For decades, Gardena has been a European brand name associated with gardening…
…though it was better known for hand tools and watering than anything to do with mowing the lawn.
Their lack of experience, however, does not appear to have held…
…them back from developing their own line of robotic lawn mowers.
However, before we begin this review, it is critical to note that Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower…
…has made a complete mess of introducing their robotic lawn mower line to the market.
You’ll know what I’m talking about if you’ve already read the Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower…
…review, so you can skip ahead. There are three different models for the Selina Life.
- Selina Life 750 – around £1,000 for lawns up to 750 sqm
- Selina Life 1000 – around £1,200 for lawns up to 1,000 sqm
- Selina Life 1250 – around £1,250 for lawns up to 1,250 sqm
I can’t see any technical differences between the three…
…which makes me wonder if this was a marketing department idea rather than an engineering one.
Next, each of these models is available in either a ‘Smart’ (which can be connected to a Smartphone app)…
…or a ‘Standard’ (which cannot). This review focuses solely on the Smart version.
But we aren’t finished yet. They’ve added another variant, denoted by the word ‘Set’ at the end…
…which means you’ll also get a Wifi booster to help the signal from your rooter get to the end of the garden.
This is not the same as the ‘Smart Set’ variants, which are really just the Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower…
…with the Wifi booster and an automated irrigation kit, but are listed as a separate line of products.
It’s enough to make you want to give up and buy something a little easier to come by, which is a shame because…
…this is a great mid-range mower. If this is the mower for you, my advice is to avoid their website and instead…
…use the Amazon link on this page, where someone has done a fantastic job of simplifying the process.
Gardena Smart Sileno Life Robotic Lawn Mower Overview
Pros
- Easy set up
- Reliable
- All weather cutting
- Full kit in the box
- Alarm
Cons
- Weak on slopes
- Confusing purchase
- Beware of older models with the same name but less features
- No professional installation service
- Lacks track record
While some manufacturers, such as Husqvarna and Robomow, charge extra for binding wire and pegs…
…(here’s why you need them), Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower includes everything you need to get…
…started in the price and box. The 150 meters of wire and 200 pegs may not be enough if you have a complicated
lawn layout, but for a simple piece of turf, it should be enough to get you up and running right away.
Here’s Gerrad’s story about his problem with Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower needs.
Words from Gerrard
Hello my name is Gerrard.
I’m currently staying at home during the quarantine…
…i really love gardening…
…when I wake up in the morning…
…i always spend my time to garden in backyard of my house.
I’ve realized something, i need Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower to make it easier.
But so far, I haven’t found the Reviews…
…that complete for my data. However I do not know…
…about the details of each mower product and its…
…advantages and disadvantages.
Finally I decided to read an article on the internet…
…about Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower Reviews, after I understood the advantages…
…and disadvantages of each product, I finally chose one…
and know i have great Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower for my garden work!
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature.”
WIKIPEDIA.
Lawn Size and Slopes of Gardena Smart Sileno Life Robotic Lawn Mower
Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower claims that the top variant of this mower can handle…
…a lawn up to 1,250 square meters, but I wouldn’t buy it if I had more than 1,000 square meters…
…to mow for the reasons I’ve discussed here. No offense to Gardena, but I have reservations about all brands.
Slopes are the Selina Life’s Achilles’ heel. It can go up to 30% incline…
…whereas most competitors in this class have models that can go up to 35% incline.
I’m not saying you won’t pay a premium for a different brand in other ways; the Husqvarna Automower 310 can…
…handle 40% inclines but costs nearly twice as much, while the Worx WG794 is noisier and has fewer features.
Many first-time buyers of robotic lawn mowers with sloped lawns, on the other hand, make the mistake…
…of trying to keep their budget low, only to be disappointed. If your lawn is relatively flat…
…the Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower is a good buy; otherwise, you’ll need to do…
…some soul searching and decide whether you want to spend more money on a mower…
…that can climb your inclines but has fewer features or dig deeper into your wallet.
Professional Installation? Not here
While some brands provide installation services for securing the boundary wire and ensuring…
…the charging station is in the correct location, Gardena has decided to leave it up to their customers…
…and has provided a manual and videos. This may take a day or two for larger lawns, especially those that…
…are complex, so keep that in mind because other brands in this class will do the grafting for you (at a cost!)…
…If you decide to go it alone, I recommend watching the videos and reading the manual to save time and heartache.
This will save you a lot of rework.
keep going…
The Smartphone app
This isn’t just an app for controlling a robotic lawn mower. If (or when) you have…
…a Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower automated irrigation system, you can use the app to control it.
That’s useful, though the part that controls your mower is fairly limited in its capabilities.
Even height adjustment is still a manual process that requires you to open the mower’s hood and turn a dial…
…however, if everything is working properly, you shouldn’t have to do it very often.
Simple Security
The PIN lock on the Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower is standard on most mowers.
To start the mower, enter a PIN and then re-enter it every 30 days.
When the mower is picked up, it also activates an audible alarm. It’s not a full-fledged screacher…
…but it’s probably enough to get an opportunist to start making excuses for why he’s holding your mower…
…(“It went in the road, honest”) rather than planning an escape route with a 7-kilo mower wailing under his arm.
No Rain Sensor But No Problem
This is a reliable mower for all-weather use that cuts well even in heavy rain.
As a result, there’s no need for a rain sensor, which would send some other…
…brands scurrying back to their charging station until the weather improved.
It also has fairly wide wheels and weighs just over 7 kilos, so it won’t leave grooves…
…even if the soil softens up in wet weather. As with all robots that cut in the rain…
…there may be some soggy mulch that needs to be wiped away under the cutting deck.
This model has pivoting blades, so make sure they aren’t clogged and still swing freely.
And finally…
Sum Up
Aside from its inability to handle inclines and slopes, this is a good piece of work.
There’s nothing about it that sets it apart from the competition, but it’s also not a bad deal, and it’s reasonably priced.
There’s no reason not to buy the Gardena smart sileno life robotic lawn mower if you have a relatively flat lawn.
Conclusion
When compared to similar mowers in its class, it lacks the “Wow” factor…
…but it is a solid and reasonably priced lawn mower from a household brand for lawns ranging…
…from 200 to 1,000 square meters (with three variants and price points!).
Simply be patient (and cautious) when making a purchase, as the product line-up can be confusing!
And you can complete your garden tools with garden hoe, garden trowel and garden bags.