If you’re in the market for a robot lawnmower, there are a large number of options to choose from. The Ecovacs Goat GX-600 positions itself as a plug-and-play mower, which requires almost no installation.
Traditional robot mowers require a physical wire installation to define the boundaries, and wireless models work using a reference station, beacons, or even a LiDAR like the Dreame Roboticmower A1. To understand where they have to mow, most models require you to create boundaries. This can either be done using a wire, or virtually with wireless systems. It typically means remotely driving the mower on the lawn edges for it to understand where it should stop. Unfortunately, this process can be time-consuming for big lawns, making the initial setup painstaking.
The Goat GX-600 takes this hassle away, thanks to a fully autonomous setup. By using its built-in camera, the robot automatically identifies the lawn boundaries and obstacles and can start mowing without further intervention. In essence, it mimics the way Ecovacs robot vacuums work, by automatically mapping its work area.
With such an easy setup process, the GX-600 is much easier to install than competing mowers. However, how does it compare when it comes to navigation and cutting the grass? Let’s explore its performance in this detailed review.
Ecovacs Goat GX-600
Mowing efficiency
Navigation
Obstacle avoidance
Battery life
Value for money
Design & build quality
Excellent
The Ecovacs Goat GX-600 robot lawnmower offers a hassle-free, plug-and-play experience by utilizing a built-in camera to identify lawn boundaries and obstacles, eliminating the need for manual setup or boundary wires. While it excels in easy installation and precise mowing, it requires a continuous lawn with clearly defined physical boundaries and has limited customization options in its app. Overall, the GX-600 is ideal for users seeking simplicity and reliability in lawn maintenance, priced competitively at $1,300.
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Smart and compact design
The Ecovacs Goat GX-600 boasts a sleek, modern design with a sturdy build. It’s relatively compact, measuring 650x432x420cm and weighing 20kg.
The mower’s body is predominantly made of durable plastic with a matte green finish. The top panel features a large, easily accessible STOP button for emergency shutdowns, a control panel with a display, and a dial for adjusting the cutting height. The built-in 150-degree wide-angle fish-eye camera is prominently positioned, with a raised position over the front bumper. This enables the mower to accurately identify lawn boundaries, obstacles, and navigate efficiently. The large wheels can handle various terrains, including slopes up to 40% or 21 degrees.
The docks serves as both a charging station and a storage unit. Its top part opens up to provide storage space for blades and other accessories. The dock itself is sturdy and weather-resistant, designed to blend seamlessly into your garden environment.
Plug-and-play setup
Before buying a Goat GX-600, it’s essential to ensure it can work with your lawn. Indeed, setup is a breeze, there are a few prerequisites to make sure the mower can function properly. Most importantly, your lawn needs to be continuous, in the sense that the GX-600 can’t handle zones and paths. It therefore needs to be placed on or right next to the lawn, and can only mow the continuous area it identifies. Also, your yard needs to be properly delimited with fences or pathways. Otherwise, the robot won’t be able to identify where your lawn ends. This also applies to flowerbeds and pools, which need to be either separated by a pathway or fenced off, as the robot could otherwise venture off the lawn.
If you meet these requirements, setting up the Ecovacs Goat GX-600 only takes a few minutes, much less than most other models. The absence of boundary setup significantly reduces installation time, and you only need to respect the guidelines on how and where to place the dock. The mower then uses its camera to survey the lawn, identifying edges and boundaries. This intelligent setup process saves hours compared to other models that require manual boundary setup.
Unfortunately, though, there is no option to review the map to confirm whether the robot’s boundaries are accurate. This isn’t necessarily an issue when using it, but it’s a bit confusing.
Basic app with few customization options
The Ecovacs app lets you control your mower remotely, in an intuitive manner. Since there is no mapping functionality, it may seem limited, but you can still launch a mowing cycle remotely and check its status, in addition to adjusting some settings. The interface is user-friendly, and setting up a mowing schedule is straightforward. In fact, the app automatically creates a suggested mowing schedule for you, which you can edit according to your needs. However, just like other mowers, the Goat GX-600 requires you to set a start and end time, which means you have to make sure you give the robot enough time to complete the mowing cycle.
Notifications keep you informed of the mower’s status, including when it returns to the charging station or encounters an issue.
However, the app does not offer extensive customization options for mowing patterns or zones. Also, it doesn’t display where the robot has encountered obstacles, meaning you have to check your yard for potentially unmowed areas due to forgotten objects.
In addition to the app, you can also launch the robot directly from the control panel. Similarly, you can adjust some settings on the mower, without having to use the app.
Excellent mowing performance, especially edges
The Goat GX-600 delivers impressive mowing performance, capable of precision cutting even in challenging terrain, thanks to the large wheels. When working, it follows an S-shaped path, covering the entire lawn with precision. You can choose between a single pass or a crossed pattern to ensure thorough coverage with no missed spots. The cutting height is adjustable, ranging between 30mm and 60mm, with 25mm increments. However, this needs to be physically done on the robot, as there is no option to change the setting on the app.
The mower effectively trims grass close to edges, which most competitors tend to struggle with. Similarly, it manages corners well, without leaving a large unmowed area. Still, you need to manually trim edges, but it does a better job than other competing mowers.
Additionally, it has a rain sensor that automatically pauses mowing during wet conditions to prevent lawn damage.
Reliable navigation and obstacle detection
Thanks to its advanced camera and sensors, the GX-600 excels in navigation and obstacle detection. If you respect the guidelines and have a compatible lawn, the robot senses the boundaries automatically and precisely. It then mows the lawn without requiring any boundary setup, not even virtual. However, it needs clean physical separations to understand where the lawn stops, such as a pathway, a wall, rocks, or a fence, as it could otherwise mow the flowerbeds or even fall into a pool.
The 150-degree wide-angle fish-eye camera also helps it detect and avoid obstacles. These include toys, pets, and garden furniture. Similarly, it can automatically detect trees, garden furniture, and sheds making sure you don’t have to manually add no-go zones.
In addition, you can adjust the mower’s sensitivity when it comes to obstacle detection. This lets you pick whether to ignore obstacles less than 10, 15, or 20 centimeters, which is particularly convenient if you have flowers that lean on the lawn, for instance.
Quiet mowing but limited battery life
The Ecovacs Goat GX-600 is particularly quiet, producing about 60db when mowing, which is barely audible. The wheels are a bit noisier, but you can’t hear them unless you’re close to the robot. This means you can schedule your mowing cycles whenever you want, even at night, without bothering anyone.
As for battery life, the mower can run for up to 85 minutes on a single charge, which is decent, but not impressive. Thankfully, it can automatically return to its charging station and resume working when it’s full.
Is the Ecovacs Goat GX-600 the right robot lawnmower for you?
The Ecovacs Goat GX-600 is a reliable and user-friendly robot mower that simplifies lawn care. Its easy setup, efficient mowing performance, and advanced navigation make it an excellent choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-use and capable robot mower. However, it comes with specific prerequisites, such as clearly defined boundaries, which can be drawbacks if you have a complex lawn. However, if you have a well-defined lawn and prefer a hassle-free setup, the Goat GX-600 is worth considering, especially given its competitive price of $1,300.
In comparison to other models, the GX-600 offers a unique balance of ease of use and advanced features. Its ability to navigate and mow complex garden layouts without the need for boundary wires sets it apart from traditional robot mowers.
Pros | Cons |
Easy installation | Only works with simple lawns |
Mowing performance | Mowing height is only adjustable on the robot |
More affordable than competition | No map in app |
Q&A
The Ecovacs Goat GX-600 stands out due to its fully autonomous setup process, eliminating the need for boundary wires or manual driving to define lawn edges. It uses a built-in camera to identify boundaries and obstacles, making it much easier to install and start using compared to traditional robot mowers.
The main prerequisites include having a continuous lawn with clear physical boundaries such as fences or pathways. The mower cannot handle complex zones or navigate separate areas and requires defined edges to prevent it from venturing off the lawn or into unwanted areas like flowerbeds or pools.
No, the cutting height of the Ecovacs Goat GX-600 can only be adjusted manually on the mower itself. The height ranges between 30mm and 60mm with 25mm increments, but there is no option to change this setting through the app.
Yes, it can be controlled and monitored remotely using a smartphone app, offering convenience and ease of use.
Yes, the mower allows you to customize mowing zones and schedules through its app, enabling you to tailor the mowing routine to fit your daily schedule and lawn care preferences.
Kyle Lakewood
Based in New York, Kyle combines his passion for smart home products with a commitment to honest, unbiased reviews. As the founder of Smart Home Critic, he guides readers in choosing the right products for their needs. Living with his partner and dog, Kyle brings a personal touch to his work, involving his whole family in the review process to ensure each product is thoroughly tested and family-approved.