No items found.

What’s the buzz on insect repellents? We turned to experts to find out what to consider before buying a repellent.[/caption]

8 best insect repellents of 2021: DEET and DEET-free bug spray




When it comes to insect repellents, you’ll want to find one that features an EPA-registered number — and other tips from experts.

Along with beach reads, swimsuits and sunscreen, the summer is also traditionally known as mosquito season — and bug bites are a sometimes unfortunate consequence of spending time outdoors. But bites from mosquitoes, ticks and other insects can be much more than just irritating or itchy — they can carry illnesses like malaria and Lyme disease, too. Beyond removing water from the backyard or setting up electric fans outside, one preventative and protective measure you can take to avoid bites is applying insect repellent. Still, that might be easier said than done — if you’ve ever searched for an insect repellent, the labels can seem confusing, from the acronyms to the numbers. To help your shopping, we consulted experts about how to shop for an insect repellent and deciphered common jargon like” DEET,” “DEET-free” and “natural” when attached to a spray.

Continue learning more about the best insect repellents from experts written by Ambar Pardilla here.


LAST UPDATED

December 3, 2023

Written by
Photo thumbnail Blog Author

NBC News

Media Mentions from NBC News

NBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and visually engaging stories on your platform of choice. NBC News Digital features world-class brands including NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, TODAY.com, Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline, and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties. We provide something for every news consumer with our comprehensive offerings that deliver the best in breaking news, segments from your favorite NBC News shows, live video coverage, original journalism, lifestyle features, commentary and local updates.

Explore More Content

Media Mentions

For our testers, the Sawyer Products SP5432 Picaridin Insect Repellent Spray ticked all the boxes.

Avery Stone
Freelance Writer

Media Mentions

Contestants also received everything they would be allowed to use over the course of the two days. This included Sawyer Permethrin, Picaridin, Sun Screen.

Patrick Diedrich
Writer

Media Mentions

Protect your clothes and gear from ticks and mosquitoes with this Sawyer Permethrin Pump Spray.

Jordan Thomas
Forbes Staff