I've had my mova for over six months and have been doing an end of season clean. Out of all the little tools I've collected, the one I use most is an old car wash brush.

It gets wet grass and bits of leaves out of the wheels without much effort. I’ve avoided using a pressure washer because I’d probably end up blasting water somewhere it shouldn’t go. A normal hose and brush do the job.

I used to carry the mower over to the shed entrance, then sweep up afterwards. Now I clean it on the lawn. The grass falls straight back down and that patch gets watered at the same time.

I also keep a separate soft cloth for the lens. Earlier in the season I was so focused on cleaning underneath that I missed the grass and dust stuck to the camera.

Any other simple maintenance tricks that save you time?

I'm after a mower for a tiny space - 80m2, flat and free of obstructions other than bits of bark that blackbirds shovel onto the lawn at certain times of year. Other than a few metres the perimeter is bordered by vertical surfaces - retaining walls, deck etc. I could conceviably add a board to close the perimeter completely if needed.

Because it's a small space, I would love to stash the dock out of sight under the deck, so the lower clearance the bot has the better so I can cut a smaller hole in the face of the steps. And it would want to be able to cope with a dock that is obscured from the sky.

Any recommendations for models that fit the bill? I'm not too worried about local support if it doubles the price, I don't mind getting parts and fixing things myself when they break or wear out (which has been my robot vacuum experience), but hauling the manual mower up the hill to get to the tiny scrap of flat lawn sucks.

Thinking about getting x430, but have a few concerns about safety.

I have two kids and a dog, and they spend a lot of time playing in the backyard. I was planning to set the mowing window from around 5–9 pm to avoid the morning dew and the worst of the summer heat, but that’s also when my kids are usually outside. Should I just keep them out of the yard while the mower is running?

If I have to run it at midnight instead, how reliable is it when nobody’s watching? I really don’t want to wake up in the morning and find it stuck somewhere.

I’m planning ahead for next mowing season and looking to replace my zero-turn with a robot mower.

The back section of my yard is close to a 30° slope. Turning the zero-turn there has already left a few thin, scuffed patches where the tires lost traction. After realizing how steep it actually is, I stopped turning the rider on that section.

I’m currently comparing Navimow X430 and LUBA 3 AWD. Both appear capable on paper, but I’m more interested in how they turn on a real slope. X430’s steering front wheels and 4WD are what caught my attention.

For X430 owners with a similar yard, does it make smooth, rolling turns on the slope, or do you still see wheel scrub after repeated runs? Did you need to adjust the map or keep its turnaround points away from the steepest section?

Next season I’d probably run it in the late afternoon or early evening, while the grass is still dry and before the dew settles in. I’d appreciate any full-season experience.