Our Guide to the Best Lawn Spreaders Under $100

The Agri-Fab is a walk-behind broadcast spreader with a 50 lb rust-proof poly hopper, 10 inch flat-free tires and an enclosed gear box with bevel gears for smoother rolling and longer life. It assembles without tools.

A 50 lb hopper, walked behind you, covers an open lawn in far fewer passes than a handheld, and the flat-free tires remove the most common annoyance of cheap spreaders. Against the WORX it costs about the same but has no battery and no motor, so you do the walking and the wheel does the throwing. Against the compost drums it is the better tool for seed and fertilizer.

Buy it for a typical suburban lawn. If you want a spreader that does not need pushing, the WORX is the alternative.

The WORX WG869 is a cordless handheld broadcast spreader with a motor, six speeds and eight flow settings. An anti-clog agitator keeps seed from jamming, and the 20V Power Share battery is the same one used by more than 140 other tools, so you may already own it. It also spreads ice melt and weed control.

It replaces the slow, tiring crank of a manual spreader with a motor, which matters most for overseeding where steady speed makes even coverage. It costs about $1 more than the Agri-Fab, but a push spreader holds 50 lb and this holds far less, so you refill more often.

Buy it if you already own WORX batteries or want to avoid cranking. For a larger lawn, the Agri-Fab gets more done between refills.

The Walensee is a handheld bag seeder that holds 25 lb. A built-in 3D support frame keeps the bag open and upright, six gate settings handle seed and fertilizer, and the metal gears are enclosed with a rear baffle that shields the mechanism from falling material.

It is the best fit for places a wheeled spreader cannot go. Against the Agri-Fab it has the same capacity as half the hopper and a much narrower footprint, but you carry the weight. Against the CHAPIN bag in the cheaper tier it adds the frame and metal gears for more money.

Buy it for beds, slopes and cluttered yards. A flat open lawn is faster with the push broadcast.

The VEVOR 24 inch is a steel drum spreader with a capacity of 2.66 cubic feet and a 12 by 20 mm mesh that sifts out clumps. The T-shaped handle adjusts to 42.9, 44.9 or 48 inches, and the drum is integrated steel.

It is not a seed spreader. The mesh lets compost, peat moss and sand roll out as the drum turns, so it suits top dressing a lawn. Against the 16.5 inch VEVOR it covers a wider swath and holds more, at a higher price; against the Best Choice drum it is $22 cheaper.

Buy it for topdressing a lawn with compost. For seed or fertilizer, use the broadcast or bag spreaders.

The Best Choice drum is a 24 inch compost, soil and sand spreader with a rust-resistant steel frame, thicker reinforced mesh, a triangle bracket for balance and a clasp meant to keep it from opening accidentally.

It matches the VEVOR 24 inch in width and costs about $22 more, buying thicker mesh that resists bending. The listing gives no capacity figure, though, so you cannot compare volume.

Buy it if you spread heavy material like wet compost or sand and want the sturdier mesh. For lighter loads, the VEVOR 24 inch is cheaper and documents its capacity.

The VEVOR 16.5 inch has a 16.5 by 12.8 inch drum holding 1.2 cubic feet, with a mesh of 0.8 by 0.5 inch diamonds that filters debris and clumps. It is powder-coated carbon steel, the T handle adjusts to three heights, and an 11.2 inch opening lets you fill from a bag or cart.

It is the compact option: the narrower swath fits beds and tight spots where the 24 inch drums do not. The price is capacity, since 1.2 cubic feet is less than half the VEVOR 24 inch.

Buy it for small lawns and raised areas. For a big yard, take the 24 inch version.