We thought the rider fell off or something and it was going to crash. Then it turned and kept mowing. Park Roomba!

Another picture:

    • NoneYa@lemm.ee
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      6 months ago

      Depending on where it is, $45k may be lower than the yearly salary for someone who would operate it (not including the other benefits like insurance or other costs like workman’s comp). So yeah, could definitely pay for itself in as little as 1 year based on that alone.

      • Wrench@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Depends on how much maintenance it requires. And someone is going to need to be paid to deploy it and watch it to ensure that nobody fucks with it and that it doesn’t eat some park sunbather or something. And to make sure the grounds are clear of debris. Etc.

        Don’t think you can count on just removing a salary here.

    • glimse@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      If you want one for your own yard, there are significantly cheaper options. The husqvarna automower is under $1000 and can be integrated into Home Assistant. I’ve seen a lot of positive opinions about it in the HA communities

      • 0110010001100010@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Nah, my yard is tiny and I don’t mind mowing it. I have a Ryobi battery mower so it’s super-easy to do. If I ever move somewhere with a bigger yard though I would seriously consider it. Especially as I already have Home Assistant running!

        • I_Miss_Daniel@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          Hello fellow Ryobi mower owner. Or as I call it, my $500 gym membership.

          I have a big old ride on mower as well but hate all the noise and the smell of exhaust, so rather just take three times as long pushing the Ryobi about.

          Nothing quite like the satisfying thwack when it eats a small blackberry bush or snaps a runaway wysteria tendril.

          • 0110010001100010@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            At least the Ryobi is super-lightweight! I can easily carry it out of my garage and even with the battery it’s far lighter to push around than a gas mower. I’m hard on blades though with so many sticks and pine cones, no matter how many I pick up I always miss some.

            • I_Miss_Daniel@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              I agree nice and light.

              It’s not really equivalent to a gym membership, although I have to do a fair bit of Hungy Hippo’ing if I leave it for too long.

        • glimse@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          I’m about to move into my first home with a yard and I’ve been debating it. I have terrible allergies and even though I really wanted to as a kid, I couldn’t mow the lawn because I’d have snot running down my face half way through.

          I haven’t had a reason to try again for a couple decades but I was gifted a mower so I’m gonna try doing it myself this summer. If it’s bad and I can’t find a local kid to hire, automower it is!

          • 0110010001100010@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            Oh my allergies are horrible too, I just make sure to take a Sudafed (can’t recall the generic name) before I start. I love that stuff, we always keep a stash around especially as you have to get it from the pharmacy and they don’t keep very much stock it seems.

            • glimse@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              Ohh Sudafed and I are already well acquainted lol

              But if I have to take drugs just to mow the lawn, I’m definitely looking at alternatives.

      • TexasDrunk@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Yeah, there’s a $600 model where you have to put in wire and the lowest price RTK is about $1k. I’ve got people in my neighborhood with both and they’ve both said good things about it.