Mammotion vs Segway Navimow: LUBA mini 2 AWD vs i2 LiDAR

Mammotion or Navimow: the short answer

Mammotion and Segway Navimow are the two biggest names in wire-free robot mowers, and both sell mainly direct online in the UK. Mammotion leans on all-wheel drive and steep-slope ability; Navimow offers a broader choice of navigation types and tends to give more area and cutting width for the money.

This page compares two mid-sized models that show that split: the Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD and the Segway Navimow i2 LiDAR.

Who each one is for

The LUBA mini 2 AWD suits lawns of about 500 m² to 1,500 m² with steep banks or uneven ground, and owners who want tidier edges along paths and walls.

The i2 LiDAR suits lawns of about 600 m² to 2,000 m² shaded by trees, hedges or houses, and areas with weak mobile signal. It's not for steep slopes or wide open lawns with little around them.

Navigation

The i2 LiDAR navigates with a solid-state LiDAR sensor and a camera, with no satellite corrections. It works under trees and beside buildings, and it doesn't need mobile signal to find its way, but it does need fixed features in range.

The LUBA mini 2 AWD comes in two versions that navigate differently. The 1500 uses a 360° LiDAR scanner plus two cameras and no RTK, so it's the closer match to the i2 LiDAR. The 1000 uses three cameras plus network RTK over 4G, which suits open lawns with a clear sky and decent signal. Our navigation guide explains the difference.

Slopes: the main difference

The LUBA mini 2 AWD drives all four wheels and is rated for 80%. The i2 LiDAR is rear-wheel drive on Navimow's UK spec table and rated for 45%. If you have real banks, the Mammotion is the only one of the two that will cope. Our slopes guide converts these to degrees.

Lawn size and cutting

The i2 LiDAR covers 800–2,000 m² and cuts 220 mm wide, with app-set height from 20 mm to 70 mm.

The LUBA mini 2 AWD covers 1,000–1,500 m² with a narrower 200 mm main disc and app-set height from 20 mm to 65 mm. It adds a separate edge disc that Mammotion says cuts within roughly 5 cm of walls, though at a fixed height. For a big, flat lawn the Navimow's wider cut is an advantage; for neat borders, the Mammotion's edge disc is.

4G, subscription and noise

Both have 4G built in, and neither needs a subscription to mow. Mammotion includes 36 months of data; Navimow includes 12 months, then charges to renew remote and anti-theft features. On the LUBA mini 2 AWD 1000, 4G also carries the RTK corrections. Our network RTK and 4G guide covers what happens when data ends.

Navimow quotes 59 dB(A), measured without cutting. Mammotion quotes 58 dB(A)–65 dB(A) depending on version, with the LiDAR 1500 the louder.

Weight, warranty and price

The i2 LiDAR weighs 14.7 kg–15.1 kg and the LUBA mini 2 AWD 15 kg–17.2 kg. Mammotion gives 3 years including the battery; Navimow gives 3 years on the mower and two years on the battery. The i2 LiDAR starts from £999 and the LUBA mini 2 AWD from £1,249.

How the wider ranges differ

The Mammotion range is built around all-wheel drive. The LUBA mini 2 AWD and the larger LUBA 3 AWD are both rated for 80% slopes, while the two-wheel-drive YUKA mini 2 covers smaller, flatter lawns. The LUBA 2 AWD and YUKA mini 2 were both sold out on Mammotion's UK store at the time of writing. Support is by email, chat and phone rather than through UK dealers.

The Navimow range offers a choice of navigation at each size. The i2 comes with network RTK (i2 AWD), LiDAR (i2 LiDAR) or both (i2 LiDAR Pro); the dealer-sold H2 combines LiDAR and RTK for lawns up to 3,000 m²; and the four-wheel-drive X4 takes on steep lawns up to 5,000 m². Most Navimow models are rated for 45%, so steep gardens narrow the choice to the all-wheel-drive i2 LiDAR Pro (55%) or the X4.

Verdict

If your lawn slopes steeply or is bumpy, or you want tidy edges, buy the LUBA mini 2 AWD, choosing the 1500 for enclosed gardens and the 1000 for open ones with good signal.

If your lawn is fairly flat, shaded and up to 2,000 m², the i2 LiDAR gives you more area and a wider cut, and at list price it costs less. It isn't the right choice for gradients over about 45% or very open lawns.