How to choose a remote-controlled mower

Begin with the surface, not the horsepower.

Measure the steepest working area and describe its surface: dry lawn, loose soil, wet grass, rocks or a roadside bank. A published gradient rating is a model specification, not a promise that every surface or weather condition is safe. Ask for a demonstration or operating guidance for your actual terrain.

For even lawns, start with wheeled 550S models. For banks and uneven ground, compare compact tracked, heavy-duty tracked and Tank Series machines by their individual ratings. Read our guide to degrees and percent grade before comparing slope figures.

Choose the cutting system for the material.

For maintained grass, a rotary deck is the natural starting point. Tall grass, rough weeds and brush call for a closer look at flail mowers. Ask which blade or head is fitted and which material it is intended to cut; do not choose a machine from cutting width alone. The flail versus rotary comparison lists the questions to ask.

Match cutting width to gates, rows and transport.

A wider cut can cover open ground in fewer passes, but the machine must still fit your access route, storage and transport plan. Check overall machine dimensions as well as mowing width. For example, the compact H-550L-A has a 550 mm cut and a catalog net weight of 141 kg; the H-1200L Tank has a 1200 mm cut and a catalog net weight of 394 kg.

Figures are from the product catalogs used for this site. Ratings and configuration should be confirmed for the exact unit before purchase.

Compare two or three actual models.

Check engine type, cutting height, remote range, overall dimensions, net and packing weights, and the exact attachments offered. The model finder helps narrow the range; the product center shows the individual specifications. If you need a diesel flail, compare the HC-Z120 with other flail models, and request its slope suitability because no gradient rating is published for this model.