Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller vs Summit Mosquito Dunks
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Mosquito Repellent Devices: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
A zone repeller protects the space you are sitting in right now, and the E55 does it without spray or fuel. Mosquito Dunks cut the number of mosquitoes hatching nearby.
Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller
Buy itA rechargeable repeller that creates a 20 foot zone of repellent with no spray or smoke.
- Thermacell says it repels mosquitoes within a 20 foot zone, including species that may carry West Nile, Dengue, Zika and EEE.
- Rechargeable battery with a 5.5 hour run time, reaching full protection in 15 minutes.
- Scent-free and DEET-free, and Thermacell says it is EPA reviewed for safety and effectiveness around people and pets.
- For outdoor use only.
- Repellent cartridges must be replaced, which is an ongoing cost.
- Protection is a zone around the device, so breezy or open spaces are harder to cover.
Summit Mosquito Dunks
Buy itFloating Bti dunks that kill mosquito larvae in standing water for a month or more.
- Contain Bti, a bacterium that Summit says is deadly to mosquito larvae but harmless to other living things.
- Each dunk covers up to 100 square feet of water and lasts 30 days or more.
- Summit says they are harmless to plants, fish, frogs, turtles and beneficial insects, and labeled for birdbaths and troughs.
- Does nothing about adult mosquitoes already flying.
- Only helps where there is standing water to treat.
- Needs replacing about monthly through the season.
Side by side
| Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller | Summit Mosquito Dunks | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Patios, decks and campsites where you sit in one area. | Yards with ponds, birdbaths, rain barrels or other standing water. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller - A rechargeable repeller that creates a 20 foot zone of repellent with no spray or smoke. Choose the Summit Mosquito Dunks instead if yards with ponds, birdbaths, rain barrels or other standing water.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Mosquito Repellent Devices: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).