Stihl iMow 422P Review (2021)

The work horse

By Lawnbot on 28 April 2021
stihl imow 422p review
Our Verdict
The Stihl iMow 422P is definitely a strong contender in the increasingly competitive robot lawnmower market. With features like automatic scheduling, automatic recharging and a well-developed mobile app, the iMow has all the features you'd expect to have in a robotic mower in 2021. This model does seem to struggle on thicker species of grass as the wheels can get clogged quite frequently, under the deck also builds up excess grass quite quickly so you'll need to clean the 422P more frequently than robotic mowers in the market.

Price Range: AU$1800-$2000

Max Mowing Area: 1500m²

Max Slope: 22º

Battery Life: 75 Minutes

Warranty: 5 Years

Features
Design
Performance

PROS

+Well-developed mobile app

+Auto-recharging 

+Reliable and sturdy design

+5 year warranty

CONS

-Frequent grass & dirt buildup 

-Can struggle on thick species of grass

stihl imow 422p

Best Deals Today

stihl imow 422p

STIHL iMow 422P

$2999/£2300

Quick Review

The Stihl iMow 422P is a compact and robust robotic lawnmower, it's smaller design allows it to navigate through obstacles and tight spots easily and efficiently. In terms of the working area, the iMow 422P can handle lawns of up to 1500m² but would be best suited to areas of up around 750-1000m² due to it's shorter battery capacity of around 75 minutes of mowing time in between each charge of 90 minutes. This robotic mower by Stihl comes equipped with all the fancy features you'd expect from a top of the line model. These include auto-scheduling, auto-charging, safety sensors and a great mobile app. If you've been considering buying a robot mower to help out with mowing your lawn, the iMow is a good option to consider. With a lovely 5 year warranty, you won't need to worry about your robot mower repair-wise for a very long time. In terms of maintenance, the Stihl iMow 422P is going to require a bit of extra TLC when compared to other robot mowers in its class, this is due to its tendency to build up grass residue and dirt more quickly than others. You'll need to clean your 422P at least once or twice a weak to keep it working at peak performance.

Stihl iMow 422P Pricing

The iMow 422P retails at around AU$1800-$2000. While this does seem a bit expensive when comparing it to other robot mowers in its class, you need to take into account the impressive 5-year warranty that you'll be getting with the purchase of this mower.

Stihl iMow 422P Specifications

  • Main Features

    Warranty: 5 years

    Lawn Size: Up to 1500mº

    Maximum Slope: 22º

    Mobile App: Yes

    Voice Control: No

    Wifi Connected: No

    Auto-Charging: Yes

    Auto-Scheduling: Yes

  • Cutting

    Cutting Range: 2-6cm

    Cutting Width: 20cm

    Cutting System: 2 rotating cutting blades

  • Battery

    Mowing Time: 75 mins

    Charging Time: 90 mins

    Battery Type: Lithium-Ion

    Battery Voltage: 18.5V

    Battery Capacity: 4.5Ah

  • Noise

    Noise Output: 60db

  • Safety

    Life Sensor: Yes

    Tilt Sensor: Yes

    Emergency Stop: Yes

  • Security

    Pin Code: Yes

    Alarm: Yes

    Shut Off: Yes

  • Dimensions

    Size: 600x430x270mm

    Weight: 9kg

lawnbot (6)

Lawnbot Rating

4.1/5 Stars

Stihl iMow 422P Performance

So we've covered that the Stihl iMow 422 has some great features on paper, but how well does it perform in the real world? Let's take a look...

Stihl iMow 422P: Cutting Power

The iMow 422P cuts well enough on most types of grass but does seem to struggle on thicker species of grass. This may be due to its dual-blade single-axis cutting configuration. Most other robotic mowers operate with 3 individually rotating cutting blades. This robotic mower would not be suitable for you if you've got a thick species of grass.

stihl imow 422p

Mow-to-charge Ratio

The iMow 422P has a respectable battery life of 75 minutes and will require around 90 minutes to recharge in-between each mow fully. While the mow-to-charge ratio isn't as good as its competitors, it's still decent.

Does the Stihl iMow 422P Work on Rough Terrain?

One of the iMow 422P's strengths is navigating through rough terrain with relative ease compared to other robotic mowers. With its GPS mapping and its smart obstacle avoidance system, the iMow can navigate around your back yard and avoid possible obstacles with relative ease. Handing slopes of up to 22° and its adaptive speed technology, which adjusts the mowers speed according to slope, grass height and weather conditions, the Stihl iMow is definitely well-equipped to handle rough terrain. It is one of the best performers in its class.

See the Stihl iMow 422P in Action!

Stihl iMow 422P Vs Husqvarna Automower 115H

The Stihl iMow 422P and the Husqvarna Automower 115H are direct competitors, both of these big and established brands have been competing across multiple markets in the home and outdoor tools category. Let's see which one has the edge when it comes to robotic mowers ...

Stihl iMow 422P Vs Husqvarna Automower 115H: Features

Feature-wise, the models are fairly evenly matched. Both of these robotic mowers come with auto-scheduling, auto-charging, lift/tilt sensors and a great mobile app.

The Stihl iMow beats the Automower within the maximum slope tilt capacity at a pleasant 22°, while the Automower can tilt around 17°.

In terms of the maximum mowing area, the Husqvarna Automower 115H can reach up to 1600m² while the Stihl iMow can reach up to 1500m². Overall, both models are very similar feature-wise, with the iMow having a better tilt capacity.

Stihl iMow 422P Vs Husqvarna Automower 115H: Battery Life

In this category, the Husqvarna Automower 115H includes a 1:1 mow-to-charge ratio. For each 1hr of mowing, it'll need 1hr of charge. The Stihl iMow's battery isn't as efficient. With every 75 minutes of mowing, it'll need around 90 minutes to recharge fully.

Stihl iMow 422P Vs Husqvarna Automower 115H: Safety

Both models are almost identical when in the safety category. Both models have tilt and lift sensors with an instant-stop blade and emergency stops to prevent injury. It's safe to mention that both of these companies take the safety and well-being of their customers very, very seriously!

Stihl iMow 422P Vs Husqvarna Automower 115H: Noise

Almost the same in this category, the iMow 422P has a noise output of around 60dB while the Automower 115H sits at around 59dB.

Stihl iMow 422P Vs Husqvarna Automower 115H: Pricing

While the Stihl iMow starts at around AU$1999, the Husqvarna 115H can get a be a bit dearer starting at AU$2150.

Overall, both designs are extremely similar in every department. While the iMow 422p can handle a bigger slope and the Automower 115H encompasses a far better mow-to-charge ratio.

Should You Buy the Stihl iMow 422P?

If you arent completely sold on the iMow 422P and whether it's the right robot mower for you, that's completely understandable. When purchasing anything with a pretty hefty price tag, it's only normal to overthink a bit. In the next section, we'll help you determine whether the iMow is right for you. Let's take a look...

Buy It If...

You have a medium-sized lawn

While the iMow's maximum cutting area can reach up to 1500m², it will perform its best on grass areas of around 750-1000m², which is an average-sized lawn here in Australia.


You want a long 5-year warranty

The Stihl iMow's 5-year warranty really sticks out when shopping for a robotic mower. Most other models are only going to offer a 2-3 years warranty.


You want a consistent robot lawnmower

If the iMow is anything, it's consistent. It's going to achieve the same results over a long period of time and isn't going to leave you guessing whether you may find it in the pool or the neighbour's yard from day to day.


Don't Buy If...

You expect a perfect lawn

Yes, robot mowers are getting really clever in the way they do things. However, your lawn won't be perfect, the mower will miss some patches from time to time, and you will need to do some trimming here and there.


You don't want to maintain your robotic mower

As mentioned earlier, the iMow is prone to grass residue and dirt buildup and will require regular cleaning to keep it working at peak performance.


You're impatient

On average, the iMow will spend 25 hours of mowing time to mow a lawn of 1500m² fully. With about 8 hours of mowing time per day, it can take up to 3 days to fully mow your lawn.

imow 422p

 

Maintenance Tips for your Stihl iMow 422P

By regularly maintaining and taking care of your robotic mower, you can add years to its lifespan and increase its performance massively. Here are a few ways to keep your Stihl 422P working at peak performance.

*Remember to ALWAYS turn your robotic mower off and remove the battery before conducting any cleaning or maintenance*

Keep Your iMow Clean

This may seem obvious, yet many people don't understand how much regular cleaning can positively affect the performance of your robotic mower. When cleaning your mower you should:

  • Clean any grass residue and buildup from below the deck
  • Carefully clear any build-up off the mowing blades
  • Clean your robot's wheels
  • Make sure the E-stop is clear from any dirt build-up

Make Sure Your Blades Are Sharp

Keeping your iMow's blades sharp will greatly improve the 422P's performance and efficiency while leaving your lawn with a cleaner and better-looking end result.

Most manufacturers recommend replacing your robot mowers blades every 8-12 weeks depending on its mowing frequency.

Here's a guide on how to replace Stihl iMow blades easily...

How to Install Stihl iMow

Buying a Stihl includes professional installation from the dealer. However, If you've purchased your Stihl iMow second-hand or would prefer to install your Stihl iMow by yourself, then here's a quick step-by-step guide on how to install your robotic mower.

  1. Make sure you have all components ready to install: Including boundary wire, boundary wire pegs, docking station, all electrical connectors and of course, your iMow.
  2. Design a plan: Choose the location of your iMow's docking station and plan your boundary wire layout.
  3. Install docking station: On a flat surface, secure your docking station firmly to the ground. Remember to choose an area easily accessible to power as you'll be connecting the docking station to your electrical output.
  4. Run boundary wire: Run the boundary around your yard and around obstacles as close to the boundary as you can without touching it.
  5. Connect boundary wire to docking station: Connect your boundary wire to each side of your docking station
  6. Connect docking station to power: Now you'll need to connect your docking station to power, make sure you don't have any exposed electrical wires running across the lawn.
  7. Test connection: Plug your iMow in and test docking station connection
  8. Double check: Double check your boundary wire, power cable and docking station to confirm they are all installed firmly, out of the way and haven't been damaged
  9. Set your iMow's schedule and start mowing!

If you'd prefer a video guide, here's a great video explaining how to install your Stihl iMow easily!

Our Thoughts on the Stihl iMow 422P

Overall, the Stihl iMow is a great garden tool to have around the property, It has all the features you would expect in a robotic mower. We'd recommend this mower for people with a small-medium sized lawn with a grass species that isn't overly thick. With a lovely 5-year warranty, you're pretty much covered for any major repairs. We hope you enjoyed this Stihl iMow 422P review and have an awesome day!

Happy mowing!

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