A 1000
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →STIGA's mid-sized satellite-guided mower, mowing in planned stripes with no boundary wire. It suits open, regular lawns kept clear, leaving a precise, even cut. It has no camera, though, so it bumps into obstacles or gets stuck on them.
Updated
Check the manufacturer’s site for current availability.
Where it sits in STIGA’s range
- A 750Smaller sibling for lawns up to about 900m²
- A 1000This model
- A Vista range (A 6v to A 140v)2026 range that adds a camera
- A 1500Next size up in the same wire-free range
- A 5000Large-lawn model in the same range
Feedback
What reviewers found
Two home tests. PC-WELT ran the A 1000 itself, and Gardens Illustrated spent six weeks with a pre-production A 1500, which shares the A 1000's body, cutting deck and slope rating but has a battery twice the size. Both praised the cut and how little help it needed once set up. Both also found obstacles a weak spot: it bumps, pushes or gets stuck rather than steering round. The A 1000's own battery life and its 1,400m² rating are untested, and neither review tried the slope claim.
PC-WELT, hands-on, Jun 2024 (Translated from Swedish sister site M3) · Gardens Illustrated, hands-on, Six weeks, Jun 2023 (tested on the A 1500; Tested before launch on a pre-production unit)
Cut quality and edges
Mixed resultsBoth praised the cut: PC-WELT found the A 1000 kept the lawn in shape, and Gardens Illustrated found the A 1500, with the same deck and blades, cut very level. On edges they differ: PC-WELT found the edge pass precise, Gardens Illustrated says it can't do edges.
Setup and boundaries
Mixed resultsPC-WELT set up the A 1000 alone and needed patience: the aerial's short cable limited where it could go, and the joystick lagged while mapping. Gardens Illustrated had a dealer install the A 1500, which uses the same aerial, in about an hour.
Navigation
Mixed resultsPC-WELT found the A 1000 reliable, with occasional snags on large pebbles or overgrown plants that it usually escaped. Gardens Illustrated found the A 1500, with the same positioning, handled a regular central lawn well but not a section with fruit trees.
Slopes and rough ground
Not enough evidenceNo review we use tested it on a slope or rough ground, so STIGA's slope rating is untested.
Obstacles and safety
Reviewers found problemsWith no camera it reacts only after hitting things. PC-WELT saw the A 1000 push small objects along and run over hoses or tools lying flat, and Gardens Illustrated found the A 1500, with the same bump sensors, likely to get stuck.
Weather
Not enough evidenceOnly Gardens Illustrated saw it in bad weather: the same-bodied A 1500 sat out a couple of huge downpours without trouble. No other review we use tested rain.
App and software
Mixed resultsGardens Illustrated found the app easy once its A 1500 was set up. PC-WELT found it hard to follow on the A 1000, with poor translations, vague error messages and slow communication with the mower.
Upkeep
Not enough evidenceOnly Gardens Illustrated mentioned upkeep, cleaning the A 1500 with a hosepipe. No review we use has covered blade changes.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNo review we use has run it long-term. Gardens Illustrated's pre-production A 1500 stopped once and needed STIGA's help to reset, but no second review judged support.
Value
Not enough evidenceNo review we use has judged its value for money yet.
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
Precise, even cut once set up
PC-WELT found the A 1000 a reliable helper that keeps the lawn in shape with only occasional intervention, and its optional pass along the lawn edges very precise. It sometimes got caught on large pebbles or overgrown plants, but usually freed itself. Gardens Illustrated was mightily impressed with the level and evenness of the A 1500's cut, and reckoned its lawn looked about 80 per cent better after six weeks. It worked best on a regular central lawn; a section with fruit trees looked too confusing for it.
No camera, so tidy up first
This is its biggest drawback. PC-WELT notes the A 1000 has neither a camera nor radar, and only reacts after hitting something by reversing and turning. Small objects were often pushed along, and low items such as hoses or tools lying flat were often run over, which risks the blades cutting a hose. Gardens Illustrated found the A 1500 tries to go round things left in its way but is likely to get stuck. So check the lawn before each run.
Setup and app take patience
The reference aerial needs a 120° view of open sky, and PC-WELT found its five-metre cable to the dock limiting, though longer cables are sold. Mapping by trolley or with a laggy on-screen joystick took patience, and the app was hard to follow and slow to apply changes. Gardens Illustrated had a STIGA dealer do the setup in about an hour and found the app easy afterwards, though its pre-production unit once stopped and needed a full reset with STIGA's help.
PC-WELT tested the A 1000. Gardens Illustrated tested the A 1500, which shares the A 1000's body, deck, blades and 45% slope rating, with a 5Ah battery instead of 2.5Ah; it was a pre-production unit.
Our take
Should you buy the A 1000?
Best for: Open lawns kept clear of toys and hoses. Skip it if: Toys, hoses or other small objects are often left on the grass.
a fair choice for an open, regular lawn that you keep clear, if you want planned stripes without laying a wire. If toys or hoses are often left out, STIGA's A Vista range has a camera, and the Husqvarna Automower 310E NERA gives a finer edge.
The A 1000 is the middle model in STIGA's first wire-free range. It steers by satellite, with a reference aerial in the garden and a mobile connection that STIGA includes at no extra cost, and it mows in planned stripes rather than at random. It cuts an 18cm strip and has no camera, so it only notices things by bumping into them.
PC-WELT found it kept the lawn in shape with little help and rated its optional edge pass very precise. Gardens Illustrated tested the same-bodied A 1500 and was impressed by how level the cut was, but says it cannot do edges. Both found obstacles the weak spot: PC-WELT saw small objects pushed along and hoses run over, and Gardens Illustrated found it likely to get stuck on things left out. Setup differed too, as PC-WELT needed patience with the aerial's short cable and a laggy joystick, while Gardens Illustrated had a dealer install it in about an hour. It has also disappeared from several of STIGA's European shops.
Where to buy
Where to buy the A 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
Get an email when the STIGA A 1000 gets cheaper in the UK.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
No. It steers by satellite, using a reference aerial that comes in the box and a 4G link to STIGA's servers, per the specifications. You map the boundary by pulling it round on a trolley or steering it in the app, which PC-WELT found laggy.
Does it need a clear view of the sky?
Yes. PC-WELT says the reference aerial should have a 120° view of the sky, and its short cable to the dock can make siting it awkward. The app gives clear guidance on getting the best satellite coverage. There's no camera or laser to fall back on under trees.
Will it cope with my slope?
STIGA rates it for 45%, per the specifications, the same as the A 1500. PC-WELT found the two large rear wheels and small front wheels let it manoeuvre well, but neither it nor Gardens Illustrated tested a steep slope, so the rating is untested.
What happens when it rains?
It has rain sensors and an IPX5 rating, per the specifications. Gardens Illustrated left the A 1500, which shares its body, out through a couple of huge downpours without trouble, and cleaned it with a hosepipe.
Can it handle two lawns or a narrow passage?
It supports up to seven cutting zones and 50 no-go areas, and each session starts where the last finished, per the specifications. How much of a 1,400m² lawn it covers on its smaller battery is untested. Gardens Illustrated found the A 1500 best on regular shapes rather than nooks and corners.
How noisy is it for neighbours?
STIGA gives a guaranteed sound power level of 59dB(A) and a measured 57dB(A), per the specifications. Gardens Illustrated found the same-bodied A 1500 so quiet and unobtrusive it barely noticed it; PC-WELT didn't comment on the A 1000's noise.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
A Vista range (A 6v to A 140v)
Why consider it: STIGA's newer wire-free range adds a camera, and testers agree the cut is excellent.
The compromise: The camera, the app and the setup all drew real complaints.
Automower 310E NERA
Why consider it: A satellite-guided mower for similar lawn sizes, with a second disc that trims close to the edges and a finish testers loved.
The compromise: It also has no camera, so it runs over small objects instead of avoiding them.
i2 AWD
Why consider it: All-wheel drive and a camera for bumpy, sloping lawns up to 1,000m², usually with no aerial to fit.
The compromise: You'll still need to strim the edges.
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 A 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
- PC-WELT: Stiga A 1000 im Test ↗4 / 5Hands-on · Translated from Swedish sister site M3
- Gardens Illustrated: STIGA A 1500 Robot Lawn Mower: does it work? ↗4 / 5Hands-on, Six weeks · Tested on the A 1500 · Tested before launch on a pre-production unit
Sources
- STIGA: A 1000 product page (UK) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for STIGA A 1000 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.