Hayter Harrier 56 or Honda HRD 536 Mower

I have the Hayter and had its previous model for 26 years. There are three choices and I have the 576B. That's the one with the Electric start.

My previous one had electric start that was good for very many years but was getting getting a little bit dodgy towards the end. It would still start OK by the Recoil pull start but I'm getting a bit too dodgy for that nowadays .

This model doesn't have a pull start at all but the battery system is supposed to be excellent and starts first time. It's a lithium battery and, I imagine, expensive to replace. It takes a full charge from a charger (doesn't charge whilst being used) in 20-60 minutes.

The cut is good, height of blade very easy to adjust and the 'variable speed' takes a bit if getting used to. On the old model the variable speed was a lever on the handle. On this model the speed is controlled by holding the drive bar closer the the handle for a higher speed. To drive on full speed all the time you just hold the two handles together. It took me a couple of hours of cutting to get used to it.

My old one lasted all those years and during the main season it would be used for 4 - 8 hours per week. I gave it away to a professional gardener and he's still using it.

I did have some trouble with it when I first got it. It had a faulty battery connection and an oil leak. They replaced it with a new one. It took a while to get the exchange because the lockdown had come in by then.

 

If the electric start went wrong I would soon make sure that there was a quick replacement. The company I bought it from would be able to get a replacement part, or do a repair, quickly. Getting the parts would be only a minor problem as Hayters UK HO is two miles from me. The only thing to go wrong is either the battery or the bit it plugs into (technical term)