Hookii Neomow X test: robotic mower for giant gardens

If you love your lawn but don’t feel like pushing the mower over the grass yourself every weekend, then you’ve probably already thought about a robotic mower. Hookii, a fairly new player on the smart home scene, is launching an exciting model on the market with the Neomow X. This robot promises smart navigation without boundary wires, precise mowing and simple operation via app. And it’s also suitable for large gardens. But does it deliver what it promises? I took a closer look for you.

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Technical data

Scope of delivery

• Robot mower
• Charging station
• Mounting material for the charging station
• Spare blade
• Mains cable/mains adapter
• Cleaning accessories
• Operating instructions

Hookii Neomow X Test: Design and workmanship

Visually, the Neomow X makes quite an impression. The housing looks modern, with clear lines and a nice mix of black and gray tones. It not only looks stylish, but also feels very robust. The housing is IPX5-certified, which means it is protected against dust and strong water jets – a real advantage if the mower is left outside in changeable weather.

Nevertheless, the Robo is susceptible to scratches, which it collected during the test, especially along concrete edges. However, details such as the solid rubber coating on the wheels or the sturdy front bumper show that attention has been paid to durability. The bumper in particular is an interesting novelty that I haven’t really seen on a robotic mower before.

This reminds me of the usual bumper that most robot hoovers rely on these days. However, with a weight of almost 19 kg, the robot is anything but a lightweight. You should keep that in mind. On the top of the garden helper, next to the stop button, is the LiDAR sensor, which is used for navigation.

There is also a small control unit here, which you can use to pass on rudimentary commands to the robot. Looking at the underside, we can see more than just the large front wheels with their impressive profile. The steering wheels are located at the rear.

Hookii places the mowing disk in the middle. This has an impressive diameter of 28 cm. Overall, the Neomow X leaves a high-quality impression that clearly sets it apart from cheaper competitor models. This is not least due to details such as the illuminated company logo on the front.

Hookii Neomow X test: Setup

The initial setup is pleasantly uncomplicated. Thanks to the combination of RTK-GPS and VSLAM, there is no need for the tedious laying of a boundary wire. Also cool: The Neomow X comes without a separate RTK antenna. Instead, the technology is located in the device itself.

Mapping is then carried out in the same way as with other models without a perimeter wire. Similar to a RoboUP T1200 Pro (Review | € 1,649.00 *) or Segway Navimow i105E (Review | € 989.00 *), the lawn is mapped via the app. You control the robot like a remote-controlled car.

The commissioning procedure looks like this:

1. Setting up the charging station: This should be as free-standing as possible and placed in the immediate vicinity of a power socket.
2. Calibration: The mower runs over the area once to get an idea of the surroundings.
3. Define zones and no-go areas: You can use the app to set exactly where mowing should and should not take place.

The whole process takes about an hour – then the Hookii Neomow X is ready to go.

Hookii Neomow X test: Navigation

One of the most exciting aspects of the Neomow X is its navigation technology. It combines RTK GPS (for centimetre-precise positioning) with VSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), i.e. camera-based orientation. And the system makes a really good impression in practice. The mower moves very precisely and in straight lines.

Even more complex gardens with trees or flower beds do not present it with any major challenges. Should the GPS signal ever fail, for example when the sky is very cloudy or between tall trees, the VSLAM technology steps in and ensures continuous navigation. The advantages are particularly evident when compared to models that rely on a classic perimeter wire.

While many other robotic mowers simply drive around chaotically, the Neomow X works very systematically – which is not only faster, but also leaves a much cleaner mowing pattern. The robot only really has problems with smaller, narrow passages. Although it can easily find its way around, its sheer size means that it can easily get stuck here. So keep in mind: this robot was designed for large gardens.

Hookii Neomow X test: App operation

Control via the app (available for iOS and Android) is well thought-out and intuitive. After quick pairing via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, you have numerous functions at your disposal:

• Live tracking of the robot
• Manual control (e.g. for specific areas)
• Create mowing schedules (including days of the week and times)
• Adjust cutting height
• Zone management: areas can be defined and prioritized separately
• Over-the-air software updates

We particularly like the fact that the cutting height can be flexibly adjusted during operation. Push messages in the event of problems (e.g. blocked blades) also ensure safety during operation.

The only small point of criticism is the general performance of the software. In my opinion, the app could react a little more quickly in some places. In addition, the German translation is really bad in places. However, these are minor problems that can certainly be fixed quickly in the course of future software updates.

Hookii Neomow X test: Mowing performance

As befits a modern robotic lawnmower, you can set a mowing schedule for the Neomow X via the app. Once set, you don’t have to worry about the garden helper making regular trips. Alternatively, you can also start the robot manually using the control button on the device itself or via the Hookii app. The Hookii already made a good impression during its first mowing run.

However, there were some minor problems from time to time. For example, his rear wheel once jammed on the edge of my lawn. The Neomow was then unable to get back on course on its own. In the end, I had to lift the heavyweight back onto the grass. But that wasn’t enough either. Unfortunately, it is not possible to restart the robot itself. Instead, the app has to be used for the restart.

However, you can prevent this problem quite easily. You have to adjust the affected areas in the map management in the app. No sooner said than done. Once I had made adjustments in the affected area, the problem was fortunately a thing of the past. Looking back, however, I was a little confused. After all, Hookii advertises the centimeter-precise navigation of its garden robo.

During the test, I had to deal with another small problem. The mower got stuck on my bike during one tour. However, it was able to reliably recognize and avoid other obstacles. However, to be on the safe side, you should still make sure that your lawn is tidy at best. Alternatively, you can also easily mark affected areas on the map.

But the mowing result itself was really impressive. My lawn was littered with quite long blades of grass during the test. The Neomow X was able to handle these quite well. However, with a long grass area, you have to live with the fact that a few blades of grass are left here and there. This is not really a problem. After all, the Hookii has shortened such affected areas on subsequent rides.

If this is not the case for you, you can make the appropriate settings in the app. For example, you can adjust the distance between the mowing lines, which differs from the default settings. You can also specify that the Neomow X starts a second run after the standard run. This can then take place at an optional 90 degree angle. The result is a very uniform and clean cutting pattern.

What struck me positively was the low operating volume of the robot. While with some models you can’t relax in the garden while the mowing process is taking place, the Hookii is surprisingly quiet. This means you can let the robot run at night without having to worry about scolding neighbors. However, I noticed that the Hookii makes a constant operating noise when it is in the charging station.

This background noise can be a bit annoying, especially in whisper-quiet gardens. So be sure to take this into account when choosing the location of the charging station. On the other hand, there is nothing to complain about the mechanical obstacle detection. If the robotic lawnmower gently encounters obstacles such as planting stones, it registers them and reliably avoids them. You can rely on the robot’s caution when it comes to obstacle detection.

One small fly in the ointment remains: To prevent the mower from running over the concrete edges, I had to leave an unmown edge strip about five centimetres wide. So for comprehensive lawn care, you’ll inevitably have to do some manual work with a lawn trimmer. It would be practical if the Hookii’s mowing disk could be extended. The Dreame A2 (€ 2,499.00 *) is a good example of how well this can work.

Conclusion

The Hookii Neomow X impresses in the test with modern navigation technology, strong mowing performance and an intuitive app. Particularly noteworthy is the wireless navigation using RTK-GPS and VSLAM, which ensures structured and efficient mowing patterns – a clear advantage over classic wire systems. The Neomow does not even need a separate antenna for this. The mowing results of the large-format garden helper are truly impressive.

However, it shows minor weaknesses in narrow passages and edges – manual reworking is necessary here. The app also reacts somewhat sluggishly when the connection is weak, and the continuous noise in standby mode can be annoying in very quiet surroundings. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a reliable, smart solution for large lawns, the Neomow X is a technically mature robotic mower with a lot of convenience and a strong overall package.