Thermacell E-Series Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller with 20’ Mosquito Protection Zone; Bug Spray Alternative; Scent Free

I picked up the Thermacell Mosquito Repellent mainly out of frustration - my patio balcony turn in to mosquito hangout every evening. First off, it's compact and doesn't take up much space at all. I just set it on a small side table and forget about it. Set up is simple and it's not having to deal with sprays or candles. I noticed it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to really kick in, which seems fair. But once it does, the difference is oblivious. After about 20 minutes, most of the mosquitos were gone and I could actually sit outside in peace. If you have a balcony or small outdoor space like mine, this thing works like a charm. I would definitely recommend it.

This is my peace of mind during the summer . So nice to go outside , without having to go back in scratching. Holds charge great . No noice . Best thing we got for our outings . Very reasonable priced .

Update (5/12/22): I tried using the product on a breezy evening and as I suspected, the wind impacted the effectiveness. While I think there were fewer mosquitoes (just a guess), I was getting bitten and decided to go back inside. I do think it’s effective if it is not too windy. Will buy some more repellent and continue using it. (Original Post). Let's start with the most important question...does it work? It does work (or at least has worked for me and my specific set up)...more about that shortly. And I will continue to use it (and purchase more repellant refills). Why only 4 stars? Instructions need to be improved and not quite sure about the value proposition (cost) for the repellents. But the product has worked for me so far (several hours of use) and I really hate mosquitos. And I did not have to put on bug repellent to keep them from pestering me. After reading several reviews and wanting to gain access to my patio without being attacked by mosquitos, I decided to buy this and give it a try. I decided on the battery operated version for my patio. The setup instructions were not clearly written (I will provide the information I wish they had provided shortly as well). I am not a entomologist or an aerosol vapor flow expert...that said, here are my observations and recommendations. 1.) I don't believe the graphic that shows a 20" protective bubble is reasonable representation of what to expect from the product. The unit emits a vaporized repellent into the air (visualize the smoke from a candle) which is highly influenced by wind or, a ceiling fan. As the repellent is diluted to into the air, the effect dissipates, meaning less protection from mosquitos. The graphic shows a group of people sitting outdoors with a bubble shield, exactly 20 feet around them. If there is no wind, maybe that depiction is a somewhat reasonable representation. But when you set an expectation that there is a protective bubble, people will take it literally. Hence the 1 star reviews that says it does not work. In my situation, I am on covered porch where there is a wall behind me and to the left of me but the front and right side are completely open to the wind. So there is a "pocket" where the repellent is protected from from being completely dissipated or blown downwind. This would seem to me to be the ideal set up for this device. Haven't tried turning on the ceiling fan on the porch. If the results are significantly different, I will update this review. 2. Confusing instructions included in the box at best. Here is a suggestion...how about a QR code that takes you to a video called first use. Let me summarize the information I believe needs to clearly provided: a) Plug the unit in before use (instructions said this). You will see 3 chasing dots (blinking on and off in a chasing pattern) until the unit is charged (instructions have some confusing series of gray and white dots that does not look anything like what the unit looks like while it's charging). When fully charged, the three dots above the charging port will be on. Also, no word on whether you can plug the unit into a wall socket and use it while it is recharging. And the instructions do not say it takes 5 hours to charge when the battery is completely depleted (that is what the support person told me). Also guessing the unit does not trickle charge when charging is complete...so you probably should not leave it plugged in for extended periods of time. b) The repellent is in a small plastic container with a lid. The instructions in the box don't really show you how to hold the lid to remove it (there is a confusing drawing with two diagonal arrows which wasn't useful at all). Hold the sides of the bottle with your thumb and forefinger. Hold the front and back center of the lid in the center with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand. Separate. Just like the picture on the Amazon website (which I just saw). c) How about a recommendation on turning it off after your use and whether to remove the repellent container and put the lid back on. Absolutely nothing said in the instructions. Also, maybe recommend charging the unit so it will be ready for your next use? What if you are not going to use it for a week or a month...should you not leave the unit plugged in to a charger for extended periods? Again, it would be useful to know if you can use the unit while it's plugged in and recharging. 3. General thoughts about toxicity: Google mosquito deaths and the results say mosquitos kill over 1 million people a year. One of the prominently displayed 1 star reviews talks about the toxicity and that you can get headaches or dizziness. Everyone is different and I enjoy being outside without having to put insecticide on my skin. I have not gotten headaches or dizzy. Your results may vary. Now I want to compliment Thermacell on their customer support. They answered the call pretty quickly, were very helpful and pleasant to work with. Also, very generous warranty. I have written this whole review sitting on my porch and did not have a single mosquito come near me. Houston, Texas, in May on light breeze afternoon. Again, I would recommend it to friends and would buy it again. Now for some unsolicited advice to Thermacell. Seems to me you have way too many versions of this product which confuses the buyer. Also, it appears the repellents have changed over time with some of your later repellents that are "safer" than your earlier versions. Might be useful to make this information more explicit if correct. Hopefully you are reconciling what products to sell and which products to sunset. Also, on the box that is covered with pictures and graphics, the actual product version was in smaller print and greyed out (easily overlooked). So it took me a minute to find it when support asked me what device I was calling about. Very simple electronics upgrade...I would recommend resettable timers on the device indicating battery life and how much time remains before the repellent needs to be replaced. Either LED timer display (not 3 LED lights) on the device or bluetooth app on your phone. Seems obvious you are using the "razor and blade" method of pricing for product, where razors are cheap but the blades (refills) are where you generate your profits. The unit works well enough that a little upgrade to provide the user more information about battery life or how long until I need to replace the repellent cartridge would justify paying extra for the "razor". Just one opinion and you have been in the business for 20 years...so you know what your are doing.

No matter how much we try to keep our yard a NOT welcoming spot for mosquitoes and bugs, we have learned what our neighbors don't do.....it affects us. This means not emptying a pool after it rains! I have tried everything from natural methods, sprays, candles, torches with oils and everything has its limitations and drawbacks. Having a dog also means I want to use less chemicals that she can come in contact with. Spraying down works but if we have a wet Winter, that means the amount of time a spray stays active is shortened. Money and protection literally down the drain. My newest weapon is one where I don't have to wait for a spray to be effective or wait to get out in my yard because I need chemicals to dry in order for it to be "safe". Thermacell Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller is ready to go within two hours from arriving. Literally plug in, charge and go! No hose to drag out to connect to anything. You waste nothing but just some electricity and you can have the unit move with you. Ever tried to move a lit citronella torch or one that you just filled but it decided to not stand right? I have been there and it's not pretty. My brick still has oil residue. The Thermacell not only has no spill issues but it works. No bites or things flying in my face, ears or anywhere else! I tried it yesterday while filling our planters with new dirt and rock and after hours of being outside, I am thankfully bite free. Huge game changer and especially when my spouse is allergic to the bites. The twenty feet safe zone it provides is real and creates a mosquito forcefield. No biters allowed! It's cordless and that means no cords and the refill lasts. I looked thinking this is a great unit but the refills will cost me and we had barely used any. It means I can enjoy my yard without worry and that to me is priceless. From someone that has also learned every trick at trying to manage mosquito bites, it will be nice now to take the proactive role at preventing them from even taking place. Get yourself ready and especially in Southern California where mosquito season is all year round, not just a Summer thing.

I have a nice sized yard with a patio and firepit, but it becomes nearly unusable in the summer due to mosquitoes. There is a drainage ditch behind my property that is generally wet year round which really creates a breeding ground for them. I've tried all of the usual products - candles, torches, sprays. Thermacell is the only product that I've been able to definitively say truly helps. The battery life on it is quite surprising and it doesn't take very long to charge. What I typically do is just keep it charging at all times so it's always ready to go. The included charger base makes this even easier because I can leave it and just plop the unit down on top, no fiddling around looking for a cable or adapter. IT does take some time to warm up and become effective but what I typically do is turn it on and set it outside first while I'm getting everything else set up - chairs, drinks, snacks, starting a fire, etc. By the time I've got everything situated the unit is already working. It's an absolute must have for me, so I highly recommend it to anyone who experiences a lot of mosquitoes.

This Thermacell Mosquito Repeller is a great product. We noticed protection instantly once we used the this product. It's very portable and extremely easy to setup. We've not only used this at home we've taken it with us to the park with our kids and other areas where we know mosquitos are problems and this product stood up to the challenge. I would recommend this to anyone regardless on if you have issues with mosquitos at home or not due to it's portability you can use it literally anywhere. You will need to charge it before any adventure but as long as you prep before hand with charging and a refill you are good to go!

The devices seems to help with mosquitos. But the 12-hour cartridge emptied in 5 hours, which makes them significantly more cost prohibitive to use.

Works great! We have the other thermacell too that uses butane and I get tired of having to buy replacement bottles and pads for it so I wanted to try this rechargeable option. The battery life is decent, the pods are kind of pricey and im not sure yet how long the fluid will last. It’s very easy to use, no odor, takes a little time to heat up but once it does it’s very effective at keeping the mosquitos away!

Muy eficiente, lo use dos veces y ninguna picadura tuvimos, pero NO DURA mucho el cartucho que viene, solo duró como 12 hr

The product wasn't packaged properly. The refill unit had leaked into its plastic bag and absorbed into the cardboard box. Not only do I have less repellant, but metofluthrin is toxic and not supposed to be handled.

Muy buen producto sin olor

This misquotes repplent did absolutely nothing—mosquitoes were still everywhere. No noticeable effect at all. I regret buying it and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

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