Ah, summertime, and the living is easy - apart from mowing the lawn that is. By the end of August, you will have had enough. And when five shifty characters call to the door and offer to cover your entire garden with a tasteful, speckled asphalt, you will cheerfully handover the used banknotes.

But wait! How about coming home, pressing a button and having a small machine cut the grass for you?

The Robomow works on any shape of garden. You lay a wire around the perimeter of the area - after a while this will be under the ground and invisible - and the robot does the rest.

It is powered by two sealed batteries and you have to charge it up at night.

The Robomow, $795 (€831), is available from www.friendlymachines.com

Gizmo suggestions welcome to smaccarthaigh@irish-times.ie