Hayter Harrier 48 AD: self drive, rear roller

Roller, deck and cut quality

The rear roller is in two ribbed pieces. Hayter says this gives traction and manoeuvrability and stops the roller tearing the turf when you turn at the end of a row. A split roller lets each half rotate at its own speed through a turn, which is why it marks less than a solid drum.

The cutter deck is aluminium, so it will not rust, and Hayter backs it with a lifetime warranty against cracking or breaking in normal use. Vari-Pitch cutting and collection is the brand's name for the airflow that lifts clippings into the collector. A trim side lets the blade reach close to borders, raised beds and retaining walls.

Battery and power settings

The 60 V battery belongs to the Toro Flex-Force system, so the same pack can be moved into compatible Toro 60V garden tools. The listing suggests running at the highest power setting for tougher conditions, which implies a lower setting for routine cuts to stretch the runtime.

What the listing does not give is a lawn area per charge or a runtime in minutes. An 8 Ah pack at 60 V is a large battery by domestic standards, but without a stated figure you cannot plan mowing sessions as precisely as with the Makita DLM462PT4.

Living with a 42 kg mower

At 42 kg it is the heaviest mower in the comparison, so self drive is doing real work here. Cutting height spans 13 mm to 60 mm over seven positions. That low setting suits a fine ornamental lawn, but anyone who lets grass grow long in summer will find 60 mm limiting. An easy-wash hose connector lets you flush the underside without tipping the machine over. No assembly is needed, per the listing.

Who it does not suit

If you lift the mower into a car or up steps to store it, the weight counts against it. Those wanting a longer cut should look at the Greenworks 60V 51 cm self drive model, which reaches about 100 mm and also drives itself. The Makita covers a known, much larger area but must be pushed.