Telegarden vs ZALA 421-12
Side-by-side comparison of Telegarden (The Telegarden Project) and ZALA 421-12 (ZALA Aero) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Home & Household buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- TelegardenUnited States
- ZALA 421-12Russia
Year First Available
- Telegarden—
- ZALA 421-122015
Verified Deployments
- Telegarden0 Deployments
- ZALA 421-120 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Telegarden$100,000 USD
- ZALA 421-12Research platform
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Telegarden—
- ZALA 421-127 hrs
Availability Status
- TelegardenACTIVE
- ZALA 421-12ACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- Telegarden—
- ZALA 421-125 kg
Max Speed
- Telegarden—
- ZALA 421-1230.6 m/s
Autonomy Level
- Telegardenteleoperated
- ZALA 421-12—
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | United States | Russia |
| Year First Available (values differ) | — | 2015 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $100,000 USD | Research platform |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Home & Household buyers) (values differ) | — | 7 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (values differ) | — | 5 kg |
| Max Speed (values differ) | — | 30.6 m/s |
| Autonomy Level (values differ) | teleoperated | — |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Reach, IP Rating
ROI Comparison
Same operating assumptions across every robot — the only difference is price. Set your numbers once to see which pays back fastest.
Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000
| Metric | Telegarden | ZALA 421-12 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $100,000 | No price |
| Payback period | 24.0 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $150,000 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +150% | — |
ZALA 421-12 has no listed price, so payback can't be computed. Contact the manufacturer for a quote.
Estimates labor-cost displacement only — not a full total cost of ownership. Actual ROI depends on integration, maintenance, training, downtime, and task fit. Converted currencies are indicative; USD is the price of record.
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Telegarden and ZALA 421-12?
Telegarden is made by The Telegarden Project, based in US. ZALA 421-12 is made by ZALA Aero, based in RU.
How do Telegarden and ZALA 421-12 compare on the Robo Index?
Telegarden grades AA on the Robo Index. ZALA 421-12 grades BB. The Robo Index is a credibility grade (AAA … C) that blends commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are Telegarden and ZALA 421-12 in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Research on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Research robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Research TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: The real cost of a research platform.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Telegarden and ZALA 421-12?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
The real cost of a research platform
7 min readResearch & Lab Robots
The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags
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A 90-day playbook to stand up a new platform in a lab
8 min readResearch & Lab Robots
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
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About this comparison
Telegarden vs ZALA 421-12 compares two robots in the research category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robo Index is calculated.