Mova 600

I have tested some pretty wild robotic lawnmowers here at Gamereactor in recent years, where the general price level has been sky-high. But do these models, costing over €1,500, if not almost double that, really appeal to the average person? That's the question, and that's why it's fortunate that Dreame has not only launched the wild A2, but also, via their sub-brand Mova, now offers us the 600 for around €900.

It's still a fair amount of money, so the functionality must still be top notch, without feeling that the necessary compromises get in the way of being able to trust that your robot lawn mower does a good job - otherwise, what's the point?

It weighs 10 kilograms, has the necessary IPX6 certification, which means it can be parked and used all year round, and is designed in such a way that you can't immediately tell that it's a budget-friendly model. Yes, it measures 64x41x27 centimetres, which makes it slightly smaller than the large flagship models, but this is mainly because the battery it houses is smaller, making it suitable for smaller garden areas.

Mova itself claims it can handle 600 square metres, approximately. Considering the majority of gardens is far below that, it should be more than able to tackle the lawn around your home. Again, unless you need to maintain a small sports facility, 600 seems to be plenty.

It is essentially the same 3D LiDAR module that you get on more expensive Dreame models, which forms a 360-degree "viewing space" around the 600, and it is the same U-shaped mowing pattern as, for example, the A2. It lacks the special technology that allows the mower to get very close to, for example, a paved garden path and specifically run along it to cut right up to the edge of the stones, but that said, it is a surprisingly close cut.

And yes, it may be important to note here that even though the 600 may cost a third of the price of many flagship models, you do not need to bury a wire to indicate the outer boundary of the area you want to maintain. This is done again via a combination of the mower's own sensors, satellite connection, and Wi-Fi, and as with the Dreame A2, you take it for a walk during setup, where you map out the specific area the 600 should mow - and it is also possible to divide these into zones and name them.

The app is extremely responsive, and again, it is borrowed almost directly from Dreame, which means that it is clear and solidly designed. If there are any limitations here with Mova that Dreame offers, it is difficult to spot them, even when actively looking for them.

Yes, smaller motors on the wheels mean that the 600 can "only" navigate slopes of 24 degrees or less, but apart from that, the cut is so fine that it is difficult to distinguish it from far more expensive alternatives. We also tested object recognition with a shoe and a toy, and both were recognised, navigated around, and a notification was delivered in the app at the same time.

If there is a real weakness to point out here, it is that edges cannot be trimmed as finely as with the A2 from Dreame, but apart from that, this is a striking performance from a robot lawn mower that costs significantly less.