Picaridin.info Personal Mosquito Repellent Devices - Comparison Chart
Updated: May, 2011
Mosquito traps are great, but you can't take them with you to go camping, hiking, biking or on a picnic - the best defense for those situations is a good repellent. Not a fan of messy lotions and sprays? In the past few years several personal repellent devices which target mosquitos and other insects have come on the market. Some of them are wearable devices which you clip-on or attach to a belt holster and others are tabletop "lanterns".
These devices don't kill mosquitoes - they do nothing to permanently reduce your mosquito population, but they do claim to create a small, temporary "no bug zone" (usually about 15' ) in the area around the device. For some repellers, weather conditions, such as a strong wind, can negatively affect the coverage area.
Most of these personal insect repellers use Allethrin - a synthetic form of the chemical Pyrethrin - a proven mosquito repellent with a good overall safety profile. The OFF insect repeller (by S. C. Johnson) uses a similar chemical called Metofluthrin.
| Make/Model | Power Source | Active Ingredient(s) |
Type and Coverage | Features | Price Range (approx) |
Available from: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batteries |
Metofluthrin (a Pyrethroid ester) |
Personal - Clip-on. |
Tthe OFF Clip-on Insect Repeller disperses Metofluthrin, an odorless repellent, into the air around the wearer with a battery-powered fan. It provides up to 12 hrs of protection. Replaceable repellent pads. New redesigned version is 25% smaller and features a rotating clip. |
$7-$10 |
||
Butane |
Allethrin |
Personal - Holster, 15' coverage. |
Top rated product! Butane powered - heat activates and distributes repellent from replaceable pads. Several models available - basically just different colors and sizes, all using the same repellent method. |
$20-$30 (optional holster sold separately) |
||
Candle |
Allethrin |
Tabletop / Lantern - 15 ft. coverage. |
Uses a candle to activate and disperse repellent from a replaceable pad. Available singly, or in a money-saving package of 4. |
$10-$15 also sold in multi-packs |
||
Butane, AA Batteries |
Allethrin |
Tabletop / Lantern - 15 ft. coverage. |
Heat from butane cartridges disperses the active ingredient from a replaceable repellent mat. Several other lantern styles are available, including a rugged outdoor lantern and a decorative tabletop mini-lantern. All use the same Thermacell technology and provide 15'x15' coverage. |
$28-$35 |
||
3 AA Batteries |
Geraniol |
Tabletop - up to 300 sq ft. coverage |
The Buzzender tabletop diffuser is a mosquito repeller which provides coverage for up to 300 sq ft (approx 17' x 17'). Coverage area is smaller under windy conditions. The active substance is geraniol - a plant-based insect repellent - with a cartridge delivery method. Each cartridge lasts up to 120 hrs. |
$15-$20 |
||
Solar |
Linalool - a patented substance which prevents mosquitoes from recognizing human scent |
Tabletop - 100 sq ft. coverage |
Like its predecessor, the non-solar Malibu Mosquito Inhibitor, the Malibu Mosquito Blocker uses cartridges with Linalool - a substance which works by blocking human scent. The coverage area is fairly small - up to 100 sq. feet or a 10' x10' area. |
$10-$40 |
You may also be interested in information on general mosquito prevention, and our mosquito trap comparisons and
reviews.
Got bitten? Shop for insect bite relief products or try a few mosquito
bite home remedies.