Joe Swift reveals the "absolutely fantastic" bit of tech he's buying for his own garden this summer

For city dwellers with more bijou outdoor spaces, or even just those sans room for a shed to store a standard mower, this is a great inexpensive option.

There are no fancy features or an app here but, as this mower is only suitable for small lawns, you shouldn't really need them. It does have the technology to assist it to move around objects and tackle uniquely-shaped lawns, plus that to help it navigate down narrow pathways – all handy features for urban gardens.

Just set it off, let it do its thing, then tuck it away in a cupboard once it's finished.

Lawn size: Gardens up to 250m²
Battery life: 70 min
Smartphone app? No

This is the most compact robot lawn mower offering from market leader Flymo and one of the quietest on the market, with only a 58 decibel sound output. That means it's a good option for those times you want to relax on your patio with a book without being overly bothered by noise pollution.

And don't worry about having to constantly empty the grassbox, either. This machine's cutting technique shreds the clippings ultra-finely, depositing them back over the lawn, where they act as a natural fertiliser to keep your grass fresh and healthy.

Lawn size: Gardens up to 250m²
Smartphone app? Yes

For the same price as the Flymo above, here you can squeeze another 50m² of power out of this machine – and it comes with a number of fun extras, including voice control, anti-theft and obstacle features, making it good value for money.

It also has a 'Plug-N-Play' feature, which essentially means no set up is required. Just turn it on and it'll start mowing straight away – good news if you're not especially tech-savvy.

Lawn size: Gardens up to 300m²
Smartphone app? Yes

Another quiet one here – the brand claims it's even silent enough to set off through the night (without irritating the neighbours), so you can wake up to a lovely neat lawn every morning without any effort. Slopes are no match for it – it can tackle inclines of up to 30%, as well.

Lawn size: Gardens up to 400m²
Battery life: 60 minutes
Smartphone app? Yes

Again from Flymo's EasiLife range, this has all the above features from the smaller model featured above, but this version has the power to handle larger gardens of up to 500m². This is Argos's best price ever on this mower, so snap it up now as it's not coming back into stock.

Lawn size: Gardens up to 500m²
Smartphone app? Yes

And again, here's the premium version of this Flymo mower. At £750, it's a more expensive option but it comes with a wealth of handy features you'd never knew you needed until you had them.

For example, it automatically optimises the cutting schedule to the weather and lawn growth conditions, while a FrostSense function detects when it's too cold to operate. So, even if it's been scheduled to go for a spin, you won't come home to a ruined lawn.

Again, fine grass clippings are returned back into the lawn to naturally fertilise your lawn.

Lawn size: Gardens up to 800m²
Smartphone app? Yes

This is another premium model but it does have a wealth of technology to ensure a really decent cut across your entire lawn – which is the most important thing!

The mower's navigation software helps it map out your garden to calculate the more efficient routes, and its cutting strategy ensures complete coverage right to the edges.

To keep your lawn looking its best all the time, the app will also recommend the appropriate schedule with its auto calendar function, which helps make life just that little bit easier.

On the downside, the battery life is quite short, given the price, so bear that in mind if you have a huge garden.

Lawn size: All gardens
Battery life: 19 minutes
Smartphone app? Yes

If you're storing your mower outside of your shed, this sweet little house will keep it well protected from the elements, so it won't get damaged by inclement weather or harsh sunlight.

One note? It's only suitable for use with Flymo models.