SILENO minimo 500
1 test of the 500 · 1 test of the smaller 250Read the findings →GARDENA's simplest boundary-wire mower, built for small, simple lawns. It's one of the quietest robot mowers around. It mows at random, though, and can only be controlled from close by.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in GARDENA’s range
- SILENO minimo 500This model
- GARDENA SILENO minimo 250Same mower, limited to 250m² in software
- SILENO city (250 to 600m², basic and smart)Smart version adds internet-connected controls; both families offer CorridorCut
- smart SILENO sense 600Small-lawn model with a camera and no wire
- smart SILENO life 1000Bigger lawns, remote control, same wire approach
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What reviewers found
Two French reviews. Clubic tested the 500 on an awkwardly shaped lawn and gave it 6 out of 10. Les Numériques tested the 250, which it says is the same mower limited in software, and gave it 3 out of 5. Both loved how quiet it is and both found the app easy. Clubic was harder on it, citing a tedious wire install, patchy coverage and regular get-stuck moments. German magazine results summarised by Testberichte.de are mixed, from satisfactory grades at Stiftung Warentest and CHIP to top marks from a DIY magazine.
Clubic, hands-on, May 2024 · Les Numériques, hands-on, May 2023 (tested on the SILENO minimo 250; Same mower as the 500, limited to 250m² in software)
Cut quality and edges
Not enough evidenceOnly Clubic judged the cut closely, finding it mows almost right up to the border thanks to its small size, but leaves patches for a long time because of its random pattern. No other review we use assessed it.
Setup and boundaries
Mixed resultsYou lay a boundary wire and a guide wire. Clubic found the job long and laborious, with the guide wire in the way when scarifying, and Les Numériques found the base's power cable too short.
Navigation
Mixed resultsIt mows at random. Clubic saw it wander for hours and still miss patches, and would keep it to simple lawns under about 250m². Les Numériques calls it a good choice only for small gardens that aren't oddly shaped.
Slopes and rough ground
Not enough evidenceOnly Clubic reported on slopes, finding it misjudged them during its test. No other review we use covered hills or rough ground.
Obstacles and safety
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has tested how it handles toys, pets or wildlife on the lawn yet.
Weather
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has tested it in the rain or on wet grass yet.
App and software
Mixed resultsLes Numériques liked the simple Bluetooth app and its automatic scheduling. Clubic found it simple too, but it sends no alerts when something goes wrong, and errors show as light patterns you have to decode.
Upkeep
Mixed resultsClubic found the blades easy to replace, and Les Numériques notes spare parts are sold by GARDENA. Both found changing the cutting height fiddly, as it means undoing screws.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has run it long-term or judged GARDENA's support.
Value
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use clearly weighed up its value for money. Les Numériques describes it as moderately priced but doesn't judge value against rivals.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Very quiet
Both testers single out the noise. Clubic gave it 10 out of 10 for quietness and said the motor is almost silent when it isn't cutting. Les Numériques calls it compact and discreet, a mower you forget is there. GARDENA rates it at 57dB, per the specifications. If you have neighbours close by, or want it running while you sit outside, this is the main reason to choose it.
Keep your lawn small and simple
Clubic found it wandering at random for hours and still missing patches, and would only recommend it for simple lawns under about 250m² on flat ground, half its rating. Les Numériques came to a similar view from the 250: a good choice for small gardens that aren't too oddly shaped. Its automatic scheduling, which mows less when the grass grows slowly, meant it needed attention less often. Treat 500m² as a ceiling, not a target.
The wire install is a chore
You lay a boundary wire and a separate guide wire that runs across the lawn to the charging base. Clubic called the job long and tedious, and noted that a guide wire in the middle of the lawn gets in the way if you scarify each year. During its test the mower also got stuck, wires got cut and it had trouble judging slopes. Les Numériques found the base's power cable too short. Plan the layout carefully before you start pegging.
Basic controls, fiddly height changes
There's no screen, so everything goes through the Bluetooth app. Les Numériques found the app simple, but Clubic noted it sends no alerts when something goes wrong, and error codes show as a pattern of lights you have to look up. Changing the cutting height means undoing two screws, with only three settings, per Les Numériques. On the plus side, Clubic found it cut very close to the lawn edge, helped by its small body.
Clubic tested the 500. Les Numériques tested the 250, which it says is identical apart from a software limit on lawn size.
Our take
Should you buy the SILENO minimo 500?
Best for: Small lawns where you are happy to lay a boundary wire. Skip it if: Your lawn has several awkward sections or unclear borders.
The minimo 500 may suit a small, simple lawn if you accept wire installation, regular checks and manual edge trimming. Clubic advised staying below about 250m² after testing the 500; the other review tested the software-limited 250, so it did not verify 500m² coverage. The smart SILENO city adds remote controls, but both models have CorridorCut. A wire-free E15 has its own wet and uneven-ground limitations.
The SILENO minimo is the entry point to GARDENA's range. You peg a wire round the lawn, run a second guide wire so it can find its way home, and set it up from a phone app that works over Bluetooth, so only when you're within about 10m. There's no screen on the mower itself. The 500 is the bigger of two sizes; the 250 is the same machine with a lower limit set in software.
What you get is a small, light, very quiet mower that keeps a simple lawn short without fuss once the wires are in. What you give up is almost everything clever: it wanders at random instead of mowing in rows, it can't be controlled while you're out, and changing the cutting height means undoing screws underneath.
The smart SILENO city adds internet-connected controls. Both families offer CorridorCut, and the minimo's uneven coverage in Clubic's garden doesn't prove the city always handles narrow passages better.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
Yes, and a guide wire too. The box includes 150m of wire and 150 pegs, per the specifications. Clubic found laying both long and tedious, and warns that the guide wire across the middle of the lawn gets in the way of scarifying. If that sounds like too much work, choose a wire-free mower.
How big a lawn can it really handle?
GARDENA rates the 500 for 500m², per the specifications. Clubic tested that version and advised simple, flat lawns under about 250m² after seeing patchy coverage. Les Numériques tested the 250 and also preferred simple small gardens, but a test of the smaller model can't tell you the 500's real limit.
Will it cope with my slope?
Only a gentle one. GARDENA claims 25% inside the lawn and just 10% along the wire, per the specifications. Clubic had it misjudging slopes during its test. If your lawn has a real bank, look at a mower rated for steeper ground.
How noisy is it for neighbours?
Barely noticeable. GARDENA rates it at 57dB, per the specifications, and Clubic scored it 10 out of 10 for noise, finding the motor almost silent when it isn't cutting. Les Numériques also puts quietness first among its strengths.
Can I control it when I'm out?
No. It connects only by Bluetooth, within about 10m, per the specifications. Clubic also found it sends no alerts when it gets stuck, so you won't know until you check. For remote control, GARDENA's smart models such as the smart SILENO city connect to your home internet.
How close does it cut to the edge?
Fairly close for a wire mower. Clubic found it cut almost up to the border, which it put down to the mower's compact size. That doesn't mean no trimming: along walls and beds you'll still want a strimmer now and then.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
SILENO city (250 to 600m², basic and smart)
Why consider it: The city handled awkward layouts well in tests, and its smart package adds remote controls; both families have CorridorCut.
The compromise: It still needs a wire, and both testers measured a strip of about 10cm left uncut at the edges.
Automower Aspire R4
Why consider it: Another small boundary-wire mower, and a home tester called its cut exceptional and its app clever.
The compromise: The wire took hours to lay, and a lab test rated it borderline on uneven lawns.
E15 Robot Lawn Mower
Why consider it: No boundary wire at all, and one tester called it the easiest robot mower it had set up.
The compromise: Testers with bumpy or damp lawns had it slipping and getting stuck.
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 SILENO minimo 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
- Clubic: Test Gardena Sileno Minimo 500 ↗6 / 10Hands-on
- Les Numériques: Test Gardena Sileno Minimo 500 (based on its test of the 250) ↗3 / 5Hands-on · Tested on the SILENO minimo 250 · Same mower as the 500, limited to 250m² in software
Sources
Videos
- DrDuu: Gardena Sileno Minimo 500 Mähroboter - 1 Monat später ↗
- Search YouTube for GARDENA SILENO minimo 500 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.