smart SILENO free 1200
Limited evidenceRead the findings →GARDENA's largest wire-free mower, steering by satellite with no aerial to put up, for big lawns. It needs open sky over every part of the lawn, and one owner returned theirs after it kept losing its position.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in GARDENA’s range
- GARDENA smart SILENO free 600Smallest wire-free SILENO free, the size magazines tested
- smart SILENO sense 600Small-lawn wire-free model with a camera
- smart SILENO free 1200This model
- smart SILENO life 1000Similar lawn size, but uses a boundary wire
- UltraLife 1200Sister-brand wired mower of the same size and cut · £355.67
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What we know
GARDENA's the specifications describes the 1,200m² model: no wire or aerial, two blade discs and up to 140 minutes of mowing per charge. Testberichte.de summarises two German magazine tests of the smaller 600: a DIY magazine rated it good and found the navigation reliable, while c't felt that mowing without a wire or supervision is no longer enough to stand out at this price. One owner of a 1200, posting on Owner on Reddit, had to move it by hand several times a day after it lost its position, and returned it.
No wire and no aerial
Many satellite-guided mowers need an aerial on a pole somewhere in the garden. GARDENA says this one needs no wires, aerials or beacons, only satellite reception, a decent internet connection and the app, per the specifications. That makes the install much simpler. The trade-off is that it relies on the satellite signal alone, so tall trees, buildings or hedges round the lawn matter more than they would with a wired mower.
Losing its position is the worry
The one owner report we found for this size, on Owner on Reddit, describes it losing its position so often that it had to be moved by hand several times a day, with only a few bushes and small trees near the edge. They sent it back. On the other hand, a DIY magazine that tested the smaller 600, summarised by Testberichte.de, found its navigation reliable. One owner's garden doesn't prove anything either way, but check your sky view first.
Two discs for a wider cut
The 1200 has two blade discs and a 22cm cut, where GARDENA's small models have one disc and 16cm, per the specifications. GARDENA also claims up to 140 minutes of mowing per charge and a Trim-to-Edge mode that cuts close to walls and fences. GARDENA sells an anti-collision radar as an extra accessory, per the specifications.
The 600's marks, and what's unchecked
The German DIY magazine selbst ist der Mann gave the 600 four out of five and praised its reliable navigation, but found the install complex, according to Testberichte.de. c't was cooler, saying that mowing without a wire or supervision no longer stands out at this price. Testberichte.de's own editorial summary of the 1200, Testberichte.de, isn't a test, but it says the mower suits open, straightforward lawns better than angular ones with lots of obstacles, and that charging takes a while. Nobody has yet tested the 1200's own cut, battery life or slope claims.
Our take
Should you buy the smart SILENO free 1200?
Best for: Large, open lawns with a clear view of the sky. Skip it if: You want a mower with independent tests of this exact version.
Consider it only if your lawn is large, open to the sky across every part, and you want a wire-free mower from GARDENA in particular. Until someone tests this size properly, a better-proven wire-free mower such as the STIGA A 1000 or Husqvarna Automower 310E NERA is the safer choice. If you don't mind laying a wire, GARDENA's smart SILENO life has two good tests behind it.
The smart SILENO free was GARDENA's first mower that works without a boundary wire. It finds its position from satellites, and unlike most rivals it needs no separate aerial in the garden. You draw the lawn's edge in the app instead. This is the biggest size, for lawns up to 1,200m², with two blade discs, a 22cm cut and a claimed 140 minutes of mowing per charge. Smaller versions cover 600m² and 800m².
What you get is a big-lawn mower with no wire to lay, from an established European brand. What you give up is certainty: it needs open sky across the lawn, one owner of this size returned theirs after it kept losing its position, and magazine tests of the smaller 600 were mixed. GARDENA's LONA mapping also needs the smart hub, sold separately.
If you're happy with a wire, GARDENA's smart SILENO life covers a similar area and has been tested.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a boundary wire?
No. It steers by satellite positioning, with no wire, aerial or beacon, and you set the boundary in the GARDENA smart app, per the specifications. That's quicker to install than a wired mower, but it only works well where the satellite signal is good.
Does it need a clear view of the sky?
Yes. GARDENA says it needs satellite reception and an internet connection, per the specifications. The one owner report for this size, on Owner on Reddit, describes frequent loss of position near bushes and small trees. If your lawn is ringed by trees or buildings, a wired mower is safer.
Will it cope with my slope?
GARDENA claims 35%, both inside the lawn and along the edge, per the specifications, which is better than GARDENA's wired models manage at the boundary. Nobody has tested the claim yet, so treat it as a maximum rather than an everyday figure.
Is there a subscription for 4G or anti-theft?
GARDENA says there are no subscription costs, per the specifications. It needs an internet connection, and the full LONA mapping needs the smart gateway, which is sold separately.
How close does it cut to the edge?
GARDENA claims its Trim-to-Edge mode cuts close to solid edges such as walls and fences, per the specifications. Nobody has measured it on the 1200 yet, so keep your strimmer until a proper test says otherwise.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
smart SILENO life 1000
Why consider it: GARDENA's wired mower for a similar lawn size, which two testers found gave a neat cut in a broken-up garden.
The compromise: You have to lay a boundary wire, and its small wheels struggled with holes and bumps.
A 1000
Why consider it: Also wire-free and satellite-guided for mid-sized lawns, and two tests found a precise, even cut.
The compromise: It has no camera and struggles with obstacles.
Automower 310E NERA
Why consider it: A satellite-guided mower from GARDENA's parent company, with a second blade disc that testers found trims neatly at the edges.
The compromise: It has no camera, so it runs over small objects instead of avoiding them.
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 smart SILENO free 1200?
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
Sources
- Testberichte.de: Gardena smart Sileno free (600m²): summary of magazine tests ↗News
- Testberichte.de: Gardena smart Sileno free (1200m²): editorial summary, not a test ↗News
- Owner on Reddit: SILENO free 1200 owner: satellite drop-outs and return ↗Owner thread
- GARDENA: smart SILENO free 1200m² (UK) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for GARDENA smart SILENO free 1200 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.