A Message from Allen, CEO & Founder of Yarbo

Yarbo Official Official News and Events
24

I think that sums it up well. Unfortunately, a lot of what you’re describing (set-up issues, areas that don’t work well, poor first-line support) affects a lot of products. The same thing happens with my robovacs. For example, there are areas it just doesn’t do well or at all, and manufacturer support is virtually non-existent. This is not an excuse. There is plenty of room for Yarbo to improve. But it is not the only major company with these issues.

But on the bright side, Yarbo has amazing user support. The only response I got when I posted a question in a forum about an Ecovacs product was :cricket: :cricket: :cricket: Absolutely nothing. And the updates/fixes since I bought it have been minimal, whereas Yarbo has improved each year.

So while the gap between a “hands-free off the shelf consumer product” and reality is wider than we’d like, it’s getting closer all the time.

25

to be very clear: That robot saves me days per week of hard, considering the risk of slipping and falling, dangerous work of shoveling snow, we have a corner property on a busy street with a lot of people walking by, that means I see it as a commitment to community to clear the sidewalks and that machine makes it possible for me. Hiring a commercial service would cost per season the same as the unit at all, so it paid itself off after one season.

So I am a very happy customer.

However the main unit had to be replaced Earlier, Allen will know what I mean if I mention the problem with the main board that was not covered properly so I got the main unit replaced with the new version with the perpendicularly mounted main board. Now there is no concern of water collection on the main board anymore.
Also the front unit had to be replaced because of any kind of camera failure, what was done also seamlessly with the service team, I don’t have anything to complain of the customer service, Usually I get a response within few hours, and in my opinion they are very generous.
So right now one of the screws of a track wheel fell off, one of these holes for that screw is little broken. Service responded immediately, and after checking the situation they said standard replacement would be the track unit, since not on stock, they will replace the whole unit. That will arrive in a week or 10 days. In the meantime we replaced the screw and got our yarbo back on tracks where it digs itself through the recent snow storms.
That item is on heavy duty almost every day for appr. two hours, So like with anything else things break and have to be repaired.

Of course there are several things one should consider of such a complex unit:

As with any other robot precise planning and preparation is crucial. If there are uneven sidewalks: That is where Yarba gets stuck. That means one has to increase the height of the unit, probably prepare three different paths - One before the obstacle, one at the obstacle itself, and one after it-, and one also should consider several test runs. Even most complex industrial robots need to go the same path of learning, testing and adjusting.

Shear pins: There is a workaround, that probably is not supported officially by the company, to use wood screws. The effective diameter is thinner than with a machine screw, Therefore they break With overload. And don’t forget: that thing is a snow blower, not an icebreaker. Means ice bricks may and will block the item from rotating. The same goes with pebbles, If you have to clear such an area the unit has to be on a higher level. Because of course even stones will break the shear pins if not worse.
Yahoo also will have difficulties digging through snow piles that are accumulated by snow plows pushing the snow from the street to your driveway. Also snow piles that are already a little frozen or packed densely: Not the tasks yarbo is made for. Yarbo reduces your manual work tremendously, but not all of it. Can’t wait for the salt / sand spreader :grinning_face: but possibly will be developed little later. That is also something test runs should clarify. In my opinion that is common sense, but I learned that common sense is by far not as common as one would think.

I also learned that I’d rather let the unit run while I’m available at the area, At least as long as you know with certainty what areas yarbo will not get stuck in. Sometimes it needs to be steered clear. And I try to avoid to leave it stuck somewhere running the battery completely empty, because one will really appreciate to rescue Yarbo with remote control rather than to carry it: that thing is heavy!

Summary: that thing is an robot specified for the tasks it is designed for, considering that one will navigate through almost every snowstorm for Yarbo’s or it’s owners lifespan whatever comes first.

I appreciate the opportunity to thank Allen For the persistence to develop that machine. As a “neighbor” from upstate Please rest assured that our coffee machine never gets a break: So when you’re around you’re always invited for some homemade pastry and the best coffee in the area In the cafe of my family.

26

Hi there, I’m really sorry for the delayed response and for the frustration this has caused.

Please rest assured that I’ll help make this right. I’ve checked your support ticket records, and it looks like the connectivity issue has been resolved. We’ve also initiated a replacement belt to address the auger not working issue.

Regarding the issue where Yarbo did not clear the full driveway and left a 20–25 inch gap near the boundary, we kindly ask that you update ticket #145727 with the specific areas you’re referring to. Our support team will continue investigating this with those details.

If there are any other unresolved issues, please feel free to add them to your support ticket or ask here — both our community members and I are happy to help.

27

I completely understand your concerns, and thank you for sharing such detailed feedback.

Regarding the two issues you mentioned, our team is still investigating them. For after-sales issues that occur more frequently, we conduct deeper analysis to better understand the root causes and to assess what adjustments or improvements may be appropriate based on real-world usage data and returned units.

This process takes time, as it requires gathering sufficient cases, reviewing hardware in detail, and carefully validating any potential changes. We truly appreciate your patience and the trust you’ve placed in us while this work continues.

28

Thank you for sharing your feedback so openly. We truly understand your frustration, and we acknowledge that there are areas where Yarbo still needs to improve, especially when operating across diverse and demanding real-world environments.

Please know that we are actively working on these improvements—not just in words, but through ongoing engineering, testing, and iteration. Feedback like yours plays an important role in helping us identify where expectations and real-world performance are not yet aligned.

We sincerely appreciate your support of Yarbo and your willingness to voice these concerns. While we recognize that your experience so far has fallen short of what was promised, we remain committed to earning back your trust and delivering a better, more reliable experience over time.

29

Hi there, I’m really sorry to hear about the disappointment and the experience you’ve had so far.

I’ve checked your support ticket in our system and can see that the replacement process has already been initiated, and you should be receiving the replacement soon.

We completely understand your expectation for faster technical support. In your case, the issue required escalation beyond first-level support to our field service engineer for a more thorough investigation to confirm the root cause and determine the appropriate solution. That escalation process does take additional time, but we recognize that there is still room for improvement in our overall response speed and communication.

Thank you for your patience and for sharing your perspective—it’s valuable feedback, and we’re taking it seriously as we work to improve the support experience.

31

Hi there, thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed explanation of what you’ve been experiencing.

I’ve discussed your case with the field service engineer who is responsible for it. Situations like the one you described are not something we commonly encounter, so we’d kindly ask that you keep us updated after you receive the replacement snowblower module, especially to let us know whether the chute freezing issue continues with the new unit.

In parallel, we will also share your feedback and observations with our mechanical engineering team for further review and investigation. The details you provided about where the freezing appears to occur are very helpful.

Thank you for your patience and willingness to work through this with us. We appreciate your cooperation and will continue to follow up as we learn more.

32

I’ll add my 2 cents

My problem is with gps signal which I have not been able to get connected for the last 3 months. Yarbo finally sent me a new core unit ,a new data center, 2 new antennas, and new antenna connector wires. Still no gps.

My last tech suggestion was to climb up on my 2 story roof and reinstall the old data center. Nah! So I’m now waiting for tech to call back x2

It worked so well for a few months. I’m with other owners. If this thing cost &1000, I could be more patient but it was a lot more than that!

Help, please!!

33

Can you post screenshots of your diagnostics, DC CNR scatterplot, dock and DC install pictures, etc? The community will try and help you if we can!

34

Hi there, I’m really sorry to hear about the issues you’ve been experiencing—this has clearly been very frustrating. I’ve checked your support ticket #129792 in our system and have also reached out to the field service engineer responsible for your case to investigate this further as soon as possible.

Please rest assured that we’re taking this seriously and will do our best to help resolve the issue. Thank you for your patience, and we’ll be in touch with you as soon as we have an update.

35

Allen, I was in the turf maintenance business for 25 years. I worked as a mechanic, and I also managed parts distribution over Wisconsin and northern Michigan. I have had my Yarbo for two winters and one summer. I’ve had a favorable experience until three days ago. The belt on the snow blower is shot and the deflector cable is broke. I consider these parts consumables and they should always be in stock and ready to ship out at a moments notice. I have a “UNIT DOWN” situation. This requires an immediate response, not a we will get back to you response. We are having snow every day and I can’t use my Yarbo. I would be happy to be in charge of your parts distribution for Wisconsin and Upper Michigan to get parts to the end user when they need them. Let’s talk!…..after I get my parts.

Regards

Russell Rautmann

36

You should still be able to run with a broken deflector cable. You just won’t have adjustment for the angle. As for the belt, here are the specifications. If you can find one locally, might get you up quicker.

37

Not that you should have to do those things. :wink:

38

I’m a owner of a Yarbo which has had it share of problems, including returning my first core for charging issues and a getting replacement drive unit. I have had other issues with mapping and even it backing into my neighbor’s fence. However, I have also had many successful jobs, though mine are just mowing. I had many failed ones too. I can honestly say I have seen improvements in the software, though there have been regressions.

I think it’s a bit unfair to call something as complex as Yarbo an high school project. I think people underestimate the complexity of hardware and software development, especially when embedded devices are at play and there are many many decisions that can make things better or worst. As engineers, we don’t always have the answers, it’s through trial and errors, and a lot of testing and even then we can still get it wrong.

I’m and Electrical Engineer with 25yrs of embedded programming experience and now lead a team of both hardware, firmware, FPGA and software engineers. We are doing the same thing, not a yard robot, but I can tell you it is very very difficult. I haven’t touch on supply issues or getting components on time.

I think Yarbo could have done a better job at launch by toning down the expectation a bit, so folks know that they may encounter some issues. That their Support team is new or ramping up and there will be growing pains. However, I think the core team is fantastic and I certainly wish them the best.

I say all this with a dismantled Yarbo in my garage at the end of the mowing season to investigate a weird mechanical noise. Is this a bit frustrating and disappointing? Yes, I would rather not be doing this. However, I also secretly enjoy getting into my Yarbo after I pulled it apart, seeing as an engineer what other engineers are doing. I don’t think anyone else have to love working on their Yarbo, so hopefully Yarbo will address these issues.

As for my issue, I won’t know until I put it back together in the Sprint if it’s an issue. The evidence I sent Yarbo so far is inconclusive.

Good luck Yarbo.

39

Thank you. Your focus on what is important, and long-term commitment is why I chose Yarbo after two years of researching the market, and as many products as I could find.

40

If it’s only the deflector that is freezing up I would suspect the cable of having moisture in it. Try spraying a little silicone lube into it. In fact all mating metal pieces in the chute/deflector group would probably benefit. The lube should also act as an antifreeze. Good luck.

42

Hello everyone,

I’ve been reading some of the comments directed at Allen and the Yarbo team, and I felt compelled to say something.

I work in robotics engineering myself, and one thing people often underestimate is how complex robotics really is. Building reliable autonomous machines takes years of iteration, testing, and real-world experience. Progress often comes through trial and error.

But I also want to share something personal.

I was born with cerebral palsy and use a powered wheelchair. Since I was a kid, I always dreamed of doing simple things like mowing the lawn or running a snow blower myself.

Today, because of Yarbo, I can actually do it.

For many people it’s just yard work. For me, it’s independence, dignity, and the feeling of being able to take care of my home like anyone else.

So thank you Allen and the Yarbo team. :folded_hands:t2::heart::folded_hands:t2:

What you are building truly changes lives.

43

@WheelSeb We’re truly happy to hear that Yarbo has made a meaningful difference in your life. Thank you as well for your kind words and support. It means a great deal to our team. We will continue working hard to provide better products and an even better user experience for you and all of our users.

44

To Yarbo Customer Service
May 26, 2026

Dear Yarbo Customer Service,

Over the past several months, I conducted extensive research to find the best robotic mower available. During that process, I watched numerous YouTube videos covering nearly every major brand on the market. After discovering Yarbo, I became increasingly impressed by both the product demonstrations and customer reviews available online. I reviewed official Yarbo content as well as independent user experiences before making my decision.

Although Yarbo was among the more expensive options I considered, I ultimately decided the investment would be worthwhile. My existing zero-turn mower is aging, and I was excited about the opportunity to upgrade to a more advanced solution. In fact, I took out a loan in order to purchase the Yarbo with the Pro Mower attachment.

When the unit arrived, I eagerly began the setup process. However, upon opening the battery compartment, I discovered that the Xbox-style controller was not included. I also found that the SAM module was missing. Every Yarbo video and product review I had seen indicated that these items were included with the system.

After contacting Yarbo customer support, I was informed that these items were no longer included with new purchases, and that this policy had apparently changed approximately one week before I placed my order. Unfortunately, this information was not made clear during the purchasing process.

Naturally, I was very disappointed and initially considered returning the unit. To address the issue, I was offered 20,000 reward points to assist with purchasing the missing items separately.

However, after receiving the reward points, I discovered they were intended for the snow-track version of the Yarbo system. I live in southern New Mexico, where snowfall is extremely rare, making those rewards of little practical value to me. Since then, I have experienced difficulty reaching anyone who can assist in resolving the matter.

I want to emphasize that post-sale customer service is extremely important to me, especially when making a significant investment. Prior to this experience, I viewed Yarbo as a highly reputable company. While I genuinely enjoy the mower itself and appreciate the innovation behind the product, I am becoming increasingly concerned about the level of customer support I have received after spending more than $6,000.

I hope Yarbo will take these concerns seriously and help resolve these issues promptly. I would very much like to remain a satisfied and loyal customer.

Sincerely,
Greg Bouten

45

Here is my Letter to Yarbo. I don’t this it is rude at all.

To Yarbo Customer Service
May 26, 2026

Dear Yarbo Customer Service,

Over the past several months, I conducted extensive research to find the best robotic mower available. During that process, I watched numerous YouTube videos covering nearly every major brand on the market. After discovering Yarbo, I became increasingly impressed by both the product demonstrations and customer reviews available online. I reviewed official Yarbo content as well as independent user experiences before making my decision.

Although Yarbo was among the more expensive options I considered, I ultimately decided the investment would be worthwhile. My existing zero-turn mower is aging, and I was excited about the opportunity to upgrade to a more advanced solution. In fact, I took out a loan in order to purchase the Yarbo with the Pro Mower attachment.

When the unit arrived, I eagerly began the setup process. However, upon opening the battery compartment, I discovered that the Xbox-style controller was not included. I also found that the SAM module was missing. Every Yarbo video and product review I had seen indicated that these items were included with the system.

After contacting Yarbo customer support, I was informed that these items were no longer included with new purchases, and that this policy had apparently changed approximately one week before I placed my order. Unfortunately, this information was not made clear during the purchasing process.

Naturally, I was very disappointed and initially considered returning the unit. To address the issue, I was offered 20,000 reward points to assist with purchasing the missing items separately.

However, after receiving the reward points, I discovered they were intended for the snow-track version of the Yarbo system. I live in southern New Mexico, where snowfall is extremely rare, making those rewards of little practical value to me. Since then, I have experienced difficulty reaching anyone who can assist in resolving the matter.

I want to emphasize that post-sale customer service is extremely important to me, especially when making a significant investment. Prior to this experience, I viewed Yarbo as a highly reputable company. While I genuinely enjoy the mower itself and appreciate the innovation behind the product, I am becoming increasingly concerned about the level of customer support I have received after spending more than $6,000.

I hope Yarbo will take these concerns seriously and help resolve these issues promptly. I would very much like to remain a satisfied and loyal customer.

Sincerely,
Greg Bouten