EasiLife Go 500
Limited evidenceRead the findings →The biggest of Flymo's pared-back wired robot mowers, run from a few buttons and an app. It suits small, fairly flat lawns where quiet running matters. Laying the boundary and guide wires takes patience.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Flymo’s range
- EasiLife Go 250Same design for lawns up to 250m²
- EasiLife Go 500This model
- EasiLife 500Same lawn size, adds a small screen
- UltraLife 1200Twin-disc cutting for bigger lawns
Feedback
What we know
BBC Gardeners' World Magazine gave it 4.3 out of 5 and a Best Buy for small lawns, praising how quietly and evenly it cut. Its reviewer found the wiring fiddly, the status lights hard to read and height changes slow. An owner on Owner on Reddit tells a less happy story about a failed circuit board. That's one case, not a pattern.
BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, hands-on, Nov 2023
Very quiet, even cut on simple lawns
BBC Gardeners' World Magazine found it incredibly quiet, at just 58dB when cutting, and reckons it won't wake the neighbours on an early start. It handled regular-shaped lawns with ease, using a random pattern that turns at the boundary so grass gets cut from different angles without streaks. It coped with slopes up to 25% and slightly bumpy ground, but was much happier on flat lawns. It's at its best in a small, fairly level garden.
Plan the wiring before you start
BBC Gardeners' World Magazine says you peg or bury the boundary wire, then splice in a separate guide wire, which is a tight fit unless you leave slack in the right place. The joining connectors need a decent pair of pliers, and important points in the manual feel buried in the small print. The reviewer's advice is to watch the installation videos first and plan your cable runs. Give yourself a quiet afternoon for it.
Basic controls, slow height changes
Five buttons handle the basics, and BBC Gardeners' World Magazine had to check the manual to decode the flashing lights. The app is basic but easy: schedules, error reports and a Lawn Coverage setting that sends the mower a set distance along the guide wire, which is useful for narrow passages after some trial and error. To change the cutting height you remove the blade disc with a hex key. If you like adjusting height through the season, that gets tedious.
One owner's failed circuit board
An owner on Owner on Reddit who inherited a Go 500 reported a failed circuit board and suspected water had got in near the stop button. Without the original receipt, they couldn't get support. Nobody professionally confirmed the cause, and one case doesn't show the fault is common. Still, it's a good reason to keep your receipt and register the warranty.
Our take
Should you buy the EasiLife Go 500?
Best for: Small lawns where you are happy to lay a boundary wire. Skip it if: Your lawn is steep, soft or full of bumps.
It suits a small, fairly flat and regular lawn where quiet running matters and you don't mind an afternoon laying wire. If you'd rather skip the wire altogether, a camera-guided mower like the Eufy C15 is easier to get going. If your lawn is bumpy, sloping or split into awkward sections, you'll want something with more grip and better zone control than this.
The EasiLife Go 500 is the biggest of Flymo's pared-back Go models, which swap the small screen of the regular EasiLife range for five buttons and an app. It follows a boundary wire pegged or buried around the lawn, plus a guide wire that leads it to far corners and back to its charger, and it mows in a random pattern rather than stripes. Flymo's UltraLife 1200 sits above it for bigger lawns.
The trade-off is effort up front and few extras. Wiring it in takes care, cutting height is changed with a hex key rather than a dial, and there's no edge trimming or mapping. Keep your receipt and register the warranty: one owner who couldn't show a receipt got no support for a failed circuit board.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
Yes, a boundary wire around the lawn plus a guide wire, per the specifications. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine found splicing the two together and fitting the connectors fiddly, so plan the layout and watch installation videos before you start.
Can it handle a narrow passage?
Flymo says it gets through passages down to 60cm wide, per the specifications. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine used the app's Lawn Coverage setting to send it along the guide wire to separate sections, including narrow passageways, though it took some trial and error to get the percentages right.
Will it cope with my slope?
Flymo doesn't publish a slope figure. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine found it coped with slopes up to 25% and slightly bumpy ground, but was much happier on flat lawns. On a steeper garden, pick a mower rated for it.
How noisy is it for neighbours?
Very quiet. Flymo quotes 57 dB(A) in the specifications, and BBC Gardeners' World Magazine quotes 58dB when cutting and called it incredibly quiet. An early-morning schedule shouldn't bother anyone next door.
What happens when it rains?
It's rated IPX5 against water, per the specifications, and it adjusts its schedule to the weather and grass growth, staying docked below 5°C. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine didn't cover wet-weather running, and one owner on Owner on Reddit suspected water got in near the stop button, so give it some shelter.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
SILENO minimo 500
Why consider it: A very similar small wired mower for 500m², and reviewers agree it's very quiet once running.
The compromise: Its Bluetooth-only controls and random mowing pattern suit only a small, simple garden.
C15 Robot Lawn Mower
Why consider it: No wires to lay: Expert Reviews found it unusually easy to get going on reasonably even lawns.
The compromise: Rough patches and tall growth tended to interrupt it.
Landroid Plus (M500 Plus WR165E and sizes)
Why consider it: Another wired small-lawn mower, and one owner had trouble-free mowing through a narrow paved connection.
The compromise: Another owner fought wheelspin in sandy, uneven corners until the wire was moved.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the EasiLife Go 500?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
Sources
Videos
- Overgo World: Flymo EasiLife Go 500 Review: Is This the Best Robot Lawn Mower for Small Gardens? ↗
- Laiba Vlogs: FLYMO EASILIFE GO 500 ROBOTIC LAWNMOWER REVIEW | BEST LAWNMOWER 2022 ↗
- Search YouTube for Flymo EasiLife Go 500 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.