Excellent robotic lawnmower for small gardens: Mammotion Yuka Mini in test
Mini robotic lawnmower with maxi performance.
With the Yuka Mini, Mammotion offers a compact robotic lawnmower without a wire for small gardens. We have been testing the Yuka's little brother for many weeks. This much can already be revealed: The Mammotion Yuka Mini impresses in the test and is a real alternative to the Navimow i105E or i108E.Marcus Schwarten 👁 (translated by Deepl / Marcus Schwarten) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
Mammotion Yuka Mini test summary: A real challenger to the Navimow i105E/108E
The Mammotion Yuka Mini not only proved its worth in our test, but also almost completely convinced us. It positions itself as a strong challenger and real alternative to the Navimow i105E or i108E, the best best robotic mower for small areas.
The navigation and obstacle detection of the compact robot lawnmower from Mammotion worked excellently and reliably in the test. One of the Yuka Mini's plus points is the optional iNavi NetRTK, which eliminates the need for a GPS RTK antenna with Wi-Fi or 4G reception. It is also compact and maneuverable.
This makes the Mammotion Yuka Mini a very good robotic lawnmower, especially for smaller areas. In our test, there were only a few criticisms, including the rather wide edging strip and the high power consumption (especially for a compact robot lawn mower like this) (measured with the Yuka Mini 800).
In the end, the Yuka Mini is on a par with the Navimow i105E/i108E and is one of the best robotic lawn mowers without a wire for small gardens.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
Table of Contents
- Mammotion Yuka Mini test summary: A real challenger to the Navimow i105E/108E
- Features and scope of delivery: Compact robotic lawnmower with (optional) RTK antenna
- Set-up and maintenance: Maps independently via AI
- App and operation: Numerous setting options
- Navigation and obstacle detection: Excellent in the test
- Mowing performance and edge cutting: Small cutting width
- Runtime and volume: Quiet, but high standby consumption
Important note: Our review is based on the models available in Germany. The manufacturer offers slightly different models in the US.
A few weeks ago we launched the Mammotion Yuka (approx. $1,800 at Amazon) in a detailed detailed test. The robotic mower has a special feature: with its optional sweeper, it can also collect leaves and grass cuttings from plots of up to 3,000 square meters.
With the Yuka Mini, Mammotion offers for the 2025 gardening season mammotion is also offering a more compact and significantly more affordable model for smaller green spaces. The Yuka Mini is available in a total of four different versions, which makes things a little confusing.
We explain the differences in our Yuka Mini review. We also assess how well the compact robot lawn mower performed in practice. Incidentally, we tested the top-of-the-range Yuka Mini 800 model.
Data sheet & differences Mammotion Yuka Mini series
| Property/model | Yuka Mini 500 | Yuka Mini 600 | Yuka Mini 700 | Yuka Mini 800 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended area | 500 m² | 600 m² | 700 m² | 800 m² |
| Navigation | RTK, WiFi, 4G | RTK, WiFi, 4G | RTK, WiFi, 4G | RTK, WiFi, 4G |
| Obstacle detection | UltraSense AI Vision | UltraSense AI Vision | UltraSense AI Vision | UltraSense AI Vision |
| Mower | Mowing disk | Mowing disk | Mowing disk | Mowing disk |
| Number of blades | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Cutting width | 19 cm | 19 cm | 19 cm | 19 cm |
| Cutting height | 20 - 60 mm | 20 - 60 mm | 20 - 60 mm | 20 - 60 mm |
| Setting the cutting height | manual | manual | manual | manual |
| Incline | 50% / 26.5° | 50% / 26.5° | 50% / 26.5° | 50% / 26.5° |
| Display | no | no | no | no |
| Battery capacity | 2.4 Ah | 2.4 Ah | 4.5 Ah | 6.1 Ah |
| Weight | 10.6 kg | 10.6 kg | 10.6 kg | 10.6 kg |
| Dimensions | 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1 cm | 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1 cm | 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1 cm | 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1 cm |
| Water resistance | IPX6 | IPX6 | IPX6 | IPX6 |
| Garage included | no | no | no | no |
| Blades supplied | 5 + 6 | 5 + 6 | 5 + 6 | 5 + 6 |
| Color | White | White | Grey | Grey |
Features and scope of delivery: Compact robotic lawnmower with (optional) RTK antenna
The Mammotion Yuka Mini lives up to its name at first glance. It does indeed look like a shrunken Mammotion Yuka, but it cannot accommodate the sweeper.
The Yuka's double mower deck has also fallen victim to the shrinkage treatment. The mini version mows with just one mowing disk with five free-swinging blades, giving it a manageable cutting width of 19 cm. For a recommended area of 500 to 800 square meters (max. 700 to 1,200 square meters), however, this is sufficient to achieve the goal of a completely mowed area reasonably quickly.
For navigation, Mammotion relies on the established RTK system. However, anyone who does not want to or cannot use the RTK reference station, which is unusually compact at a good 70 cm high and can also be mounted on buildings and the like, for example because there is no reliable GPS reception due to trees, can alternatively use the iNavi NetRTK as an alternative.
This requires WLAN or 4G. If you don't have full Wi-Fi coverage in your garden, you can use the mobile network as an alternative, which is free for the first year.
For obstacle detection, the UltraSense AI Vision has two cameras installed in the front, but without a wiper like the large Yuka.
In addition to the robotic lawnmower itself, the Mammotion Yuka Mini comes with the charging station, the aforementioned RTK antenna with base, the necessary installation material and six replacement blades.
Set-up and maintenance: Maps independently via AI
After the connection between the robotic lawnmower and the Mammotion app (Android, iOS), the first step is to explore the working area. In addition to the usual remote-controlled walk-around, Mammotion also offers an AI option. In this case, the robot automatically recognizes the lawn with its cameras. In practice, this worked well for the most part, after an error message lit up on the first attempt. However, a clearly recognizable transition is a prerequisite in any case.
The AI variant is an option for simple lawns. Alternatively, the robotic lawnmower can be piloted around the property by hand using the app remote control, which is also no problem due to the design for small areas and convenient and precise control via two virtual sticks on the smartphone display. This also worked well in practice.
In addition to creating up to 15 zones, the map management function can also be used to create connection between different mowing areas, no-go zones and predefined and individual patterns.
For (regularly recommended) cleaning, the Yuka Mini can simply be washed with a garden hose thanks to its IPX6 rating. The blades are changed using a small screw. Unlike the Yuka, the Mini model does not come with a screwdriver.
App and operation: Numerous setting options
The Mammotion app is one of the most comprehensive robotic mower apps on the robotic mower market. It offers numerous options, also in combination with the Yuka Mini. As usual, the start screen shows the current status including live mowing progress.
A tap on the icon at the top right opens a long menu with all kinds of entries, including the task log, network settings, manual operation and various settings relating to the robot and the app.
The options relevant for mowing are displayed after pressing the mow button on the device entry. Numerous things can then be individually adjusted under "Settings", including the mowing speed (0.2 to 0.6 m/s), the path distance (8 to 12 cm), the cutting path angle and the pattern.
In addition, the number of perimeter laps (0 to 4), the sensitivity for obstacle detection and much more can be set. In the latest firmware version 1.14.1.2305, the blade speed can now be set in addition to other improvements
After a short self-test, it starts mowing. Of course, the mowing process can also be automated by setting specific mowing times in the schedule. If desired, the app also offers the option of taking a look at your own garden via live video while driving.
As an alternative to the app, there is a small control unit on the robotic lawnmower itself. The cutting height can be mechanically adjusted between 20 and 60 mm in 5 mm increments using a rotary wheel.
In addition to the obligatory stop button, there are four other buttons (power, home, mow, start) for the most important functions and for LEDs for the battery status. There is no display.
Navigation and obstacle detection: Excellent in the test
Whether with or without an RTK antenna - the Mammotion Yuka Mini reliably and accurately followed its tracks on two test surfaces and had no problems with reception with either RTK or iNavi NetRTK (via 4G).
The Mammotion Yuka Mini did not quite achieve the 50 percent gradient specified by the manufacturer on our artificial turf test ramp, as it always ended the run with the error message "Robot lifted". However, it climbed the ramp effortlessly up to a gradient of 45 percent. This is not a peak value, but for an inexpensive and compact robot mower without all-wheel drive, it is a more than solid value.
The same applies to the clearance width. The robot lawn mower, which measures approx. 53 x 41 x 28 mm and weighs a good 10 kg, was able to pass through narrow areas up to 70 cm wide - but only when obstacle detection was deactivated. Otherwise it needed more space in the test.
Obstacle detection worked perfectly at the most sensitive level. The Yuka Mini reliably detected and avoided all of our test obstacles, such as a fake hedgehog, a piece of garden hose and a tennis ball. Only a few robotic lawn mowers have performed so flawlessly in our test procedure. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend not letting the robot lawn mower run at night, which can be easily prevented via the app.
The rear wheels of the Yuka Mini are exposed. This has led to problems with some of the competition's robotic lawn mowers, i.e. getting stuck on obstacles. In the course of our test with the Mammotion Yuka Mini, we did not experience this.
Mowing performance and edge cutting: Small cutting width
A classic mowing disc with five free-swinging blades and a cutting width of 19 cm is used for mowing. In the test, this resulted in a clean mowing pattern, especially as the paths always overlap a good bit with a maximum width of 12 cm. The Mammotion Yuka Mini is quite leisurely by default, although the speed can be increased slightly in the app.
Two criteria play a role when mowing the edge: navigation and the position of the mowing disc. The Mammotion Yuka Mini did an exemplary job of navigating along the previously defined edges with only minor deviations. However, there is unfortunately no option to deactivate obstacle avoidance at the edge separately. If there were, it would be less bothered by plants hanging into the lawn.
In addition, the rather small 190 mm mower deck is positioned centrally under the robotic lawnmower. At a with of a good 41 cm, it is quite compact. However, this still results in a distance of around 11 cm from the edge of the device and therefore a relatively wide strip of unmown lawn if there are no level transitions or a correspondingly wide mowing edge.
Runtime and volume: Quiet, but high standby consumption
The Mammotion Yuka Mini 800 (6.1 Ah capacity) mowed our large test area for just under three hours on a single charge. We then returned to the charging station for the same amount of time with a 15 percent battery charge, where it charged around 175 Wh. We measured the standby consumption at around 12 Wh (with both RTK and NetRTK).
In order to compare the energy requirements of the robotic lawnmowers we tested, we always assume a theoretical scenario in which 500 square meters are mowed three times a week. This results in a calculated monthly energy consumption of a good 11 kWh. This means that the Yuka Mini from Mammotion is not as economical as other models, which is mainly due to the rather high standby requirement.
On the other hand, at around 55 dB (measured from a distance of 1 m), it is one of the quietest representatives of its kind, although the volume is of course significantly influenced by the mowing activity.
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was given to the author by the manufacturer free of charge for the purposes of review. There was no third-party influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
