The Best Mosquitos Repellents for Enjoying the Outdoors

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Going for a hike or otherwise getting outside is a welcome way to get some fresh air and clear your mind, but the warm weather also brings some downsides to it—namely, mosquitos. These pesky bugs can invade your backyard and make spending time outdoors annoying.

While there are some general precautions you should take to make your yard and home less inviting for mosquitos and other bugs, having the proper set of tools on hand—like the ones we recommend below—can help you stay as bite-free as possible. The best mosquito repellents, from sprays to zappers, provide ample protection from bites without intruding on enjoying your outdoor time.

Going out? Check out picks for the best lightweight hiking boots, ultralight sleeping bags, and camping tents.

The Best Mosquito Repellents

• Best Overall: Cutter Backwoods Insect Repellent

• Best for Large Spaces:Flowtron BK-15D Electronic Insect Killer

• Best for Small Spaces: Thermacell Radius Zone Mosquito Repeller

• Most Powerful: Ben's 100 Tick and Insect Repellent Pump

• Best for Fabrics and Clothes: Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Insect Repellent

What to Consider

DEET, Permethrin, and Picaridin

Insect repellents typically rely on one of three chemicals to ward off mosquitoes: DEET, permethrin, and picaridin. The most common (and best for ticks) is DEET, which has an unmistakable smell and greasiness when applied to the skin. Picaridin is just as effective as DEET but without the sticky feel or odor, working to repel insects, ticks, and chiggers. Permethrin is used for clothing instead of your skin—it’ll continue to work through multiple washes, and you can even buy clothing with permethrin-based repellent baked in.

Zappers or Candles

Cartridge-based lanterns and tabletop units provide an effective alternative to the traditional bug zapper, which mounts up high and plugs into an outlet. If mosquitos are your biggest problem and you only have a modest area to cover, consider a candle or small repellant gadget. For large spaces, bug zappers work well—they have long-lasting LED bulbs that are great for outdoor use.

How We Selected

We researched the market and relied on our personal testing and hands-on experience to find and select the best bug-deterring products. In cases where we haven’t tried the product yet, we based our recommendations on our past experiences using similar products. We also referenced Popular Mechanics reporting on bug-zapping gear, and in some cases, user reviews and opinions from trusted expert sources.

Backwoods Insect Repellent (2-Pack)

With 25 percent DEET, sweat-resistant application, and an easy spray nozzle, Cutter’s Backwoods bug spray is one of the most reliable mosquito repellents out there. Its high DEET percentage is strong enough to ward off ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas. Cutter claims it can give users up to 10 hours of protection. It’s water-resistant and won’t easily wash off your skin if you get splashed with water or work up a sweat.

This insect repellent is my go-to for hikes and camping. It requires the least reapplying, making it an excellent value—especially when you buy the two-pack. Its biggest downside is greasiness and staining. This stuff makes your skin feel tacky and smelly, but that’s a price worth paying for total bug protection. The staining, however, is a major turnoff, and it will leave an oily splatter stain on materials like leather and polyester.

BK-15D Electronic Insect Killer

You won’t want to use it in a tiny backyard or patio area, but if you have a large outdoor space plagued with mosquitoes, a heavy-duty electronic insect killer like this Flowtron unit is worth considering. It claims to kill mosquitos and other flying insects over a half-acre area. It’s designed for heavy-duty use only, so make sure to set this up at least 25 feet away from areas where humans will hang out. (It isn’t dangerous, but the sound is unpleasant.) Larger versions are also available to cover one acre or more.

This waterproof zapper is loaded with Octenol, a chemical that attracts mosquitoes and other biting insects to lure them toward death by electrocution. The Octenol cartridge must be replaced every 30 days, costing roughly $14 monthly. Customers say this zapper works well, but its cord is too short at nine inches.

Radius Zone Mosquito Repeller

If mosquitos are your most significant summer pest, Thermacell’s Radius Zone helps keep them away so you can enjoy a twilight barbecue without bathing in DEET. For a small area of coverage, this is an excellent pick—but it isn’t cheap compared to other mosquito solutions, and you’ll also have to factor in the cost of replacement cartridges, which can be pretty pricey.

If you’re willing to spend a bit extra, this is an excellent option for backyard hangouts and campsites.

100 Tick and Insect Repellent Pump (2-Pack)

This Ben’s repellent has a 100 percent concentration of DEET, making it the most potent mosquito repellent on this list. Unlike most DEET products, this doesn’t have a strong odor after application, though it still has some greasiness. This formulation offers up to eight hours of protection from mosquitos and ticks but also repels other biting flies, gnats, and chiggers.

Its small size makes it TSA-friendly for travel, and many users say the spray works well in even the harshest of jungles. However, we know based on experience that the packaging and sprayer are relatively weak, and this bottle can easily leak if you aren’t careful. Pro tip: Always travel with your bug spray and sunscreen in a waterproof bag separate from your other toiletries.

Premium Permethrin Insect Repellent

One application of permethrin can provide up to 12 hours of protection from mosquitos and ticks and up to eight from biting flies, gnats, and chiggers. This spray has little odor and evaporates without leaving a greasy film. It’s also safe for synthetic fabrics, watches, sunglasses, and outdoor gear, and won’t leave any stains behind.

Sawyer Products claims the spray will bond to clothing fibers for up to 42 days of exposure to sun and air, or six wash cycles—whichever comes first. This isn’t intended for skin use, so you must use it in conjunction with a DEET spray or a permethrin lotion. It also sprays onto fabrics with a pungent stench, though it’s completely odorless once dry.

Mosquito Repellent Candle

These candles from Murphy’s Naturals are loaded with natural ingredients and avoid the use of DEET for a fresh, clean scent. Just light one of these outdoor candles and let that fragrance ward away mosquitoes for small areas like a picnic table or poolside lounge chair.

These candles are made with cedarwood, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary, and citronella essential oils, which have a potent and fresh scent that smells great to us and terrible to mosquitos. According to customers, however, those oils ironically attract another bug due to the sweet scent: bees. Many reviews say that bees flock to the hot candle, which adds additional pests to avoid.

Mosquito Bits

The first step in getting rid of mosquitos is to eliminate standing water around your property. But if your space has ponds and small pools, you obviously can’t do that.

These BTI-coated Mosquito Bits are a popular solution, using microbial larvicide to help eliminate mosquitos at the source. Just sprinkle these insecticidal corn cob granules in your standing water, and within 24 hours, they’ll kill off the larval population. They can also be used to control fungus gnats for both indoor and outdoor plants.

I use this product around my apartment and can confidently recommend it for mosquito and gnat control. I sprinkle about a tablespoon into my watering can, and after a 30-minute granule soak, I pour the treatment over each of my indoor plants to kill larvae and annoying fungal gnats that come from over-watering. You can also mix the granules with potting soil to release chemicals with every watering.

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