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Back in the day, lawn care was simple. When your grass needed mowing, you’d break out the push unit. When you needed to pull weeds, you bent down and yanked them. When you needed to water, you grabbed a hose.
But in recent years, lawn care has teched-out.
There are gadgets like robotic mowers, AI-powered sprinkler systems, and other automated landscaping tools. These fun, computerized items promise to ease maintenance efforts—and costs—while boosting a home’s curb appeal. And people are buying. The global robotic lawn mower market size is projected to grow to $4.04 billion by 2028. Meanwhile, it’s estimated that 28 million homes across the country currently use sprinklers with smart controls.
So, techy lawn care is catching on, but can they offer real value for homeowners looking to save time or money?
Gene Caballero, co-founder of GreenPal, says these tools are super convenient, noting, “lawn tech is helping to change the game for homeowners who want a great-looking lawn without spending hours maintaining it.”
But these products aren’t always perfect, warns Ali Lijee, gardener and founder of TreeMend. Users will need to get the products serviced, there may be glitches, and there’s always the risk of pricy lawn gear getting stolen.
What smart lawn tools are on the market—and what do they cost?
Robot mowers
Robotic mowers are a popular item for homeowners with big, grassy yards. Caballero says popular models like the Worx Landroid or Husqvarna Automower are priced from $900 to $2,500 and are ideal for small to medium-sized, flat lawns. These use a physical wire, but if you’re hoping for a cordless model, the Husqvarna Automower 450X EPOS doesn’t require one—although it’ll cost a pretty penny, over $5,000.
He notes that robo mowers do require a bit of setup, like installing boundary wires (which can be finicky), and there can be a learning curve.
Smart sprinklers
Robot mowers can cut grass, but smart sprinklers will help keep it green.
These techy sprinkler systems, with popular models including Rachio or Orbit B-hyve, allow you to schedule your in-ground sprinklers from an app and can even help you save water by calculating for weather and plant types.
Lijee says that these sprinklers usually cost a couple of hundred dollars. They’re easy to install, and the apps are easy to learn.
Soil sensors
Soil sensors are instruments placed in the ground to monitor soil conditions such as moisture, conductivity, temperature, nutrients, pH, and/or salinity of the soil. Smart soil sensors, such as the Ecowitt WH51, PlantLink, or Vegetronix VH400, allow users to track their soil’s data on an app.
“These devices monitor moisture levels in real time and feed data back to your system to adjust watering schedules automatically,” says Caballero.
Lijee says these tools are generally easy to use and are inexpensive—many great models are under $100.
Weeding robots
Caballero says a weeding robot is the up-and-coming yard must-have. He says this robot is solar-powered and uses sensors to roam garden beds, cutting down small weeds before they become a problem.
Do smart lawn tools actually save time or money?
These tech items look cool, but will they really help? Experts say yes.
When it comes to robotic mowers, Caballero says they may be expensive to buy but they can offset the average $40 to $50 weekly mowing cost in a couple of seasons. Lijee agrees that they can be a smart buy, saying he uses one at his home, and it’s a big time saver. In fact, he reports saving three to four hours a month mowing.
However, Caballero says these mowers have a tendency to get stuck or stolen. Plus, he says they often miss the edges of lawns so users will likely need to trim those sections manually.
Overall, it might be a good investment for someone with a ton of grass, especially if it’s on a square, flat lot. But if you’ve got a small space that might be difficult for the robot to maneuver, an old-fashioned mower might make more sense.
Additionally, Caballero says spark sprinklers, a type of smart sprinker, can be a big money saver. “Especially when paired with soil sensors, [they] can dramatically improve watering efficiency—cutting water usage by up to 50%,” he says, adding that he uses one at his own home and it’s made managing irrigation easy.
Likewise, Lijee says he uses a smart sprinkler system and has decreased his water use about 25%.
“A smart sprinkler system can absolutely save enough patio and garden water to pay for itself in one to two years,” Lijee adds.
Likewise, Caballero says soil sensors can help avoid overwatering, which can save money and keep grass healthy. “It’s a smart, low-effort upgrade for any homeowners,” he says.
Overall, Caballero says these innovations will “certainly reduce the manual portion of the manual work and help keep the yard looking its best.”
Are smart lawn tools a smart move for aging homeowners?
Caballero says these smart items are great for tech-savvy homeowners who want to try out the latest and greatest, but they’re especially helpful for those with disabilities or older adults who don’t want to fuss with manual labor anymore.
Lijee agrees, noting that robotic mowers, in particular, can bring ease to a normally rigorous task. “They’re fantastic for older homeowners who can no longer do the heavy yard work, busy families with kids, or anybody with medium to large lawns,” he says.
But Caballero warns that not all lawn tech is easy for anyone to set up and use. He says to consider your lot size, lawn goals, and climate before making a big purchase. “It’s all about finding the right tech that fits your knowledge, property, and lifestyle,” he says.
Will smart landscaping tech boost curb appeal—or home value?
Lawn tech can make life easier for homeowners, but did you know it can also boost property value? Ebonee Johnikin, a real estate agent based in Laurel, MS, says smart lawn tech can boost a home’s value in the right market, though perhaps not how you’d expect.
“Lawn tech isn’t much of a draw; the well-maintained lawn resulting from the gadgets always will be,” she explains.
Johnikin goes on to say that she’s had homes move quickly simply because the outside looked cared for. “A clean, green, well-maintained lawn is like the smile of a home. It’s the first thing buyers see, and it really sets the tone,” she says. “Great curb appeal builds trust and makes buyers feel like the home has been well loved.”