[Gadgets] Cutting-edge gadgets for the garden

[FazzNoth]

  Blades of glory

The only thing more tedious than watching grass grow is the bit that comes next: having to trim it. A recent survey of more than 2,000 Brits revealed that mowing the lawn was among their most loathed household chores (worse, even, than putting on washing). Thankfully, technology has come a long way since 1969, when the MowBot, the first robotic lawnmower, was launched. A “magic” banana-coloured rig, the MowBot “wanders around as aimlessly as a hound-dog pup that’s just got its first whiff of a rabbit’s trail”, read a Po[CENSORED]r Science review at the time.
 

    Today’s descendants, more trained hunter than pup, deal with unkempt lawns swiftly and efficiently. Swedish firm Husqvarna is the market leader and two of its latest smart mowers, the Automower 405X and 415X, are ideal for home use. They’re basically twins – with sexy forms that recall toy Porsches – but the 405X works on lawns up to 600sq m, whereas the 415X can tackle larger 1,500sq m expanses. While neither asks much of its owner, you need to place a boundary wire around your lawn so the machine knows its limits. And the charging station requires access to an outdoor socket – or its plug can be snaked through a window.

Beyond that, everything is controlled via an app, a physical button, or voice activation: you can choose your desired grass length between 20 and 50mm; monitor your robot’s progress on your phone; and put it on a strict schedule. It doesn’t inhale clippings – the point is to use it so regularly that the tiny off-cuts can be left on top of the lawn where they act as a natural fertiliser – but it does basically everything else. It checks the weather forecast and, if there’s likely to be frost, will delay its start time so as not to damage the grass. Hilly garden? Not a problem, it can scale a 40-degree incline. A stray patio chair or narrow passage won’t hinder its progress either. Using GPS tracking to figure out which parts to mow next, this thing will raze the lawn with the ruthlessness of a billy goat – but only the gentlest of rustling sounds. Husqvarna Automower 405X (£1,799) and 415X (£2,299)
 

    This new release from Kettler, a German company that’s been making garden furniture since 1949, looks so delicious it may even get me cooking. Outdoor kitchens have been growing in po[CENSORED]rity lately and versions like the Neo – a handsome chunk of UV-protected, rust-resistant stainless steel (with stucco stone finishing) – make it easy to see why. A little more than 3m across, it has a six-burner BBQ, drinks fridge, tap and sink, plenty of cupboard space, and a roomy workbench for slicing steaks and cocktail garnishes. Plus, the BBQ is fitted with halogen lamps for after sunset. Cue a season of garden parties. Kettler Neo Outdoor Kitchen, £7,499

https://www.ft.com/content/4887f3e9-076b-4354-b21a-41d65f70a380