I bought a store brand spreader from K Mart about 10 years ago. It still works.

Gosh, I've had mine for so many years I could'nt tell you the name of it.
Its a gem.....my neighbours know this to be true, they keep borrowing it.
Its appearance is almost what you'd think is cardboard...its a composite, probably more plastic than anything....definitely though not metal.

The opening is controlled by numbers....1 to 8...the wire spinner over the hole is controlled by the wide fan-like thing below it. As you move, the wire spins causing it to distribute the granules. You dial the number which controls the size of the opening by turning the spindle. #5 is what I use for lazy fertilizer and release of the handle stops the action so turning is easy.
I've tried putting soil through #8...but if it isn't dry enough just clogs up.
And....I wash it after every use because fertilizer has harmful aspects...it can eat into metal, pit aluminum and while the body doesn't have any, the wire controls do.
The hopper takes a good amount, about 20 lbs which is good enough to do a lawn in two directions.

Hope you have better success with your next choice.

www.earthway.com

Second vote for Earthway. Very high quality.

Sounds like he had an Earthway before ("red, called "Even SPreader"--Earthway calls it "Ev-N-Spred"). I like Earthway myself. Once you get into professional models, you are talking big, big bucks!

figure about $200 or so for one of their professional spreaders.