Pest Control

Mosquito and insect killers

Electric mosquito control works in one of two ways. A lamp draws insects onto a charged grid, which kills on contact and drops the remains into a tray. A trap draws them past a fan into a basket instead, so it runs quietly enough for a bedroom. Both are plug-in appliances: nothing to spray, nothing to breathe in, nothing to reapply.

Placement matters more than the specification. Run the unit in a room the family has left, since people compete with the lamp, and leave it going from dusk into early night. Grids want brushing out; baskets want emptying and rinsing.

• Lamp-and-grid killers for open rooms
• Fan traps, quiet enough to leave running overnight
• Rackets for the mosquito already in the room
• Clean the grid or basket regularly or it stops working

Related: Home Appliances · Kitchen Appliances