Under $1,000 · 4 models ranked · Updated July 2026
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Under $1,000 used to mean boundary wire and dumb bounce navigation. Not anymore. This year the tier includes genuinely wire-free RTK and vision mowers that map a small yard on their own. You still give some things up: coverage tops out around a quarter acre, slope limits are gentler, and mowing is slower. But for a typical suburban front and back lawn, these four get the job done for less than one season of paid lawn service.
Rank 01 · Top budget pick
All-wheel drive and wire-free RTK navigation at a price that was mid-range a year ago.
~$799
Best for: Small suburban lawns up to about 0.15 acre with uneven ground or modest slopes
Rank 02
The cheapest credible wire-free mower from a major brand.
~$699
Best for: Flat, open lawns up to about 800 m² where price matters most
Rank 03
The proven boundary-wire workhorse. Old tech, deeply refined.
~$799
Best for: Buyers who value a decade of reliability data over wire-free convenience
Rank 04
A challenger brand packing dual-mode RTK navigation and a garage into the lowest price bracket.
~$749
Best for: Value hunters with simple quarter-acre lawns who want wire-free without the brand tax
| Spec | Segway Navimow i206 AWD | ECOVACS Goat O800 RTK | Worx Landroid M700 Plus | Anthbot M5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Price | ~$799 | ~$699 | ~$799 | ~$749 |
| Coverage | 0.15 acre (600 m²) | 0.2 acre (800 m²) | 0.17 acre (700 m²) | 0.25 acre (1,000 m²) |
| Max slope | 45% | 40% | 35% | 45% |
| Navigation | EFLS NetRTK + vision fusion | RTK + vision (TrueMapping 2.0) | Boundary wire + AIA smart navigation | RTK + NetRTK, vision obstacle avoidance |
| Cut width | 8.3 in (21 cm) | 8.7 in (22 cm) | 7 in (18 cm) | 8 in (20 cm) |
| Noise | ~58 dB(A) | ~60 dB(A) | ~63 dB(A) | ~60 dB(A) |
| Boundary wire | None | None | Required | None |