Honda Miimo – Frequently Asked Questions

How to Buy a Honda Miimo

Where can I buy a Miimo?

Buy Honda Miimo from Platts Horticulture by calling 01732 867 887. One of the team will be happy to talk through your requirements with us.

How much does Miimo cost?

The price varies between approx. £1750 to £2500, depending on which model you buy.

Suitable gardens

What is the maximum operational area for Miimo?

Automower can handle lawns up to 4000 m² depending on model and complexity of the garden.

Will I still need an ordinary lawnmower?

No. We recommend you to complement the edges with a trimmer to get a perfect finish for your lawn.

What do I do if my lawn size is larger than 4000 m²?

You can install two or more machines side by side. We have plenty of “multiple” installations in place throughout the world.

Can I use Miimo in smaller gardens?

Yes. Adjust the mowing time to suit your garden using the Timer function. In the Quick Guide you can find the model specific cutting time per hour, which helps you to adjust the Timer after the size of your lawn.

Can Miimo handle all types of gardens?

In principle yes – what you can mow with a conventional mower you can normally mow with Miimo. The convenience advantage may be limited in a very fragmented garden (a lawn consisting of many small patches of lawns not connected to each other) as the mower has to be moved around manually. During the installation, you will have to ensure that Miimo does not cut areas you do not wish to cut, e.g. flowers, bushes, trees, rocks, etc.

Will Miimo cope with my uneven lawn?

Due to the large driving wheels, Automower can cope with uneven surfaces very well. It also handles slopes up to 45% (24°) incline. Only small deep holes may cause Miimo to get stuck. On the contrary, Miimo is small enough to follow the curvature of a rough lawn. It will not scalp the “hills” like many larger mowers.

Can Miimo cope with narrow passages?

Yes, Miimo can handle narrow passages down to 60 cm widths, depending on the model used.

Can Miimo detect objects such as clothes or toys lying around on the lawn?

No. It is up to the owner to keep the lawn surface free from objects. Any object that is small enough for Miimo to pass over may be damaged, as well as cause damage to the machine’s blades. Make sure your lawn is clear of small objects before operating Miimo.

What about pine cones, tree branches and fruit on the ground?

To maximise the life of the blades these types of objects should be raked or collected regularly. They will not damage the mower, but the blades will wear faster. Tree branches may also damage or bend the blades resulting in a poor cutting performance.

I have a nice flower bed and trees that I want to protect. Is that possible?

Provided the wire has been installed correctly around your flower bed, tree, shrub, or other object, then Miimo cannot damage it or intrude into that area.

How does Miimo handle very long grass?

If the grass is very long and thick you should raise the cutting height and then gradually reduce it to the preferred level. In very extreme conditions the lawn may need to be cut by a conventional mower before Miimo takes over.

I have a lot of moss in my lawn – how does that effect Miimo?

Actually it is Miimo that will affect the moss. The continuous mowing has a very positive influence on grass growth leading to the gradual disappearance of moss from the lawn.

Will the mower cut the grass in rainy conditions?

Yes, Miimo is supposed to cut grass in all type of weather and is designed to handle wet conditions. It is however recommended to bring the mower inside in extreme weather conditions, such as torrential rain and storms.

Will the mower cut in very hot conditions?

The mower is designed to function in temperatures of up to about 45ºC. From about 25ºC the mow and charge times will become shorter for models using NiMH batteries, as the battery capacity is lower in hot conditions. The area performance however remains unchanged. Models using Li-Ion batteries are equally good no matter of temperatures.

If I want to use Miimo at my summer home or share it with my neighbour, can Miimo work at two different locations?

Yes. If you buy two charging stations and two loop wire cables, you can have two separate installation sites and use the same Miimo in both locations.

Mower system and navigation

What are the benefits of mowing the lawn in a random pattern?

By mowing in a seemingly random pattern, in various directions, you will get a carpet-like lawn, throughout your garden. Since 20 years it has also proven to be the most reliable way to cover the whole lawn, leaving no uncut grass. The reliability and precision of current affordable GPS technologies necessary for systematic mowing is not sufficient to offer an improvement over the loop wire and random based system, used by Miimo today.

What are the benefits of a boundary wire system defining the cutting area?

It is a very robust and reliable system, making sure the mower always stays inside its boundaries, in all weather and garden conditions. It is also a very easy and visible way to set the boundaries.

 

Safety

Can children play on the lawn when Miimo is working?

Even though Miimo uses very low power, you can still cut your fingers or toes if they get in contact with the blade. A built-in safety feature means the blade will automatically stop if the mower is lifted up or turned over. The distance between the outer body and the blade tip is also extra-long to avoid feet or hands from accidently reaching the blades. Even so, we recommend turning off Miimo when small children are playing on the lawn.

Does Miimo have a theft alarm?

Yes. Miimo has several theft protection systems that may be activated. Most important: Miimo cannot be used without the personal PIN code. The installation lock prevents Miimo from functioning on any other installation than your own. The time lock requests your four-digit PIN to be entered at an interval decided by yourself. The alarm requires the PIN code to be entered when Miimo is stopped – or an audio alarm will go off.

Is Miimo potentially dangerous to cats and dogs?

No. Our experience shows that pets usually respect Automower and give it some space. However, Miimo is equipped with sensors which means that it reverses and chooses another direction if it runs into ‘objects’ such as pets. If it does collide with a pet, the contact is very light and unlikely to cause any damage.

Maintenance and service

Where can I get service and spare parts?

Honda Miimo servicing telephone number – 01732 867 887 . Platts Horticulture will be able to assist with both servicing, maintenance and parts.

What’s the lifetime of the battery?

This depends on the area and set running time of the mower. If you run Miimo 6 months a year on an area of 800 m², your battery will last 2-4 seasons. In order to save your battery you should set the timer according to the size of your lawn. During the dry season you can easily reduce the running time without losing performance.

What’s the lifetime of the blades?

The life of the blades depends on the type of soil and grass. Typically, the life is 1-2 months on 1000 m². You can replace the lightweight blades in five minutes using a regular screwdriver.

Do I need to store it inside during the winter?

Yes, if you don’t have to mow in the winter. Before putting Miimo away for the winter it should be cleaned and wiped dry and then stored in dry frost-free conditions. We also recommend that the charging station is stored indoors over the winter. The loop wire installation should remain in the lawn.

How do I maintain Miimo to keep it in the best condition?

Replacing blades regularly is vital to maintain an excellent cutting result. Now and then, depending on your lawn size, you should spend a few minutes cleaning grass from the wheels and chassis.