GOAT A1600 LiDAR PRO
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →A laser-guided mower from the middle of Ecovacs's range, with a side string trimmer for the edges. It's quick and neat on fairly flat lawns with plenty of borders. It struggles on steep slopes and in narrow gaps.
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Where it sits in ECOVACS’s range
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What reviewers found
There are two independent German home tests. heise online ran it in a varied test garden with slopes, several zones and a narrow gap, and timed its mowing. SmartZone tested it on a 500m² garden. Both rate the cut and the edge trimming highly. They disagree sharply on obstacles: heise online saw hoses and toys avoided, while SmartZone had flat toys and hoses mowed over. heise online also hit real limits on steep slopes, kerbs and narrow gaps. A third test, by inside digital, was a paid partnership with Ecovacs.
heise online, hands-on, Sept 2026 · SmartZone, hands-on
Cut quality and edges
Reviewers rate it highlySmartZone called the cut excellent and the edge trimming the best it had tested, reaching about 5cm from walls. heise online also found little left along outer edges, though it kept 10 to 20cm from no-go zones and inside corners still need a strimmer.
Setup and boundaries
Mixed resultsheise online had it running in about 30 minutes with a well-guided app. Both testers drove the boundary by hand, and SmartZone found the mower imprecise and too quick to steer along uneven borders.
Navigation
Mixed resultsIt mows quickly in tidy, overlapping lanes, per SmartZone and heise online. But heise online found it couldn't pass a 70cm gap or climb 4 to 5cm kerbs between zones, and it skirted overhanging branches until told otherwise.
Slopes and rough ground
Not enough evidenceheise online saw slipping on a 30° bank, steeper than ECOVACS' claimed limit of about 27°, particularly across the slope or on wet grass, while SmartZone used a flatter garden. Measure your lawn and check the stricter installation limits around boundaries and drops.
Obstacles and safety
Mixed resultsThe testers disagree. heise online saw hoses, small balls, toys and hedgehogs avoided, while SmartZone had children's toys and garden hoses mowed over. Clear small things off the lawn first.
Weather
Not enough evidenceOnly heise online reported on wet conditions, finding it lost grip on wet slopes; the app offers a rain delay. No other review we use tested it in the rain.
App and software
Reviewers rate it highlyheise online found the app clear and functional, with zone editing, schedules and a camera view, though not made for tablets. SmartZone also found it clear and easy for beginners thanks to good tutorials.
Upkeep
Not enough evidenceOnly SmartZone covered upkeep, finding little dirt underneath and hardly any blade wear; a rinse and a wipe of the sensors was enough. No other review we use reported on it.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has run it long-term or judged Ecovacs's support.
Value
Reviewers rate it highlyheise online found it the fastest mower in its price class at around €1,000, and SmartZone called it an excellent mower at a price rivals can't match.
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
The best edge trimmer yet, mostly
SmartZone called its edge cut the best it had tested on a robot, reaching within 5cm of walls and paths on straight runs. heise online agreed that little grass is left along the outer edges, but found flaws: now and then it lost the edge and wandered inwards, or the trimmer stopped mid-run. Round no-go zones it kept 10 to 20cm away, so the trimmer missed them. Dense grass took two passes. Expect far less strimming, not none.
Quick, tidy mowing on flat ground
heise online timed it on a 240m² patch: 82 minutes at the slowest speed and 53 minutes at the fastest, which it calls the quickest in its price class. SmartZone called the cut excellent, with overlapping lanes leaving nothing standing. It got about 70 minutes per charge there and covered around 220m², less than Ecovacs claims, because of frequent turns. heise online notes that the higher speeds suit open lawns better than ones full of trees and beds.
Obstacles: the testers disagree
heise online found obstacle detection exemplary, with hoses, small balls, toys and even hedgehogs avoided, though it was sometimes overcautious round tall grass and dandelions. SmartZone had the opposite experience with flat things: sprinklers, chairs, stones and branches were fine, but children's toys and garden hoses were mowed over. Different objects and gardens may explain the gap. Until more testers report, clear hoses and small toys off the lawn first.
Slopes, kerbs and narrow gaps
ECOVACS claims a maximum slope of 50%, about 27°, per the specifications. heise online tried a steeper 30° bank, beyond that advertised limit: it climbed up and down but slipped when crossing the slope and on wet grass, sometimes scuffing the lawn. The same reviewer found it stopped by 4–5cm kerbs and a 70cm gap, where ECOVACS calls for a 90cm passage.
Setup, app and the loud trimmer
heise online had it running in about 30 minutes, though one trimmer screw needs a long screwdriver. Auto-mapping needs clear borders, so both testers drove the boundary by hand, which took SmartZone about 30 minutes for 500m². SmartZone found mowing settings apply to every zone at once and the body flexes, so lift it by the rear handle. Normal mowing is a quiet 62dB, but the trimmer reaches 82dB, per the specifications, and heise online suggests saving it for daytime.
Our take
Should you buy the GOAT A1600 LiDAR PRO?
Best for: Fairly flat lawns where trimming the borders is the main chore. Skip it if: Your lawn is steep, soft or full of bumps.
buy it for a fairly flat lawn with plenty of borders, where strimming is the chore you most want gone. For steep banks the Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD 1000 grips better, and for smaller lawns or tight passages the GOAT O1200 LiDAR PRO does the same job in a narrower body.
The A1600 sits in the middle of Ecovacs's 2026 laser-guided mowers, between the smaller O1200 and the bigger A3000. It steers with laser scanners and a camera, so there's no wire to bury and no satellite aerial to put up. The headline is a side string trimmer that follows the lawn edge. It shares the A3000's deck and trimmer but has a smaller battery, so it's rated for less lawn. Don't mix it up with last year's satellite-guided A1600, which had no trimmer.
SmartZone called the cut excellent and the edge trimming the best it had tested, reaching within about 5cm of walls. heise online agreed that little grass is left along outer edges, but found the trimmer sometimes lost the edge or stopped mid-run, and it kept its distance from no-go zones. heise online also timed it as the quickest mower in its price class. Obstacles split them: heise online saw hoses, toys and hedgehogs avoided, while SmartZone had children's toys and garden hoses mowed over. heise online found it slid when mowing across a steep bank or on wet grass, couldn't climb the kerbs between its zones and couldn't get through a gap the older model managed. The trimmer is loud and has to be started by hand rather than on a schedule.
Where to buy
Where to buy the GOAT A1600 LiDAR PRO 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.
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Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
No. It maps the garden with laser scanners and a camera, per the specifications. Automatic mapping needs clearly defined edges, so heise online steered it round the boundary by hand in the app, and SmartZone did the same in about 30 minutes for a 500m² garden.
How close does it cut to the edge?
Closer than most robots, thanks to the side trimmer. SmartZone measured about 5cm from walls and paths on straight runs. heise online found outer edges well trimmed after two passes, but it stayed 10 to 20cm away from no-go zones. You start the trimmer by hand in the app; it doesn't run on a schedule.
Will it cope with my slope?
Measure it first. ECOVACS claims up to 50%, about 27°, per the specifications. heise online tested a steeper 30° bank and saw slipping, especially across the slope and on wet grass. Follow the installation limits for your lawn, including those for boundaries and drops, rather than relying on the headline figure alone.
Can it handle two lawns or a narrow passage?
Several zones are easy to set up, and heise online found the app links them with paths automatically. Narrow gaps are the problem: it couldn't pass a 70cm passage, and Ecovacs asks for 90cm, per the specifications. It also couldn't climb 4 to 5cm kerbs between zones.
How noisy is it for neighbours?
Normal mowing is rated at 62dB, but the trimmer reaches 82dB, per the specifications, roughly a handheld strimmer. heise online recommends trimming only in daytime, and SmartZone says weekdays only. The partnership test by inside digital also called the trimmer incredibly loud.
Is there a subscription for 4G or anti-theft?
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are included. heise online describes an optional 4G module for access away from Wi-Fi and GPS theft tracking. Our sources don't give current data-plan costs, so ask ECOVACS what comes with the module, when it renews and which features stop without a paid plan.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
GOAT O1200 LiDAR PRO
Why consider it: Also laser-guided with a built-in string trimmer, in a smaller mower for lawns up to 1,200m².
The compromise: The trimmer is loud, and one tester's trimmer failed after two months.
GOAT A3000 LiDAR PRO
Why consider it: The same 33cm deck and side trimmer with a bigger battery, for lawns up to 3,000m².
The compromise: Testers with bumpy ground or long tufts found it stuck in holes or steering round grass.
LUBA mini 2 AWD 1000
Why consider it: All-wheel drive and a side edge disc that reviewers found cut grass other mowers leave behind.
The compromise: Raised borders still need a strimmer, and a tester hit app limits on how far apart zones can be.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
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Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
Sources
Videos
- Search YouTube for ECOVACS GOAT A1600 LiDAR PRO ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.