and the PreciEdge edge module costs extra.
Both testers struggled to find anything that stopped it. Senses had real trouble finding an obstacle in its garden that held it up, and T3 saw it power up slopes and over rough ground without scuffing the grass. Both found the cut even, and both found obstacle avoidance reliable but overcautious, leaving more grass round slippers, pots and hoses than expected. Edges still need attention: both saw about 10cm left uncut without the PreciEdge module, and both felt it should be in the box at this price. With the module fitted, Senses found the gap shrank but the mower climbed less. T3 couldn't find automatic mapping and drove the edges by hand, and Senses saw promised features such as pattern mowing arrive late. T3 found it bulky at around twenty-one kilos and ended up raking after a long gap between cuts.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
No wire, but it does need a satellite aerial in the garden, per the specifications. Senses says the aerial needs open sky, at least two metres from walls and trees, and comes with a long cable. It also reports Roborock trialling network-based positioning that drops the aerial.
Will it cope with my slope?
It's rated for 80% slopes and 8cm obstacles, per the specifications. T3 and Senses found it powered up slopes and over rough ground without getting stuck, though neither measured the limit. Fitting the edge module drops obstacle clearance to 5cm, Senses found.
How close does it cut to the edge?
About 10cm from the border as standard, according to both T3 and Senses. The optional PreciEdge module brings that down to roughly 3cm in Senses's test, but it costs extra and makes the mower slightly less agile.
Can it handle two lawns or a narrow passage?
You can set up zones and paths between them in the app, T3 found. Roborock claims it fits through 80cm gaps, per the specifications, but Senses found it needed at least a metre, so measure narrow side passages first.
Is there a subscription for 4G or anti-theft?
4G is built in, and both T3 and Senses say three years of data are included. After setup it can run without Wi-Fi. Anti-theft means a PIN, a loud lift alarm and 4G tracking, and T3 notes Apple Find My support.
What happens when it rains?
It's rated IPX6, so it can be hosed down, per the specifications. T3 and Senses both found a rain sensor that sends it back to the dock, and it resumes once things dry out.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
LUBA 3 AWD
Why consider it: Another all-wheel-drive mower for big, awkward lawns, and testers praised both its cut and how it handles complicated ground.
The compromise: It's heavy and expensive too, and can scuff soft ground when it turns.
X4 series
Why consider it: Four-wheel drive, a 43cm deck and an 84% slope rating make it the nearest heavy-duty rival.
The compromise: Owner feedback so far covers only a handful of mows, so long-term reliability is still unproven.
Automower 435X AWD NERA
Why consider it: All-wheel drive and an articulated body for slopes up to 70%, on Husqvarna's figures, across up to 5,000m².
The compromise: Owner evidence is thin, and one had repeated errors in a heatwave until mowing moved to cooler hours.
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 RockMow Z1?
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
Editorial reviews
- T3: Roborock RockMow Z1 review (Z150) ↗Hands-on, A few weeks
- Senses: Review: Roborock RockMow Z1 ↗8 / 10Hands-on
Sources
Videos
- Ntech: Roborock Finally Fixed the RockMow Z1? New Update Tested ↗
- Search YouTube for Roborock RockMow Z1 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.