Ecovacs Goat GX-600 review: Perfect name, perfect lawncare

Robot mowers have been around for a few years, facilitating lawn care. While most products rely on boundary wires, manufacturers have been hard at work developing more advanced technology to make setup easier. These include using GPS or RTK to allow the mower to accurately locate itself without boundary wires. Other companies like Dreametech have introduced LiDAR-based navigation, which uses the same technology as robot vacuums for navigation.

With the same concept in mind, Ecovacs has used its expertise in robot vacuums to make setting up its latest robot mower easier. Indeed, instead of setting boundaries, whether virtually by driving the mower and setting limits or physically installing a wire, the Ecovacs Goat GX-600 uses its built-in camera and sensors to automatically identify your lawn’s boundaries. However, while it’s reliable and does a great job caring for your lawn, it has some limitations.

Price and availability

More affordable than some competitors

The Ecovacs Goat GX-600 is available for $1,300 directly on Ecovacs’ web store. It’s currently discounted and is selling for just $1,000. This makes it one of the most affordable smart robot mowers.

What’s good about the Ecovacs Goat GX-600?

Easiest setup of all

Thanks to its built-in 150-degree wide-angle fish-eye camera, the Ecovacs Goat GX-600 can automatically explore your yard and identify its boundaries. This is a major advantage compared to the competition. It requires a complex boundary wire setup or manual virtual boundary creation where you drive the robot around your garden to “show” it where the limits are. All you need to do is follow the instructions when placing the station on your lawn, and the robot will do the rest. I’ve spent hours setting up other models, and the time I’ve gained with this model is truly amazing, as I’ve installed it in a matter of minutes.

Once set up, the robot performs brilliantly. I admit I had doubts about its performance, as I’ve usually struggled with other robots to find the right boundary setup. With the Goat GX-600, I couldn’t adjust the boundaries, so I was unsure how it would perform. To my surprise, it’s been able to mow with precision, getting as close as possible to the edges while also managing corners better than some other models. You can choose between a single pass or a crossed one, ensuring your grass is fully covered with no missed spots.

The GX-600 is also designed to handle rough terrain, thanks to its large wheels. This allows it to tackle slopes up to 40% or 21 degrees, ensuring it covers your entire garden, even if it’s not flat. Moreover, the built-in camera allows the robot to detect and avoid obstacles, ensuring it doesn’t inadvertently mow a toy or hurt an animal. Depending on the robot’s potential obstacles, you can choose between different sensitivity options.

Also, like most mowers, the Goat GX-600 can sense rain and automatically pause the mowing cycle to avoid damaging your lawn. Similarly, you can set mowing schedules to ensure your grass is always fresh and mowed at optimal times. Finally, at just $1,300, the Ecovacs Goat GX-600 is very affordable compared to competing wire-free mowers, making it worth considering if you have a compatible garden.

What’s bad about the Ecovacs Goat GX-600?

You need to have a “simple” garden

Although the Ecovacs Goat GX-600 is particularly easy to set up and provides a reliable and simple mowing experience, it’s not entirely flawless. For starters, the app lacks a proper mapping feature. Unlike other advanced robot mowers, the Goat GX-600 does not create a visual map of your lawn that you can review in the app. So, you can’t see the areas it has covered or plan its mowing path visually. Similarly, you can’t see where it has sensed and avoided obstacles, making it harder to identify and manually clean up unmowed areas with a trimmer.

Also, while setting up the Goat GX-600 is much easier than most competitors, it requires a complete lawn to function. So, if your lawn is divided into different sections that aren’t connected, the Goat GX-600 won’t be able to recognize them and will only be able to work on a single zone.

Since the mower uses its camera to define boundaries, your yard needs to be fenced with clear boundaries or pathways since it won’t be able to understand where its limits are and won’t be able to work properly. Also, if you have flowerbeds, ponds, or a swimming pool in your garden, these need to be clearly separated from the grass with a boundary or a pathway; the mower may not be able to identify them and will try to mow your flowers.

Also, the app has relatively limited settings. For example, you can’t customize the mowing pattern or angle extensively or the mowing zones. Moreover, unlike some models that allow you to change the cutting height via a mobile app, the Goat GX-600 requires you to physically adjust the mower. This could be annoying if you prefer to manage all settings remotely. These issues are definitely a downside compared to competing models, like the Dreametech A1. However, remember that the Goat Gx-600 is primarily designed for ease of use.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you have a compatible garden!

The Ecovacs Goat GX-600 is probably the easiest robotic mower to set up on the market. Thanks to its camera, it can automatically identify the lawn boundaries and save you a lot of configuration time, eliminating the need for boundary wires and allowing for accurate navigation and obstacle avoidance. It’s a reliable option to look after your lawn. Plus, the ability to handle rough terrain and slopes up to 40% also makes it compatible with various types of gardens and yards, while its obstacle detection makes it a safe option for your family, especially if you have kids and pets.

However, the GX-600 is not for everyone, especially if your garden has a complex or split layout. Thankfully, you can check this on Ecovacs’ site to make sure it’s compatible before purchasing. Overall, if you prioritize ease of setup, reliable performance, and have a straightforward lawn layout, the Ecovacs Goat GX-600 is a solid choice. However, if you need more advanced features and customization, you might want to consider other options in the market that offer greater flexibility.