The Best Drop Spreaders to Buy in 2023
If you are the caretaker for your lawn or are closely related to the lawn upkeep industry, you will face a dilemma sometime down the line: what is the most hassle-free way of applying fertilizers? Is it with Drop spreader or Broadcast spreader? Both can be used to achieve the goal. There’s always spraying it over the desired area with a spray bottle, or the good ol’ throw them manually. Unbeknownst to many, there’s a third way to fertilize your lawn: a drop fertilizer spreader is used for the same purpose but offers much more convenience at a little extra cost.
Earlier we did the review of best broadcast spreader But, now in this article, we will be diving into the world of commercial drop spreaders. We will discuss the best drop spreaders, their pros, and cons, and offer an in-depth guide if you are new to the drop spreader world. But first, let’s view the 5 best drop spreaders:
5 Best Drop Spreaders of 2023 – Reviews
| Product Name | Type | Capacity | Warranty | Price |
| 1. Scotts 76565 | Classic | 32 lbs | N/A | |
| 2. Agri-Fab 45-0288 | Tow Behind | 175 lbs | 3 Years | |
| 3. At Home Drop Spreader | Classic | 75 lbs | N/A | |
| 4. Agri-Fab 45-0543 | Tow Behind | 100 lbs | Optional | |
| 5. SaltDogg WB400 | Walk Behind | 200 lbs | 1 Year |
After extensive research, we have narrowed our search to the 5 best drop spreaders available. They are tested for exceptional functionality and intended to serve for years.
Let’s take a look at the 5 best drop spreaders of 2023:
1. Scotts 76565 Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader
With this drop fertilizer spreader, you can stretch no less than 10,000 square feet with a heavy-duty frame and a wide hopper for the utmost stability. The Scotts lawn drop spreader is built with concerns of optimal coverage and precision. This drop spreader comes pre-calibrated and fully assembled, ready to treat lawns immediately. The big hopper capability helps keep grass seed and fertilizers.
Perfect for medium-sized zones like landscaped areas and narrow curves, you can avert damage to the lawn simply by going through the in-depth calibration guides. The dial is yet another feature that is much easier to read to control the desired spread rate.
Pros
- Large wheels
- High precision
- Paddle handle available
- Best for spring, fall, and summer
Cons
- First use requires calibrating
2. Agri-Fab 45-0288 175 lb Max Tow Behind Drop Spreader
Agri Fab is one of the best drop spreaders currently available. It allows you to grow your lawn as you always desired. Its galvanized premium steel agitator is meant to increase reliability, and the pneumatic tires enable transportation without hassle. Spring is the perfect season for this drop fertilizer spreader. Feel free to spread the grass seed onto any bare area whenever required for optimal results. You can also fertilize and feed in summer and see exponential growth.
You will be offered a video instruction guide regarding the assembly method. Its drop spreading capability ensures precise results. Its wide flat-free tires can smoothly transport in the project area. The most important part is its longevity- it will last for years if cared for aptly.
Pros
- 3 years limited warranty
- 175 pounds hopper capacity
- Cover up to 40000 sq. ft in one fill
- 45 inches control spreader width
- Universal hitch
- Adjustable height
Cons
- Dry peat moss bunches up easily
3. At Home 75 lb. Drop Spreader
This heavy-duty drop spreader was the most comfortable product I have tested. The 75 lb. Drop Spreader features galvanized steel agitators that can easily break lumps for efficient broadcasting.
Not only is the 75 lb. mower used for winter, and it is also required for all-season needs. Another stand-out feature that comes in handy often is the foam-padded handles for comfort.
Perhaps the most important aspect is that it holds 10,000 square feet of product. No other mower has this feature. The free steel flow control is made more convenient using the drop spreader.
Pros
- It is simple to modify the product spreading’s pace and range.
- Quickly and efficiently covers a huge area.
- Reduces the time and energy needed for the application.
Cons
- Not good for large areas
- It cannot be used during snow
- Wobbly handle
4. Agri-Fab 45-0543 100 lb. Tow Behind Seeder Spreader
A great towed drop spreader, this one is perfect for those looking to use it all year round. It can cover no less than 17,500 square feet and contain nearly 100 pounds of product. It’s an extremely lightweight drop spreader, weighing a meager 37.5 pounds. The drop spreader includes a rust-proof poly hopper that promises durability in extreme weather conditions. The poly hopper can be a one-stop solution for many purposes, including aerating the soil or seeding it.
One of the most convenient machines for landscape maintenance, this Agri-Fab spreader includes 10-inch flat tires, a steel lift handle, and 8 galvanized steel spike disks that help maintain the law effectively without putting you through much hassle. The universal hitch further assists the ease of use. It allows the spreader to be compatible with numerous towing machines.
Pros
- 3 years warranty
- Universal hitch
- Steel lift handle
- Towing feature
Cons
- Difficult to assemble
5. SaltDogg WB400 Professional 200 lb Walk-Behind Drop Spreader
This is a high-capacity walk-behind spreader for property owners, contractors, and facility managers, best used with ice melt and bagged salt. The low height ensures precision in all areas, especially places close to sensitive foliage. Its 44-inch wide profile can cover the entire path in a single pass, and the 2.5-foot cubic poly hopper can handle 200 pounds of bagged salt and ice melt.
The trough includes a stainless steel agitator and nylon bushings that help keep substances moving while breaking down all clumping stuff. A regular hopper screen is also added to avoid materials jamming, and a rain cover ensures the material remains spreadable and dry. This fertilizer spreader is made in the USA.
Pros
- 1-year warranty
- It comes 90% assembled
- Metal screen to avoid jamming materials
- 13-inch wide premium quality pneumatic tires
Cons
- Cheap and hard to use flow control
A Guide to Buying the Best Drop Spreaders
What Is a Drop Spreader?
A drop spreader is one of the most useful items if you like mowing or taking care of your lawns or other fauna. Alternatively, drop fertilizer spreaders can be extremely useful daily if you are in the lawn catering industry. We usually consider spreader fertilizer or seeds for enhanced growth manually or with a pump spreader. However, there’s a third better way to go about it: to use a machine for the same purpose. A drop spreader is used to spread seeds or fertilizer accurately and precisely on lawns or gardens to ensure they grow healthily.
Pros and Cons of Using Drop Spreaders
Like any gardening equipment, a drop spreader has its share of pros and cons that can be a decisive factor in your purchase. Here are some positives for getting yourself a drop spreader:
Pros
- They are extremely simple to use and monitor
- They usually are not affected by regular winds.
- You can reach the tight spots and work with precision around obstacles
- Seeds are limited, so cleaning is unnecessary.
- You can spread fertilizers and seeds uniformly without missing any spots.
Cons
- Your wheel routes might be stripping if you do not overlap them.
- Since every pass has lesser soil, seeds take longer to disperse.
- It might not be of any use in winters.
What to Look for in the Best Drop Spreaders
1. Rate Control
One of the important aspects to keep in mind while buying a drop spreader is whether the fertilizer or seeds are dispensed at an even, controllable rate. Frequently the rate control gets all over the place, and you have no short of a disaster at hand. So, make sure you are controlling the rate dedicatedly.
2. Size of the Lawn
The size of the lawn plays a crucial role in determining which drop fertilizer spreader to get. If you try to mow a comparatively small lawn, it might suffice to get the best spreader for small areas. The same goes for medium and large-sized lawns, since the bigger the lawns, the more enhanced in capacity and Width the spreader has to be.
3. Hopper Capacity
It’s important to know the capacity while purchasing a drop spreader because it should depend on your needs entirely. Capacity essentially refers to the amount of product the spreader can dispense in a single outing. A small-capacity drop spreader should suffice for smaller lands, and the same rings true for large ones.
4. Spread Width
It is necessary to consider the drop width since it is the best way to help a potential buyer determine the best drop spreader for their specific needs. By drop width, we mean the range the seeds will be dispersed at when using any particular drop spreader. So, for more range, you need a bigger width.
5. Type (Push vs. Tow Behind)
The drop spreaders are available in various types, depending on the intended purpose. However, the two most common ones available are the push and the tow behind drop fertilizer spreaders. The former is a more traditional classic spreader, whereas the latter is a more modern hitch-free rendition.
6. Ease of Assembly
Ease of assembly is one of the most important aspects to consider when getting a drop spreader. How long does it take? Does it come pre-assembled, and if not, how much of it needs to be manually assembled later? These questions are crucial, and their responses vary from the spreader to spreader.
7. Build Quality and Materials Used
It’s important to note the quality of materials used in making the drop spreader. According to popular choice, stainless steel and hard plastic drop fertilizer spreaders are clear winners owing to their heavy-duty proof rough nature. Ensure the structure is durable and can handle the outer part, including the frame. Axles and wheels ought to be made of rust-free, heavy-duty materials.
8. Cost and Warranty
Make sure the spreader you get is a mix of perfect affordability and a proper promised longevity. There’s no triumph in getting a stellar deal for a drop spreader with no warranty. If it breaks down in a week, it would always be a loss no matter how much you pay for it. So, make sure you do not overindulge in getting an expensive one, and at the same time, do ask for a warranty.
Closing Thoughts
We hope it is easier for you to find the best drop spreader in the market without a hitch. The pros and cons laid out are meant to make your decision hassle-free while still keeping you informed about what exactly to expect, both in the positive and negative sense. A drop spreader inevitably makes your job much easier, so if you do not have much time on your hands, but your lawn needs some tending, this is your chance to get yourself a drop fertilizer spreader.
