The Best Way to Stop Mosquitos Isn’t a Spray or Candle, and It’s 13% Off for Amazon Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day Deal: The Thermacell E-Series mosquito repellant system keeps bugs 20 feet away, and it’s $5 off (that’s a 13% price drop) for Amazon Prime Day right now. The main unit stands about 5 inches tall and holds a 6.5-hour charge while dispensing a DEET-free repellant.

Longer, hotter summers mean one thing: longer, itchier, angrier mosquito seasons. And if June’s sizzling heat waves are any preview of summer’s dog days, you’re gonna need more than good vibes and a flickering citronella candle to make it through.

I was playing it fast and loose with the usual bug defenses: sprays that smell bad and taste even worse and candles that burn out faster than your will to be outside. Then I met my new summer MVP: the Thermacell. It’s a compact, affordable, bug-repelling gadget that’s kept my backyard hangouts and balcony beers almost entirely bite-free.

Made by Mblockachusetts-based company Thermacell, this line of mosquito defense devices works by diffusing a scentless, invisible mosquito repellent into the air. The magic? It doesn’t smell, doesn’t stick to your skin and it actually works.

I’ve been testing the smallest in the lineup, the Thermacell E-Series, with a fast charging dock. For around $40, this little puck creates a 20-foot bubble of bug-free bliss. It’s available at REI, Amazon and other retailers, and it might just be the best $40 you spend this summer (that isn’t on frozen margarita mix).

How does Thermacell work?

The rechargeable device releases a trickle of vapor, similar to an oil diffuser, that contains a synthetic version of a chemical found in the chrysanthemum flower. According to Griffin Dill, an integrated pest management professional at the University of Maine I spoke to, these compounds excite insects’ neuroreceptors, which dissuades them from feeding. Because of this, you might still see bugs flying around but they’re far less likely to bite you. 

Thermacells are fueled by small pods. Those last for about 36 hours when run continuously before you’ll need a refill. Refill pods cost about $20, but I found a two-pack, good for 72 hours of repelling, for $22 on QVC. Needless to say I jumped on the deal. 

Considering the buggiest parts of the evening only last an hour or so, you can stretch a single pod for a month or more if you remember to turn it off when you’re done or the bug hour is over. And only use it when you need it, not every time you hang outside.

Also, the Thermacell only works when it’s charged and not while charging on the dock. So if you’ve forgotten to charge it before the bugs come, there’s no recourse or backup plan and you’ll have to wait until it regains some juice. 

Though he hadn’t tried the Thermacell himself, Dill said that he had heard good things from colleagues. He steered us away from a few other popular anti-mosquito products: 

• Those mosquito-repellent bracelets that look like old-fashioned telephone cords: They don’t work. 
• Citronella candles: Those don’t work. 
• Those organic essential oils favored by hippies like my wife: Dill wasn’t willing to say they don’t work, but he did point to the dearth of research about their efficacy and safety.