Thermacell MR150 Portable Mosquito Repeller – Item of the Day
Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.
Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day is Thermacell MR150 Portable Mosquito Repeller. This write up will be rather short because the video below covers pretty much everything. Let me just say I LOVE this thing, yea it really works and I highly recommend it. My friend David gave me one of these as a gift, it has changed our lives here on the farm. The mosquitoes this year are worse then I have ever seen them. If I go out especially in the morning or evening without this I am literally torn up in a matter of minutes. With this at my side I get no bites.
This item works in a very simple way. A very small butane flame heats as treated pad. The pad is treated with a repellent, allethrin, which is a synthetic copy of a natural repellent found in chrysanthemum plants. Each pad lasts about 4 hours and each butane cartridge lasts 12. The same pads and butane cartridges work for all the different models of Thermocell including the “pretty ones” for patios. So you only need to buy one type of inserts for the entire Thermocell Line which is pretty extensive.
Refills come in many different quantities and you can even get “earth scented ones for hunting”. One thing to be aware of, the fuel and pads can’t be returned to Amazon due to them being flammable. That is the only thing to really be aware of here. Trust me though you are not going to want to return it.
I got a true lesson in how well these things work a few days before I wrote this review. I was out tending to my stuff and all the sudden I was getting bit heavily especially on the legs and ankles. I was like what the heck, checked my Thermocell and sure enough the butane cartridge has gone empty. I will be testing these on sand fleas in Florida during my vacation, and the manufacturer says they also work on biting flies. I have only tested them on mosquitoes.
Here are a few more things you need to know.
- You don’t have to watch the clock on the pads wearing out, when all the blue turns white replace them.
- If you are going to be traveling on a plane, the pads and device can go in baggage but the butane can’t. I simply ordered some for my coming trip delivered to my hotel with attention hold for guest on the address.
- When you shut off the flame the pad stops being used, so one pad can be used for 4 hours continuous or for numerous short term needs.
- The area of protection is about 15 feet, big spaces may need two or three interlocking devices for full protection.
- The MR150 and MR300 are functionally the same, the only real difference is the shape of the 300 which is marketed as being “more ergonomic”.
- Building on #5 if you don’t care about color or looks, the MR300 in Olive is the cheapest option at $19.27 at the time of this review being written anyway.
- Again one big thing, this item can’t be returned to Amazon due to the butane, I don’t think you will want to return it but I feel obligated to point this out.
In the end if you are tired of getting bitten these things work, so check out the entire Thermocell line. I personally find the 150 model to be the most flexible, it is small and portable and works as good as the “pretty” ones but again since they all use the same inserts you have total freedom to chose. I can tell you this, I will never not have one of these things in my life, being torn up by mosquitoes is miserable and it is even worse with kids involved. Check the video below to learn more and tune into today’s show or Episode 2456 to hear more about why you really need these things in your life, if you live or play where mosquitoes lurk.
Remember you can always find all of our reviews at TspAz.com
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P.S. – I am bringing this around because we are really hitting that time of the year again. I also have an update about sand fleas/flies, the short answer is it works great on them too. For more tune into today’s show for a report on how great this thing worked during our last two trips to Florida.
Thanks for posting this! I was just thinking this morning that I needed to go back and find the episode you mentioned that in. I just bought one and the 120 hour replacement kit.
I assume this only works when you are somewhat stationary, so it gives time for the repellent to spread out? Or have you used it successfully while moving around?
Nope works good moving around too as long as you take it with you. Watch the video I talk about how I do it.
I figured this might help. I use this thing and it’s a game changer here in FL where we have the kind of skeeters that carry the bad diseases. FWIW, on your upcoming vacation, there’s a walmart just before you get to the island and it carries the butane canisters for these things.
I know that exact store we usually stop there to get some odds and ends on the way in. In this case though to be safe I just ordered some and had them shipped to the hotel ahead of us. I think we are so spoiled in the world of Amazon today it is just ridiculous. I actually find myself getting mad when Amazon doesn’t have something or if it takes more that two days to get it and then I am like JACK seriously don’t you remember stuff being 6-8 weeks for delivery in the 80s at times.
I have the Backpacker model and use it out on the deck or around the campfire, its very effective and uses the large stove canisters. Never changed out the canister last year, just mats. they are excellent for mosquito control!
Hey does this work on no-seums? Biting gnats?
Yes they work great on no seums,sand flies
These do work great.
TIP: they sell a “backpacker” version that uses backpacking butane canisters for fuel. I use this on my front porch when I’m sitting out enjoying an adult beverage in the evenings. This usually coincides with “mosquito-thirty” as I call it.
The backpacker version works the exact same as the version Jack recommended and uses the same refill scent pads. I love it because I have a box of partially used butane canisters from past camping/backpacking trips. Not quite full, not quite empty- you get the drift.
This is a perfect way, for me to keep the mosquitos away and find a use for the bastard, leftover butane canisters I cant take with me on a trip.
I’ll add my support. One piece of advice, start this about 15 minutes before you need it. The device takes time to heat up which is the mechanism release the vapors.
VALID
Just ordered the olive green for $19.95 but notices instead of ordering the 120 hr kit, you can order two 72 hour kits for about $2 nore – that’s an extra 24 hrs of protection for almost free!
Just ordered the olive green for $19.95 but noticed instead of ordering the 120 hrhr kit, you can order two 72 hour kits forr about $2 nore – that’s an extra 24 hrs of protection for almost free!
I give this a HUGE thumbs up. I posted the first question a year ago, and last year I bought two of these. I swell up terribly when bit my mosquitoes, and typically can get 20+ bites on my ankles per evening.
The device is super easy to use, and it is effective as heck! Even at a cabin in the deep woods where we normally would have to go inside from about 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM I set two of these out on a 20’x10′ deck and no one ever gets bit once.
I just bought another 120 hour replacement kit just in case they become scarce this Summer.
Game changer for early bow season and turkey hunting in N Florida. I’ve been using these for close to 20 years and the first one I bought still works great. Now I have 4 or 5 in various hunting packs, in the truck, boat, etc. For the early season deer hunters worrying about scent, they have absolutely no effect on deer.
I thought I remembered someone posting a way to refill the small butane canisters that come in the refill kits. I tried refilling them with a butane canister I have for a cigar lighter, but there must be some other trick. Maybe they called in on one of the listener call in shows. Does that ring a bell?
I just returned from a week long trip from Alaska and it worked great. We stayed on a lake and I went down to the water and was mobbed by mosquitoes. Went back to the cabin, fired up the Thermacell and returned to the water with it. No bugs. We sat outside every evening and once fired up, no bugs.