“This post is sponsored by Husqvarna.”
Do you remember the opening scene of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure? The one with the elaborate Rube Goldberg machine that created Pee-Wee’s pancake breakfast? As a kid, I was amazed with the idea of pushing a button that could bring your house come to life. That scene stuck with me, and as an adult, few things make me happier than automating parts of my home.
When we say “good morning” to Alexa the lights come on and we hear the latest news and weather. Our outdoor lights are programmed to turn on and off when the sun rises and sets. Our door automatically locks at night and our thermostat lowers the temperature when we are not home. Automation has made our house more efficient, and our latest addition has made a huge impact on our backyard.
Meet Duke, our family’s robot lawnmower.
The Husqvarna Automower is an automated lawnmower that takes all of the work out of maintaining your lawn. If you have ever seen a Roomba vacuum inside someone’s home, you get the basic concept of the Automower. You set the schedule and then the Husqvarna Automower quietly drives around your yard and gives your grass a trim. When it is time to recharge, the Automower returns to its docking station. Its simple. Its automated. And it really works.
Let’s face it. Mowing the lawn is one of those weekend chores that sucks the life out of you. First you have to put gas in the mower. Then you breathe in the fumes while pushing the mower around your yard. You have to stop periodically to empty the bag of trimmings. And when you are finally done, you’re hot and sweaty, and it is time for another shower and a change of clothes. There are many perks of homeownership, but mowing the lawn is not one of them.
I named our Automower “Duke” in honor of my first boss. When I was a teenager, I worked in a small clothing store where Duke would constantly tell me to work harder. He enjoyed giving me the unpleasant jobs like cleaning the restrooms, vacuuming, and taking out the trash. And so, all these years later, I’ve named my lawnmower after him. It feels good to watch Duke mow my lawn while I relax with a drink in hand.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll share regular updates on Facebook and Instagram about our experience with the Husqvarna Automower. And after a few months, I’ll post a detailed review here on the blog. I want to thank Husqvarna for the opportunity to be part of their Automower First program so that we could try this new gadget. A robot lawnmower seems incredibly futuristic and I’m excited to see the impact it has on our lawn.
