2 months ago
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There’s nothing more satisfying for a homeowner than having a well-maintained yard. However, the work to keep it that way is anything but. Raking, mowing, and shoveling snow can all be tedious, backbreaking work. Yarbo, a Chinese company, is hoping to take that workload off your shoulders with the Yarbo Core.
Billed by the company as the “first multi-purpose intelligent yard robot,” the Yarbo Core is like Wall-E but for your yard. The black-and-yellow device is designed to handle most of your yard’s needs, no matter the weather. In addition to blowing snow or leaves and mowing the lawn, it can water your plants, tow heavy equipment, and even patrol your property. It’ll also be able to edge and trim your yard sometime next year.
Convenience doesn’t come cheap, with the Core starting at $4,199 and the top configuration at $6,199. Keep in mind that these are sales prices. When the sales period ends, you’re looking at a range between $6,300 and $8,300. It’s a pretty penny, no doubt, but I imagine the Yarbo would pay for itself over its lifetime whether you typically hire someone to handle your yard or you’re a hardcore DIYer.
But how does one device perform all these tasks? Modules. As the name suggests, the Yarbo Core ($3,499) is the base device. The magic happens with its modular attachments. Currently, the Lawn Mower ($859), Leaf Blower ($759), Snow Blower ($1,199), Tow Hitch ($49), and Slow Plow ($199) modules are available for purchase. The company has Granular Spreader and Liquid Sprayer modules listed for the Fall of next year at $999, and the Lawn Trimmer and Edger will launch in Spring 2025 for $399 each. And in a bit of future-proofing, the Yarbo Core will be compatible with five years of modules, meaning you won’t have to look into replacing it until 2029.
©Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC Depending on what you need the Yarbo Core to do, you slap on the appropriate module, and you’re good to go. The Core is built to handle just about any type of yard and, with its treads, can navigate hills with up to a 35-degree upward slope and cover up to 31 acres. The device also has what the company calls an ‘Intelligent Obstacle Avoidance System’ that relies on computer vision technology and advanced sensors to prevent collisions with lawn furniture, pets, or people. The Core also has front-facing binoculars and side cameras that can be used as a mobile surveillance system as it makes the rounds.
©Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC The Core is also waterproof with an IPX4 rating. When it’s time to charge, the Yarbo Core has a charging pad that it will navigate to when the battery runs low. There’s also a free companion app, but you can control the Yarbo with a remote that looks suspiciously like a remapped Xbox controller. I got a small demo of the Yarbo in action at IFA 2024, but I would love to see this thing in action on a real yard. I just need said yard and a house. Does anyone have about $200K they can spot me for a down payment to make this happen?
