Pion 1000
Limited evidenceRead the findings →Anthbot's older boundary-wire mower, which maps its route and cuts in rows rather than at random. It suits lawns under heavy tree cover. It's sold out on Anthbot's own stores, so stock and spares are a real worry.
Updated
Check the manufacturer’s site for current availability.
Where it sits in Anthbot’s range
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What we know
Most of what we know comes from Anthbot's product page: a boundary wire of up to 180 metres, a live map in the app and rows instead of random wandering. RobotMower.Info gives a short verdict, calling it a fairly standard wired mower with a basic app that's good value, but it doesn't describe any testing, so we don't count it as a review. The bigger practical issue is that it's an older model the brand has moved on from.
RobotMower.Info, hands-on (A short verdict that doesn't describe any testing)
A wire you have to lay
The Pion needs a boundary wire round the lawn, and Anthbot limits it to 180 metres per charging station. On uneven grass that covers only about 600m², well short of the 1,000m² headline. For a bigger area you buy a second charging station and more wire. The upside is that it doesn't need a view of the sky, so it suits gardens under heavy tree cover where satellite mowers struggle.
Mows in rows, not at random
Most wired mowers wander at random. Anthbot says the Pion uses its wire to pin down its position, so it can build a map in the app, show its progress and cut in a criss-cross grid. It claims about 90m² an hour, three times the rate of similar wired mowers, and says it picks up where it left off after an interruption.
Adjusts itself, stops for debris
According to Anthbot, the Pion raises or lowers its cutting height between 30 and 70mm and changes blade speed to suit the grass. It says it can spot objects smaller than 5cm and stop the blades to protect them. There's also a spot-mowing mode that clears a circle of about 7m² around the mower. The wire has break detection, so the app tells you roughly where a cut wire is.
An older model, now sold out
The Pion was on sale before Anthbot launched its wire-free Genie, and RobotMower.Info notes the company's focus has moved to the newer range. When we checked, it was listed but sold out on Anthbot's US, European and German stores. Check stock, warranty and spare parts before you buy one elsewhere.
What's not checked yet
Nobody independent has fully tested the Pion, and RobotMower.Info's short verdict doesn't describe any testing. So these are still open: how accurate the live map is, whether it really cuts three times faster than other wired mowers, how well it copes with uneven grass, whether it spots and stops for small objects as Anthbot says, and how long Anthbot will keep supporting it.
Our take
Should you buy the Pion 1000?
Best for: Lawns divided by beds and passages, with a boundary wire installed. Skip it if: You want a mower with independent tests of this exact version.
only if you can find one in stock and would rather lay a wire than rely on satellites, for instance under heavy tree cover. Otherwise a tested wired mower such as the GARDENA SILENO minimo, or Anthbot's own Genie if your lawn can see the sky, is the better bet.
The Pion 1000 is Anthbot's older mower and works with a boundary wire, up to 180 metres of it. Unlike most wired mowers it uses that wire to work out where it is, so it draws a live map in the app and cuts in a grid instead of bouncing about at random. Anthbot says that makes it about three times quicker than similar wired mowers.
RobotMower.Info gives a short verdict, calling it a fairly standard wired mower with a basic app and good value, and everything else comes from Anthbot. Anthbot cuts the rated area to 600m² on uneven grass. The wire has to be pegged or buried, and changing the layout means moving it. It's sold out on every Anthbot store checked, and the brand's attention has moved to its wire-free models.
Where to buy
Where to buy the Pion 1000 in United Kingdom
No United Kingdom price checked in the last 21 days. We re-check daily.
We’re still looking for more United Kingdom retailers for this model.
Price-drop alert
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Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
Yes. You lay up to 180 metres of wire round the lawn, per the specifications. The mower uses that wire both to stay on the lawn and to work out where it is, and it alerts you in the app if the wire breaks.
Will it cope with my slope?
Anthbot claims 45% (24°) slopes, per the specifications. Nobody has tested that independently, and Anthbot itself cuts the rated lawn area on uneven grass, so be cautious with steep or bumpy gardens.
Can it handle two lawns or a narrow passage?
Only within the wire. Anthbot says a larger area needs an extra charging station and more boundary wire, per the specifications. The maker's page doesn't give a minimum passage width.
What happens when it rains?
A rain sensor on top stops mowing and sends it back to charge, per the specifications. Anthbot says it picks up its last route again once the weather clears.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
SILENO minimo 500
Why consider it: A tested wired mower for small lawns, and Clubic found it compact and very quiet.
The compromise: You have to plan and lay boundary and guide wires, and it's controlled over Bluetooth only.
EasiLife Go 500
Why consider it: Gardeners' World found quiet, even mowing on a small, simple lawn, with a basic but usable app.
The compromise: Gardeners' World found the guide-wire connections fiddly, and changing the cutting height needs a hex key.
E15 Robot Lawn Mower
Why consider it: Wire-free and camera-guided, and one owner was ready to mow in about ten minutes.
The compromise: A long-term owner had a faulty cutting-height mechanism that caused overheating until the mower was replaced.
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 Pion 1000?
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
- RobotMower.Info: RobotMower.Info reviews the Anthbot Pion 1000 ↗Hands-on · A short verdict that doesn't describe any testing (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
Sources
- Anthbot: Pion 1000 product page (US) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for Anthbot Pion 1000 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.