The Best Weed Killers
This Old House Reviews Team
Weed killers help remove unwanted plants from your lawn without you having to pull them out by hand. This review examines the best weed killers on Amazon.
Whether they appear on your lawn, patio, garden, or fence, weeds are an annoyance for any homeowner. Thankfully, there are many easy-to-use and effective weed killers to help remove these unwanted plants. To help you select the weed killer that’s right for you, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best weed killers on Amazon. Here are our top five recommendations.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CI05VFO
RM43 Total Vegetation Control
What We Like: This weed killer contains 43% glyphosate. This ingredient kills any plants it comes into contact with, so it works best for weeds on pavement or gravel. With one gallon of concentrated liquid for over 17,000 square feet, this product will protect a large area.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01956RZ16
Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer
What We Like: This concentrated weed killer produces visual results within three hours of application on driveways, fences, flower beds, shrubs, and other surfaces. With multiple size and quantity options, your purchase can be customized to meet the specific needs of your yard.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JIRKFVE
Roundup All-in-One Weed Killer
What We Like: With the ability to kill over 250 types of weeds, including crabgrass, dandelions, and clovers, this weed killer eliminates almost every type of plant pest in your garden. This weed killer doesn’t damage lawns either, allowing you to spray it directly on grass or flower beds.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N6X547M
Ortho GroundClear Weed & Grass Killer
What We Like: With visible results in just 15 minutes, this weed killer can eliminate unwanted plants from your flower bed or garden in a snap. This spray starts working immediately on all types of weeds and grasses.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GSGFBRN
Green Gobbler Weed & Grass Killer
What We Like: Without using harsh chemicals or glyphosate, this product is effective on surfaces ranging from sidewalks to flower beds. It provides visual results within 24 hours with its pet-friendly and non-toxic formula.
Buyer’s Guide
Not all weed killers work well for every surface or weed. Here are several factors to consider when determining which weed killer is best for your lawn.
Type
Different types of weed killers are recommended for different types of plants and areas of application. Here are some common types of weed killers to look out for.
Contact
This type of weed killer kills plants as soon as it makes contact with them. Contact weed killers don’t attack the root system, but they weaken weeds after multiple uses. This type of weed killer is effective for annual weeds that consistently reappear.
Systemic
Systemic weed killers are applied directly to the foliage of a plant. They take several weeks to start working, but they fight the plant’s internal root system. This type of weed killer is good for plants that are difficult to kill, such as dandelions and poison ivy.
Residual
These weed killers poison soil, killing all plants within the treated area. They can be long-lasting, so it’s best to avoid using this type of weed killer in areas that contain edible plants.
Emergence
Emergence refers to how far along in the weed’s growth cycle that weed killer needs to be applied. Some weed killers are pre-emergent, meaning they should be applied to prevent weeds from growing. Post-emergent weed killers are used for weeds that have already sprouted. They kill the plant while also ensuring it doesn’t grow back.
Selectivity
If you’re using a weed killer on flower beds or gardens, it’s critical to look for selective weed killers, as they avoid beneficial plants and solely target weeds. Meanwhile, non-selective weed killers destroy all plants in the vicinity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do weed killers work?
Generally, weed killers are herbicides that interfere with weed growth by either destroying their root formation or restricting the growth and development of their cells, causing them to eventually die.
Are weed killers dangerous around pets?
It depends on the weed killer. Some aren’t safe for households with pets, while others are safe once they’re dry. The safest option is a weed killer with an organic formula.
How long does it take for weed killers to work?
Typical weed killers will take anywhere from two to six weeks to fully kill the root of a plant. Certain types of herbicides will produce faster results, but these herbicides kill the flowering part of the plant and not its root system.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
The This Old House Reviews Team provides overviews of select products that are top-selling on Amazon and/or popular in consumer searches. Our team evaluates the products based on industry research, consumer reviews, pricing data, hands-on testing in select cases, and other objective criteria unique to a given product line. Unless otherwise noted, these product reviews are intended to help inform buying decisions for DIY or other non-pro users only. Editor’s picks are made by members of the This Old House Reviews Team.