Spread your salt evenly without overdoing it.
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When Old Man Winter comes knocking and the forecast says blizzard, it pays to put down a preventative layer of snow melt. These products, typically rock salt or calcium chloride, reduce the amount of work you need to do and help keep you safe when it’s time to break out the shovels (or a snowblower.) Using a salt spreader, which spins and sprays your snow melt all around, helps ensure you get a nice, even coat over any area you prep. Gardeners may recognize the salt spreader as a close cousin of the fertilizer spreader, with a more robust construction to endure winter weather.
Salt spreaders come in a wide array of sizes to suit different jobs, from small handheld spreaders for front stoops and short walkways, to walk-behind models for a long driveway, to large tow-behind spreaders for prepping parking lots. Whether you need to de-ice a front walk or an entire parking lot, we can help you find the best salt spreader for your snow removal situation.
Handheld spreaders are compact, watering can-sized basins with a handle and either a crank or a trigger. Their compact size and light weight make spreading salt easy work, provided you only need to cover a small area. They can’t hold much salt and don’t have much range, so they’re best reserved for small jobs like patio doorways, stoops or a short front walkway.
Walk-Behind spreaders sit on two wheels, with a large plastic basin and a spinning impeller. As you push the spreader forward, the salt shoots out the front and both sides of the basin. These wheelbarrow-esque spreaders can hold a large amount of ice melt, so they’re the way to go for most homes with large patios, parking spaces, driveways and sidewalks.
Towable spreaders are the largest option. If you’re responsible for clearing snow off a parking lot or a long driveway that’s more than a couple hundred feet long, you may want to get a truly massive salt spreader that hitches to the back of an ATV or riding lawn mower.
There are also spreaders that offer even larger capacity that attach to the trailer hitch on a pickup truck or mount to the back of an ATV. Obviously, these spreaders can hold a much larger amount of salt than a walk-behind. It’s overkill for most homes, but small businesses could use one to prep large parking lots, loading docks, and other large paved areas.
The more ice melt your salt spreader can hold, the more ground you can cover before you need to stop for a refill. As a rule of thumb, you’ll need to spread about 3 pounds of salt for every 1,000 square feet of area. Though there is some variation from model to model, picking the right type of spreader is the first and most important step:
Most handheld spreaders only hold enough salt to de-ice a short walk and a front stoop. Walk-behind spreaders can hold about 65- to 130 pounds of ice. Towable spreaders often hold around 185 pounds of salt.
Spread width measures how far your spreader will throw salt as you use it. Most spreaders have a range between 6 feet for walk-behind models, to as far as 30 feet for larger towable spreaders.
While a wide spread can save you time, keep in mind that it may also lead you to spray salt onto your lawn and landscaping. Salt will dry out plants, so you want to avoid spraying green areas as much as possible. If you need to salt sidewalks and driveways that border grass and landscaped areas, look for adjustable spreaders with baffles so you can narrow your spread and avoid over-spray.
I picked the best salt spreaders based on my experiences using various models to treat driveways and walks around my home. To make sure we recommended the best of the best, I also researched industry standards, detailed specifications, and user recommendations from customer reviews. I selected salt spreaders in many sizes and types to ensure this guide serves the widest possible range of people and their needs.
This salt spreader's size, ability to control salt flow, and reasonable price tag make it a great all around salt spreader. With its 80 pound capacity, the Chapin 8201A can handle the average driveway, plus sidewalks and walkways in a single load. It also comes well equipped to handle winter weather with large pneumatic 12-inch wheels and a sturdy steel frame.
Chapin equips this spreader with a metal spiked auger that will cut through clumps of most deicing salts, preventing clogs. You should, however, avoid using rock salt, which will damage the impeller. We also appreciate its three adjustable baffles, which allow you to reduce or expand its coverage area to prevent overspread onto lawn and landscaping. This is a great mid-size salt spreader, and a perfect fit for most homes.
If you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck out of a spreader, then go with this model from Scotts. Not only can you spread salt with it, you can also use it to seed and fertilize your lawn. Unlike most fertilizer spreaders, this model can spread ice melt. Plus, it has rubber tires as opposed to the plastic wheels found on other Scott’s spreaders, so it can handle icy conditions.
Unlike most salt spreaders, there’s a dial that gives you precise controls over how much salt, seed, or fertilizer you’re releasing with each step. And since it has Scott’s EdgeGuard technology, you can treat walks and driveways without showering your grass and landscaping with salt.
This combination of features make it a great jack of all trades spreader for those who want one machine for all seasons.
Chapin’s largest walk-behind salt spreader is made for large jobs and can hold lots of salt–up to 100 pounds. While it's heavier than other walk-behind models, we like its sturdy, “professional-grade” build. It has a heavy gauge frame, and sits atop 15-inch pneumatic tires with knobby tread, so you won’t have to worry about it slipping and sliding if you’re pushing it over snow and ice.
Want to know what really sets it apart, though? Unlike the smaller Chapin models on my list, the 82400B has a tougher steel auger and stainless steel gate that are designed to work properly with any kind of rock salt. There’s also a baffle system that allows you to limit the flow of salt to protect landscaping and grass.
These features make this walk-behind model a good option for professionals or homeowners with large paved areas to prep.
There’s no sense investing in an expensive walk-behind salt spreader if you only have to clear a walkway or front stoop. This handheld model will get the job done, doesn’t cost much, and you can use it in the warmer months to seed and fertilize small patches of lawn and landscaping beds.
There are separate spreader settings for seed, fertilizer, and ice melt, and it holds up to 2 lbs. of product. It even has an ergonomic arm support that makes it relatively comfortable to hold while you’re spreading product. Sure, it would be easier to use if it were automatic, but we’ll take the low-cost manual option any day of the week.
Agri-Fab’s massive salt spreader offers one of the largest capacities of any walk-behind model I’ve seen. Its massive hopper can hold a whopping 130 pounds of salt, which is enough to cover a long service road or an 80-car parking lot. It’s built to handle all that weight with a frame made from 1-inch thick steel tubing. The large 12-inch pneumatic tires have heavy treads to keep the whole thing from slipping over snow and ice.
The heavy duty design wouldn’t be complete without a stainless steel impeller to break up clogs. It also features a waterproof cover to keep the ice melt dry if you have to go out on a rainy day. This is a commercial-grade salt spreader for big jobs.
If you’ve got an ATV or lawn tractor and a lot of ground to cover, spare your back and mount this towable spreader. With its 185-pound capacity, a single load can cover up to an acre of soon-to-be-snowy ground.
The universal hitch will work with all tractors, UTVs, and ATVs. The control rod extends far enough that you won’t have to get out of the driver’s seat to adjust the flow of salt. Its 15-inch pneumatic tires and thick gauge steel frame keep it stable, even when pulled a little too fast. There’s also a hopper cover that keeps the salt from getting wet while working rain or snow.
This is a great option of you have a long driveway or large parking area to cover.
If a standard hitch-mounted towable isn’t large enough for you and you have an ATV, the brand also makes an ATV-mounted salt spreader that bridges the gap between a towable unit and one that would attach via hitch receiver to the back of a pickup truck or SUV.
This semi-pro spreader can hold up to 15 gallons of ice melt, which means it’s really made for prepping long service roads, parking lots, and commercial spaces, rather than homes.
The ATVS15A spreader uses a plate and auger powered by a 23-volt motor to launch a 30-foot wide swath of salt. The hopper has a lid that keeps your ice melt dry and prevents it from bouncing out of the top of the hopper.
Controls for the spreader, including the on/off switch and gate controls, are conveniently accessible from the driver’s seat. This is a solid commercial option for contractors who need to prep worksites, workers in small communities with service roads, and commercial areas that might be easier to reach on an ATV than a truck.
Tailgate spreaders like this SaltDogg model can distribute a truly overwhelming amount of salt. It is meant for custodians and snow removal professionals who have to prep streets, parking lots, and other paved areas for heavy snow. That said, if you’re the snow removal master of your community, then maybe it will help.
The hopper stores up to 331 pounds of rock salt, more than double the amount of largest picks for homeowners. It features a 12-volt motor that’s powered via your truck’s accessory port. Power controls are also available inside the cab.
It also comes with a hitch pin that allows you to lower it down so you can open your vehicle's tailgate or hatch and access the cargo area without disconnecting the spreader.
This is a professional tool, not a homeowner’s, and we only recommend it for workers who are responsible for residential communities and towns, where you need to put a thorough coat of salt on as much pavement as possible.
What kind of ice melt should I use?
You have a few options when it comes to ice melt. Calcium chloride is the best option. It melts ice even at extreme sub-zero temperatures, won’t harm your plants, and is less toxic than rock salt, but it’s also pricier.
Rock salt is the cheapest, but it is more toxic, won’t work in extreme cold, and can clog spreaders more easily. Magnesium chloride is the least toxic option and works at temperatures down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whichever ice melt you choose, make sure you use it as directed as all of the above can eat away at wood, steel, and concrete.
Can I use my fertilizer spreader to spread salt?
While they operate similarly, I would not recommend putting rock salt in a fertilizer/seed spreader. Dedicated salt spreaders are designed to store corrosive salt and endure icy winter conditions.
They typically have hoppers made from thick durable plastic that sit on heavy gauge steel frames and have pneumatic rubber wheels with heavy tread that can grip slick paved surfaces. They also come equipped with metal moving parts that are capable of chopping up hard salt without wearing down.
Using a fertilizer spreader to spread salt once or twice won’t break it, but it won’t work as well and may short its lifespan long-term.
If you want one spreader to do double duty, it would probably make more sense to use a salt spreader to spread seed or fertilizer. That said, fertilizer/seed spreaders often give you more precise control of the spread direction and quantity, which comes in handy when you have specific patches to cover and you want to be precise. Keep in mind that adding too much fertilizer to a lawn can burn it out.
If you do put fertilizer in your salt spreader (or vice versa), make sure to clean out the salt thoroughly before putting any seed or fertilizer in the hopper. Any lingering salt in the mix will dry out grass, damaging your lawn.
Bottom line: We would recommend buying two separate spreaders, despite their similarities.
Can I use rock salt in my salt spreader?
Most salt spreaders designed for residential use aren’t built to handle rock salt, while many professional level salt spreaders are. Check with the manufacturer to find out what types of de-icer are compatible with your salt spreader before loading it with rock salt, as it can damage the spreader’s impeller.
If rock salt isn’t compatible with your spreader, use a different type of ice melt, such as potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, or calcium chloride.
Tony Carrick is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in technology, home improvement, DIY, home security, and outdoor recreation. He’s tested and written about everything from home security systems to power tools to gas grills. His product guides, how-to articles, and feature stories can be found in such publications as Bob Vila, Angi, U.S. News and World Report, Field & Stream, Futurism, and Switchful. When Tony isn’t writing, he can be found working on his latest home improvement effort at his home in North Carolina.
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