Best Robot Mower Ambrogio Advantage #5: Durability

Ambrogio robot mowers are durable and long-lasting thanks to the manufacturer's willingness to keep replacement parts available. When maintained properly (including regular dealer service), an expectation of 8-10 years of lifetime is met easily. 

Proper maintenance enables the full life because the manufacture made design choices that extend the lifetime. Now that some of the early robots have aged beyond the manufacturer's committed lifetime, many very old robots are proving to continue to operate. We still support robot mowers that were manufactured in 2006.

As one of the earliest companies to produce robotic lawn mowers, Zucchetti Centro Sistemi, Spa, (ZCS) in Tuscany, Italy, has a long, 20-year history manufacturing robot mowers and other products. As an eco-conscious company, ZCS accepts and fulfills consumer desires to have their robot mower repaired, rather than replaced. Frequently, ZCS offers upgrade kits that enable robot hardware to be upgraded to the current manufacturing level. Dealers can offer upgrades to consumers for improved performance at reduced cost.

ZCS works hard to consolidate components within each robot line so that many components are shared within lines and occasionally between lines. ZCS implemented a world-class quality program and they use "continuous improvement" to ensure every robot performs at, or beyond, its specifications. ZCS strives for performance and quality perfection.

Looking at durability on its own, watch these two videos that compare Ambrogio robot to a competitor; you will easily understand what I mean.

Here are excerpts that compare the wheels:

Competitor Wheel: 3 Plastic Pieces (Snap Together) + Press-fit Turning force

Ambrogio Wheel: 16 Hex-head bolts + Hexagonal Turning Force

The wheel comparison clearly shows that Ambrogio robots are built to last while the competitor seems to have a design the is intended to wear out quickly. The plastic of the competitor's wheel snaps together and is press-fit to the motor while Ambrogio uses 16 screws to hold its wheel together and has a hexagon-shaped shaft.

Also notice that the competitor's tire is made of hard plastic.The competitor's wheel easily slips.

The excerpts below are from the videos by MowerMagic. The difference between hard plastic and soft rubber in terms of traction are very clear.

Competitor Wheel Slipping (Hard Plastic Tire)

Ambrogio's wheel is made from the same rubber that car tires are made from resulting in a incredible traction due to its much higher grip.

Ambrogio's High-Grip Wheel (Replaceable Rubber Tire)

Let's consider the affects of vibration while traveling over hard ground. The competitor's hard tire and press-fit design immediately transfers the shocks and vibrations to the motor shaft. On the other hand, Ambrogio's soft rubber tires act as a shock absorber that will protect the motor and its gears. Therefore, Ambrogio's durability extends from the wheel through to the motor gears.

Here is a comparison of the undersides, first the competitor's model 430x vs Ambrogio 4.0 Elite:

Ambrogio 4.0 Elite vs Competitor 430x Underside

And, comparing two different models, the competitor's model 450x vs Ambrogio L250i Elite:

Competitor 450X vs Ambrogio 250i Underside

Two things to note that have not been discussed before: 1) Ambrogio's blade being closer to the edge means it is far more effective at trimming grass that grows directly next to a physical object such as the house or a fence, and, 2) Ambrogio's safety blade guard defeats the notion that fixed blades are not safe. 

The blade guard encircles the blade tips to ensure it will not come in contact with one's toe, thus, Ambrogio designed a much sturdier and more durable razor-sharp blade that can be sharpened (rather than replaced). And, the blade guard "fingers" cause the grass to stand-up straight, vs. the competitor's robot that lays the grass down, forcing it lower than the blades. Ambrogio's blade is far more effective at cutting stiff weeds and tough grass (such as St. Augustine, Centipede or Zoysia), than the competitor's spinning so-called safety blades. Should we say "wimpy blades" instead? It seems more accurate to me...

Considering the durability of Ambrogio vs its primary competitor, it is easy to see that Ambrogio is built to last. This competitor's product (along with many other competitors) seem to be built to wear out. Over the long term, the cost to keep Ambrogio running will be less, even though its initial cost and its parts costs may be higher than competitors. In the age of environmentalism, this is ideal. 

Furthermore, Zucchetti, the Ambrogio manufacturer, has a proven track-record of keeping parts for old machines available. Large companies are notorious for instituting "planned obsolescence". Typically, all they care about is money in their pocket. Zucchetti, on the other hand, has figured out how to emphasize durability while also maintaining profitability. Personally, I prefer the latter approach, since the world does not need more waste.

This is the sixth of eight articles my series, "Best Robot Mower, 7 Reasons to Choose Ambrogio". Subscribe via email or follow "TheRobotLadysBlog" to read them all.

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