Husqvarna Automower compared with Gardena Sileno and Minimo robotic mower

Here at Mincost we have plenty of robotic mowing expertise on the team.  Our highly trained www.mrobot.co.uk technicians are selling, installing and servicing robot mowers on a daily basis during the season and we’ve dealt with every size and shape of garden.  The Automower range is recognized as the market leader, and is manufactured in the UK by Husqvarna.

Sileno Minimo and Automower Compared 

Husqvarna are also involved in the design and manufacture of the Gardena Sileno and Minimo range, and we decided to look at the comparison between the two ranges from our installer’s perspective.  Our technicians really rate the Automower but how much Automower technology is there in the Gardena Sileno robot?

Weather Timer

This feature available on all Automowers allows the Automower to vary mowing time based on the grass density; not weather conditions, as it suggests.  If the blade motor uses more power because the grass is thicker, the cutting time is kept at a maximum, and it is reduced if the lawn is dry and not growing.  Gardena Sileno has this feature in the name of SensorControl, and it does the same thing, in the same way.

 Guide Wires

Featured on Husqvarna machines and key to dealing with complex gardens.  Guide wires are run from the base station to remote parts of the garden, even separate lawns.  They facilitate the mower’s efficient return for recharging and allow the installer to direct the mower to remote start points in the garden, maybe across a path, a separate patch of grass, or around a large obstacle.  Coming from the same stable as Automower, all Gardena Sileno robots have this feature.  This is a hugely important feature that makes the Sileno much more able to operate successfully in difficult areas of your garden.

Remote Start Points

In conjunction with guide wires the Sileno can be programmed to start mowing anywhere in the garden.  It is even possible for remote starts to be set for a percentage of all starts.  You can be sure that all areas of the lawn will receive adequate attention from the mower.  Other brands can remote start, but only Husqvarna and Gardena robots can do it along the patented guidewire system.

Cutting System

Once again, a Husqvarna patented feature that is shared with Gardena Sileno.  Each robot has 3 pivoting razor blades located on a rotating blade disc.  It’s safe, quiet, and effective.  If the blade loses its sharp edge, maybe by striking a molehill, or a stone, the tiny blades can be easily changed by the user.  All that is required is a screwdriver and a pack of new blades.  The cost is negligible compared to the heavy fixed blade found on competitor machines.  Our technicians rate this feature very highly and encourage owners to change blades periodically to ensure a perfect cut.

CorridorCut 

Another Gardena feature based on the Husqvarna guidewire, which must be laid along the required corridor.  Narrow passages down to a width of 60 cm between the boundary wire, are no problem for the mower, even if the corridor is a dead end.  A fantastic feature.

Frost Sensor 

Mowing frozen grass can be harmful for the lawn. If the temperature is below the 5°C threshold the Frost Sensor on the Gardena Sileno is activated and the mower stays off the grass. This feature can be found on the Automower, with the option of switching it on and off from the operation menu.

Incline 

The Gardena Sileno machines can handle a gradient of up to 35%.  Some Automowers manage inclines up to 45% but this is for the high specification machines, with a price tag to match.  For the smaller garden the brands have a similar slope capacity.  If your garden is steep, and over 2000m², you may need to consider the Automower.  We would be very happy to quote for this option, with professional installation included.

Smart System

Integration into the Gardena Smart system is the real winner for Sileno robot mowers.  The ability to coordinate grass cutting with a watering system is a brilliant idea, and not available elsewhere.  Smart System connected devices can be controlled from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.  If travelling for work, or holidays, the management of grass cutting and watering is handled by the Gardena Smart System.  If this is not an issue for you, and you want a simple stand alone robot mower, the new Sileno Minimo machines may be for you. 

The New Sileno Minimo robot mowers

These are brand new (available Spring 2021) and real value for money: packed with features previously only available on expensive high-end robots, and built to the same quality standards as Husqvarna Automower, they are by far the best solution for a small suburban or city garden.  We’re so impressed with the specification of these machines, it’s going to be difficult to recommend any other machine for the smaller application.  There are two robots in this section: the Gardena Sileno Minimo 250  15201-28 and the larger capacity Gardena Sileno Minimo 500  15202-28 These are not designed to integrate with the smart system like the Garden Sileno City Robotic mowers but they are controllable simply by a Gardena phone app via Bluetooth.  Simple, fully featured, and very attractively priced for the small garden.

A Great Option For The Average Sized Garden

The Gardena Sileno range of robots are a great option for a DIY installer.  It offers robot mowers with many of the features of the high-end Husqvarna Automower, at a fraction of the price.  They are a very attractive proposition, a real bargain, and we’re impressed.