Husqvarna
Comparison · 2 robots
Husqvarna Automower 430XH · Stihl iMow 7
All robot lawn mowers. Every measure below is plotted against the full class, so a difference can be read against how much the class itself varies.
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH
- Stihl iMow 7
01 Classification
What each one does on its own.
The Autonomy Ladder is the same five rungs for every robot on the site. A rung describes the conditions a robot handles without you, not how good it is.
V
Generalized
Any task, any setting
IV
Environmental
Handles new obstacles without help
III
Conditional
Finishes familiar jobs on its own
II
Assisted
Runs preset routines, needs rescue
Husqvarna Automower 430XHStihl iMow 7
I
Manual
One action, on command
02 Assessment
Where they actually differ.
The Robovations Score is nine inputs across three pillars, each weighted as shown and each scored so that more is better. A robot can lead on one and trail on another, which is the point of showing them apart. Cost of ownership and data handling are reported on each robot's own page and are never averaged into the score.
Capability
Task completion16% of score
Does it finish the job it is sold to do, unattended
8085
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH80
- Stihl iMow 785
18median 72 across 429 scored robots100
Coverage and navigation10% of score
Does it work the whole area, and hold that between runs
6063
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH60
- Stihl iMow 763
0median 70 across 417 scored robots100
Edge-case recovery10% of score
Does it recover from the failures its category presents
5584
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH55
- Stihl iMow 784
18median 52 across 318 scored robots100
Operating envelope4% of score
How far conditions can vary before performance drops
7072
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH70
- Stihl iMow 772
28median 68 across 393 scored robots100
Dependability
Field failure rate16% of score
Documented hardware failures per owner-year
10080
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH100
- Stihl iMow 780
6median 70 across 355 scored robots100
Software stability14% of score
Whether updates fix more than they break
8281
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH82
- Stihl iMow 781
15median 65 across 340 scored robots100
Support longevity10% of score
Committed parts, service and updates, with dates
9485
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH94
- Stihl iMow 785
0median 62 across 425 scored robots100
Ownership burden
Routine maintenance12% of score
Hands-on time it asks for in normal operation
4849
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH48
- Stihl iMow 749
22median 67 across 430 scored robots100
Consumables8% of score
Parts that must be bought to keep it working
86100
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH86
- Stihl iMow 7100
8median 69 across 430 scored robots100
03 Measured against the class
How far apart is a long way?
A number only means something next to the spread it sits in. Each track below is the real range across every classified robot in the class, with the median marked.
Runtime105 with a published figure
145 min230 min
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH145 min
- Stihl iMow 7230 min
30 minmedian 100 min240 min
Charge time106 with a published figure
50 min200 min
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH50 min
- Stihl iMow 7200 min
30 minmedian 90 min300 min
Noise104 with a published figure
58 dB61 dB
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH58 dB
- Stihl iMow 761 dB
50 dBmedian 60 dB82 dB
Weight116 with a published figure
32.4 lbs33.1 lbs
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH32.4 lbs
- Stihl iMow 733.1 lbs
13 lbsmedian 30 lbs134 lbs
Height117 with a published figure
13 in8.3 in
- Husqvarna Automower 430XH13 in
- Stihl iMow 78.3 in
7.5 inmedian 11 in16.5 in
Not compared, because fewer than two of these robots carry a published figure: Price, Suction.
04 Ownership
What the numbers leave out.
The trade-off
What each design gives up to be good at what it is good at.
Husqvarna Automower 430XH
Boundary-wire provides reliable, offline coverage but eliminates adaptive zone optimization in GPS competitors.
Low autonomous-operation burden offset by annual blade replacement and seasonal wire maintenance not needed in fully robotic alternatives.
Stihl iMow 7
Wire installation is a permanent setup: any lawn reconfiguration requires physical wire relocation, unlike virtual-boundary or GPS-based alternatives.
Systematic mowing pattern reduces pass overlap compared to random-path alternatives, but the iMow 7 slows for what its ultrasonic sensors register and bumps the rest; it does not plan a route around a newly placed obstacle.
Who each one is wrong for
Stated by the record itself. A robot being wrong for a household is a fact about fit, not a fault.
Husqvarna Automower 430XH
- Small residential yards under 800 square meters
- Unit oversized and expensive for limited area. Purchase cost disproportionate to labor saved; smaller models better suited.
- Yards with frequent obstacles or complex landscaping
- Random cutting pattern and limited obstacle avoidance require very careful boundary planning. Potted plants and garden furniture risk collision.
- Rental properties or frequently reconfigured outdoor spaces
- Boundary-wire relocation is labor-intensive. Properties with seasonal layout changes incur repeated installation and removal costs.
- Owners unwilling to manage seasonal transitions or maintenance
- Requires manual blade replacement annually and weather-driven shutdown decisions. Not truly set-and-forget like position-independent systems.
- Users requiring year-round autonomous operation
- Designed for spring-to-fall mowing in temperate climates. Not rated for snow or ice; winter storage required in freeze-thaw regions.
Stihl iMow 7
- Owners who frequently reconfigure lawn areas or garden beds
- Any structural landscaping change requires physical wire relocation. Changing zones means reconfiguring the boundary wire system.
- Buyers seeking GPS, RTK, or virtual-boundary wire-free operation
- The iMow 7 uses a physical perimeter wire only. Wire-free robotic mower alternatives are necessary for owners wanting GPS or virtual boundaries.
- Lawns with complex island beds, narrow corridors, or multi-zone layouts
- Each zone or corridor requires a dedicated guide wire segment. Complex layouts increase installation complexity and risk unmowed strips.
- Households where children or animals routinely occupy the mowing zone
- Ultrasonic sensors slow the mower for larger objects, but nothing on it identifies a person or a pet, and low objects are detected by contact. Scheduling sessions when the lawn is clear remains the reliable mitigation.
- Lots significantly above 5,000 square meters
- Rated coverage is 5,000 square meters and the iMOW 7 is the top of the range, so there is no larger model to move up to. Properties beyond it need more than one machine in adjacent zones.
What stays your job
The upkeep ownership hands back to you, whatever the autonomy level says.
Husqvarna Automower 430XH
- After every use: Empty grass chamber if equipped; inspect for debris around wheels.
- Weekly: Inspect boundary wire for visible damage or displacement in high-traffic areas.
- Monthly: Clean charging contacts and dock station of grass and moisture.
- Every 3-6 months: Blade inspection for dullness or damage; replace if cutting quality degrades.
- Annually: Full blade replacement (cost $30-50); seasonal storage and battery conditioning.
- As needed: Boundary-wire repair or relocation due to lawn changes (professional service $150-300).
Stihl iMow 7
- After every use: Clear grass clippings and debris from blade disc and chassis to prevent buildup.
- Monthly: Inspect perimeter wire at surface crossings and obstacles for wear or animal damage.
- Every 3–6 months: Replace blade disc when cut quality declines; replacement blades cost $10–$25 per set.
- Annually: Full perimeter wire inspection including connectors and guide wire segments; clean charging station contacts.
- Annually: Test rain sensor auto-return function before season; clean sensor lens if blocked by residue.
- As needed: Splice or reposition wire sections after landscaping or tool-induced damage.
05 Evidence
How much each of these is standing on.
Classifications rest on different depths of evidence. A pre-release assessment and a verified one are not the same kind of claim.
| Robot | Evidence status | Sources reviewed | Last assessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Husqvarna Automower 430XH | Provisional | 5 | Aug 2026 |
| Stihl iMow 7 | Pending | 5 | Aug 2026 |
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