Sunseeker V3: First Impression
The Sunseeker V3 arrives securely packaged and with a manageable yet complete scope of delivery. In addition to the robotic lawnmower itself, the box includes two green magnetic discs for multi-zone management, two five-meter magnetic tape strips for demarcating no-go areas, six replacement blades, an IP67-certified power supply with a ten-meter extension cable, a quick start guide, a detailed manual, and the charging station including ground anchor.
Everything you need to get started is included, except for a roof for the station. This is only available as an option, for example, at Bauhaus for 169 euros. There are no shortages of spare parts and accessories. Replacement blades (12 for 15 euros) and additional magnetic discs (2 for 29 euros) are also available directly from Bauhaus.
The robot itself is of high quality, has a sporty design, and with its striking binocular camera, it's even a bit reminiscent of "Number 5 Lives." A small windshield wiper is a nice touch to ensure the camera maintains a clear view even in bad weather. Weighing just 9,2 kg, the V3 is pleasantly easy to maneuver. Three rotating blades, as found on many robotic lawnmowers, operate beneath the device. Two drive wheels provide propulsion at the sides, and there's a single control wheel at the front.
The mower is operated from a small flap. There, a dial for the cutting height is located, which can be adjusted to nine levels from 20 to 60 millimeters, each in 5-mm increments. The cutting width is fixed at 18 centimeters. Below the dial is an LED display with four buttons: On/Off, Start, Home, and a confirmation button. The display itself shows the connection status (Bluetooth/Wi-Fi), battery level, and schedule.
Also on board are a large emergency stop button and a rain sensor.
Sunseeker V3: Installation
The Sunseeker V3 lives up to its "ready-to-go" design. The charging station is secured with the included ground anchors, which in theory is quick and easy. In practice, however, you should be careful. The anchors are quite fragile, and I broke two of them on hard clay soil. It's better to tap them in gently with a hammer rather than using your foot. Robust screw pegs would definitely have been a better solution here.
No boundary wire is required for operation. The Sunseeker V3 also dispenses with beacons or other navigation aids. Orientation is handled solely by the binocular camera combined with Vision AI. Setup via the app is quick and easy. A mapping run like with other models isn't necessary. It took me less than 15 minutes from unpacking to my first run.
If you want to mow multiple sections of the garden or avoid certain areas like flowerbeds or play areas, you'll need the included magnetic plates and magnetic tape. The green markings signal the robot where to stop or move to another area. Technically, this works great, but visually, you'll have to get used to the rather bright green. The parts are quite large and not exactly inconspicuous in a well-maintained garden.
The robot only needs Wi-Fi if you want to control it while you're away. For everything you do in the garden, the Bluetooth connection is sufficient. The Wi-Fi connection is surprisingly strong, by the way. While my smartphone loses Wi-Fi long ago in the garden, the V3 maintains a stable connection.
As for theft protection, there's no GPS or integrated eSIM. Therefore, tracking in the event of theft is impossible. At least a PIN code protects against unauthorized use. This must be entered directly on the device, which at least offers a certain level of basic security.
Before the Sunseeker V3 starts its first round, the grass should be no higher than 8 millimeters. If the grass is too long, the robot may struggle a bit at first. A quick pre-cut ensures a smooth start.
Sunseeker V3: Practical test
Sunseeker App
In everyday use, the Sunseeker V3 shows what it's capable of, without any frills. The Sunseeker app (Android and iOS) is clear, albeit visually rather simple. Translations seem a bit choppy here and there, but functionally everything works. There's a work log that lists exactly what the robot did and when, as well as push notifications for status changes. A schedule can also be created quickly. It's not particularly comprehensive, but it works.
The Sunseeker V3 can be remotely controlled via the app using a virtual joystick. This allows you to guide it precisely to a specific location, for example, if it gets stuck or if you want to work on a specific area. What's missing is a live view from the camera or a map, like some competing models offer. This would have made manual control even smarter.
Lawn mowing, navigation and obstacles
During the actual mowing process, the robot moves across the lawn in random mode. While this may seem chaotic, it works surprisingly well in practice. There were no unmowed patches during daily mowing. However, it lacks a nice cutting pattern.
The Sunseeker V80 can easily navigate narrow passages of 3 centimeters or more, and it also easily handles inclines up to 22 degrees (42%). The noise level is pleasantly low, so you can even set it off on Sundays without a guilty conscience.
The V3 also handles bumps in the lawn well. However, it can occasionally get stuck in smaller dips. This happened occasionally during testing, but it was always able to free itself. Tall weeds or overgrown curbs are more problematic, as they can confuse the camera's navigation. These should be kept as clean as possible.
It moves along lawn edges with pleasing precision. The app lets you adjust how close to the edge it should move. On the lowest setting, it's about 5 centimeters, which worked quite well in our tests.
Obstacle detection via Vision AI is one of the V3's greatest strengths. The robotic lawnmower reliably detects toys or stray branches and navigates around them without any problems. It's also equipped with a bump sensor that detects if it misses something. In this case, it stops, backs up a bit, and corrects its route, similar to a robot vacuum.
Rechargeable battery
In practice, the battery lasts about 65 minutes. If the charge level drops below 30%, the V3 automatically returns to the charging station, recharges for about 30 minutes, and then resumes its work. This worked flawlessly every time in our tests.
Cleaning Service
The V3 is also easy to clean. A quick rinse from below with a garden hose is all it takes. The blades can be replaced in just a few minutes using a simple Phillips screwdriver.
