Generic
Ultrasonic Pest Repeller Plug-In (Mosquito)
Electronic · Unregulated consumer electronic device. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has taken enforcement action against marketers of ultrasonic and electronic pest repellers for unsupported efficacy claims.
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Cons
- No reliable evidence it reduces mosquito bites in controlled studies
- The kind of device the FTC has fined marketers of for unsupported repellent claims
The full review
A small plastic unit that plugs into a wall outlet and emits high-frequency sound that people cannot hear, sold across dozens of near-identical listings as a way to drive mosquitoes and other pests out of a room. It carries no active ingredient and puts nothing into the air, so there is nothing on your skin or in the space to interfere with a mosquito finding you. This is the most-studied gadget category of all, and controlled field studies do not support it for bite protection. A Cochrane review of ten field trials found electronic mosquito repellents have no effect on how often people are bitten, and regulators have taken action against marketers of these devices for making claims they could not back up. Treat it as a device that hums quietly in the wall rather than one that keeps mosquitoes off you.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%0There is no reliable evidence that this reduces mosquito bites. Controlled field studies and systematic reviews of electronic and gadget repellents (ultrasonic devices, apps, and repellent wristbands) have found no protective effect, and the linked research below shows why. It scores zero for effectiveness against biting.
There is no reliable evidence that this reduces mosquito bites. Controlled field studies and systematic reviews of electronic and gadget repellents (ultrasonic devices, apps, and repellent wristbands) have found no protective effect, and the linked research below shows why. It scores zero for effectiveness against biting.
Evidence & honest claims25%5No published studies in our library directly support this product's active ingredients at their concentrations (base 20). Of 3 marketing claims audited: 0 strong, 0 moderate, 1 weak, 2 unsupported (-20). Product-specific research exists (+5).
No published studies in our library directly support this product's active ingredients at their concentrations (base 20). Of 3 marketing claims audited: 0 strong, 0 moderate, 1 weak, 2 unsupported (-20). Product-specific research exists (+5).
Safety15%60This is not applied to your skin and poses little direct hazard to you. Safety is not the concern with these products; effectiveness is (see above).
This is not applied to your skin and poses little direct hazard to you. Safety is not the concern with these products; effectiveness is (see above).
Transparency15%0This product publishes no ingredient list (0).
This product publishes no ingredient list (0).
Every pillar is scored from published rules. Read how we score.
Ingredient disclosure
This product publishes no ingredient list (0).
The manufacturer does not publish an ingredient list for this product.
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Repels mosquitoes with ultrasonic sound waves”
EfficacyUnsupportedNot supported for bite protection. The 2007 Cochrane review of ten field studies (Enayati, Hemingway, Garner) concluded electronic mosquito repellents have no effect on preventing mosquito bites. Mosquitoes are not repelled by these frequencies in controlled tests, and the FTC has acted against marketers of ultrasonic repellers for unsubstantiated claims.
“Protects rooms up to 1,200 square feet from mosquitoes”
EfficacyUnsupportedA coverage figure with no supporting bite-protection data. There is no controlled evidence that the emitted sound reduces mosquito landing or biting at any distance, so an area rating does not translate into protection.
“Safe, chemical-free pest control”
SafetyWeakIt is accurate that the device uses no chemical and emits no toxin. The honest flip side is that chemical-free here also means no active ingredient and no demonstrated protection against mosquito bites.
Related research
- Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection2007Definitive evidence
This is the most authoritative look at electronic mosquito repellers, the plug-in and battery devices that emit a high-frequency sound meant to keep mosquitoes away. Rather than run a single experiment, the Cochrane reviewers gathered every field study they could find that measured whether these ultrasonic devices actually stop mosquitoes from landing on and biting people, and pooled what those studies showed. The category rests on the idea that a sound can drive off biting mosquitoes, and this review set out to test that idea against the accumulated field evidence.