We Got an Exclusive In-Person Look at the Yarbo Modular Robot 

• Core weight: 134 pounds 
• Weight with lawn mower module: 229 pounds
• Dimensions of core: 29.5x25x22.3 inches (LxWxH) 
• No. of module attachments available: 3 (4 more releasing in 2025)
• No. of cameras: 3
• Where to buy: Yarbo.com
• Cost: The core costs $4,999. All other modules must be purchased separately, though discounted bundles are available on the brand’s site. 
• Expected ship date: October 2024

Arguably, the most innovative thing about the Yarbo is its modular design. The Yarbo core is the only part of the device that requires charging and holds all of the power of the device. Different modules can be connected to the front, back, and sides of the core, each with different capabilities. At the event, representatives from the brand showed us the lawn mower and leaf blower modules, but there are also snow blower, liquid sprayer, granular spreader, edger, and trimmer modules available for pre-order on the Yarbo site. Only the leaf blower, lawn mower, and snow blower module are available for an October delivery date. All other modules are set to be released in 2025. 

Without the yard maintenance modules, you can still use the Yarbo core to tow things around the yard (with the $49 tow hitch installed on the core) and to patrol your property in patrol mode. I saw the device towing a wagon full of things but didn’t get a chance to see it patrolling. According to the brand representatives at the event, in this mode, the robot drives around your yard making sure there is no one in the yard that shouldn’t be there. If it does spot any intruders (or unwelcome furry friends), a voice on the device alerts them that they have been spotted and sends an alert that includes a video to the app on your phone to let you know of the intruder.

Yarbo says, on its own, the core can run for 4 hours on a single charge, cover 31 acres at a maximum speed of 1.34 mph, and tow up to 3,500 pounds. 

Mower: When we first tested robotic lawn mowers, we found that none were recommended for a yard larger than 1 acre. According to the brand, the Yarbo lawn mower module can mow 6 acres. The grass height can be adjusted from 1.2 to 4 inches, and it should be able to mow on sloped lawns with angles of up to 35 degrees. 

Snow blower: The company claims the snow blower module (which I did not see in action at the event) can throw snow anywhere from 6 to 40 feet away; handle dry, wet, and packed snow; and cover 6,000 square feet of land on a single 3-hour charge. The distance that the snow is thrown and the direction of the snow chute are also adjustable. 

Leaf blower: This module claims a 190 mph air velocity, and the brand says it can work for up to 70 minutes per charge. 

Wireless setup: Three of the four robotic lawn mowers that we evaluated required an involved wired boundary-setting process to ensure that the devices mowed only in the areas of the yard you wanted them to run. Yarbo’s robotic device requires no boundary wires and instead maps a user’s yard using several cameras and ultrasonic sensors found on the core device’s body. Unlike some of the other robo-mowers, there’s also no wire required to help the robot get back to its charging base. I watched as the Yarbo was sent back to recharge with a tap of a button on the accompanying app (more on the app below). The only other setup required is the installation of an antenna. Because the device works with GPS, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t set the charging pad or antenna near any shady parts of your home. 

App control: Using the Yarbo app on a smartphone, I watched as the brand representatives switched headlights on and off (there’s one near each camera), changed the cutting height of the lawn mower module, changed the intensity of the leaf blower, manually drove the robot around the yard, and set a schedule for the robot to work automatically. I then got to drive the robot around the yard myself, watching the video feed on the app as it made its way around the path I chose for it. While it was just a brief use of the app, I found that the device responded quickly to my pressing of the buttons to turn on lights and make sharp turns. 

Safety features: Safety is top of mind when using any traditional yard tools and power equipment, and that is no different with these robotic devices. When bumpers around each module are touched, the robot pauses, turns, and maneuvers around the obstacle that has hit the bumper. I watched as one of the brand reps I spent the day with placed his foot directly in the path of the robot (do not try this at home) and the robot stopped just before going over his foot. A voice then alerted us that there was an obstacle in its way. Through the app, you can also stop the device’s movement and turn the blades off on the lawn mower at any time. 

Two sets of treads: The treads on the Yarbo allow the device to travel over rougher areas of the lawn without becoming stuck. I watched as the robot drove over thick tree roots, rocky parts of the yard, and smooth lawn easily. For snowy lawns, a second set of treads is available that makes movement through snow easier too. Brand representatives I spoke with at the event told me that all of the tools required to exchange one set of treads for the other are provided with the robot and the process should take only a few minutes for most people. 

Cold-weather features: Yarbo’s brand representatives shared information about several cold-weather-specific features the robot has. They say all of the cameras on the Yarbo are heated so that even in low temperatures, they should still be able to work and transmit a video feed of your yard to the app on your phone. And, the device can be set to notify you when a connected weather API says it is going to snow so that you can decide whether you want to send the Yarbo with the snow blower module out to clear your driveway. If you prefer a more automated experience, you can also set the robot to automatically start clearing snow any time there is a snow alert. 

Less noise: As we noticed with the four robotic lawn mowers we evaluated, the noise produced by the robot while it mowed was significantly quieter than a traditional push mower. The same could not be said for the leaf blower module, which made it difficult to hold a conversation in the yard while it was running.