X3 Plus
3 independent reviewsRead the findings →Sunseeker's mid-size wire-free mower for US lawns, steered by satellite and cameras. It's easy to set up and good at spotting obstacles on fairly flat suburban lawns. Low bumps, logs and brick borders can trip it up.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Sunseeker’s range
- X3 PlusCamera-only mower for small lawns, no map or aerial
- X3 PlusThis model
- Sunseeker S4Uses a laser scanner instead of an aerial
- X5 Gen 2All-wheel drive for bigger, steeper gardens
- Sunseeker X7Flagship all-wheel-drive model for the largest lawns
Feedback
What reviewers found
Three US home tests, all from spring and summer 2025. Tom's Guide used it for a couple of months in a family backyard, Bob Vila for nearly a month on a property with several separate lawns, and CNET tried it alongside other mowers for a buying guide. All three liked the setup and the app, and Bob Vila and Tom's Guide praise the obstacle spotting. They split on how often it gets stuck: never for Bob Vila, on small dips and a log for Tom's Guide, and on low borders for CNET.
Tom's Guide, hands-on, About two months in the reviewer's backyard, Sept 2025 · Bob Vila, hands-on, Nearly a month on a property with several separate lawns · CNET, hands-on (Tested May and June 2025 for a buying guide)
Cut quality and edges
Reviewers rate it highlyBob Vila found the blades sharp and liked how low it cuts for a clean finish, and Tom's Guide said it kept the grass trimmed all summer. No tester measured how close it gets to edges.
Setup and boundaries
Reviewers rate it highlySetup is quick for a satellite mower. Tom's Guide was done in 30 to 45 minutes and called it painless, and Bob Vila took about an hour with clear in-app steps, though the aerial pole was hard to stake firmly in hard ground.
Navigation
Mixed resultsBob Vila ran it across several zones linked by corridors without trouble. Tom's Guide got an accurate map, but the mower got stuck on a low log and once mistook a footstool for the dock, and CNET found its low bump sensor tripped by short grass and brick borders.
Slopes and rough ground
Mixed resultsBob Vila found it did well on slopes and never got stuck, after filling a few holes. On Tom's Guide's lawn a grapefruit-sized divot caught a wheel several times, and it recommends all-wheel-drive rivals for steeper yards.
Obstacles and safety
Reviewers rate it highlyBob Vila walked in front of it and threw dog toys in its path, and it didn't run over a thing. Tom's Guide saw it steer round a softball and a dog bone, but a low log still trapped it twice.
Weather
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use tested it in rain or on wet grass. It has a rain sensor and mows in daylight only, per the specifications.
App and software
Reviewers rate it highlyTom's Guide found the map accurate and editing zones, schedules and mowing angle easy, though patterns are basic and manual driving only works in Bluetooth range. Bob Vila found it easy to set precise zones and schedules.
Upkeep
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use tested cleaning or blade changes. Bob Vila notes spare blades and fittings come in the box.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran it long term or judged Sunseeker's support. Tom's Guide used it for two months with only occasional issues.
Value
Mixed resultsAt its original list price, Tom's Guide found it dearer than rivals with similar or better specs and advises waiting for a sale, and CNET only recommends it well below list. It often sells for far less now.
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
Setup takes under an hour
You fix the dock, put the aerial up on its pole, connect the app and drive the mower round the edge of the lawn with your phone. Tom's Guide took 30 to 45 minutes and called it painless. Bob Vila took about an hour and liked the in-app instructions, but struggled to stake the aerial pole firmly in hard ground and would like a roof-mount option. Setup was easy for CNET too, though the bump sensor misbehaved most in the early runs.
Good at spotting obstacles
Bob Vila was most impressed here: it walked in front of the mower and threw dog toys in its path, and the mower didn't run over a single thing. Tom's Guide saw it steer round a softball and a chewed dog bone. Anything it can't get past gets marked as a no-go area on the map, which you can delete later. It did once mistake a grey footstool near the dock for the dock itself, and it avoided a patch of overgrown weeds until Tom's Guide cut them down.
Low obstacles are its weak spot
This is where testers split. A few times on Tom's Guide's lawn, a wheel got caught in a divot the size of a large grapefruit, and twice it got stuck on a log edging a play area, in almost the same spot. Each time it had to be lifted clear and the PIN typed in. CNET found short grass and brick borders set off the low front bump sensor. Bob Vila had no such trouble on its slopes, but had filled a few holes and cleared obstacles first.
Zones, stripes and the app
Bob Vila set up several mowing zones joined by corridors across a front lawn, a narrow strip and a back garden with a hot tub, and found scheduling easy. Tom's Guide liked the accurate map and the choice of straight-line mowing at any angle. You can't pick fancier patterns, though, and you can only drive it by hand within Bluetooth range. Bob Vila rated the cut highly and liked how low it can go.
This page covers the US X3 Plus. Sunseeker doesn't sell it in Europe, where its range uses different model names.
Our take
Should you buy the X3 Plus?
Best for: Fairly even lawns split into front and back areas. Skip it if: Your lawn is steep, soft or full of bumps.
buy it for a fairly flat suburban lawn with front and back areas if you want proper zones without a wire and can find it on sale. For a steep or lumpy yard the Mammotion LUBA mini AWD grips far better, and for a small, simple lawn the Segway Navimow i1 does a similar job.
The X3 Plus is Sunseeker's mid-size wire-free mower for the US, rated for lawns up to 0.3 acre. A small aerial on a pole gives it a satellite fix, and cameras help it steer under trees and spot things in the way. You drive it round the edge once with your phone to make a map, then set zones, no-go areas and schedules in the app. It is two-wheel drive with a low front edge, and it is only sold in the US.
Setup won praise: Tom's Guide was done in well under an hour and called it painless, and Bob Vila took about an hour with clear in-app steps, though it found the aerial pole hard to stake in hard ground. Bob Vila walked in front of it and threw dog toys in its path, and it ran over nothing. Tom's Guide saw it steer round a softball and a dog bone, but a low log trapped it twice and a large divot caught a wheel several times. CNET found the low bump sensor tripped by short grass and brick borders, while Bob Vila had no such trouble on its slopes after filling a few holes. Tom's Guide found it dearer at list price than rivals with similar or better specs, and CNET only recommends it well below list, though it often sells for far less now.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
No. It uses satellite positioning corrected by an aerial on a pole, plus cameras, per the specifications. You set the boundary by driving it round the lawn from your phone. Tom's Guide found the whole process took 30 to 45 minutes.
Does it need a clear view of the sky?
The aerial does. Tom's Guide mounted it on the six-foot pole in the box, and Bob Vila struggled to keep the pole steady in hard ground and wanted a roof mount. Sunseeker says the cameras help it keep going under light tree cover, per the specifications.
Will it cope with my slope?
Sunseeker rates it for 30%, or 17 degrees, per the specifications. Bob Vila found it did well on slopes, but Tom's Guide recommends it for yards that aren't too steep and points to all-wheel-drive rivals for steeper ground. Watch out for small dips too, which caught it on Tom's Guide's lawn.
Can it handle two lawns or a narrow passage?
Yes. Bob Vila mapped a big front yard, a small strip of grass and a back garden as separate zones, linked by passageways, and it moved between them on its own. The app handles no-go areas and different schedules per zone, per the specifications.
How close does it cut to the edge?
Sunseeker says its blade reaches over borders to cut closer along fences and paths, per the specifications. None of the testers measured the gap. CNET did find that low brick borders set off the bump sensor, which stops it short.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
i1 series (i105E, i105N, i108E, i110N)
Why consider it: A similar aerial-guided mower for smaller lawns, and four reviewers liked its tidy striped cut and easy app.
The compromise: It's rated for 800m² at most, and still leaves a strip at the edges.
LUBA mini AWD (800, 1500)
Why consider it: All-wheel drive climbs slopes and bumps where two-wheel-drive mowers like this give up.
The compromise: It cuts a narrow strip, and has been replaced by the LUBA mini 2.
E18 Robot Lawn Mower
Why consider it: Covers a similar 1,200m² with cameras alone, so there's no aerial to put up.
The compromise: It leaves a strip along the edges and struggles on steeper slopes.
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 X3 Plus?
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
- Tom's Guide: The Sunseeker X3 Plus robot lawnmower has been trimming my yard all summer ↗3.5 / 5Hands-on, About two months in the reviewer's backyard
- Bob Vila: The Best Robot Lawn Mowers, Tested ↗Runner-UpHands-on, Nearly a month on a property with several separate lawns
- CNET: Best Robot Lawn Mowers ↗Hands-on · Tested May and June 2025 for a buying guide
Sources
- Sunseeker: X3 Plus store page (US) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for Sunseeker X3 Plus ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.