Popular Mechanics: The 10 Best Tools for Keeping Mosquitos From Biting

Smart ways to ensure your outdoor activities don’t become bug block parties.

Going for a hike or otherwise getting outside can be a welcome way to get some fresh air in these days of social distancing. But the nicer spring weather also brings some downsides with it. One of the more pesky consequences are the flies, mosquitos, and other insects that can invade your backyard and make spending time outdoors challenging. While there are some general precautions you should take to make your yard and home less inviting for mosquitos and other bugs, having the right set of tools on hand—like the ones below—is also important to help you stay as bite-free as possible.

New Defenses Against Insects

Repellents that use Picaridin instead of DEET can be just as effective without the unmistakable smell and griminess. And you can spray those with Permethrin on your clothes instead of your skin and they’ll continue to work through multiple washes (you can even buy clothing with Permethrin-based repellent baked in). A smaller, cartridge-based lantern or tabletop unit can provide an effective alternative to a traditional zapper, especially if mosquitos are your biggest problem and you only have a modest area to cover. And even the venerable bug zapper has seen updates, with long-lasting LED bulbs that are great for use in an indoor porch or on a small deck.

How We Chose These Bug Repellants and Zappers

To find and select the best bug-deterring products, we researched the market and relied on our own testing. In cases where we didn’t get our hands on something to try it out, we based our recommendations on our past experiences using similar products, Popular Mechanics’s long history of reporting on bug-zapping gear, and in some cases, user reviews and opinions from trusted expert sources.

Read the full guide from Don Melanson and Bradley Ford on Popular Mechanic's website here.