The EcoFlow Blade mainly completes my biweekly automated plan without my involvement. It wasn’t flawless. Errors prevented it from starting.
A firmware upgrade fixed the first time. I called support again. The beta app should increase dependability. The Blade cuts grass quickly and well.
The EcoFlow Blade and charging station are IPX5-rated, which is good because it has been raining a lot lately. Like any mower, it cannot handle damp grass.
The Blade’s rain sensor lets you set a delay in the app to start mowing again once the rain stops. The Blade clogged two minutes into the work one morning while the grass was still damp.
Front-wheel gaps commonly clog.
EcoFlow Blade’s obstacle avoidance pleased me. Sandcastle buckets and footballs were avoided. It also leaves a lawn border uncut. It cuts right to the bottom edge, which opens onto a walkway, but around the side with plants and other impediments, it leaves a foot-wide strip. Narrow pathways cause issues.
The EcoFlow Blade may not be able to mow two patches of grass if the route between them is less than 3 feet wide and there are fences or walls on each side.
Manual control via the app is just for guiding the mower back to the charging station or marking cutting areas if the EcoFlow Blade becomes stuck. Unfortunately, you cannot manually trim it. That involves using the standard mower or trimmer to edge.
The EcoFlow Blade is loud for a robot mower, but not a standard mower. Apple Watch says 65 decibels. It also reverses, says “Charging,” and says a few other things. Thankfully, the app lets you lower speech and sound levels. You can turn off the mower’s unnecessary light but not the charging station’s bright green light.
When I told them the EcoFlow Blade cost $2,899, everyone looked terrified. A much. It comes with a Lawn Sweeper Kit for $3,199 (MSRP $3,599). UK residents pay the same in GBP.
I anticipated better service given the pricing. EcoFlow must fix its issues to satisfy customers. The EcoFlow Blade is not recommended for lawns under 1,000 square feet. Other inexpensive robot mowers are harder to set up and less sophisticated. Unfortunately, Husqvarna’s premium robot mower costs almost twice as much (9/10, WIRED Recommends) for a near-seamless experience.