Quick verdict
A water-resistant nylon bag holding 25 pounds of seed or granular fertiliser with a hand-crank broadcast spinner at the base and a cross-shoulder strap, so you walk and crank and seed flies in an arc ahead of you. It covers slopes, rough ground, food plots and odd corners no wheeled spreader reaches. EarthWay has made this for decades and the agitator and spring shut-off are why it meters evenly. It is the right spreader for terrain, not for a flat suburban lawn.
Strengths
- Broadcasts seed and fertiliser over slopes and rough ground
- Twenty-five pound bag with a cross-shoulder strap
- Agitator and spring shut-off meter the flow evenly
- Water-resistant nylon bag
- Long-established EarthWay design
Weaknesses
- Hand cranking for a large area is tiring
- Less even than a wheeled spreader on flat lawn
- Fine seed may need a reduced gate setting
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Seeding Where Wheels Cannot Go
A push spreader is useless on a bank, a wet seedbed or a wooded food plot. A bag seeder goes anywhere you can walk. EarthWay’s 2750 holds 25 pounds of seed or fertiliser in a water-resistant nylon bag on a shoulder strap, with a hand crank at the base that spins a disc and throws the material in an arc 8 to 12 feet across, metered by an agitator and a spring-loaded gate.
This review is based on the maker’s specifications and on how hand-crank bag seeders perform generally. We have not used this seeder ourselves.
Using It
Set the gate for the material, fill the bag, sling it across the body and walk at a steady pace while cranking at a steady rate. Overlap each pass by a third of the throw and, for lawns, make a second pass at right angles for evenness. The agitator keeps seed flowing and the spring gate shuts the moment you stop cranking, so there is no dump at the end of a row.
Where It Shines
Slopes and banks where a wheeled spreader will not run. Freshly prepared seedbeds that wheels would rut. Food plots in rough clearings. Cover crops over a vegetable garden in autumn. Ice melt on a path too narrow for a spreader. Owners describe it as the tool that lets them seed the places the lawn spreader never reached.
Evenness
A bag seeder is as even as your walking and cranking. On a flat lawn a wheeled spreader is more consistent; on terrain the bag seeder is the only option and two crossed passes make it even enough for grass.
Build
EarthWay has made this pattern for decades. The nylon bag sheds rain, the strap sits comfortably and the gearbox and agitator are the parts that keep flow steady. Rinse after fertiliser.
Who Should Buy It
- Owners of sloping or rough ground to seed.
- Hunters and smallholders sowing food plots and cover crops.
- Anyone seeding a fresh bed without rutting it.
Common Owner Complaints
Tired arms on big jobs and uneven cover from uneven walking. Pace yourself; cross the passes.
Technique Tips
Practise on a driveway with a cup of seed to see the throw width and set the gate before the real job. Divide the seed in two and apply half in each of two crossed passes for the most even cover. Keep the bag closed between rows so seed does not dribble, and empty and brush out the mechanism after each material so fertiliser does not cake in the gearbox.
Comfort
Adjust the strap so the bag sits at the hip and the crank is at a natural height. Swap the cranking arm partway through a long job. A full 25 pounds is heavy for an hour; half fills are easier on uneven ground.
Alternatives to Consider
The Chapin hand crank spreader for small patches. A chest-mounted seeder with a larger hopper for acreage. A push broadcast spreader for flat lawns.
Verdict
For seeding and feeding anywhere a wheeled spreader cannot go, the EarthWay bag seeder is the proven tool at a fair price. Walk steadily, crank steadily and cross your passes.
Full specifications
EarthWay 2750 25 lb Nylon Bag Hand-Crank Broadcast Seeder and Spreader FAQs
On slopes, banks, rough or wet ground, new seedbeds that would be rutted by wheels, and areas too small or awkward for a push spreader.
Walk at a steady pace and crank at a steady rate, overlapping passes by about a third of the throw. Set the gate smaller for fine seed and make two passes at right angles.
Roughly 8 to 12 feet across depending on material and crank speed.
Yes. Rinse and dry the mechanism after fertiliser or ice melt.
