Consumer Reports Mosquito Repellent Ranking Now Available Free
Not all insect repellents are created equal – some are more effective than others. Consumer Reports named the top three repellents in their tests last year, but kept the full ratings a secret to subscribers. Now, to help people who need to fight off the Zika virus , they released the rest for free.
The top three on this year’s list include Sawyer Fisherman’s Formula with 20% picaridin , Ben’s Wilderness Formula with 30% DEET and Repel’s 30% Lemon Eucalyptus – an excellent example of various active ingredients that are effective against mosquitoes and are safe during pregnancy .
The great thing about the complete data is that you can see how each repellent acts against three different groups of bloodsuckers: the Aedes mosquito , which lives in warmer climates and can carry viruses such as Zika, dengue, and yellow fever ; Culex mosquitoes , which are found throughout the United States and can carry West Nile virus ; and deer ticks , which can carry Lyme disease . The highest rated repellents keep them away for at least seven hours.
If your favorite repellent isn’t on the list, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says you’re still well prepared if you’re using any EPA-registered repellent . They have all convinced the EPA that they are effective, but they may not repel mosquitoes as long as Consumer Reports’ top pick.
Insect repellent rating | Consumer reports