The Best Bug Zapper

Few things can disrupt a beautiful summer night outdoors like pesky insects. Even worse, sometimes one of those pests invades your home. You can spend days swatting at a fly before it finally dies of natural causes. Or you can kill it with a fly swatter or shoo it outside. Either way, you’ll find as soon as you’ve gotten rid of one, another isn’t far behind.

Bug zappers do all that work for you, purging your personal areas of flies, fireflies and whatever else can squeeze its way inside. Using electricity, these devices have an ultraviolet light that draws certain insects in.

Unfortunately, mosquitoes generally aren’t attracted to ultraviolet light, so these zappers haven’t proven to be as effective in eliminating those. However, realizing this issue, some modern zappers have an additional feature to attract mosquitoes. It’s important to realize, though, that if you choose a zapper with this feature, you may be required to purchase separate cartridges on a regular basis, upping the cost of the unit you choose.

One of the biggest ways not all bug zappers are created equal is location suitability. Some zappers are made for indoor use only, while others can be used only outdoors. Still others are versatile enough to be functional either inside or outside, making them easy to move around as your needs change.

Although bug zappers vaporize the bugs they zap, you will find that they do leave some residue behind. This means occasionally you’ll need to clean it. If this is a dreaded task, look for a zapper with an easily removable tray that you can wash and bring back without much effort. Clog resistance is an additional benefit since bugs can get trapped due to the design of some bug zappers.

• Before you shop, know the types of insects you’re hoping to eliminate. If, like many, you want protection against all flying insects, you’ll need to look for one that builds in mosquito protection since mosquitoes aren’t attracted to the ultraviolet light standard bug zappers use. The Flowtron Diplomat Fly Control Device and Flowtron Electronic Insect Killer use separately sold cartridges that attract mosquitoes.
• Bug zappers are made either for indoor or outdoor use. The Aspectek Electronic Bug Zapper and LiBa Bug Zapper are designed for your indoor spaces, while the Flowtron Electronic Insect Killer is designed for outdoor use. The Flowtron Diplomat Fly Control Device can be used either inside your home or out.
• If you’re buying a bug zapper for outdoors, you’ll need to consider your yard size. The Flowtron Electronic Insect Killer covers an area of half an acre, which should handle most city and suburban yards. One issue with the Flowtron, though, is that it has a short cord, which means you’ll likely need an extension cord.
• As insects die, they leave behind a residue that may need to be cleaned. Obviously, you’ll want this process to be as easy as possible. The Aspectek Electronic Bug Zapper and LiBa Bug Zapperk feature trays that are easy to remove and wash.
• Clogs can also be a problem with bug zappers. The Flowtron Electronic Insect Killer has a grid design that resists clogging.
• Although you likely won’t be touching your bug zapper on the regular, you’re likely concerned about safety if you have children around. The Aspectek Electronic Bug Zapper features a casing designed to protect against burns.
• Bug zappers are generally fairly cheap. You’ll find the Aspectek Electronic Bug Zapper, LiBa Bug Zapper and Flowtron Electronic Insect Killer for less than $50. The Flowtron Diplomat Fly Control Device, on the other hand, is commercial grade but approved for home use. Although this makes it very effective, it also pushes the price tag up to more than $250. If you purchase a Flowtron bug zapper, be aware that the feature that attracts mosquitoes requires a separately sold box of cartridges that can retail for as much as $50.