Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

The guy who invented Roombas made a new weed-chopping robot that never needs to be charged

Published Apr 23rd, 2021 9:47AM EDT
Image: Franklin Robotics/Amazon

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

When it comes to weeding your yard and garden, I found the ultimate tool a few years ago. It’s called the CobraHead Original Weeder & Cultivator Hand Tool, it costs just $30 on Amazon, and it’s incredible. Seriously, just flip through the reviews for a few minutes and you’ll see why this simple hand tool has an unheard-of 4.8-star rating on Amazon.

When it comes to digging up weeds by hand in an instant anywhere on your property, I highly doubt there will ever be a better cool than the CobraHead. But I recently tested a new kind of weed killer that works in gardens, flower beds, and more. It’s called the Tertill Garden Weeding Robot and it’s nothing short of a game-changer.

You might not be familiar with Joe Jones, but you’re definitely familiar with his work. Jones is one of the people who invented the Roomba robot vacuum, the first autonomous vacuum cleaner. That feat alone is all you need to know to appreciate the kind of innovations Jones is capable of. And now, he’s back with a new autonomous robot that I recently had the pleasure of testing.

The Tertill Garden Weeding Robot looks something like a cute little green Roomba. Instead of working inside your house, however, you set it up outside in your garden or a flower bed. It needs physical borders to keep it confined to whatever space you’re working in, and then it roams the area constantly and chops down any weeds in its path. How can it tell a weed from any other plant? Simple: it cuts any growth it sees that’s less than 1 inch tall. It doesn’t pull up the roots, but it doesn’t need to — instead, it just keeps chopping weeds as they regrow until eventually, they don’t have anymore stored energy so they die off. If you have small sprouts that you want to protect, there are a few barriers that come with the robot or you can use anything else you might have lying around to block it.

Unlike the Roomba, the Tertill offers a user experience that is truly “set it and forget it.” That’s right… you never even need to charge it!

With a Roomba or any other robot vacuum, you still need to empty it after it runs. Even if you have a newer self-emptying robot vacuum like the Roomba i3+ that’s $201 off right now at Amazon, you still have to replace the dust collection bag in the base at least once a month. If you have a pet, there’s a good chance that you also have to untangle the brush on the bottom every few months. Meanwhile, the Tertill Garden Weeding Robot needs no regular maintenance. It’s solar-powered so it’s constantly charging on its own, and it roams around your garden every day hunting for new weeds. It works a little bit every day and then it camps out to recharge itself thanks to the solar panel on top.

If you have an enclosed garden up to 200 sq. ft. or flower beds with raised borders, the Tertill is a must-have gadget. You’ll never need to worry about weeding again! That sort of freedom is worth any cost, but the Tertill is actually quite reasonable at $349. Definitely check it out while it’s still in stock at Amazon — it looks as though it might sell out fairly soon.

Amazon Logo Available on Amazon

Here’s a video that explains everything you need to know about the Tertill and shows it in action:

And here are the key details that Tertill listed on its Amazon product page:

  • Touch button operation – no programming required
  • Solar-powered & weatherproof
  • Gentle with plants & fierce on weeds
  • Proven to be as effective as hand weeding
  • Runs for about an hour throughout the day (starts and stops)
  • One Tertill weeds up to 200 square feet.
  • Plant Spacing Requirements: 12 inches (30 cm) between rows
  • Boundary Requirements: 4 inches (10 cm) high preferably metal, wood, or stone
  • Bluetooth app included
Amazon Logo Available on Amazon
Maren Estrada Deals Editor

Maren Estrada has been the Editor of BGR Deals since it launched in 2013. She has more than 20 years of experience testing more than 1,500 products, and reviewing a wide range of consumer electronics including mobile devices, smart home products, computers, and home appliances.

Previously, she was a leading consultant specializing in copywriting, product development, and new product launches.