If you have a decent-sized lawn, then manually spreading seeds and fertilizer on it will be hectic and time-consuming. That’s where a tow-behind lawn spreader comes into place. You can attach this valuable tool to your ATV, mower, or tractor to finish hours’ worth of work within minutes.
But choosing the best tow-behind lawn spreader can be challenging because of the abundance of products available in the market. That’s why we have come up with this guide, containing the best tow-behind lawn spreaders that money can buy.
Best Tow Behind Lawn Spreaders: Comparison Chart
| Product | Capacity | Width of Spread | Tires | Price |
| Agri-Fab 45-0463 Broadcast Spreader | 130 pounds | 10 to 12 feet | 13-inch large pneumatic tires | Check Price |
| Craftsman CMXGZBF7124571 Broadcast Spreader | 110 pounds | 10 feet | 10-inch large pneumatic tires | Check Price |
| Yard Commander YTL-002-179 Broadcast Spreader | 125 pounds | 10 to 12 feet | 12-inch large pneumatic tires | Check Price |
| Brinly BS36BH-A Broadcast Spreader | 175 pounds | 12 feet | 13.5-inch large pneumatic tires | Check Price |
| Chapin 8620B Tow Behind Spreader | 150 pounds | 10 to 12 feet | 14-inch large pneumatic tires | Check Price |
Best Tow Behind Lawn Spreader: Buying Guide
Before getting into the details of the best tow-behind lawn spreaders, let’s discuss all the factors that you should consider while buying this tool.
Hopper Material
The most critical part of a tow-behind lawn spreader is the hopper, where you add seeds or fertilizer. It should be made of durable material that can stand the test of time.
Most high-quality spreaders come with a hopper made of polyethylene. It’s a high-quality material, which is lightweight, durable, long-lasting, and weather-resistant.
You can go with this hopper material but you’ll need to take care of it properly. Although it’s a pretty flexible material, it can become brittle if you make a habit of leaving it under the sun. So, make sure you store your tow-behind fertilizer spreader with a poly hopper under a shaded area to maximize its lifespan.
Other than polyethylene, some manufacturers also use stainless steel hardware to make hoppers. They’re also durable but usually fall victim to corrosion and rust with time.
Capacity
It is an important factor to take into account when choosing a tow behind broadcast spreader. A quality tow behind can take 100 pounds to 175 pounds of seeds, fertilizers, and other materials. It is important to see if it has a wide surface to accommodate the load, high sides to keep it contained, and is removable if your loads are uneven.
Tires
Another important component of a tow-behind lawn spreader is its tires. Most high-quality tow-behind lawn spreaders come with large pneumatic tires and they can work efficiently on rugged terrain.
They make it easy to maneuver the spreader around the lawn and can also last a very long time. So, you should ideally go with large pneumatic tires.
Flow Adjustments
Different fertilizers come with different instructions, which means you’ll need to adjust the flow of the spreader to make sure that you use the fertilizer in the right amount.
Therefore, a tow-behind lawn spreader must have some sort of flow adjustment mechanism. Many spreaders offer a level that you can use to adjust the flow rate as well as the swath’s width.
Cover
While not all tow-behind lawn spreaders have a cover that you can use to cover the hopper, many of them do. You should consider this factor because it offers a couple of benefits.
It protects the fertilizer, seeds, ice melt, or any other material that you have added to the hopper from harsh weather conditions. Plus, it also keeps the fertilizer from escaping the hopper during the application.
Quality/Width of Spread
The quality of the spread is another important factor that you must consider while buying a tow-behind lawn spreader. It’ll determine how good of a job the tool performs.
All the products listed in this guide offer great quality and width of spread. You can rely on their performance to spread the application effectively without making a mess.
Ease of Use
Some assembly will be required unless you’re buying a tow-behind spreader from a brick-and-mortar store. Make sure that you read the online reviews from previous customers to find out how easy it is to assemble and start using a certain product.
You don’t want to end up buying a spreader that doesn’t come with any instructions to assemble and use the product.
Fertilizer distribution
The wider the area of fertilizer distribution, the better the coverage, and the working times will be reduced. Check the characteristics of the product if this allows you to adjust the spreading width. So, you can have more control over the amount of fertilizer you are going to spread.
Accessories
Tow behind the broadcast spreader has a hopper cover, material deflectors, hopper grater, universal hitch, and spreader plate. You can change them if damaged, so look at the quality and protection of these accessories. Hopper cover and grater keep the materials dry from wind and rain.
The material deflector protects the materials from sand, ice melt, and sand rock. Also, the universal hitch allows you to attach it to any type of lawn tractor or mower. And the spreader plate distributes the fertilizer or seeds on the land with proper flow.
Best Tow Behind Lawn Spreaders: Reviewed
The following are detailed reviews of the best tow-behind lawn spreaders. Make sure that you read each review carefully along with its pros and cons to choose the spreader that suits your unique needs the best.
1. Agri-Fab 45-0463 Broadcast Spreader
The Agri-Fab 45-0463 Broadcast Spreader is an excellent choice for large and uneven areas. It comes with a large 130-pound capacity which allows you to save time that you need to spend on refilling the hopper multiple times.
The spreader also offers a durable lever that you can use to adjust the flow settings on the go. Another great feature of this product is that it comes with large pneumatic tires, featuring a wide wheelbase, to ensure stability on uneven and rough terrain.
Lastly, there is also an optional hopper grate, a material deflector, and a hopper cover that you can include in your package.
Pros
- Easy to pull behind
- Comes with a level for easy adjustments on the go
- Optional accessories are available
- Great for large and uneven areas
- Up to 12 feet spreading width
- Large pneumatic tires
- Enclosed, protected gearbox
- Can cover 1/2 acres, thanks to 130-pound capacity
Cons
- Requires some assembly
- Hitch height needs to be adjusted manually
2. Craftsman CMXGZBF7124571 Broadcast Spreader
The Craftsman CMXGZBF7124571 spreader comes with a large hopper, offering 110 pounds of capacity. It has large 10-inch pneumatic tires for easy maneuverability and a 10-foot width of spread to cover a large area in a single pass.
You can use this spreader on rough and uneven terrains and it can help you cover 17,500 square feet of an area by filling the hopper once. The hopper is made of polyethylene, which is rust and weatherproof, increasing the lifespan of the product.
There’s also a universal fit hitch that you can use to attach this spreader to your mower, ATV, or tractor easily. The only downside of this product is that the assembly instructions that come with it are a bit confusing.
Pros
- Large tires for uneven and rough terrain
- Great with of spread
- Features universal fit hitch
- Rustproof poly hopper
- Durable spreader plate
- Heavy-duty steer gear
Cons
- Assembly instructions could be clearer
3. Yard Commander YTL-002-179 Broadcast Spreader
The Yard Commander YTL-002-179 is one of the best tow-behind lawn spreaders for residential use that money can buy. It comes with a durable composite hopper that can hold 125 pounds of material at a time, which is enough for up to 25,000 square feet of area.
It has solid gears made of cast aluminum, along with an easy-to-use gate level that you can use to control the width of the spread. It’s an all-season spreader that features a universal tow hitch, allowing you to attach it to most ATVs and lawn tractors available in the market.
Pros
- Easy to maneuver
- Great for residential yards
- Durable and long-lasting
- Easy-to-use gear plate
- Cast aluminum gears
- Rust-resistant hopper
Cons
- Gears aren’t covered
- Hopper doesn’t have a cover
4. Brinly BS36BH-A Broadcast Spreader
If you have a very large yard and are looking for a tow-behind lawn spreader with a gigantic hopper, you can opt for the Brinly BS36BH-A Broadcast Spreader. It features a poly hopper that can hold up to 175 pounds of material at a time and it will be enough to cover up to one acre of the area easily.
The agitator and the spinner shaft of this spreader are made of stainless steel for enhanced stability, and it comes with a fully enclosed nylon gearbox that ensures protection from harsh environmental elements.
The best feature of this product is its patented autoflow system, which stops the fertilizer/grass seed from spreading as soon as it stops moving. Additionally, there is also a locking dial located alongside the level that you can use to calibrate and adjust rate-gate settings.
Pros
- Easy to adjust for spreading materials
- Massive 175-pound capacity
- Easy to assemble
- Up to 12 feet spreading width
- Patented autoflow technology with spread pattern control
- Durable and long-lasting
Cons
- Expensive
5. Chapin 8620B Tow Behind Spreader
The final product on our list is the Chapin 8620B Tow Behind Spreader, which features a large hopper with 150 pounds of capacity. It comes with large 14-inch pneumatic tires, making it one of the best tow-behind lawn broadcast spreaders for uneven and rough terrain.
One of the best features of this product is its auto-stop dual impeller, which keeps the material from spreading as soon as the spreader stops moving. Additionally, the spreader also allows you to choose from 11 different flow settings for accurate application.
Pros
- Very large pneumatic tires for easy maneuverability
- Auto-stop dual impeller functionality
- Powder-coated steel frame
- 150 pounds of hopper capacity to cover large areas
- 11-gate adjustment settings
Cons
- Expensive
- Can’t be used with Agri lime, lime powder, and pelletized lime
Frequently Asked Questions
Here, we have answered some frequently asked questions about tow behind broadcast spreaders.
Do I need a spreader for grass seed?
The spreader is an efficient tool to spread grass seeds effectively. Before spreading grass seeds, you should adjust the speed of the spreader and measure your land.
Can you spread sand with a broadcast spreader?
You can easily spread sand with the broadcast spreader. But, if the sands are wet, the spreader cannot spread the sands perfectly. So, use dry sand in the broadcast spreader.
Can you spread top soil with a broadcast spreader?
A broadcast spreader is not suitable for spreading topsoil. You will need a drop spreader or shovel to spread topsoil on your land with accuracy.
Can you spread peat moss with a broadcast spreader?
Peat moss is similar to the fertilizer that we apply in our land with a broadcast spreader. A broadcast spreader effectively spread peat moss in all seasons.
Is a broadcast spreader the same as a rotary spreader?
No, their speed and uniformity are not the same. A broadcaster spreader is typically three times faster than a rotary spreader. Also, the broadcaster can cover large areas with its large-capacity hopper, and a rotary spreader has less coverage capacity.
What Is A Tow-Behind Spreader?
Simply put, a tow-behind spreader is a machine that spreads seeds, fertilizers, weeds, pest killer, or other lawn materials. You’d find two types of fertilizer and seed spreaders for dry materials: Broadcast spreaders and drop spreaders. Drop spreaders drop the seeds/fertilizers precisely on the target whereas the broadcaster spreads them evenly on the lawn.
There are two types of spreader in terms of the working mechanism. The push forward, or the manual broadcaster spreaders take more time and can have uneven spreads. With a tow-behind spreader, you’d attach it behind a tractor, mower, or ATV. The wheels will work as part of the spreading mechanism and help the seeds spread around.
What Size Spreader Do I Need?
Getting your first broadcast spreader can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to the right size for the lawn. Let’s give you some perspectives on which size of the hopper in a fertilizer spreader you need:
If you’re planning to spread seed or fertilizer in a lawn sized up to 1 acre, go for a 100-pound spreader. For a 1.5-acre lawn, the size of the hopper should be around 125 pounds or so. However, when you’re working with a lawn bigger than 1.5 acres, you should go for a spreader with a 150 (or more) pound hopper. You’ll need to go for multiple passes to cover a large (2 acres or more) lawn with a spreader.
This measurement is applicable if you’re spreading at a moderate amount. For a heavy spreading, you may go up to half the area or double with the hopper size.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best tow-behind lawn spreader can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. You just need to understand the important factors to consider to choose a product that best suits your needs.
We hope this guide will help you find the best tow-behind lawn spreader to easily spread fertilizer or any other material on your lawn.
