Summer won’t be as much fun if you’re constantly being buzzed—or worse, bitten—by insects like flies or mosquitoes. Pests can quickly put a damper on your plans, but the best bug zappers can help keep insects at bay. Our favorite pick, Flowtron BK-40D Insect Killer, protects a full acre of space, and its weatherproof polycarbonate construction won’t rust or crack, even if it’s exposed to the elements.
The best bug zappers keep pesky bugs from spoiling your outdoor fun. Indoor Electric Bug Zapper
Most bug zappers draw in pests using ultraviolet (UV) light, but they may have different mechanisms for killing the insects. “There are different types of bug zappers that work differently,” explains Scott Svenheim, a certified entomologist and training manager for pest control company Truly Nolen. “Some zap the insects with an electric field around the light, while others disorient them, causing them to drop down and get stuck on a glue board.”
Additionally, certain types of bug zappers are more effective on different insects. For instance, mosquitoes—a common summertime nuisance—aren’t very attracted to UV light, so mosquito zappers tend to use other scented lures to draw in these insects.
To help you have a bug-free summer, these are the best bug zappers for your indoor and outdoor spaces.
Dimensions: 9.7 x 9.7 x 16.5 inches | Type: Lantern | Coverage area: 1 acre | Power source: Plug-in | Grid voltage: 5,600
The Flowtron BK-40D Insect Killer is a large outdoor bug zapper that will help keep your yard free of insects. It has a hanging lantern design that protects a full acre of space, and its weatherproof polycarbonate construction won’t rust or crack, even if it’s exposed to the elements. This bug zapper has a non-clogging grid that requires less maintenance than other models, and it also comes with a 30-day octenol attractant to draw in mosquitoes. (Replacement cartridges are sold separately.)
This product uses a 15-watt ultraviolet bulb to draw in insects, and if it ever burns out, the bulb can be replaced easily without any tools needed. The only downside of this large bug zapper is that its power cord is only 9 inches long, so you’ll likely need to use an extension cord with it.
Dimensions: 15.16 x 11.02 x 3.15 inches | Type: Hanging | Coverage area: Not listed | Power source: Plug-in | Grid Voltage: 2,800
While most bug zappers are designed to be used outdoors, the Aspectek SIndoor Insect Killer can help get rid of flies, mosquitoes, gnats and other insects that may end up in your home. It has a lightweight design that can either be hung up from the ceiling or stood on a table or countertop, and there’s a mesh screen that covers both sides of the zapper, preventing children or pets from accidentally touching the electrical grid. A removable plastic tray at the bottom of the zapper makes it easy to dispose of dead insects, and it operates quietly so it won’t disturb your everyday activities.
Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 20 inches | Type: Lantern | Coverage area: 1 acre | Power source: Plug-in | Grid voltage: N/A
You can protect up to a full acre of outdoor space with the DynaTrap Mosquito & Flying Insect Trap. This oversized outdoor trap uses three different lures to attract insects: its bright UV light, a titanium dioxide lure for mosquitoes, and a powerful fan that pulls in insects. Unlike other products, it doesn’t actually use an electric grid to kill insects—it simply traps them in the unit’s large basket, where they then die. This means there won’t be any disturbing zapping noises as you’re relaxing in your outdoor living area, but you will need to periodically empty the basket to get rid of dead insects.
Dimensions: 7.68 x 6.54 x 12.36 inches | Type: Lantern | Coverage area: 2,100 square feet | Power source: Plug-in | Grid voltage: 4,200
If you have a problem with flies indoors or around your home, the Klahaite Bug Zapper will help get rid of them for good. This lantern-style bug zapper can be used both indoors and outdoors, and it covers around 2,100 square feet. Its protective screen has larger gaps, allowing house flies to easily make their way into the electrical grid, and the bottom of the unit screws off, allowing you to easily clean out any dead insects. This zapper has a long power cord, and the brand also sells replacement bulbs in case they ever break or burn out.
Dimensions: 9.63 x 9.63 x 19 inches | Type: Lantern | Coverage area: 1.5 acres | Power source: Plug-in | Grid voltage: 5,500
Not only are mosquitoes irritating, but they can also carry a variety of harmful diseases. To get rid of these biting insects in your yard, you’ll need a product like the Black Flag Deluxe Bug Zapper, which covers up to 1.5 acres. It comes with a 30-day octenol lure to help draw in mosquitoes, which will then be zapped on its high-voltage electric grid.
Unlike other bug zappers, which stay on all day, this model has a built-in dusk-to-dawn sensor that automatically shuts the light off during the day so it will use less energy. This will help the bulbs to last longer, as well. The zapper is backed by a 5-year warranty, but its power cord is very short, so you’ll likely need an extension cord to use it.
Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.88 x 5.1 inches | Type: Lantern | Coverage area: 2,100 square feet | Power source: Solar | Grid voltage: 4,200
With the Koosa Solar Bug Zapper, you won’t have to worry about placing it near a power outlet. Instead of plugging in, this unit has a built-in solar panel that harnesses the power of the sun for operation, meaning it has a convenient cordless design.
This zapper is designed to look like a decorative lantern, and it even has a regular bulb on top in case you just want to use it to light up your yard. Its UV bulbs can be set to two different brightness levels, allowing you to conserve energy if you want it to last longer, and if needed, it can also be charged via a USB cord.
Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 6 inches | Type: Light bulb | Coverage area: 855 square feet | Power source: Light fixture | Grid voltage: Not listed
If you regularly have moths or mosquitoes buzzing around a certain light fixture, you can outfit it with the Pic LED Bug Zapper. The light bulb-shaped zapper can be screwed into most standard sockets, and it can be used either indoors or outside. The small openings around the edges allow bugs inside the bulb, where they’re then zapped and killed. This bulb is particularly handy because it offers blue UV light to attract insects, as well as a standard LED setting. However, it’s not the most effective option due to its small size, and bugs often get stuck on the grid, which can be tricky to clean out.
Dimensions: 20 x 7 x 1 inches | Type: Racquet | Coverage area: N/A | Power source: Battery | Grid voltage: 4,000
When a standard fly swatter isn’t doing the trick, it’s time to upgrade to The Executioner Electronic Bug Zapper. Shaped like a tennis racquet, this bug zapper allows you to eliminate flies, moths and other insects with a single swing. It’s simple to use with a single on/off switch, and it runs on two AA batteries (not included). This racquet-style zapper will last for up to 100,000 zaps, but it should be kept away from children, who may accidentally hurt themselves or others while using it.
Dimensions: 5.5 x 5.5 x 9.1 inches | Type: Glue board | Coverage area: 320 square feet | Power source: Battery | Grid voltage: N/A
If you have fruit flies or gnats buzzing around your home, the Katchy will quickly trap and kill these small bugs. It’s technically an insect trap—not a zapper—and it uses a UV light to attract insects and a fan to pull them down onto a glue board inside the device. When the glue board is full of bugs, you can simply throw it away and place a new one inside. The bug trap is easy to use and extremely quiet, and it’s a great option for managing small insects inside your home.
Dimensions: 12 x 10 x 10 inches | Type: Lantern | Coverage area: 1,500 square feet | Power source: Plug-in | Grid voltage: 4,200
The Fvoai Bug Zapper is the best-selling model on Amazon, and it can be used both inside and outside your home. It provides up to 1,500 square feet of coverage, and it has a 4-foot power cord that makes it easier to plug in. The zapper is designed to be hung via the ring on top of the device, and the bottom screws off, allowing you to clean out dead insects. Overall, it’s a basic and well-priced model that you can easily purchase on Amazon—and yes, it’s eligible for one- or two-day shipping if you’re a Prime member.
If you’re targeting a specific type of insect—such as flies, moths or mosquitoes—it’s important to select a bug zapper that will attract those particular pests. “Most bug zappers will kill insects with positive phototaxis, meaning those attracted to light,” explains Timothy Best, technical service manager and board-certified entomologist at Rentokil Terminix. “In contrast to that, these devices do not attract or kill insects that exhibit negative phototaxis—an aversion to light—such as cockroaches.”
You may want to do a little research before you buy to find out if the insects you’re targeting have positive phototaxis. If they don’t, you may need a model that uses another type of lure. For instance, mosquitoes aren’t very attracted to UV light, but a zapper with an octenol lure will draw them into the electric grid.
As you compare different bug zappers, you’ll see that most list a coverage area, indicating how far away it will attract bugs from. Some zappers can only cover a few hundred square feet, while larger outdoor models may be able to attract insects over a whole acre. In general, indoor bug zappers have a much smaller coverage area than outdoor models.
Just keep in mind that you’ll want to place the zapper well away from your seating area—otherwise, you’ll be attracting the bugs directly toward you. Most brands recommend locating the zapper at least 20 to 40 feet away from people.
Bug zappers are generally powered in one of three ways. Plug-in models are the most common, as they’ll have a consistent source of power to keep the bulbs lit all night long. However, the downside is that you’ll need a nearby power outlet, or if you’re planning to put the zapper out in your yard, you’ll have to run an extension cord out to it.
There are also battery-powered bug zappers that use either rechargeable or replaceable batteries. These models aren’t limited by a power cord, but you will have to periodically charge or replace the batteries.
Finally, there are some solar-powered bug zappers that draw their energy from the sun. The downside of these models is that they won’t work well on cloudy days and may run out of juice after a few hours.
As you can probably imagine, bug zappers tend to make quite a mess—especially when they’re working well—collecting hundreds of dead bugs within the lamp. You’ll need to clean out your bug zapper regularly, and some modes have pull-out drawers or removable bottoms that make it easier to remove dead bugs. These features will make the unpleasant task a little more manageable.
Bug zappers do work to some extent, killing bugs that come in contact with their electric grid, but there are some downsides to these devices.
“They will kill insects that come into contact with the electrified grid, but more often than not, the insects being killed aren’t necessarily pests,” says Best. “These devices attract and kill night-flying insects, but do not distinguish between pests and beneficial or harmless insects. Killing harmless insects could be taking the food out of the mouths of hungry songbirds, or they could be killing beneficial pollinators.”
There’s also the matter of the bugs exploding when they hit a bug zapper’s grid: “The killing mechanism itself, electrocution, has the potential to aerosolize insects upon contact, and these bits and pieces, if you will, can become airborne or land and settle on nearby surfaces.” So if you do use one of these gadgets in your yard, be sure to place it well away from your eating and socialization areas.
If you’re specifically looking for a bug zapper to control mosquitoes, you’ll want to look for a model that includes a mosquito lure. “Most bug zappers use UV light, which is not attractive to mosquitoes,” explains Best.
To draw in mosquitoes, look for a product that includes an octenol lure, such as Flowtron BK-40D Insect Killer or Black Flag Deluxe Outdoor Bug Zapper. These scent cartridges will draw in mosquitoes, as well as biting flies, and they’ll then be killed on the bug zapper’s electric grid. Most lures need to be replaced every 30 days for maximum effectiveness.
Bug zappers typically use UV light to draw in insects, and research has found that bugs are most attracted to short wavelengths. Violet and blue hues have the shortest wavelengths on the color spectrum, which is why they’re the most popular options for bug zappers.
That said, there’s no difference in function between purple and blue bug zappers—they work the same way. So if you have a preference from an aesthetic standpoint, there’s no harm in choosing the color you like the most.
I watch trends in travel. Prior to working at Forbes, I was a longtime freelancer who contributed hundreds of articles to Conde Nast Traveler, CNN Travel, Travel + Leisure, Afar, Reader's Digest, TripSavvy, Parade, NBCNews.com and scores of other outlets.
For more travel insights, follow me on Flipboard (@SRKelleher), Instagram (@suzannekelleher) and Pinterest (@suzannerowankelleher).
I watch trends in travel. Prior to working at Forbes, I was a longtime freelancer who contributed hundreds of articles to Conde Nast Traveler, CNN Travel, Travel + Leisure, Afar, Reader's Digest, TripSavvy, Parade, NBCNews.com and scores of other outlets.
For more travel insights, follow me on Flipboard (@SRKelleher), Instagram (@suzannekelleher) and Pinterest (@suzannerowankelleher).
As a senior editor at Forbes, I report on the business of sports and edit coverage in Forbes.com's SportsMoney section. I previously served as an assistant managing editor, overseeing the website's network of nearly 3,000 contributors and the editors working with them, and as the deputy business editor, overseeing the business coverage at Forbes.com and working closely with the channel's contributing writers in digging up stories, developing angles and delivering strong analysis. In my pre-Forbes days, I worked in sports and business news as an editor at the New York Times.
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I grew up in northern Vermont running, skiing, playing soccer and chasing after my sister and her friends, endlessly writing our escapades down in journals. After earning an environmental studies degree at Brown University, I moved to Boulder, Colorado, where I received a master's in journalism from the University of Colorado, met my now-husband, and learned how to climb. I spent the following six years at Backcountry Magazine, the last two as Editor in Chief, writing about the nitty gritty of backcountry ski tech, as well as big picture topics like how climate change is impacting our favorite ski zones and the need for greater inclusion in the sport. I now spend my time raising my wild child and moonlighting as a freelance writer, gear reviewer, and flower farmer.
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I've been reporting on grooming since 2013, and have written for nearly every men's publication on the topic. My second beat is travel, as I spend nearly half the year in transit. Because of that, however, I am always relieved when I can unwind at home in Berlin, where I've been living since early 2018. I'm a South Dakota native, but I cut my teeth in New York and San Francisco.
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