We’re at a point in technology that, for two centuries, existed only in books and movies. Now, it’s not fiction. When you look out your window or drive down your street, it isn’t much out of the ordinary to see a robot mowing a lawn. And we’re working with Wild Badger Tools to tell you about one of those machines. In this sponsored article, we’ll explore our observations of the SUNSEEKER L22 Plus Robotic Mower (RMA2002L20).
We’d already heard about the RMA2002L20 before we had it in our hands. It was a Retailer’s Choice Winner at the 2023 National Hardware Show. However, we couldn’t resist seeing this mower at work, so we did what we do best. We put it to the test to help you decide whether it’s the best model for your needs.
Editor’s Note: This is a sponsored post to tell you about the features and performance of the SUNSEEKER L22 Plus robotic mower. OPE Reviews was compensated for this article.
SUNSEEKER L22 Plus Robotic Mower Performance
The SUNSEEKER L22 Plus works like most robotic mowers. It uses a rotating disk with razor blades (resembling box cutters) to do its job. It’ll give you an 8.7-inch swath with each pass, which is about what we’d expect from this type of mower.
If you’re not already familiar with them, you should know that they don’t cut like traditional models. It doesn’t have the sharp, heavy blades or the powerful rotation of its predecessors. Instead, robotic mowers like the RMA2002L20 are all about mowing slowly, gently, and quietly.
That’s because they cut pretty much daily, clipping grass into mulched-like pieces. Incidentally, those clippings are a great homemade compost that will organically fertilize your lawn. It also keeps you from shocking your grass, which is what happens when you mow after extended growth periods.
SUNSEEKER L22 Plus Operation
To adjust the deck height, there’s a dial on top of the mower. You can cut as low as 1.6 inches or as high as 3.2 inches.
Moreover, there’s a built-in float cutting feature. SUNSEEKER developed this capability after running tests on more than 10,000 lawns. It works by raising the deck when the mower encounters uneven terrain to help keep it from getting stuck.
The tread on the wheels gives the mower the traction it needs to manage thicker types of grass. It also helps the mower tackle slopes up to 20°.
One way the SUNSEEKER L22 Plus breaks from typical practice in the design of robotic mowers is with its guides. With boundary wire types, you normally don’t get a mapping function. However, the RMA2002L20 is apparently one of the first to include one anyway.
While the mower does its initial work, it creates a map of the yard. It can even optimize a mowing schedule based on that mapped boundary. Inside the app, you can also set up to 4 starting points and create different mowing zones on larger lawns.
As we mentioned above, these tools are quiet. The SUNSEEKER operates at just 52 decibels, so it doesn’t make much noise. Therefore, you can essentially mow any time–night or day. Indeed, it’s the quietest currently available mower that we know of.
We recommend you avoid cutting wet grass. Keep that in mind as you set the mowing schedule in the app.
How to Prepare the SUNSEEKER L22 Plus for Installation
Like most current robotic mowers, the SUNSEEKER L22 Plus uses a boundary wire installation. It provides a rather straightforward operation and doesn’t require or provide a separate GPS-RTK tracking system and advanced technology such as LIDAR .
Start by finding an appropriate place for the charging station. It should be on level ground where you have access to power and have a strong Wi-Fi signal. It’s easiest and most convenient to run it parallel to an exterior wall. The center of the pad needs to be at least 12 inches from the wall, and you need at least 39 inches of space in front of the pad for the mower to leave and return.
Before you run the boundary wire, we suggest you plan it first. The loop needs to start and end at the charging station and must be 12 inches away from all boundary edges.
If you have a zone you want to exclude, such as a play area or landscaping elements, you run the wire 90º from the boundary edge straight to the exclusion zone. Create an island around it until you reach where you started, and then run the wire straight back to the edge before continuing to set the boundary.
Because the SUNSEEKER robotic mower includes flexible guide wires, you can make your boundary and exclusion zones for the L22 Plus almost any shape you want. The only things you need to avoid are creating corners that are less than 90° and including slopes greater than 20°.
Running the Boundary Wire and Power
Once you know the plan, start by installing the boundary wire into the “out” connection on the charging pad. Run it through the front of the charging pad to the back, where a pinch connector secures it. From there, use the included plastic pegs to pin the wire down tight to the ground.
You should have one every about every 30 inches. Once you have the wire installed, the grass will grow over and hide it.
When your run makes it back to the charging station, complete the installation by running the wire into the “in” connector. Wrap things up by attaching the AC plug, connecting it to a power source, and setting the mower on the pad to charge.
SUNSEEKER L22 Plus Robotic Mower Safety
Safety should be the foremost concern in the design and building of any lawn mower. Robots are no exception.
With the RMA2002L20, safety starts with two ultrasonic sensors pointing forward. This helps the mower “see” what’s in front of it and avoid any obstacles in the way. It’s better than the bump sensors in other models since it doesn’t have to physically touch an obstacle to detect and avoid it. Your kids and pets are safe to be outside while the mower is operating, as are most toys and other outdoor objects.
Further enhancing safety is the low ground clearance of the mower’s housing. So, for example, if someone’s foot gets too close, it’ll be unable to go too far underneath where the blades turn.
What’s more, if someone lifts the mower, or it tilts too far, lifts up, or detects a collision, the blades automatically shut down. It won’t restart without a command from you.
On the front of the RMA2002L20, LED headlights identify the mower’s location in low- or no-light conditions. They also serve as status indicators. White means it’s working, red is an alarm, yellow indicates it’s docking, and green shows that it’s charging.
SUNSEEKER L22 Plus Smart Home Integration
We’ve already touched on the mower’s Wi-Fi, but not yet in detail.
SUNSEEKER’s Super Wi-Fi offers connectivity on lawns up to 8 acres, which is an impressive reach. It’s important to use both the app and Wi-Fi connection to get the most out of the mower. This is how the mower gets software updates.
You can also use it to adjust the settings, set the schedule, and send control commands.
If you’re using Amazon Alexa or Google Home to create smart home integration, the mower can integrate into it. Just connect through the app.
SUNSEEKER L22 Plus Robotic Mower Ownership Design
We like the fact that this robotic lawn mower simplifies your lawn care. Once the mower detects that its battery is getting low, or it’s done mowing, it automatically heads back to the charging base to recharge.
There’s a rain sensor built in that sends it home, as well.
Compared to other robotic mowers that we’ve put to the test, the SUNSEEKER L22 Plus is lightweight, at just over 23 pounds. It also helps if it ever gets stuck or when you need to put it away for the winter.
In this case, mower maintenance is also simple. When the mower gets dirty or grass builds up, just use your hose to wash it off.
Wild Badger Tools recommends replacing the SUNSEEKER blades about every 90 days. You get two extra sets in the box.
Price
There are two models to choose from, however only one currently shows up online. The L22 (RMA1202L20V) is made for smaller lawns up to 1/3 of an acre and the L22 Plus (RMA2002L20V) covers up to 1/2 an acre. The main differences are a 4.0Ah battery on the L22 and a 5.0Ah battery on the L22 Plus. The L22 Plus also gives you a longer boundary wire with more wire pegs.
The L22 Plus comes with a 3-year warranty.
Get more information at the Sunseeker website . Additionally, get $60 OFF with Discount Code: L22PR (valid September 21–October 31, 2023).
