Comparing Husqvarna and Ambrogio

Husqvarna vs Ambrogio – A user’s perspective.

Caveat Lector (Reader beware)

Before going any further, please remember that we are an Ambrogio dealer.  I have tried to ensure that everything I have included is objective but, if you think I have missed anything or misrepresented anything, please let me know and I’ll strive to correct it.

Background

If you have not read my previous posting about my starting point with robot mowers then it is probably worth a quick read here, if you want a very quick summary then …

We bought a Husqvarna 450X in 2018 and were so impressed that we decided to give up our jobs and start selling robot mowers.  We looked at the brands available as a dealer and quickly decided that Ambrogio was the up-and-coming brand in the uk.  I emphasise ‘in the uk’ as 2022 will be the 22nd anniversary of Ambrogio as a robot mower brand, Husqvarna beat Ambrogio to it by about 5 years but remember that most of the innovations are fairly recent.

We do get a fair number of calls from people who have looked for a premium robot lawn mower, found Husqvarna (they have a big advertising budget) and then, after a bit more googling, found Ambrogio and are wondering what the differences are.  Fortunately, there is some good information out there but in case you haven’t found  it…

Key Differences

Based on my experience of both brands, I would say that the differences lie in 4 main areas:

1. Range of models (especially for larger areas).
2. Build quality.
3. Flexibility to deal with complex areas.
4. Total cutting time.

There are some differences in the features e.g. Husqvarna has a obstacle sensor, Ambrogio has a pet tag (Amico) and remembers where it has previously bumped into an obstacle, but both brands are continuously improving and refining their features and software.  Although the features may differ, they are both solving problems just sometimes in different ways.

Range of models

Ambrogio currently has a slightly wider range of domestic models than Husqvarna (11 vs 7 – depending on how you count them).  On the face of it, that sounds better, but does it really matter?  

If you have a medium sized garden (less than 1800 sq. m.) and still want the latest technology or a large garden (3500 sq. m. or over) then the answer is definitely yes!

The latest (2022) Ambrogio range provides the latest technology across it’s models (apart from the L60 – which is innovative in it’s own right). It has 4 models that cater for 3500 sq. m. and above (up to 20,000 sq. m.) whilst Husqvarna has 2 models with a maximum of 5000 sq. m. 

Model Comparisons in depth

When you are buying a machine that mows in your garden for 6+ months of the year in all weathers, you want something that will last. Both Husqvarna and Ambrogio are quality brands and are much higher quality than other machines that I have looked at (that’s why I bought them) but by looking at a picture or even seeing them in the flesh, it is difficult to see how well built they are.  I would suggest looking at some of the videos comparing the models (below) and asking for a demo of the machine before buying.  Many thanks to our colleagues at Ambrogio Uk (Mower Magic) for putting the videos together.

Remember to not just look at the area they will cover but also the number of hours they need to be scheduled for  to cover that area.

For more details on the Husqvarnas, have a look in their manuals rather than their website.  More details of the Ambrogio models along with their manuals can be found via our Ambrogio product summary.

Husqvarna Automower 450X vs Ambrogio L250i Elite S+

Have a look at the Ambrogio L250i Elite S+ and its smaller brother the Ambrogio L250i Elite

Husqvarna Automower 430X vs Ambrogio 4.0 Elite

Have a look at the Ambrogio 4.0 Elite Premium and its bigger brother the Ambrogio 4.36 Elite

Husqvarna Automower 310 & 315 vs Ambrogio Twenty

Have a look at the Ambrogio Twenty Deluxe, the Twenty Elite the newest Twenty Elite S+

Ambrogio QUAD First Look – an Husqvarna 435X alternative

Have a look at the Ambrogio Quad

Flexibility to deal with complex areas

From the installation point of view, a Husqvarna perimeter wire installation is very similar to a Ambrogio installation, the main point where they differ is how the mower navigates to different areas in your lawn and find their way back to the base station. 

The Husqvarna uses separate guide wires that it follows to find each area whereas the Ambrogio uses the perimeter wire.

If you have a complex garden with a number of linked areas then the Husqvarna can handle it up to 3 additional areas on the biggest machine – then you have to get more creative…the Ambrogio Twenty 25 Elite upwards can handle 7 additional areas.  Why would you need 7 additional areas?  Although you might consider an ‘area’ as a lawn separated from your main lawn (perhaps though a gate, path etc.), the reality is that we setup areas to handle parts of the lawn where the robot may not get to very often in it’s usual operation e.g. round the back of a flowerbed, tennis court, swimming pool. 

The other thing is that over time, your requirements change, perhaps you add a flowerbed, seed an area that you didn’t previously mow…what you want is a mower that provides the flexibility for the future.

In the 2020 season, we decide to move the base station.  It was a short distance (about 5m).  With the Ambrogio, it was easy, we just needed to extend one end of the perimeter wire, change 1 distance to an Area via the App and we were ready to go…well not quite as we had to solve the problem of a mower going over shingle as well.

If we had guide wires to move instead, we would have probably not moved it – too much hassle.

Total Cutting Time

All robot mower manufacturers quote the maximum area that a specific model can cover.  What is more difficult to find out is how long it takes to cut that area.  As a mower will cut and charge a number of times a day, the important thing is not how much it will cut in one charge but how many hours a day is required to ensure that the whole area is covered each week.

For example the Husqvarna 450X has a maximum capacity of 5000 m² but, it will require the machine to run for almost 24 hours every day…not a problem unless the mower doesn’t mow for a day (or even for a few hours) or if you want to use the lawn.

Wire Breaks

Although not specifically related to the machine, the Ambrogio standard perimeter wire has proved to be more resilient than that offered by Husqvarna.  We had multiple breaks with the Husqvarna wire but so far have only had one break with the Ambrogio wire when some idiot (me) put a spade through it.  You can purchase an armoured wire for installation (it has an extra layer of insulation and a extra wire shield) which comes with a ten year guarantee – worth thinking about if you have lots of wildlife that may damage the cable.

Next Steps

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Ambrogio range then Contact Us.

If you’re not sure about how a robot lawn mower would work in your garden, then ask us to carry out a lawn survey – you can get an idea of the size of your lawn by using our measure my lawn page.

Whether you decide to buy a Husqvarna or an Ambrogio, we hope that you enjoy the free time that it will bring you.

Paul