Compare and Save Weed Killer Ace Hardware

The All-time Weed Killers

After 200 hours of research and side-by-side testing of weed killers in our team's backyards, nosotros determined that the best overall weed killer is Compare-N-Save – Concentrate Weed & Grass Killer. It'due south the fastest-acting and nearly thorough weed-destroyer nosotros tested, and information technology has a corking price point and works on the widest variety of weeds. If you lot're looking for a proven organic weed killer, we recommend Natural Armor – All-Natural Weed & Grass Killer, which killed weeds almost as well as Compare-N-Save.

Our Top Choices

Best Overall

Compare-N-Save

Best Natural

Natural Armor

After 200 hours of enquiry and side-past-side testing of weed killers in our team's backyards, nosotros determined that the all-time overall weed killer is Compare-N-Save – Concentrate Weed & Grass Killer. It's the fastest-acting and most thorough weed-destroyer we tested, and information technology has a not bad toll point and works on the widest diverseness of weeds. If you're looking for a proven organic weed killer, we recommend Natural Armor – All-Natural Weed & Grass Killer, which killed weeds almost also as Compare-N-Save.

How we selected products to exam
Compare the best weed killers
Who should buy weed killer?
Of import features to consider
How we tested
Best weed killer overall Compare-N-Save
All-time natural weed killerNatural Armor
Other finalists we tested
The bottom line

How we selected products to examination

A quick Google search for weed killers yields hundreds of results — top brands produce detail later item that (even for a seasoned gardener) tin seem as well similar to distinguish. Some hope to impale weeds in the first two days after application, while others promise to prevent them from growing for an unabridged season. For our test, we wanted weed killers that produced rapid results.

Products that promised to eradicate stubborn, wild growth in a wooded area weren't relevant for backyard testing, Instead, we looked for weed killers that promised successful lawn direction. If the product description or name didn't reference lawns, we decided non to test it. Because we wanted weed killers that yielded quick results, nosotros also avoided any that needed to be mixed into the soil directly, which lawn owners are meant to gear up a twelvemonth in advance.

We turned to Amazon, Abode Depot, Lowes and Ace Hardware to meet which products were showing upwards most often in their top-sellers lists. Nosotros narrowed our search by choosing weed killers that had at least a seventy% approval rating. We supplemented our comparing by watching YouTube reviews of the weed killers we were most interested in testing.

Compare the best weed killers

Conventional weed killers

Product	Size (Ounces)	Set up-to-Utilise Corporeality (Gallons)	Coverage (sq ft)	Sprayer
ane. Compare-N-Salve	16	ten	30,000	No
2. Southern Ag	32	32	32,000	No
3. Spectracide	32	.25	5,000	Aye
four. Roundup	sixteen	iii	iii,500	No
five. Ortho - Weed B Gon	128	64	32,000	No

Natural weed killers

Product	Size (ounces)	Ready-to-Use Amount (gallons)	Coverage	Sprayer
1. Natural Armor	xvi	.125	ane,500	Aye
two. Avenger	32	64	6,400	No
3. Green Gobbler	128	one	4,000	Yes
four. Doctor Kirchner	128	ane	4,000	No

Who should purchase weed killer?

It's safety to say that you shouldn't await for a total weed infestation of your one thousand to justify picking up weed killer. Simply what nearly bootleg varieties?

Many home gardeners have their own weed-killing recipes consisting mostly of vinegar and other kitchen ingredients. These bootleg methods can exist effective, especially when compared to other natural or organic store-bought varieties. Clearing expressionless weeds by hand is usually needed because vinegar-based solutions are less constructive at penetrating the roots of weeds with complex root systems, almost of which are the weeds in your backyard.

A natural, homemade weed killer is toll effective, simply for tackling tough weeds or covering a large area, it's better to look at bottled options that pack more dial.

Store-bought weed killers might exist right for yous if:

You lot want to remove weeds but are either unable or adopt not to exercise the transmission work that weeding requires
Your yard has an area where stubborn bunches of weeds that grow back soon later on yous've removed them
You have a large area to comprehend and could apply a high-coverage sprayer
You're looking to starting time totally fresh growth and want to clear abroad grass and weeds all at once

Important features to consider

Herbicide per centum and composition

Herbicides are technically the proper name for the chemicals that incorporate a weed killer, but they accept become synonymous with the weed-killer mixture that treats them. At that place are a number of different herbicides, and the full general dominion is that the higher the herbicide pct, the stronger the weed killer.

The nigh common herbicide is glyphosate, which accounts for the ability of virtually all commercially produced weed-killing products. Glyphosate has been getting some heat lately for its potentially harmful effects on the environment and the people who apply them. As a upshot, natural weed killers have risen in popularity and effectiveness.

Glyphosate works past limiting the proteins that plants need to generate growth; the National Pesticide Information Center maintains that pure glyphosate is not dangerous, simply nearly commercial weed killers add together ingredients similar surfactants to aid the glyphosate penetrate plants, and those may brand information technology riskier; if a surfactant allows herbicides to penetrate plant skin better, it will also penetrate the skin of humans and pets easier as well.

Many of the weed killers nosotros tested contained glyphosate, so nosotros took precaution by wearing protective gloves, masks and shoes.

Active ingredients: conventional

Production	Principal Agile Ingredients	Pct
Compare-N-Salvage	Glyphosate, isopropylamine salt	41%
Southern Ag	2, 4-D Dimethylamine Table salt	46.iii%
Spectracide	2, iv-D Dimethylamine Salt	three.74%
Roundup	Glyphosate, isopropylamine common salt	18%
Ortho - Weed B Gon	two, four-D Dimethylamine Common salt	3.05%

Active ingredients: natural

Product	Main Active Ingredients	Percentage
Natural Armor	Sodium Chloride, Citric Acrid, Water, Vinegar, Glycerin, Lemon	98.3%
Avenger	Di-limonene (Citrus Oil)	70%
Green Gobbler	Acetic Acid	20%
Doctor Kirchner	Sodium Chloride	iv%

Post-emergent vs. pre-emergent handling

Weed killers or herbicides can be categorized as post-emergent, pre-emergent or a combination of both. Postal service-emergent treatment kills weeds that are already growing in your grand; pre-emergent treatment prevents new weeds from growing.

Post-emergent treatment should be spread during tiptop growing season, because information technology kills ground cover and, with the right production, penetrates the roots to preclude time to come germination of weeds. Pre-emergent treatment should exist spread in accelerate of meridian growing season, usually in the fall when plants begin going dormant. Almost reviewers of weed killers cite both treatments as part of their habitual lawn-care routine.

For the purposes of our test, information technology was important that we visually saw results, and then we only tested mail-emergent treatments. If nosotros were to exam pre-emergent treatments, we'd only be able to gauge how many weeds might be prevented from growing, or we would have to exam for several years.

Selective vs. not-selective

A "selective" weed killer is supposed to get rid of merely "select" plants, and a "non-selective" weed killer dries out everything it touches. Selective weed killers target certain plans, so you lot should know what types of weeds are growing in your k. The most common types of weeds vary by region, but they tin be divided into two general categories:

Broadleaf lawn weeds (almanac and perennial)
Grassy lawn weeds

The differences between the 2 are germination periods, survival fourth dimension and plant construction. Dandelions and clover, for example, are broadleaf weeds, and crabgrass and sedge are grassy backyard weeds. A weed killer that may impale broadleaf ground-cover might be ineffective on crabgrass. For the average lawn gardener, it's helpful to decide which category of weeds are growing in your lawn so yous'll know the complexity of their root structures and how best to kill them.

Selectivity has the potential of weakening a weed killer (though it will save your grass), and equally nosotros were trying to determine which weed killer was the best overall, we tested both selective and not-selective weed killers.

Concentrate vs. gear up-to-use

Nosotros tested concentrates that need to exist diluted alongside set-to-utilize products. Concentrates should exist mixed in a carve up application canteen, and, if instructions telephone call for information technology, a surfactant similar dish soap tin be added. Many people with large yards use concentrates for making bulk quantities of solution, which is more than cost effective than buying many bottles of pre-mixed weed killer. Ready-to-use products are equipped with their own nozzles and sprayer mechanisms, which we found helpful for pocket-size yards.

Whether you use concentrate or gear up-to-employ is entirely your preference (we didn't notice any effectiveness trends), but carefully note the safety equipment and storage needs for handling concentrated products. The cost savings may non be worth the hassle and risk.

Application nozzle (if applicative)

For set-to-apply weed killers with an applicator, consider the type of spray you'll be getting from the nozzle. Some have a concentrated spray for targeting specific plants and their roots. Other nozzles embrace a wider area, ofttimes like a mist.

Coverage (country area)

Whether the weed killer is in concentrate or ready-to-employ form, the amount of its land coverage per container could vastly differ. Every bit a general rule, concentrates are college-priced simply are best for big plots of land. Ready-to-use varieties, which accept already been diluted, are better for modest yards.

How we tested

Over the course of a week, we tested nine unlike mail-emergent weed killers, five conventional and four natural or organic, in a backyard on broadleaf and grassy weeds. We applied the weed killers on a sunny day when at that place was no rain in the forecast for at least 48 hours. During preparation, application and observation of the weed killers, these are the main factors we considered:

Preparation

To fix, we read each booklet of weed killer instructions thoroughly, and noted how clear they were. If we were left with whatsoever questions or had to do supplemental research, nosotros counted this against the products.

We besides factored in prep fourth dimension from opening the package to lawn awarding, every bit well every bit whether we needed special equipment to prep the weed killer. Our ready-to-employ weed killers needed no preparation before utilize, while preparing concentrates required funnels, careful measurement and thorough mixing. Treatment concentrates also required actress protective equipment similar gloves in some cases..

Application

During application of each weed killer, we took notes on how difficult information technology was to apply the recommended corporeality of weed killer to plants, and how difficult information technology was to control or change the field of coverage.

Prophylactic

Use of herbicides on an industrial scale requires training, so it's equally important to take proper precautions when using them in your backyard.

During testing, we noted which chemicals would be harmful to ingest or touch, especially in households with pets and small children who play in the grand, and checked how long we needed to await earlier our yards became safe again. Each weed killer we tested had labels for awarding, storage and mixing, which we heeded and considered as part of our controlling process.

Performance

We tested 18 equal sections (4 square feet each) of lawn area, two for each weed killer. The majority of weeds in each section were dandelions, broadleaf dock, crabgrass and bluegrass. We sprayed each blazon of weed killer over one department and left all nine sections lone for four hours. If using a concentrate, nosotros mixed it according to directions and applied it with a direct-spray nozzle to spread the mixture.

Subsequently 4 hours, we returned and recorded our initial visual results. Our principal indicators of effectiveness were: browning, wilting, and yellowing. Later 24 hours, we again recorded visual results, and using lawn gloves, brushed away whatsoever plants that had been visibly affected by the spray. Here we looked for whether weeds were breaking upon contact, and whether the roots had loosened at all.

We visited twice a day thereafter for a week, which was the maximum time menstruum for the weed killers we selected; if they hadn't worked by then, we marked it a failure.

Consumer reviews reported that sometimes a product worked well for one user and non for another, or the product had inconsistent results. We decided to test ii squares at a time for each product, and with one exception, our results were the same across both testing patches.

As we tested, it became clear that if there were no visible results after two days, the weed killer was unlikely to piece of work at all. There were three primary tiers of performance: the weed killer worked completely by killing 100% of the weeds, worked a very small amount or didn't work at all. When it came to eliminating weeds with herbicides, the process was frequently all or nothing.

Price

A key cistron in our selection of best weed killer was price. We bought unlike quantities of each product for testing, and because some were concentrated and some ready-to-apply, we wanted to know how much land, theoretically, each bottle of weed killer could cover for its cost.

Nosotros calculated price per fix-to-use gallon, which equates to just nether yard-square-feet of yard coverage. Our nearly economical option was the Roundup concentrate, at roughly 80 cents per gallon of mixed weed killer, closely followed by Compare-N-Salve at $1.01 per gallon.

Product	Price	Per 1000 Foursquare Anxiety
Compare-N-Salvage	$9.88	$.32
Southern Ag	$17.42	$.54
Spectracide	$6.92	$1.32
Roundup	$xix.99	$5.71
Ortho - Weed B Gon	$31.99	$.99
Natural Armor	$12.95	$8.63
Avenger	$29.35	$4.58
Green Gobbler	$27.99	$half-dozen.99
Doctor Kirchner	$38.99	$9.74

Best weed killer overall: Compare-N-Save

Of the weed killers nosotros tested, Compare-Due north-Salvage – Conventrate Weed & Grass Killer was the fastest-acting and near effective at loosening roots and wilting plants, and it was also the well-nigh cost effective.

Compare-N-Salve'southward clear drawback is that it contains a high level of glyphosate — 41% — that could be hazardous to small children and pets. It's one of the most reviewed weed-killing products on Amazon, and during our testing, nosotros understood why: it worked, and the modest 16-ounce container yields an impressive 10 gallons of spray. At simply over $ane per gallon, Compare-North-Save is as well a cost-effective choice.

We saw results afterwards four hours: All the plants in the squares had begun to chocolate-brown and wilt. By the cease of the outset 24 hours, every found appeared completely dead, and many were removed without needing to loosen the soil first. By the end of the second 24-hour interval, nosotros easily pulled out any remaining weeds and even managed to remove a few by simply brushing them away. Equally we expected from a non-selective weed killer, the grass underneath the weeds was also dead.

Compare-N-Save - Weed & Grass Killer

A killer formula if we've ever seen one, Compare-N-Salvage killed our weeds in merely one day, and not i grew dorsum. Y'all'll want to use this production if your goal is a clean slate of a lawn to replant and re-mural entirely.

Other weed killers nosotros tested that claimed to eradicate all weeds killed crabgrass simply non dandelions, or vice versa. Compare-N-Salve lived upwards to its claim of killing all weeds entirely, and no other product was as pervasive as the Compare-N-Relieve.

Other weed killers nosotros tested left backside stubborn leaves or roots, but Compare-N-Save was truly nonselective and killed both weed and grass. If you have a big lawn with lots of dissimilar weeds to cover all at in one case, this is a great selection.

Key takeaways:

Compare-N-Save – Weed & Grass Killer is constructive at drying up both top leaves and roots.
High glyphosate concentrate necessitates careful use.
This product will kill lawn grass as well equally weeds.
Out of all the products we tested, this was the fastest and nigh consistent.

Best natural weed killer: Natural Armor

We had doubts near natural weed killers, since our research indicated they weren't equally effective as pop glyphosate-based products. However, Natural Armor – All-Natural Weed & Grass Killer surprised u.s.a. by performing comparably with our pinnacle selection.

Vinegar is Natural Armor's active ingredient, and it did the job. 4 hours after application, weeds were browned and wilted, and by the adjacent solar day, their leaves were coming upwardly easily in our hands. Past week's end, we could fully remove the plants and roots, admitting with a bit of effort.

Natural Armor was also easy to employ. It's packaged in a ready-to-apply bottle and straight spray nozzle, so we were able to apply it with minimal preparation. The nozzle'south position allowed u.s.a. to spray directly on top of the weeds and the base of their roots every time.

Natural Armor - All Natural Weed & Grass Killer

Natural Armor is the best natural weed killer currently available. Information technology's a safer alternative to leading herbicidal brands and just as effective. Natural Armor can impale your weeds inside a calendar week and protect the environment at the aforementioned time.

Mayhap the simply downside of Natural Armor is its price bespeak. We purchased a 16-ounce canteen for $12.95. For one gallon of ready-to-utilize spray nosotros'd pay $29.95, a significant corporeality more per gallon than our leading conventional weed killers.

If you're environmentally conscious and don't listen spending a little extra coin, Natural Armor is the best natural weed killer that performs just as well as the leading conventional weed killer.

Fundamental takeaways:

While Natural Armor took a week to fully kill every weed, we were able to retain our greenish grass underneath the weeds.
If you have a larger lawn, yous'll find this production a chip pricier than a conventional weed killer.

Other finalists we tested

Roundup – Extended Command Weed and Grass Killer

Despite RoundUp's recent bad press, its name is synonymous with weed killer, then nosotros decided to test RoundUp – Extended Command Weed and Grass Killer, a concentrate choice that does away with a sprayer that many users find ineffective.

In terms of prep, it wasn't easy working with this concentrate. The bottle isn't well-designed for pouring, and information technology got messy — as did the other concentrates. Nosotros were glad to be wearing safe gear.

On the plus side, RoundUp's initial performance was dandy. It killed all the weeds in the area where it was sprayed and left most of the grass dead equally well. If y'all want to preserve your backyard, RoundUp isn't for you, only overall it's first-class for immigration big areas speedily. The dead weeds required minimal effort to manually pull them in simply ii days after the application.

The results didn't last the whole week, however; we noticed new weed sprouts toward the sixth day. That failing, and RoundUp'south increasing notoriety, set this weed killer dorsum in our rankings.

Southern Ag – 2,4-D Amine Weed Killer

Consumer reviews for the Southern Ag – ii,iv-D Amine Weed Killer are adamant about its superiority. The 2,4-D acid amine is a potent selective herbicide that is more heavily regulated than glyphosate; it may too have more than dangerous byproducts than glyphosate weed killers.

Southern Ag isn't bachelor in every region of the land, so if you lot try to purchase information technology on Amazon, you'll be notified whether or not it can be shipped to your area, equally distribution regulations for Southern Ag vary state to state. We were able to purchase Southern Ag, and although it'south more expensive than our top pick, Compare-N-Save, its performance was comparable.

We followed instructions and mixed this concentrate with water and three tablespoons of dish soap as a surfactant. None of the instructions for the other concentrates explicitly recommended adding dish lather, so nosotros decided to use the solution on but i of the 2 areas dedicated to testing Southern Ag.

Day later, it was articulate just past sight that the dish-soap condiment worked. By the end of the calendar week, the square with surfactant was 100% articulate of weeds and grass, while the square without surfactant was 75% articulate.

Because its force, potential danger and potential unavailability, Southern Ag isn't for everyone. Only if you have a large variety of stubborn, mixed weeds, you might consider Southern Ag as a feasible pick.

Spectracide – Weed Stop for Lawns Plus Crabgrass

Spectracide – Weed Stop for Lawns Plus Crabgrass was the but herbicidal weed killer we tested that came pre-mixed and gear up-to-use with its own spray zipper.

Performance-wise, Spectracide worked well on both dandelions and crabgrass, but it was less effective with other grassy and broadleaf weeds. Xl-eight hours afterward application nosotros saw dramatic wilting and browning of the dandelions and crabgrass.

Later a full week, other grassy and broadleaf weeds had begun to dark-brown and wilt. Although we practical the recommended amount, we surmised that to kill them completely, we would need to spray some other application. On the plus side, Spectracide did not affect our grass.

If you accept a large 1000 you desire to spray, at almost $xl per gallon, Spectracide could get expensive. Just if y'all accept a pocket-sized yard with primarily dandelions and crabgrass, we remember Spectracide is worth information technology.

Ortho – Weed B Gon

As some Amazon reviewers noted, Ortho – Weed B Gon gave us varying results, despite having followed the same procedure on 2 sections of lawn.

Twenty-iv hours after application, weeds were flourishing and the grass was nonetheless green. After 48 hours, weeds in one section wilted, and later on 72 hours, weeds in the second section had wilted. By the cease of the week, some broadleaf weeds in both sections had shriveled and died, grass in one section was discolored, dandelions were beginning to bounciness back to life.

Some people claim they've had success with Ortho Weed B Gon when they've used it in conjunction with other treatments, fertilization and in-soil weed control. Overall, though, nosotros weren't impressed by Ortho – Weed B Gon's performance to recommend it.

Avenger – Organic Weed Killer Concentrate

Since there are so few natural weed killers on the marketplace, we gave Avenger – Organic Weed Killer Concentrate a shot. Although Avenger has some devoted users, its performance was poor. Later application we saw trivial alter in the weeds for the entire week of testing; one or two had wilted and browned, but the balance were still green and thriving.

If we were weeding a blossom bed or other frail plants that would be harmed by stronger weed killers, we'd consider using Avenger once again. However, we'd recommend mixing the concentrate slightly stronger than recommended and dousing each weed i-past-one. As part of regular backyard care, other products in this category win out.

Greenish Gobbler – 20% Vinegar Weed Killer

Although Green Gobbler – 20% Vinegar Weed Killer is equally pungent as the chemical weed killers, information technology'southward safe to children and pets 24 hours after awarding.

Green Gobbler is ready to use and comes with a hose and spray applicator. Awarding was smooth and mess-gratis, and after only 4 hours, all the weeds in had turned brown and, in some cases, white. After five days, we could pry the dead weeds from the soil with minimal effort.

Dandelions were a claiming for Dark-green Gobbler, and although it'south a good product, it wasn't as effective as Natural Armor.

Doctor Kirchner – Natural Weed Killer

Doctor Kirchner – Natural Weed Killer is securely packaged with recyclable materials, and a note is included that thanks the user for committing to environmental friendliness. Information technology's a dainty, personal touch, but unfortunately, Doctor Kirchner was just moderately effective. Half the surface expanse we sprayed showed no visible signs of application. Though information technology killed both broadleaf and grassy weeds, results were spotty and inconsistent.

Doctor Kirchner could be used sparingly in flower beds and around other delicate plants, where you have the patience and need for multiple, careful applications.

The bottom line

During our testing, we looked for a weed killer that effectively killed a variety of broadleaf and grassy weeds and was easy to use.

Our tiptop option, Compare Northward Save – Concentrate Weed & Grass Killer, was undoubtedly the most powerful weed killer we tested, relatively easy to employ, readily bachelor and affordable.

Natural Armor – All-Natural Weed & Grass Killer is our choice for the best natural weed killer. Natural Armor performed almost also as Compare N Relieve for a price that completely justifies the extra security of environmental friendliness and prophylactic.

Compare-Due north-Save - Concentrate Weed & Grass Killer

The nearly powerful weed killer we tested, Compare-North-Salvage wiped out weeds in mere days. If you want to clear your lawn of weeds fast, its formula will give swell results.