Ecovacs has significantly enhanced its presence in the robotic lawnmower market with smart and innovative products. The Ecovacs G1-2000 is the manufacturer’s most advanced mower, offering a fully autonomous mowing experience along with intelligent obstacle recognition. It uses a combination of beacons and cameras to ensure reliable navigation and obstacle detection.

The G1 family comprises three models: the G1-800, G1-1600, and G1-2000. These models are similar, primarily differing in battery size and the surface area they can cover, ranging from 800 to 2,000 square meters. Regardless of the model, all three offer the same functionality.

Unlike the Ecovacs GX-600, the G1 family provides more features and customization options but requires a bit more installation effort. The G1-2000, being entirely wire-free, doesn’t require boundary wires. However, it does require the installation of beacons in your yard.

The G1-2000 is a strong competitor to the Dreame A1, offering numerous features, including smart obstacle detection, mowing schedules, support for up to 16 zones, and a live camera feed to monitor your garden.

In this detailed review, let’s see how the Ecovacs G1-2000 compares to the competition and what the G1 family has to offer.

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Sophisticated design

The Ecovacs Goat G1-2000 has a refined appearance with its silver and matte black finish. On the top, it features a large STOP button for emergency shutdowns, a control panel with a display, and a dial to adjust the cutting height, all nicely hidden under a top cover.

It comes with two cameras: one raised over the front bumper and another panoramic camera on the top. These enable the mower to accurately identify lawn boundaries, detect obstacles, and navigate efficiently.

The underside is quite standard. It has two small directional wheels at the front and the main wheels at the back on the sides. The large wheels can handle various terrains, including slopes up to 40% or 21 degrees. The 22cm cutting disc is in the middle, equipped with three sharp blades.

As for the dock, it serves as both a charging station and a storage unit. Its top part opens to provide storage space for blades and other accessories. The build quality is sturdy, with both the robot and dock being weather-resistant and designed to blend seamlessly into your garden environment.

The G1-2000 also comes with a garage. This garage adds a top cover to protect the station from inclement weather and dirt. It features two side panels that imitate wood, adding a premium look to your garden. The garage is also available for the other two versions but is sold separately.

Lastly, the package includes navigational beacons that need to be placed on the lawn. They feature a modern design with white and silver colors. However, they are not very discreet, as they are quite tall, measuring 48 cm.

Easy and customizable setup

Setting up the Ecovacs Goat G1-2000 is easy, thanks to the Ecovacs app’s guidance. First, plug in the station, pair the robot, and set up a PIN code. Unlike some other robots, you need to pair and place the navigation beacons. You must install at least two, but you may need more depending on your yard’s size and layout. You don’t have to place the station on the grass, which some mowers require.

Next, map your garden. You can do this manually by controlling the robot and moving it along the edges. Alternatively, let it recognize your lawn automatically using its built-in cameras, similar to the Ecovacs GX-600. The automated process may be sufficient if your lawn is fenced or doesn’t have pathways separating the grass.

The process is straightforward and guided. You can create a map with up to 16 customizable zones. These zones can include no-entry areas where the robot can’t enter or where the blades deactivate.

You can’t edit the map by dragging or adjusting points as with some other brands. However, the robot offers a map optimization feature. This feature automatically adjusts the edges to mow as close as possible, maximizing the covered surface.

Simple app with a few customization options

The Ecovacs Goat G1-2000 is controlled using the Ecovacs app and the mower’s control panel. The app is easy to use, allowing you to review the mower’s status, and showing a map with different zones, including the robot, station, and beacons.

From the app, you can launch an automatic mowing cycle, send the robot to a specific area, or mow only the edges. Additionally, you can control the robot remotely while it mows, useful for directing it to missed spots.

You can create schedules using the app, either to mow the lawn during specific time periods or to patrol your garden. In patrol mode, the robot roams around your garden and notifies you if it detects a human within seven meters.

You can choose between delicate or quick mowing, depending on how fast you need your lawn mowed. You can also customize the mowing direction, although there is no automatic adjustment feature, which would have improved overall grass health.

Other settings include options to pause the mowing cycle if it rains or if animals are likely to be active at night. The station keeper mode adds a protective feature, notifying you if a human is detected within seven meters of the robot. Finally, you can adjust obstacle avoidance settings for objects more than 10, 15, or 20 cm high.

As for the physical control panel, it lets you launch a mowing cycle or turn schedules on and off. In addition, you can also adjust a few settings directly from the robot.

When it comes to connectivity, you can control the robot over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but also using 4G connectivity. The module is included natively with the G1-2000, and can be purchased optionally for the two other models.

Precise mowing, even in harsh conditions

The Ecovacs Goat GX-2000 is one of the most precise mower’s I’ve tested. It cuts the grass precisely, even on uneven terrain, handling slopes up to 45%. It follows an S-shaped path, covering each zone precisely. The cutting height is adjustable, ranging from 30mm to 60mm, in 25mm increments. Sadly, you must adjust this physically on the robot using the dial.

The mower effectively trims grass relatively close to edges, a task most competitors struggle with. It also manages corners well without leaving large unmowed areas. While you still need to manually trim the edges, it performs better than other competing mowers.

However, unlike the Dreame A1, it doesn’t leave clear stripes on the lawn, which would have been a nice addition for an even nicer looking lawn. Lastly, as mentioned previously, the mowing orientation can’t be adjusted automatically, meaning you have to do it manually in the settings. Worse, it applies to all areas, and can’t be defined per zone.

Great navigation and obstacle avoidance

The Ecovacs G1-2000 excels at navigating. Unlike some other mowers that require a GPS fix before functioning, this one locates itself precisely and instantly. The navigation beacons help it measure distances effectively and constantly update its position according to its relative position and what its cameras detect. In addition, GPS data is also used, maximizing the position’s accuracy.

Its multiple sensors help it understand its environment. This allows the mower to avoid obstacles such as pipes, trees, and garden furniture. It ensures the robot doesn’t bump into them and also helps it detect flowerbeds as they change over time.

During my tests, the mower excelled at locating itself and sensing obstacles. Sometimes it was a bit cautious and avoided imaginary obstacles, but this is probably better than mistakenly ignoring them.

Quiet operating with an impressive battery life

The Ecovacs Goat G1-2000 is very quiet, emitting only 59db when mowing. This is barely audible, ensuring it doesn’t produce any nuisance, even at night. Thanks to this, you can schedule mowing cycles whenever you want, even on weekends or at night.

Regarding battery life, the mower can mower up to 1000 square meters in a day, which is quite impressive. It can automatically return to its charging station and resume working when fully charged, covering up to 2000 square meters in two days.

Seamless maintenance and care

Maintaining the Ecovacs G1-2000 is straightforward and hassle-free. With its IPX6 rating, the mower is weather and water-resistant. You only need to hose down the unit, including the wheels and blades, to remove grass clippings, dirt, and debris.

The garage helps keep the mower clean when it’s parked, while also adding a nice touch to your garden. Additionally, the dock features built-in brushes that clean the robot’s cameras before each cycle, ensuring it constantly has good visibility over the lawn.

Is the Ecovacs G1-2000 the right lawnmower for you?

The Ecovacs G1-2000 stands out with its advanced navigation, quiet operation, and easy maintenance. It efficiently handles various terrains, avoids obstacles, and offers customizable mowing schedules. The setup, while requiring some initial effort, is straightforward with the help of the Ecovacs app.

If you want a reliable, autonomous lawnmower that operates quietly and needs minimal maintenance, the G1-2000 is a solid choice. Its features and performance make it suitable for a range of lawn sizes and conditions, keeping your garden tidy with minimal hassle.

Pros	Cons
Mowing performance	Manual cutting height adjustment
Silent operation	Tall navigation beacons
Advanced navigation and obstacle detection	No customizable settings per zone

Q&A