The Sunseeker X3 Plus is part of a new generation of robot lawnmowers no longer bound by wires -- unlike earlier models, you don't have to install a wire around the border of your yard, a tedious and time-consuming process. Instead, the X3 Plus uses a combination of GPS and cameras to navigate its way around your lawn and avoid obstacles.
I used the X3 Plus for a couple of months in my backyard, to see how it would handle mowing my yard on a regular basis, and how well it could dodge errant toys that my kid and dog love to forget in the middle of the grass. And, while the price of robot lawnmowers has gone down, they're still not cheap, so is the $1,599 asking price for the X3 Plus too steep for what it does? Read on to find out what I liked, and what I didn't.
The $1,599 X3 is near the top end of Sunseeker's robot lawnmower lineup. The only model more expensive is the $2,699 X7, which can cover up to 0.75 acres, compared to 0.3 acres for the X3. The X7 can also climb slopes up to 70%, versus 30% (17º) for the X3 Plus.
While $1,599 isn't a small amount of change, Sunseeker's robot lawnmower is fairly competitively priced. It's about half as much as Husqvarna's least-expensive wire-free model, but Segway's Navimow i105, which can cover up to 1/8 of an acre, and can climb similar grades as the X3, costs just $999. Similarly, the Mammotion Luba mini costs $1,599, covers 1/4 of an acre, and can get up slopes as much as 80%.
In general, the Sunseeker X3 Plus was easy to set up and use -- In the two months it mowed my lawn, I pretty much forgot about it unless there was some sort of issue, which was pretty infrequent.
Easy setup
The X3 Plus is part of a newer generation of robot lawnmowers that do not need a boundary wire. Older robot lawnmowers required you to install a wire around the edge of the area to be mowed, and the mower would randomly bounce around inside the area, much like early robot vacuums.
The X3 Plus and others of its ilk use GPS and vision systems to keep them on mission. To get it up and running, you first install the base station and then a small GPS beacon, which is mounted on a six-foot pole. Then, once everything is connected to your Wi-Fi, you use the Sunseeker app to manually drive the mower around the perimeter of your property.
From there, you program the mower to run on a schedule, and let it do its thing. In all, it was a pretty painless process, but it took me around half an hour to 45 minutes to get everything up and running.
It generally worked well
For the most part, the X3 went about its business mowing my lawn without complaint. Its vision system worked well too: it was able to avoid objects I scattered around my yard, like a softball and a half-chewed dog bone.
If the mower spots an object, it will mark it off in the map as a no-go area, which you can delete from the map in the app. You'll want to make sure that your lawn has been trimmed before you start, though - I had a small patch with some overgrown weeds that the X3 avoided until I cut it down to the same level as the surrounding grass.
The mower uses its vision system to help it navigate back to its dock, however, it can be fooled - on one occasion, I had a small gray footstool sitting a few feet from the dock, and the mower mistakenly thought the stool was the dock. So, it then drove out of its proscribed area and tried unsuccessfully to dock with the stool for a few minutes. While I doubt this will happen to anyone else, I thought it amusing enough to mention.
Smart app
Sunseeker's app provides you with an accurate map of your backyard (once the X3 Plus makes its rounds), and clearly labels every object that the mower found impassable. If the object is something you can pick up -- like your kid's baseball mitt -- you can remove the object from the app as well.
The app also makes it easy to modify the map, create schedules for when the X3 Plus will mow the lawn, and adjust various settings, such as mowing height, and cutting direction. You can tell the X3 to cut in straight lines, and even set the angle of those lines, but you can't do more creative patterns, as you can on robot lawnmowers from Husqvarna, for example.
You can also use the app to manually control the X3 Plus, but only when you're within Bluetooth range.
Over the past few years, I've tested a few robot lawnmowers, and all have had their issues. However, the X3 Plus seems to have more trouble than others when it comes to low-profile obstructions that it can't detect.
It can get stuck kinda easily
On a few occasions, the mower got one of its wheels stuck in a small divot in my yard, about the size of a large grapefruit. While the X3 was generally good at avoiding obstacles (and this divot), I was surprised that it got tripped up on something so small.
It also got stuck twice on a log that divides the grassy section of my yard with my kid's playhouse area (which is covered with mulch). The lower lip of the mower rubbed against the log, and couldn't extricate itself. Surprisingly, it happened in nearly the same location.
Each time the X3 got stuck, I had to physically move it away from the obstacle, enter its passcode in the machine, and then start it on its way again.
The Sunseeker X3 Plus is a nice little robot lawnmower for those who have yards that aren't too big or too steep. It's easy to set up -- I would never recommend buying a robot lawnmower that requires a boundary wire -- and it did a good job at keeping my grass trimmed throughout the summer.
Still, it's not foolproof, as it got caught on what I thought were pretty low-profile obstacles. And, while I haven't reviewed them, the Sunseeker X3 costs the same, or more than, other robot lawnmowers that are more capable on paper.
If you have a yard with a steeper incline, a model like the Mammotion Luba mini AWD ($1,599) could be a better option, as it can climb grades up to 38.6%. If your yard isn't as steep, then the $999 Segway Navimow i105 looks like a less expensive option.
Sunseeker itself is launching a new model, the L3, which will feature improved Lidar navigation and AI vision systems, along with the ability to tackle slopes up to 40% (22º grade). While it won't be out until January, it will cost just $999. So while the X3 Plus is a capable mower, it's worth looking at alternatives if you don't want to wait until then.