The Bottom Line
Pros
- Some users of the Mosquito Magnet report good results, so the technology does work.
- A cordless Mosquito Magnet is also available.
Cons
- On corded models of the Mosquito Magnet, the cord is a nuisance.
- The complexity of the Mosquito Magnet means a lot can go wrong, potentially.
- Some users of the Mosquito Magnet report unsatisfactory results.
Description
- The Mosquito Magnet is easily assembled.
- Its folding frame makes it easy to store the Mosquito Magnet away during the winter months.
- Comes with attractant and replacement nets. You supply the propane and propane tank.
- The power cord for the Mosquito Magnet is 50' long (12 Volt).
- The Mosquito Magnet is reputed to protect up to 1 acre.
- There is some maintenance involved (entailing additional costs, as well), which is as follows:
- 1. The propane tank must be refilled periodically.
- 2. The attractant cartridges must be replaced every 21 days.
- 3. The nets must be replaced periodically, as they become filled with your dead victims.
Guide Review - Mosquito Magnet and Coleman's Deleto Insect Traps
In this review I speak of the "Mosquito Magnet," but much of the information here pertains equally to Coleman's "Deleto." But the Coleman product, besides trapping insects, also uses an "Inhibitor" that gives off a chemical to keep mosquitoes away.
How does the Mosquito Magnet work? On a basic level, the principle is simple enough; but the mechanical implementation is quite complex, meaning there's lots of potential for malfunction. The Mosquito Magnet uses the combination of heated, moist air, carbon dioxide and the attractant, "octenol" to fool mosquitoes into thinking it's a breathing, warm-blooded creature. Once lured near the Mosquito Magnet, the biting pests are vacuumed into a net, where they are killed through dehydration. The Mosquito Magnet Liberty insect trap is essentially composed of 3 large parts. A 20 lb. propane gas tank (not included in your purchase) is one of those parts; and this tank sits on a frame that has wheels, for increased portability. The third part lies above the propane tank, supported by a post. This third part is the real "guts" of the Mosquito Magnet and is itself composed of specialized parts: namely, the power pack, the nets into which the mosquitoes are lured, the vacuuming tube and the attractant carrier. A gas line feeds the propane gas into the guts of the unit, where it is converted into carbon dioxide, creating the illusion of human breath.
