Landroid Classic (boundary-wire range)
3 independent reviewsRead the findings →Worx's long-running boundary-wire robot mowers, in sizes from small lawns to large. They suit simple, flat lawns, mowing quietly and neatly at good value. You have to lay a wire first, though, and the reviews are a few years old.
Updated
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Where it sits in WORX’s range
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What reviewers found
Three home tests of the smaller models, all from 2020 to 2023. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine tested the S300 WR130E, Expert Reviews its successor the S400, and Gardeningetc the M500 WR141E on a tricky three-level lawn. All three liked the quiet running, the app and the healthy lawn that frequent mowing gives you. They disagree about edges and setup, and the differences come down to how flat the garden is and what the lawn meets at its border.
BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, hands-on, Jul 2021 (tested on the S300 WR130E) · Expert Reviews, hands-on, May 2023 (tested on the S400 WR184E) · Gardeningetc, hands-on, More than three weeks (tested on the M500 WR141E)
Cut quality and edges
Mixed resultsThe finish is tidy, but edges depend on your borders. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine liked the neat result and Gardeningetc saw a thicker lawn within three weeks, but both still had edges to trim, and Expert Reviews explains it leaves about 1cm beside sunken paving and about 17cm by raised edging.
Setup and boundaries
Mixed resultsIt all hinges on the wire. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine and Expert Reviews each allowed about two hours on a simple lawn, but on bumpy, three-level ground Gardeningetc had the mower cut its own wire until it was pegged flat.
Navigation
Mixed resultsBBC Gardeners' World Magazine found it got through narrow passages some rivals couldn't, and Expert Reviews covered a 100m² lawn in a few hours a day. On a multi-level lawn Gardeningetc saw a sporadic route that missed patches at first.
Slopes and rough ground
Not enough evidenceOnly Gardeningetc tried it on rough ground, where the M500 got stuck near ledges on a bumpy three-level lawn until the wire was moved. None of the reviews we use measured a slope.
Obstacles and safety
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use tested how it deals with objects, pets or people on the lawn. Obstacle sensing is a paid add-on, per the specifications, and Gardeningetc found the sensor fiddly to fit.
Weather
Not enough evidenceOnly BBC Gardeners' World Magazine covered rain: the sensor sent it home, and it waited 180 minutes after drying before heading out again, a delay you can change in the app.
App and software
Reviewers rate it highlyThe testers liked the app. Gardeningetc found it handles schedules, rain delay and an automatic plan based on your lawn, and BBC Gardeners' World Magazine could adjust the rain delay from it. After an error you must restart it from the mower's own buttons.
Upkeep
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use tested cleaning or blade changes.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran it long term or judged Worx's support.
Value
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use weighed its overall value. Expert Reviews and BBC Gardeners' World Magazine both warn that obstacle sensing, virtual fences and anti-theft tracking are paid extras that add up.
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 is all about the wire
BBC Gardeners' World Magazine took about two hours to lay the wire on its test lawn, helped by a light on the base that turns green when the loop is complete. Expert Reviews suggests setting aside a couple of hours too. On bumpy, three-level ground Gardeningetc had a harder time: the mower cut through its own wire more than once, until the wire was pegged flat and the lawn mown short first. On uneven ground, mow first and peg the wire down tight.
Edges depend on your borders
Expert Reviews found it cuts round the wire twice a week by default and leaves a neater edge than wire-free rivals. It explains that Worx's wire spacing leaves only about 1cm beside sunken paving, but about 17cm uncut next to raised edging. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine noted it doesn't cut to the edge, and Gardeningetc still trimmed along fences and beds, though it managed paths well. If your lawn is bordered by raised edging, keep the strimmer handy.
Random pattern, tidy result
It doesn't mow in stripes. At first Gardeningetc found its route looked sporadic and missed patches, but after three weeks the lawn was noticeably thicker and healthier. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine liked the neat, stripe-free finish and its efficient turns. Expert Reviews found a few hours a day on weekdays enough to cover a 100m² lawn, and noticed gentler turns at the wire that should wear the grass less.
Quiet, with a capable app
Every tester found it quiet. Gardeningetc could barely hear it from a garden office, and BBC Gardeners' World Magazine described it as running very quietly. The app handles schedules, rain delay and an automatic schedule based on your grass and soil. Gardeningetc noted that after an error you have to restart it from the mower's own buttons, a sensible safety step that can still be annoying.
Extras add up
The basic mower is simple. Obstacle sensing, virtual fences, a Wi-Fi extender and anti-theft tracking are optional modules, per the specifications. Expert Reviews warned that these add-ons aren't cheap, and BBC Gardeners' World Magazine pointed out that each one is paid for separately. Gardeningetc's M500 came with the anti-collision sensor, which took a screwdriver and some fiddling to fit.
This page covers Worx's boundary-wire Landroids. Tests used the S300 WR130E, S400 WR184E and M500 WR141E (called S400 in some countries). The M500 Plus WR165E has its own page.
Our take
Should you buy the Landroid Classic (boundary-wire range)?
Best for: Small lawns where you are happy to lay a boundary wire. Skip it if: You do not want to install a wire around the lawn.
a sensible pick for a simple, flat lawn with clear edges if you're happy to spend an afternoon laying wire. If you'd rather skip the wire, Worx's Vision Cloud is the wire-free option, and for stripes and proper edges the Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA is a step up.
The Landroid Classic is Worx's traditional robot mower. You peg a thin wire round the edge of the lawn, and the mower wanders inside it in a random criss-cross pattern, heading home to charge when it needs to. Sizes run from small lawns up to 2,000m², and the battery fits other Worx tools.
Three testers ran the smaller models, and all the tests are a few years old now. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine took about two hours to lay the wire and liked the neat, stripe-free finish. Expert Reviews also allowed a couple of hours, and explains that the wire spacing leaves only a thin strip beside sunken paving but about 17cm uncut next to raised edging. Gardeningetc, on a bumpy three-level lawn, had the mower cut its own wire more than once until it was pegged flat, but saw a thicker, healthier lawn within three weeks. Every tester found it quiet and liked the app. Obstacle sensing, virtual fences and anti-theft tracking are all paid extras, and Expert Reviews and BBC Gardeners' World Magazine both warn that they add up.
Where to buy
Where to buy the Landroid Classic (boundary-wire range) 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?
Yes. You peg the supplied wire round the lawn and round any beds or ponds, per the specifications. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine and Expert Reviews both allowed about two hours. On bumpy ground, Gardeningetc found it pays to mow first and peg the wire flat, or the mower can cut it.
How close does it cut to the edge?
It depends on the border. Expert Reviews explains that Worx's wire spacing leaves about 1cm beside sunken paving but about 17cm next to raised edging, because the wire has to sit further in. Gardeningetc still trimmed along fences and beds. Expect to strim anywhere the lawn meets something higher than the grass.
Will it cope with my slope?
Worx rates the whole range for 35%, per the specifications, but no tester measured it. Gardeningetc notes the wire can't run along steep slopes, and on its bumpy, multi-level lawn the M500 got stuck near ledges until the wire was moved. It's happiest on gentle, even slopes.
What happens when it rains?
A rain sensor sends it back to the base. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine found it then waits 180 minutes after the sensor dries before heading out again, and you can change or override that delay in the app.
Can it handle two lawns or a narrow passage?
Often, yes. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine found the S300 got through narrow passages that some rivals couldn't. Expert Reviews explains the multi-zone setting, which shares mowing time between marked areas so outlying patches don't get missed. Gardeningetc's three-level lawn was too much for it at first, so keep layouts simple.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
Landroid Vision Cloud
Why consider it: Worx's wire-free range: satellite positioning and a camera, with no aerial to fit and neat straight lines.
The compromise: It costs more, and small models need an optional add-on to cut close to the edge.
Automower 305E NERA
Why consider it: Leaves a superb striped finish, edges included, and can work without a wire.
The compromise: It needs open sky and Wi-Fi across the lawn, and finds obstacles by bumping into them.
E15 Robot Lawn Mower
Why consider it: Camera-guided with no wire or aerial, and one of the quickest mowers to set up, for lawns up to 800m².
The compromise: Testers with bumpy or damp grass had it slipping and getting stuck.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
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Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
- BBC Gardeners' World Magazine: Worx Landroid S300 WR130E robotic mower review ↗4.5 / 5, Best BuyHands-on · Tested on the S300 WR130E
- Expert Reviews: Worx Landroid S400 WR184E review ↗5 / 5Hands-on · Tested on the S400 WR184E
- Gardeningetc: Worx Landroid M500 (WR141E) robot lawn mower review ↗4 / 5Hands-on, More than three weeks · Tested on the M500 WR141E
Sources
- WORX: Landroid S300 WR130E product page ↗Manufacturer
- WORX: Landroid L2000 WR155E product page ↗Manufacturer
- WORX: Landroid model range (Europe) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for WORX Landroid Classic (boundary-wire range) ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.