Is the Automower 310E NERA worth the extra over the Automower 310 Mark II?

It is if you want to avoid a boundary wire or value neater edges and app control. If you're happy with a wire and your lawn is simple, the Husqvarna Automower 310 Mark II does the basic job for less.

The 310 Mark II is a boundary-wire mower rated for 1,000 m². It is light, quoted as quiet, and because it doesn't depend on satellites it behaves the same under trees and beside tall walls. Its app connects over Bluetooth only unless a dealer fits a Connect Kit, height is set by hand, and it is now run-out stock.

The Husqvarna Automower 310E NERA comes as two products. The newer wire-free version uses cloud RTK over Wi-Fi and is rated for up to 1,500 m² with systematic mowing. The earlier version is supplied for a boundary wire. Both have the rear EdgeCut disc, electric height adjustment from the app, and Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth.

There is one area where the older mower wins on paper. Husqvarna rates the 310 Mark II for 40% inside the lawn, against 30% for the 310E NERA.

The 310 Mark II is on sale from £699 and the 310E NERA from £1,949. For a shaded garden with steep sections, the wired Mark II is the safer choice. For an open lawn where you'd rather not lay a wire, the wire-free 310E NERA is the better long-term buy. Our installation guide shows what fitting a wire involves.