Landroid Classic (boundary-wire range)
Worx's long-running boundary-wire robot mowers, for lawns from 250 to 2,000m². Testers found them quiet, neat and good value, but you have to lay a wire first, and the reviews are a few years old now.
We re-check daily. Try the manufacturer’s site meanwhile.
The short version
The Landroid Classic range 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. There are several sizes, from the small S models for about 250 to 400m² up to the L2000 for 2,000m², and names and model codes differ by country. Above them sit Worx's wire-free Landroid Vision AI and Vision Cloud ranges.
The trade-off is setup. Laying the wire took the testers about two hours, and a badly pegged wire can get cut. The mower itself is simple, quiet and cheap to run, and its battery fits other Worx tools.
The M500 Plus (WR165E) has its own page. The reviews below cover the S300, S400 and M500.
Our take: A sensible buy if your lawn is simple and clearly edged, you don't mind an afternoon laying wire, and you'd rather not pay for cameras or satellites. Three tests found the small models neat, quiet and good value. If you'd rather skip the wire, Worx's Vision Cloud is the wire-free option. For striped mowing and edges done properly, the Husqvarna Automower 305E NERA is a step up.
Where it sits in WORX’s range
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 liked the quiet running, the app and the healthy lawn that frequent mowing produces. 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 · Expert Reviews, hands-on, May 2023 · Gardeningetc, hands-on, More than three weeks
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. Gardeningetc had a harder time on bumpy, three-level ground: the mower cut through its own wire more than once until the wire was pegged flat and the lawn was mown short first.
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, and it explains that Worx's wire spacing leaves only about 1cm beside sunken paving. Next to raised edging, the recommended spacing leaves about 17cm uncut. 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.
Random pattern, tidy result
It doesn't mow in stripes. Gardeningetc found its route looked sporadic and missed patches at first, 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 you have to restart it from the mower's own buttons after an error, a sensible safety step that can still be annoying.
Extras add up
The core 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 every one of them is paid for separately. Gardeningetc's M500 came with the anti-collision sensor, which took a screwdriver and some fiddling to fit.
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.
Prices
Where to buy the Landroid Classic (boundary-wire range) in United States
No verified United States price in the last 7 days. We re-check daily.
We’re still looking for more United States retailers for this model. Prices shown are read from each seller’s own page.
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 any beds or ponds, per the specifications. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine and Expert Reviews both allowed about two hours. Gardeningetc found it pays to mow first and peg the wire flat on bumpy ground, 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. Gentle, even slopes suit it best.
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 aren't missed. Gardeningetc's three-level lawn proved too much at first, so keep layouts simple.
Compare with
Landroid Vision Cloud
Worx's wire-free range: satellite positioning and a camera, with no aerial to fit and neat straight lines.
It costs more, and small models need an optional add-on to cut close to the edge.
Automower 305E NERA
Leaves a superb striped finish, edges included, and can work without a wire.
It needs open sky and Wi-Fi across the lawn, and finds obstacles by bumping into them.
E15 Robot Lawn Mower
Camera-guided with no wire or aerial, and one of the quickest mowers to set up, for lawns up to 800m².
Testers with bumpy or damp grass had it slipping and getting stuck.
Full specifications
Figures come from the manufacturer’s product page unless a source is named. A blank means nobody we trust has confirmed it.
Owner reviews
Own a Landroid Classic (boundary-wire range)?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner reviews are shown separately from expert tests and never mixed into the score.
Sources
Everything cited on this page. Expert scores are shown as the reviewer gave them.
- BBC Gardeners' World Magazine: Worx Landroid S300 WR130E robotic mower review · 4.5 / 5, Best BuyHands-on
- Expert Reviews: Worx Landroid S400 WR184E review · 5 / 5Hands-on
- Gardeningetc: Worx Landroid M500 (WR141E) robot lawn mower review · 4 / 5Hands-on, More than three weeks
- WORX: Landroid S300 WR130E product pageManufacturer
- WORX: Landroid L2000 WR155E product pageManufacturer
- WORX: Landroid model range (Europe)Manufacturer