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Insect Repellent Reviews
Updated June 2008
If you've ever wondered why you seem to be a "mosquito magnet" while your spouse or friends don't seem to get bitten as often, it's not all in your head. Scientific studies confirm some people do attract mosquitoes more than others, and in the same way, research shows that every insect repellent is more effective on some people than on others. For that reason, the best-designed insect repellent reviews employ many testers and report the minimum and maximum protection time, not just the average. We found the best such mosquito repellent review conducted by Mark Fradin and John Day, published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2002. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover the newest contenders for best mosquito repellent, which use either synthetic picaridin or lemon eucalyptus oil (a natural insect repellent) as the active ingredient. Consumer Reports does test mosquito repellents that include these newer ingredients, but only four people test the products, and only the average protection time is reported. An otherwise well-designed review done for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, tests products on only two people, but it does report the range of results. We found some insect repellent reviews in Backpacker magazine, but only one person tests each product. The Backpacker review reports on the odor of each insect repellent, along with how it feels on the skin. These practical aspects are often ignored in the more scientific reviews, but the less formal reviews at Slate magazine and Good Housekeeping agree that they're important. Of course, effectiveness
matters most. Reviews based on lab testing conclude that wristbands, electronic
mosquito repellents and insect-repellent clothing are a waste of money for
most people. Although few insect repellents fail to attract praise from at
least a few users, it's clear that most insect repellents that use DEET are
consistently effective, while only a few alternatives work well for most people.
Still, even the U.S. military is researching alternatives to DEET, because
it damages plastics, paint finishes and many synthetic fabrics. It also smells
bad and should be washed off the skin whenever you return indoors. Dozens
of alternatives to DEET have appeared on the market, but reviews based on
objective comparison tests show that only three of the alternative ingredients
stand out as best.
... Continued
Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our Reviews say lemon eucalyptus oil offers the longest-lasting protection from bug bites, but it's not to be used on kids under three years old. Bite Blocker, picaridin or DEET are considered safe even for babies as young as two months (though some experts say six months is safer). The most recommended DEET insect repellent is the 34% Ultrathon controlled-release version used by the U.S. military, followed by DEET-based products with even lower concentrations. Advertisement
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Insect Repellent Reviews |
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© 2008 ConsumerSearch, Inc. A service from 
, a part of The New York Times Company. All Rights Reserved.
ConsumerSearch and ConsumerSearch.com are registered trademarks of ConsumerSearch, Inc. Other trademarks or service marks on this site are the property of their respective owners. ConsumerSearch is not sponsored by any source reviewed, and we accept no consideration or payment for including, excluding, or ranking any reviews, products or services in our reports.
* Pricing information is approximate as of the time this report was written and is based on observed market selling prices and/or list prices. Actual selling prices may differ.
