Kress Mission RTKn KR173 vs Kress Mission RTKn KR172
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Quick take: The Kress Mission RTKn KR172 costs $300 less; the Kress Mission RTKn KR173 is rated for a larger lawn (0.7 acres).
| Spec | Kress Mission RTKn KR173 | Kress Mission RTKn KR172 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$1,999 | ~$1,699 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Navigation | RTK GPS | RTK GPS |
| Max Lawn Size | 0.7 acres (30,492 sq ft) | 0.5 acres (21,780 sq ft) |
| Max Slope | 40% (22°) | 40% (22°) |
| Cutting Width | 7.9" | 7.9" |
| Cut Height | 1.6"–3.5" | 1.6"–3.5" |
| Drive | RWD | RWD |
| Runtime | — | — |
| Charge Time | — | — |
| Noise | 59 dB | 59 dB |
| Weight | 27.6 lb | 26.5 lb |
| Obstacle Detection | Kress OAS obstacle avoidance module on the nose steers around objects before contact (sensor type not specified on the US page), backed by bumper, lift and tilt sensors. | Bumper plus lift and tilt sensors only; camera obstacle avoidance is reserved for the OAS variant (KR172E.A) and larger Kress models. |
| Edge Cutting | No | No |
| Rain Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Cellular | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-Theft | PIN code plus real-time GPS tracking and geofence alerts | PIN code plus real-time GPS tracking and geofence |
| Warranty | Kress dealer warranty (term not listed on the US product page) | Kress dealer warranty (term not listed on the US product page) |
Pros & cons
Kress Mission RTKn KR173
- ✓Cheapest Kress with OAS obstacle avoidance, so it steers around objects rather than bumping them
- ✓No antenna, base station or wire; dealer install and app boundary
- ✓Parallel stripes with dead-reckoning fallback under trees and beside the house
- ✓1.2 acre maximum on a 72-hour cycle gives headroom over the 0.7 acre recommendation
- ✓Quiet 59 dB, 27.6 lb, electric height adjustment and a floating deck against scalping
- ✗Only works where a Kress dealer antenna covers your address; no coverage, no mower
- ✗Runtime, charge time, OAS sensor type and warranty term are not published on the US page
- ✗Same 7.9 in deck and 4 Ah pack as the cheaper KR172, so coverage growth comes from longer cycles, not more mower
Kress Mission RTKn KR172
- ✓No antenna, base station or wire to install; boundary is drawn in the app
- ✓Straight parallel stripes with dead-reckoning fallback when satellites are blocked
- ✓Quiet 59 dB and light 26.5 lb body with electric height adjustment
- ✓4G, GPS theft tracking and OTA updates included; dealer handles setup and service
- ✗Only works where a Kress dealer antenna covers your address; coverage must be verified first
- ✗No camera obstacle avoidance on this trim, so it relies on bumper contact and no-go zones
- ✗Runtime, charge time and warranty term are not published on the US product page
- ✗Small 8 in deck and 0.5 acre recommendation make it a modest-lawn machine at $1,700
- ✗No US retailer reviews yet; dealer-only sales mean little independent owner feedback