I had an older Ross Root feeder several years ago, but lost in in a home move. The old one was built like a tank - all metal - tough as nails and I thought I might regret getting this newer model. The head of the unit is all plastic and I was skeptical that it would last, but I needed to feed some citrus trees in my yard. The new feeder arrived and I'm impressed. Yes, the unit is plastic, but it is sold and sturdy. I've had to really lean on this to get it to penetrate some dry patches around my trees and there is no sign of weakness or bending. The cup for inserting fertilizer tabs is larger than on my old unit and the whole unit reeks of quality and endurance.