Bought the Earthway 2130 High Output spreader from Amazon ($152 shipped) specifically to spread pellet products (ie. horse bedding pellets, alfalfa pellets, etc.). There are two Earthway high output spreaders, the better built 2130, and the more inexpensive 2040PiPlus. The 2130 has a more solid frame (175lb vs 100lb load capacity), heavy duty gear box, and larger tires (13" vs. 9"). Both have a similar sliding shutoff plate operated by solid rod shifter (unlike the older 2030PiPlus) and 65lb poly hopper. The 2040PiPlus runs a reasonable $68 shipped on Amazon. The difference between the two spreaders is likely similar to the difference between the 2050P residential model and the 2150 commercial model, for those familiar with Earthway spreaders.

Warning: This spreader is not made for spreading conventional fertilizers. There are no spreader settings on the control lever. It does not replace a spreader made for spreading synthetic and other common fertilizers.





Side-by-side: 2050p and 2130. Note the much larger single chute of the 2130. The 2130 is much more robust than the 2050p and also has a height adjustable handle.



Side-by-side: 2130 and John Deere version of the 2150. The 2150 actually has a more heavy duty frame and better power coating. This translates to a much more solid feel in operation of the JD 2150. I do not know if the JD version is the same or better than an Earthway 2150. The 2130 does have fatter tires though.


Equine Fresh horse bedding pellets from Tractor Supply ($6/40lb). The 65lb hopper fits a bag of 40lb Equine fresh perfectly (but no more than that). The size of these pellets are larger than any alfalfa pellets I have used and may just be the largest product I will ever run through this spreader. On my Earthway spreaders, I could barely get any of these pellets to run through at wide open.

RATING: 5 STARS - highly recommended
I just love it when I buy products that work great and are worth the money. The Earthway 2130 is one such product and was spitting out pellets like nobody's business. It was effortless and the spread was nice and uniform with a throw of anywhere between 8-10 ft depending on walking pace. There are no markings on the control lever. I found the most efficient setting for spreading the Equine Fresh was full open with a moderately fast walking pace. This put down about 20lb/1000 sq.ft. The large wheels and solid frame made for stable operation of this bulky (but relatively light) material. Despite the size of the chute and large pellet size, I had no trouble closing and opening the chute with the control lever. I did remove the cotter pin agitator as it really isn't needed for pellets and I could feel the drag of it when pushing. My only wish is that the hopper was larger--it would be nice if an entire 50lb bag of alfalfa pellets would fit in this thing.

The hardest decision may be which to get: the 2130 or the 2040PiPlus. Given that the control mechanism and hopper appear to be identical, the 2040PiPlus is a great value. But if you can swing the extra premium, the ease of operation and more robust contruction of the 2130 is well worth it IMHO. For me, I like to justify the price of the product over the course of it's lifetime and the added benefits gained.

You just saved Morphs shoulder but cost the rest of us money. Thanks alot

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Great post and great timing, at least for me.

My Scotts Deluxe w/ Edgeguard spreader just died unexpectedly last night after only 3 or 4 uses. Needless to say I've taken advantage of their "No Quibble Guarantee." The check is in the mail.

I've been researching higher quality spreaders like what you reviewed above. It sounds like you really like the Earthway 2130, but you also gave the JD version of the Earthway 2150 high marks as well. Would you recommend one of these spreaders for medium duty use, just fertilizer (synthetic or Milorganite) 5-7 times a year? Or, is there another spreader that you would recommend?

The 2130 I reviewed is a specialty spreader. It is not for synthetic fertilizers at all, but is well suited to large pelleted organic type products. For a conventional spreader, I highly recommend the 2150. A few on this board (like me) were lucky to score the JD version for $99 on clearance last year at Lowes. But for $150 regular price, I think it is well worth it. IIRC, someone on the board bought the Brinly branded 2150 for $130.

That seems like a sweet spreader. Thanks for the review!

You just added another criteria to "You know you're a lawn nut when..."

When you have 2 spreaders.
One for low output and
one for high output.

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Ohio2112 wrote:You just added another criteria to "You know you're a lawn nut when..."

When you have 2 spreaders.
One for low output and
one for high output.

LOL. Yup. My neighbor saw me assembling my new Earthway and he knows I just got the JD 2150 not too long ago. He must think I'm really nutty!

I was thinking that the 2150 would do the job as well.

What are your thoughts on the less expensive 2100P? I know that the 2150 has a metal control bar, a cross brace underneath, and larger wheels. The control assembly looks different too, not sure if what's found on the 2150 is better or worse though. Do all of those "extras" on the 2150 make for a spreader that will out last the 2100P?


Earthway 2150


Earthway 2100P

If you can swing the cash, I would opt for the 2150. I am unfamiliar with the 2100P but from the specs, it is even lighter duty than my 2050P that I have pictured. In useage, the 2150 is much more enjoyable to operate than my 2050P. The heftier frame and large wheels make a big difference. That said, either will get the job done. I believe the 2150 will last longer and be more enjoyable to own/operate.

You don't think the 2130 would be good for synthetics

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simpson wrote:You don't think the 2130 would be good for synthetics

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NOT AT ALL. There are no settings on the control lever. It is designed for rock salt, sand, pellets, etc. I will put up a warning in my review. Thanks.

I got one for my birthday and assembled it Friday. The feet are a bit uneven, but its not a big deal. At this point I'll only be using it for spreading the output from the chipper which will get most of the perennial stalks. In the past I did it by hand and it was pretty uneven. I'll give it a much bigger workout next year with Alfalfa & Sawdust pellets.

I bought the 2150 via Amazon recently. I was not impressed when I was putting it together, maybe at the time I was accustomed to assembling more stout things, like my Jeep...but once I got the 2150 flipped over (it's assembled mostly upside down) and ran some bags through it I was very impressed, much much nicer than the big box junk with plastic wheels. Very happy with it.

I also have the 2150, and like the fact that it has a rod rather than a wire to open and close the chute. Some minor gripes are: 1. wish the bucket was bigger. It can handle a 36lb bag of Milorganite (barely), but other stuff I can't fit a full bag in. 2. the 3-hole system is supposed to create an even distribution, but since each individual hole is smaller than a 1-hole system, anything larger than a synthetic Nitrogen prill tends to jam when trying to spread at a lower rate. To compensate, you have to open the holes wider which causes you to drop whatever you are dropping at ahigher rate than intended. 3. The rotating part that shoots the prills is set lower than the top of the big tires, so some of the product hits the tires. I've noticed that on the left side only.

So, how much are you willing to spend? If you want the king of the hill, buy a good Spyker. Otherwise, despite my gripes, the 2150 is still a good product that I hope will last a long time.

I have the Brinly version of the 2150. Overall I'm happy with it's performance. It seems to be very well built and discharges any material evenly and noticeably farther than my previous Scott's Edgeguard.

Pros:
1. Easily moves over the ground.
2. Easy to push because of the large inflatable tires.
3. Holds a bag of Milo. This is a pro for me simply b/c the hopper seems to be a bit larger than my previous Edgeguard.
4. Assembly took me about 45 minutes, but that's b/c I adjusted the height of the handle after I was originally done.

Cons:
1. Takes some time to get used to the output. There is a chart in the manual, but not every product is listed. Even with the chart though, it takes some getting used too. I've used it 4x and I'm still adjusting.
2. Seems to get bogged down at the lower settings no matter what type of product is in the hopper.

Manual

Brinly P20-500BH Broadcast Spreader

JC Paint Workz wrote:
So it wouldnt be suitable for synthetics even if you calibrate it? Does this go the same for the 2150, does it have the same open/close function as the 2130?

For a conventional spreader, the 2150 is excellent. I don't think you can go wrong. Also consider the nearly identical version of the 2150 branded Brinly/Spyker/JohnDeere. Different tires but looks the same otherwise.

Edit: 2150/2170 both have same excellent solid rod actuator (vs. cable in lesser units).

Not sure about quality differences. My 2130 is definitely a notch subpar compared to my John Deere version of the 2150 made by Brinly. I am guessing the spyker you are talking about is comparable to the 2170. They do have one with a round hopper like the 2150.

I used mine with Cornmeal for the first time today, wow; stuff really pours out of it. With the 2150 I had to do a bounce every once in a while to get it to flow, with this I had to close it about 75% to get a good spread. Can't wait to use it for Alfalfa pellets.