This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. We recommend products based on university Extension guidance, manufacturer labels and long-term owner reports, never on commission rates. See our full disclosure.
Side by side
| Scotts EdgeGuard DLX | Scotts Elite | EarthWay 2150 | LESCO 101186 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity (as listed) | Up to 15,000 sq ft of product | Up to 20,000 sq ft of product | 50 lb | 80 lb |
| Edge control | EdgeGuard | EdgeGuard | Not listed on base model | Manual deflector |
| Rotor | Single | Dual | Single | Single |
| Best for | Most suburban lawns | Large lawns | Rough ground, pro products | Big properties, long life |
| Price tier | — | — | — | — |
| Check price | Check price |
Broadcast, drop or handheld: which do you need?
There are three kinds of homeowner spreaders, and the right one depends on lawn size and how precise you need to be.
- Broadcast (rotary) spreaders drop granules onto a spinning plate that throws them in a wide arc. They cover ground fast and the edges of each pass feather out, so small overlap mistakes don't show. This is the right tool for most lawns.
- Drop spreaders release granules straight down between the wheels. They're precise, which helps along gardens and waterways, but every missed strip or double pass shows up as a stripe.
- Handheld broadcast spreaders are fine for a small front lawn or patching bare spots, and hard to keep even over a big area.
LSU AgCenter compares rotary and drop spreaders for home lawns, and Scotts has its own guide to matching spreader type to yard size. Both end in the same place: broadcast for most lawns, drop where precision matters more than speed.
Match the spreader to your lawn size
Scotts rates its spreaders by how many square feet of product the hopper holds, not by pounds. It's a useful shorthand: the hopper should hold enough to cover your lawn in one or two fills.
- Under about 5,000 sq ft: a small push spreader such as the Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini (rated up to 5,000 sq ft) or a handheld unit.
- About 5,000 to 15,000 sq ft: a mid-size broadcast spreader like the EdgeGuard DLX.
- Above that, or several properties: the Scotts Elite, or a 50 to 80 lb commercial spreader.
Measure your lawn before you buy. You'll need the number anyway to buy the right amount of fertilizer, seed or crabgrass preventer.
Edge guards and deflectors
A broadcast spreader throws to both sides. Along a driveway, sidewalk, patio or flower bed, half your product lands where it doesn't belong. An edge guard or side deflector blocks one side of the throw so you can run a clean perimeter pass.
This matters more than it sounds. Fertilizer on pavement is wasted and washes toward storm drains. Crabgrass preventer flung into a vegetable bed or a newly seeded strip can stop seeds you wanted to come up. Sweep any stray granules back onto the lawn either way.
Scotts builds its EdgeGuard into the DLX, Mini and Elite. Commercial spreaders such as the LESCO use a manual deflector. Check before you buy, since edge control isn't standard on every model.
Calibration, and why bag settings are brand-specific
The numbers on a spreader dial aren't a universal unit. Setting 4 on one brand doesn't release the same amount as setting 4 on another. That's why a bag of lawn product lists settings by spreader model, and why a product's settings may not list your spreader at all.
Extension services recommend calibrating rather than guessing. Penn State Extension, UMass Extension, Clemson HGIC and LSU AgCenter all publish step-by-step calibration procedures. The basic idea is the same in each: spread a known amount over a measured area, weigh what came out, and adjust the setting until the rate matches the label.
You don't need to recalibrate for every bag, but do it when you use a product whose label doesn't list your spreader, and recheck after a season or two because wear changes the flow.
Spread pattern matters as much as rate. UMass's rotary procedure covers checking how evenly the spinner throws across its width, which tells you how far apart to space your passes. Drop spreaders have their own UMass procedure.
Hopper capacity, tires and frame
Hopper. Bigger means fewer refills, but a full hopper is heavy to push and harder to steer. A 50 lb commercial hopper takes a full bag of most homeowner products in one fill.
Tires. Wide or pneumatic tires roll more easily over bumpy, soft or sloped lawns. That steadies your walking speed, and walking speed affects how much product comes out on most push spreaders.
Frame. Fertilizer salts are hard on bare metal, and LSU AgCenter has a short piece weighing metal against plastic spreaders. Stainless frames, like the LESCO 101186's, and plastic hoppers hold up best. If you buy a powder-coated steel model, keep the coating intact and clean it after every use.
Winter use. Scotts' retail listings for the EdgeGuard DLX and Elite include salt and ice melt as well as seed and fertilizer. If you use one spreader for both lawn and walkway, rinse it especially well after ice melt, which is the harshest thing most spreaders ever carry.
Using a spreader with crabgrass preventer and seed
The same spreader can handle fertilizer, grass seed, pelletized lime and granular herbicides, but each needs its own setting. Read the bag every time.
- Crabgrass preventer: even coverage is the whole job. Gaps in a pre-emergent barrier show up as stripes of crabgrass in June. See our crabgrass preventer guide for timing.
- Grass seed: seed flows differently from fertilizer, and large or fluffy seed may need a wider opening. For overseeding, see how to overseed a cool-season lawn.
- Fertilizer: use the bag's setting for your spreader model, or your own calibrated setting. See our lawn fertilization schedule for when to feed.
Fill the spreader on a driveway or tarp, not on the lawn. A spill of fertilizer or herbicide on grass leaves a burned or bare patch.
Cleaning and storage
Most spreaders that fail early do so because fertilizer salts were left inside. After each use:
- Empty the hopper completely back into the bag.
- Rinse the hopper, rate gate and spinner with a hose, ideally over the lawn rather than the driveway, and let it dry fully before storage.
- Work the rate control open and closed so granules don't cake in the gate.
- Check the spinner and gears for wear or caked material at the start of each season.
- Store it dry and out of the weather.
Follow your manual for lubrication and parts. EarthWay, for example, posts manuals, settings and parts for its spreaders online.
Small lawns: handheld and mini spreaders
If your lawn is a small front yard or a few patches, a full-size push spreader is more machine than you need and more to store. Two options:
- A mini push spreader such as the Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini, which Scotts rates at up to 5,000 sq ft of product. You still get wheels, a consistent throw and an edge guard, in a body that hangs on a garage wall.
- A handheld broadcast spreader, cranked by hand. Good for spot-seeding bare patches and for narrow side yards. Hard to keep even across an open lawn, because your walking pace and cranking speed both change the rate.
For patching bare spots in particular, a handheld is often the right tool; see how to fix bare patches. Once you're treating the whole lawn with a pre-emergent or fertilizer, a wheeled spreader gives more even coverage.
Common spreader mistakes
Most uneven results trace back to a handful of habits, not the spreader itself.
- Opening the gate while standing still. Granules pile up in one spot and burn the grass. Start walking, then open the gate; close it before you stop or turn.
- Changing walking speed. Bag settings assume a steady, normal pace. Slow down and more product lands per square foot; speed up and less does.
- Wrong pass spacing. Passes spaced too far apart leave stripes; too close doubles the rate. Use the overlap guidance in your spreader's manual, or check your spread width with the UMass pattern test.
- Using another brand's setting. A setting printed for one spreader model doesn't transfer to another. If your model isn't listed, calibrate.
- Turning with the gate open. On turns the spinner keeps throwing while you cover less ground, which overdoses the turn. Close the gate, turn, reopen.
- Skipping the header strips. Run a perimeter pass at each end first (with the edge guard on along hardscape), then go back and forth between them. That gives you room to shut off and turn on already-treated ground.
Which one to buy
For most people on a typical suburban lot, the EdgeGuard DLX does everything you need, and since most Scotts bags list settings for it, you rarely have to calibrate. If your lawn is large, the Elite saves refills.
If you buy professional-line products by the 50 lb bag, or your lawn is rough and sloped, a commercial spreader is easier to live with. Choose the EarthWay 2150 for value and pneumatic tires, or the LESCO for a stainless frame meant to last. Plan to calibrate either one for products that don't list it.
Whatever you buy, the spreader only gets you halfway. The other half is reading the label of the product in the hopper: the rate, the setting for your model, whether it needs watering in, and how long to keep people and pets off. A spreader that's calibrated and kept clean will outlast several lawn programs.
How we choose
This guide is research-based. We did not field-test these spreaders. We looked at what university Extension services (Penn State, UMass, LSU AgCenter, Clemson) say about spreader types, calibration and durability, then chose widely available models from the main homeowner and professional lines, using manufacturer and retailer listings for specifications. Where we couldn't confirm a spec, such as tire type or frame material for a particular model, we left it out.
The author, Thomas Joseph, gardens in zone 7a on Long Island. We don't list prices; tiers are relative and approximate.
Frequently asked
Is a broadcast or drop spreader better for a lawn?
For most lawns, a broadcast spreader is faster and more forgiving, because the edges of each pass blend together. A drop spreader is more precise near beds and water but leaves stripes if you miss or overlap.
What spreader setting should I use if my spreader isn't on the bag?
Calibrate it. Spread a known amount over a measured area, weigh what came out, and adjust until the rate matches the label. Penn State, UMass and Clemson all publish simple procedures.
Can I use a Scotts spreader with non-Scotts products?
Yes, as long as you use the right setting. Many products list Scotts spreader settings; if yours doesn't, calibrate the spreader to the label rate.
What size spreader do I need?
Pick a hopper that covers your lawn in one or two fills. A small push or handheld spreader suits lawns under about 5,000 sq ft; mid-size broadcast spreaders suit most suburban lots; larger lawns benefit from a bigger hopper.
How do I keep a fertilizer spreader from rusting?
Empty it after every use, rinse the hopper, gate and spinner, let it dry fully, and store it out of the weather. Stainless steel frames and plastic hoppers resist fertilizer corrosion best.
Sources
- Calibrating Your Fertilizer Spreader, Penn State Extension
- Rotary Spreader Calibration Procedures, UMass Extension Turf Program
- Drop Spreader Calibration Procedures, UMass Extension Turf Program
- Fertilizer Spreaders for Home Lawns, LSU AgCenter
- Fertilizer Spreaders - Metal or Plastic, LSU AgCenter
- Calibrating Spreaders, Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC
- Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard DLX Broadcast Spreader, ScottsMiracle-Gro
- LESCO Broadcast Spreader w/ 80 lb. Capacity and Stainless Steel Frame, SiteOne