We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Shopping Gardening Reviews Lawn Care Reviews The 7 Best Fertilizer Spreaders of 2024 Help keep your yard lush and green with these fertilizer spreaders. By Renee Freemon Mulvihill Renee Freemon Mulvihill Renee Freemon Mulvihill has been writing for Better Homes & Gardens for more than a year, where she has focused on gardening and outdoor products. Her work has also appeared in Secrets of Getting Organized, Dream Kitchens & Baths, Houseplants, Halloween Tricks & Treats, Living the Country Life, and several of the Real Simple Special Interest Publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on March 1, 2024 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara Jillian Dara is a freelance journalist, editor and fact checker with 10 years of editorial experience in the lifestyle genre. Learn about BHG's Fact Checking Process In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Bottom Line What to Know Before Shopping Your Questions, Answered Who We Are Better Homes & Garden / Alli Waataja A spectacular green, lush lawn doesn’t come easily. It requires ongoing maintenance, including regular applications of fertilizer, which not only keeps your grass looking great, but also makes it more resistant to weeds and disease. A fertilizer spreader can help you apply granular products quickly and evenly. Nick Wren, merchang of fertilizers and seed at The Home Depot says, “Lawn or fertilizer spreaders can make maintaining your yard easier and more efficient. It helps you evenly distribute fertilizer and other lawn care products around your yard.” As you consider different options, look for knobs and levers that make it easy to change the flow rate to suit your specific fertilizer. Heavy duty or stainless steel will also enhance the durability of the spreader. And keep in mind that the best fertilizer spreaders should match the size of your yard. What We Researched Type: There are several types of fertilizer spreaders available, including handheld spreaders, drop spreaders, and broadcast spreaders. Coverage: Where possible, we listed the coverage area of each model in square feet; the coverage and capacity of a fertilizer spreader should correlate with the size of your lawn. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Scotts Elite Broadcast Spreader at Amazon ($133) Jump to Review Scotts Turf Builder Mini Broadcast Spreader at Amazon ($45) Jump to Review Best Splurge: EarthWay Commercial Broadcast Fertilizer Spreader at Walmart ($374) Jump to Review Best Pull-Behind: Agri-Fab Tow Behind Broadcast Spreader at Amazon ($190) Jump to Review Best Handheld: Brinly All-Season Handheld Spreader at Amazon ($45) Jump to Review Best Electric: Ryobi One+ Power Spreader at Ryobitools.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Three-Point: CountyLine Fertilizer Spreader at Tractor Supply Co. (See Price) Jump to Review Best Overall Scotts Elite Broadcast Spreader Scotts View On Amazon $133 View On Walmart $152 View On Lowe's $149 Why You Should Get It This spreader features a generous capacity and a 6-foot wide spread pattern to speed up fertilizing tasks—all at an affordable price. Keep in Mind Since it’s a push model, rather than a tow-behind model, it might not be the best choice for a large acreage. This broadcast spreader earns high marks because it covers a large amount of space quickly and is relatively affordable. It holds up to 20,000 square feet of fertilizer, making it a good choice for quickly treating medium to large yards. Several convenient features are also included with this model. Dual rotors below the hopper help increase the spreader’s accuracy and ensure the fertilizer is spread efficiently. A 6-foot-wide spread pattern is wide enough to help you make fewer trips across the lawn so you can get the job done quickly. Durable 10-inch foam tires help it easily move over rough terrain, and there is a device that can block the right side of the spray pattern to help you avoid spraying fertilizer onto your driveway or sidewalks. Plus, we love the ergonomic handle with a smartphone holder. You do need to assemble it, but only minor assembly is required. Because this spreader is one that you push, rather than tow behind a UTV or tractor, it is likely not as heavy duty as you would want for a property of several acres or more. Product Details: Type: Broadcast spreader | Size: 20.07 x 23.31 x 23.63 inches | Weight: 19.75 pounds | Coverage: Up to 20,000 square feet Scotts Turf Builder Mini Broadcast Spreader Amazon View On Amazon $45 View On Walmart $44 View On Lowe's $50 Why You Should Get It This mini spreader comes fully assembled and pre-calibrated so you can get to work right away. Keep in Mind It only holds up to 5,000 square feet of fertilizer. This broadcast spreader is small but mighty, thanks to convenient features that make it easy to apply lawn fertilizer, as well as a variety of other lawn care products. We love the fact that it comes fully assembled so you can get right to work fertilizing your lawn. Another bonus: it includes an edge guard, which when activated will block off the right side of the spray pattern and prevent fertilizer from spraying onto driveways, sidewalks, or flower beds. A curved hopper and a dual-bladed agitator were designed to improve performance on this model. These features help ensure that the fertilizer is smoothly funneled from the hopper and consistently covers the area you’re treating. This small broadcast spreader holds up to 5,000 square feet of fertilizer. You simply fill the hopper with granular fertilizer, turn the dial to the correct setting (per the fertilizer’s directions), and begin walking forward, squeezing the trigger to release the fertilizer onto your yard. Durable, open-spoke wheels help you easily push the spreader over rough terrain and the fold-down handle and compact size makes storage easy even when space is tight. This spreader is best for small lawns, or it can serve as an additional spreader to pull out when you are working in small areas near trees, flowerbeds, or walkways. In addition to applying fertilizer, it also works well for grass seed, weed control products, and ice melt. Product Details: Type: Broadcast spreader | Size: 20 x 45.25 x 16 inches | Weight: 10.67 pounds | Coverage: Up to 5,000 square feet Best Splurge EarthWay Commercial Broadcast Fertilizer Spreader Amazon View On Walmart $374 View On Home Depot $374 View On Zoro.com Why You Should Get It This commercial spreader is built tough to last a long time, plus it offers convenient features such as an adjustable handle and clog-free technology. Keep in Mind It’s heavy for a broadcast spreader at 26 pounds. The various types and sizes of fertilizer spreaders vary greatly, but if you are looking for a walk-behind fertilizer for medium-sized properties, there are many reasons to splurge for this model. Sturdy 13-inch pneumatic stud tires help you easily push the spreader over uneven ground. Additionally, the gearbox is fully enclosed, helping the spreader last longer and allowing you to operate it in damp conditions. An epoxy coated frame and rust-proof poly hopper also enhance durability. The spreader also includes a hopper screen to help break up any clumps of fertilizer and prevent clogs. We like the fact that the handle can be adjusted to three different heights, and we appreciate the side-spread feature that allows you to control the left side spread and avoid spraying fertilizer into flowerbeds or onto your driveway or sidewalks. Instead of having just one hole on the bottom of the hopper like many other models, this fertilizer spreader has three, which helps ensure more consistent coverage. The hopper’s 50-pound capacity is more than enough for medium-sized yards, but it’s not large enough to be convenient for properties that are more than an acre in size. This broadcast spreader also weighs 26 pounds, so it might be tiring to push. Product Details: Type: Broadcast spreader | Size: 24.75 x 16 x 15 inches | Weight: 26 pounds | Coverage: Not Listed Best Pull-Behind Agri-Fab Tow Behind Broadcast Spreader Amazon View On Amazon $190 View On Walmart $190 View On Lowe's $190 Why You Should Get It Featuring a large hopper that can hold up to 130 pounds of material, this tow-behind spreader helps you cover a lot of ground quickly. Keep in Mind It is not designed to work with zero-turn mowers and does require assembly. If you have a larger property, the best fertilizer spreaders are likely models that you can attach to a UTV or garden tractor, like the Agri-Fab 130-Pound Tow Behind Broadcast Spreader. This spreader features a hopper with a generous capacity and several smart features designed to keep it working for years. The hopper, made of sturdy plastic, holds 130 pounds of material, which is enough to cover up to 25,000 square feet or about half an acre before it needs to be refilled. The spread width is 10 to 12 feet—much bigger than most fertilizer spreaders that you push from behind, but not as wide as the models that attach to a full-size tractor. The 13-inch pneumatic wheels are 4 inches thick and tough enough to make it over a variety of terrain. The hardware on the spreader is designed to resist corrosion, and the gearbox is enclosed and removable to make maintenance easier. The spreader features a universal hitch, so it can be attached to any brand of lawn mower or tractor. The flow control lever is easy to reach from the tractor’s seat. Unfortunately, this spreader was not designed to work with zero-turn riding mowers—only lawn and garden tractors. Since the spreader needs to be attached to a garden tractor, it would not work well for small yards. Product Details: Type: Tow-Behind Broadcast Spreader | Size: 46 x 27.1 x 31.5 inches | Weight: 37 lbs. | Coverage: up to 25,000 square feet Best Handheld Brinly All-Season Handheld Spreader Amazon View On Amazon $45 View On Lowe's $29 View On Home Depot $29 Why You Should Get It This small fertilizer spreader is lightweight at just 1.05 pounds. Keep in Mind Because it’s small, the hopper size is limited, so it would be time consuming to use on a large lawn. This handheld spreader is a convenient tool for small yards and hard-to-reach areas. We love that it’s lightweight at just 1.05 pounds, so it’s easy to carry around. The hopper holds up to a half gallon of material, so although it won’t be enough for large areas, it works well when spreading fertilizer around sidewalks, flowerbeds, and other landscaping features. The hopper’s contoured lip shape is designed to make filling it easy. You simply turn the knob to adjust the material flow rate and use the ergonomic trigger handle and hand crank to spread fertilizer on your yard. It also works well for ice melt in the winter and can be used to reseed a small area of grass as well. It spreads material up to 5 feet, which is a respectable distance for a handheld spreader. This fertilizer spreader is durably made with a heavy duty hopper, enclosed gears, and steel-plated hardware. It can be a great extra spreader to have on hand for small areas, even if you own a large property, but it’s not large enough to be the sole fertilizer spreader if you have a yard any bigger than 1,500 square feet or so. Product Details: Type: Handheld spreader | Size: 7 x 9.25 x 8.63 inches | Weight: 1.05 pounds | Coverage: Not Listed Best Electric Ryobi One+ Power Spreader The Home Depot View On Ryobitools.com Why You Should Get It This handheld spreader is powerful enough to spread fertilizer up to 15 feet in width, and it lets you easily adjust the flow rate and spread width. Keep in Mind The battery and charger for this spreader are sold separately. This small handheld spreader is easy to carry since it only weighs 3 pounds. But don’t let its compact size fool you—it can cover a width of up to 15 feet. Thanks to a powerful motor and a rechargeable 18V battery, it can cover up to 5,000 square feet before you need to refill the 1-gallon tank. This handheld spreader includes an adjustable flow rate knob so you can calibrate it for the specific product you are applying (check the instructions on your fertilizer package). A sliding lever lets you adjust the area where the fertilizer will be distributed to give you more precise control in smaller areas or a wider spread in larger, open areas. You release the fertilizer by squeezing the trigger-style handle on the spreader as you are walking. In addition to granular fertilizer, this handheld spreader can be used to apply pellet grass seed, weed control products, and ice melt. If you own other tools from the Ryobi 18V ONE+ tool line, you can use the same battery and charger for this spreader. If not, the cost of the spreader will be higher because you’ll need to purchase the battery and charger separately. Product Details: Type: Handheld spreader | Size: 8.25 x 11.5 x 8.25 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Coverage: Up to 5,000 square feet Best Three-Point CountyLine Fertilizer Spreader Tractor Supply View On Tractor Supply Co. Why You Should Get It This fertilizer spreader can attach to a tractor and help you easily fertilize multi-acre properties. Keep in Mind It’s too large to use in areas close to a house or around flower beds. If you have several acres or more of land that you need to fertilize, the best fertilizer spreaders are the ones that can attach to the back of a tractor. This type of spreader attaches to the tractor’s three-point hitch; they are often used for seeding plants as well. In addition, they can be used to apply ice melt on the long driveways that are common in many rural areas. The CountyLine Three-Point Fertilizer Spreader spreader features a hopper with an 850-pound capacity—so it’s ready for any large property. The hopper and frame are both made of steel to add durability and the fins (which help control where the fertilizer granules are thrown) are also made of galvanized steel. When applying the fertilizer with this spreader, you can drive up to 7 miles per hour and spread fertilizer in widths between 12 and 46 feet. Because the spread width is so large, this fertilizer spreader will not work well if you need to spread fertilizers or other material around the house or flowerbeds. You may need to purchase a separate handheld or push spreader for smaller areas that require more precision. Because it’s a larger, heavy-duty spreader it also costs considerably more than the fertilizer spreaders that are handheld or manually pushed. Product Details: Type: Three-point broadcast spreader | Size: 51 x 27 x 40 inches | Weight: 207 pounds | Coverage: Not listed The Bottom Line After researching a variety of fertilizer spreaders, we chose the Scotts Elite Spreader as the best fertilizer spreader because it offers a generous coverage area and a lot of convenient features at an affordable price. It’s a great choice for medium-size lawns. What to Know Fertilizer Spreaders Before Shopping Type There are three main types of fertilizer spreaders: handheld spreaders, drop spreaders, and broadcast spreaders. The best fertilizer spreader for your property depends a lot on the size of your yard. “If you have a small lawn, consider a handheld or drop spreader,” Wren says. “If your lawn is on the larger size, consider opting for a broadcast spreader.” Handheld spreaders have a small hopper because they need to be small enough to be carried around as you are applying fertilizer. Therefore, it may take many refills to cover a large area. Drop spreaders literally drop the fertilizer between the two wheels, rather than scattering it farther out. Some models are designed to be pushed and others are towed behind a UTV or garden tractor. “A drop spreader is good for precise applications on small lawns and areas around garden beds and shrubs,” Wren says. Broadcast spreaders, meanwhile, are the best option for large areas because they usually have the largest spread widths. “Broadcast spreaders differ from a drop spreader in that it has a fan or wheel that casts the product wider than the wheelbase. The margins created with each pass overlap to provide uniform coverage,” Wren says. Coverage Area and Capacity As you are choosing the best fertilizer spreader for your yard, you should consider the capacity of each model, as this will affect how much area you can cover before you need to refill the hopper. Handheld spreaders need to be small enough to be carried, so their capacity is limited and each hopper will cover a smaller size of yard compared to drop spreaders or walk-behind broadcast spreaders. You can always refill the hopper with more product, but this adds time and is less convenient. Drop spreaders have a larger hopper than handheld spreaders, and their coverage area is usually larger. However, since the material drops down between the tires rather than being spread out into a wider area by a broadcast spreader, it will take more passes to cover the same amount of area as a broadcast spreader. Pull-behind (also called tow-behind) broadcast spreaders that can be attached to a lawn or farm tractor (such as the Agri-Fab 130-Pound Tow Behind Broadcast Spreader) usually have the largest capacity and largest coverage area of the various types of spreaders. Uses The best fertilizer spreaders can be used for many different types of lawn care products—not just fertilizer. “Fertilizer spreaders can be used to apply almost any flowable solid,” says Bob Mann, senior director of technical and regulatory affairs at the National Association of Landscape Professionals. “Grass seed will readily flow through a spreader, as will pelletized lime.” If you want to apply white lime, a drop spreader will be your best choice since it won’t flow through other types of fertilizer spreaders. “You can also use fertilizer spreaders to apply deicing salt,” Mann says. Just be sure to keep them clean during the winter to prevent corrosion.” Your Questions, Answered How long do fertilizer spreaders last? Fertilizer spreaders can easily last several years or more, and proper care and maintenance can help extend the life of these tools. Always wash your spreader after you use it—and let it dry in the sun. You’ll also want to check the owner’s manual for other maintenance recommendations. Some gears and axle bearings should be greased, but others won’t last as long if you apply grease. Choosing the right product can also help the best fertilizer spreaders last longer. “The one thing you should avoid is purchasing a fertilizer spreader that is made with mild steel,” Mann says. “Fertilizer and mild steel do not get along well. Choose either a spreader made from sturdy plastic or stainless steel.” The Earthway 2150 50-Pound Commercial Broadcast Spreader, for example, features a hopper made from rust-proof poly, an epoxy coated diamond chassis, and a fully enclosed gear box to ensure long-term durability. How much does fertilizing cost? The cost of fertilizing your yard can vary greatly, depending upon the size of your yard and the type of spreader and fertilizer that you choose. Typically, smaller fertilizer spreaders, especially handheld spreaders, are the most affordable options. The Brinly 5-Pound All-Season Handheld Spreader, for example, costs just $29. However, larger fertilizer spreaders tend to be more expensive. The CountyLine Three-Point Fertilizer Spreader, which has an 850-pound capacity, is priced at almost $1,000. This model is well-suited for multi-acre properties—the cost of a fertilizer spreader typically increases as the size of your lawn increases. To figure out the total cost of fertilizing your yard, you’ll also have to factor in the price of the fertilizer itself—and that can vary greatly too. Handheld, drop, and broadcast spreaders are all designed to spread granular fertilizers, rather than liquid fertilizers, which are sprayed on the lawn. But not all granular fertilizer is created equal. “There are large differences in the quality of fertilizers available and you get what you pay for,” Mann says. He recommends following the “four Rs” of fertilizing to make the most of the money you spend and maximize the quality of your lawn. This means choosing the right type of fertilizer, and applying it at the right rate, the right time of year, and the right place. Who We Are Renee Freemon Mulvihill is a freelance writer specializing in home and garden topics. To research this article, she investigated products online and contacted Bob Mann, senior director of technical and regulatory affairs at the National Association of Landscape Professionals and Nick Wren, merchant of fertilizers and seed at The Home Depot, to find out more about the differences between various types of fertilizers and the most important features to consider. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit