Yard work is a never-ending task when you own your own home, especially if you own a large yard. Yards can have a lush green lawn if you treat it with fertilizers and aerate it and care for the lawn.
However, fertilizing a large lawn can take hours with a broadcast spreader walking behind it. Another thing about the walk behind spreaders is now you are walking (and tracking) the fertilizer in your home which could stain your flooring.
The easiest solution to this is to purchase a tow-behind spreader for your lawn tractor. Load up the hopper and go out and drive around the lawn fertilizing your yard.
This will save you countless hours a year on lawn care. You can use the tow-behind spreaders behind any brand lawn tractor too!
Below we review the four best options on the market today.
Brinly BS36BH Tow Behind Broadcast Spreader 175-Pound Capacity Review
From grass seed to fertilizer or ice melt, your task at hand will be done more efficiently and faster. Since the hopper is so large, you will spend less time filling the hopper and more time spreading your seed or fertilizer.
The large hopper is dent and rust-proof and is perfect for a yard of 1 acre or larger. The parts that come in contact with the corrosive fertilizers are designed to last for many years.
The hopper is heavy polyethylene with a stainless steel spinner shaft, hardware, and agitator. The gears and gearbox are nylon with additional protection.
Brinly offers a patented auto flow with spread pattern controls. There are different directional spread patterns for multiple materials. When the tractor stops, the spreading stops which prevent burns in the lawn.
There is a 2-year warranty that comes with every Brinly spreader. You can order parts online or by calling their toll-free 877-728-8224 number.
Agri-Fab 45-0463 130-Pound Tow Behind Broadcast Spreader Review
There is a linked on-off control with a durable rod and precise settings which allow for easy operation.
It features an enclosed gearbox with tapered gears for an even and long life of spreading for your lawn.
The large pneumatic tires give stability for a rough lawn and the wide wheelbase also assists with stability.
Agri-Fab offers an optional hopper cover, material deflector, and hopper grate. These are sold separately and do not come with the initial purchase but are worth mentioning for deciding if this is the right tow behind spreader for you.
Like the Brinly spreader, the hopper on the Agri-Fab 45-0463 is made with a rustproof poly hopper.
Agri-Fab is made in the USA and also is offered with a 3-year limited warranty.
Agri-Fab 45-0543 100 lb. Tow Spiker/Seeder/Spreader Review
The bonus on this Agri-Fab spreader is that it also has a spiker which will aerate your yard and also make small holes for your seed or fertilizer to penetrate your yard even better.
This is not a broadcast spreader so you are limited to the width of the spreader to lay your seed which is 32 inches.
The spikes are made of galvanized steel and the spreader also has a galvanized steel agitator.
Tires on the Agri-Fab 45-0543 are 10 inches in diameter and are a flat-free tire.
Like the other hoppers, this hopper is also rustproof.
Agri-Fab offers its normal 3-year limited warranty on this spreader just like most of the other lawn equipment they sell.
There are easy to read and adjust controls for seed and fertilizer spread as well as spike levels.
With the large hopper, this spreader can cover up to 40,000 square feet in just one fill. This makes it perfect for large yards of 1 to 1 ½ acre large.
Chapin International 8620B 150 Pound Tow Behind Spreader Review
There is an auto-stop dual impeller that stops when the tractor stops to prevent yard burns and excess waste of product.
Chapin has 11 easy-to-set adjustments for an accurate application of no matter what product you are spreading on your lawn.
Wide 14” pneumatic tires add stability to the broadcast spreader while in use for even the roughest yards.
Like Agri-Fab, the Chapin products are made right here in the USA.
The gearbox is fully enclosed with oil impregnated bronze bearings. There is also grease fittings to add additional lubrication.
Some assembly is required when you purchase the Chapin 8620B but it is simple and has detailed installation instructions.
The total width of spreading is about 12 to 18 feet according to reviews online which is a great time saver for very large yards.
Buying Guide – How to find the best tow behind spreader for your needs.
Hopper Size: How large is your yard and how often do you want to fill it? Larger hoppers will last longer and save you time from stopping and reloading wasting lawn care time.
Type of Spreader: Do you want a broadcast spreader that throws the seed or fertilizer past the spreader or do you want a drop spreader with a pre-set width such as the 32” we talked about above.
Durability: While all the spreaders have a durable rustproof hopper, the inner spreader part is made of various materials. This will vary by brand and type of spreader. What will you use your spreader for the most? This will determine what type of inner materials will work with what you’re spreading.
Warranty: Most of the tow-behind spreaders will come with a warranty. There are varying warranties on lengths and the type of warranty such as limited. Which warranty would be the best fit for your use?
