The buzzing mosquitoes are out, and yes, they are biting! Your best defense is an insect repellent. But before you spend money on a product that may not work well, keep reading this story. Consumer Reports just tested 53 repellents to find the ones that work best to not only prevent itchy bites but also keep those creepy and potentially dangerous ticks away too.
For Consumer Reports to test repellents, it takes some brave volunteers to stick their arms in a cage filled with hundreds of hungry mosquitoes. Yikes!
Here’s the process:
- A standard dose of repellent is applied to test subjects’ arms.
- After 30 minutes, they stick their arms into cages of 200 disease-free mosquitoes for 5 minutes.
- Testers count every time a mosquito lands on their arm or bites.
- The process is then repeated until the repellent fails or until 8 hours pass.
“A repellent fails our test if a mosquito bites twice in one 5-minute session. Or if there’s one bite in each of two consecutive 5-minute sessions,” explained Consumer Reports Editor Catherine Roberts.
And while the mosquitoes in these tests are disease-free, the ones you’ll encounter might not be.
“Mosquitoes and ticks can spread serious bug-borne diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus, and using an effective insect repellent is one really good way of reducing your risk of contracting those diseases,” Roberts said.
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Key word there is “effective.” Consumer Reports’ tests found that many of the most effective repellents in fighting against mosquitoes and ticks contained 25% to 30% deet as its active ingredient.
Repellents Consumer Reports recommends include:
- 3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent8
- Ben’s Tick and Insect Repellent Wilderness Formula Pump
Roberts says both of the above products excelled in protection.
Properly applying the repellent is just as important as the kind you use. Follow the directions on the label and use a thin coat on all exposed skin. You can also spray on top of your clothes, but Roberts says don’t apply it under your clothing.
For people who prefer wipes over sprays, Consumer Reports also recommends Ben’s Tick & Insect Repellent Wipes. This also contains 30% deet.
If you’re wary of deet, Consumer Reports’ tests found some repellents that contain 20 percent picaridin or 30 percent oil of lemon eucalyptus were effective as well -- recommending Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent2 Pump.
To see the full list of Consumer Reports’ recommended insect repellents for 2023 and learn more about the testing process, click here.