Mosquitos are a menace. And most of us would try anything to get some relief from the slapping and scratching. A popular gadget in the summer months is a portable mosquito repeller, like the Thermacell Patio Shield. But with no batteries, and twice as many components that need replacing, is the Thermacell Patio Shield you new outdoor bestie, or just a cash cow for Thermacell. And most importantly, does it actually work?
Thermacell Patio Shield
Summary
Overall, there’s definitely a customer for this product, and the fact that there are thousands of these sold every month underlines the fact it does have a place in the market. Even so it might not be the ideal solution for everyone.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- No batteries
- No smoke or scent
- Silent
- It works
Cons
- 2 sets of supplies
- Cost of resupply
- No off-brand supplies
- No auto shut-off
In this hands-on review I’m going to try it out at my home to see what it’s like to use, what makes it different from other Thermacell devices, and how it works. I’ll tally up the pros and the cons and let you know if I think I can recommend this mosquito repelling device for you.
Two years ago, I reviewed the Thermacell Radius mosquito repeller and to my surprise, it worked as advertised! Radius is a battery powered, fully rechargeable and portable mosquito repeller that actually does the job. I was pretty pleased with it, despite the fact that you need to buy refill repellant cartridges to keep the mosquito shield up and running. Other than that, I had no other issues with the device. It only made sense for Thermacell to build on their success with even more mosquito repellers to pick from, all with rechargeable batteries.
Watch my full hands-on video review of Thermacell Patio Shield
Batteries NEVER included!
However, Thermacell sells some other products that don’t rely on batteries at all. The Patio Shield gets its power from something else…and to find out more about that, let’s look at what you get.
What’s in the Box?
In the package is the Thermacell Patio Shield itself, which is a cylindrical shaped plastic device that feels extremely lightweight. This version unlike many of Thermacell’s other products, comes in a bunch of different fun colours meant to complement your yard and garden decor. That’s one of the key differentiators from other products in the Thermacell lineup.
Also in the box you’ll find one small butane cartridge, and a trio of repellent mats. You don’t get any charging cable or dock because the Patio Shield fully relies on the fuel cartridge to heat up the repellent mat in order to disperse the repellant.
Yes, that’s twice the number of consumables and replaceables to worry about and seemingly a step backwards over Thermacell’s newer rechargeable mosquito repellers. But that’s where it gets its other differentiating factor from, and that’s that it requires no batteries whatsoever.
Set up & assembly
When it comes to the set up and assembly, it’s quite straight forward: unwrap everything from the packaging, and remove the cap from the small butane cartridge. The cartridge screws in to the inside of the Patio Shield.
Then when you’re going to use it, you’ll want to unwrap one of the repellent mats. The mat just slides in under the plastic on top of the device. When it’s time to activate it, turn the dial along the base to the ‘On’ position for about 5 seconds, then twist it one step further to the ‘Start’ position and hold it for a few seconds to activate the butane. Once you can hear it running very faintly, you can move the dial back to the ‘On’ position and set it in the centre of your seating area.
There’s also a tiny window in the top side of the device that should begin to glow red when it is activated.
A final thing to consider is that it takes approximately 15 minutes for the device to spread enough repellent to create a mosquito free zone. That means turn it on about 15 minutes before you want to use it to get maximum coverage out of it. Also, Thermacell says the device can only be used outdoors.
How does it work?
The product name provides a clue on how the mosquito repellent works – “Therma” because each device generates heat to vaporize a liquid solution in a swappable cartridge or mat. That solution disperses into the air so that when mosquitoes encounter it they head in the other direction.
A note about Thermacell Lantern
I just want to take a quick moment here to call out the fact that there are a few different options from Thermacell that use similar technology to the Patio Shield. Some of them are different sizes and use cases, but they all have similar operation. You can get the Thermacell Patio Shield Lantern, which has an LED light inside for extra illumination.
The lantern does add the use of AA batteries, which are only used to power the light. The butane cell still fuels the repellant. There’s also the portable handheld Area Repellant which is simply a different design that makes it marginally easier to carry around, or to tuck into a backpack pocket.
Design
The design of the Thermacell Patio Shield is the second sign that this mosquito repeller has a very specific use case; meant to be highly portable, and since it’s only marginally larger than a soda can or a can of beans, you can really bring this anywhere outdoors you’re going to be.
The cylindrical design is still compact measuring 23.5 cm high and it’s quite light. The external body of the Thermacell Patio Shield safely protects the fuel cartridge while allowing it to heat up the repellent mat as usual without relying on electricity.
Ideal for being off grid
That brings up another reason you might be interested in the Thermacell Patio Shield; if you will be camping off grid or somewhere without power. Because this device has no batteries and doesn’t require charging, it’s ideal for carrying when you don’t want to worry about finding juice.
Using the Thermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller
Most mosquito repeller devices work by heating up a mat made of allethrin to release the repellant into the air which wards off mosquitoes and pesky flies. But Thermacell’s technology doesn’t just revolve around the way the product heats up but also the composition of Thermacell’s repellent mats. Not only do these mats create a cone of inhospitability for mosquitos, but they also do this without noise, smoke or scent. This is a huge benefit for many people who would just like to enjoy a quiet smoke-free evening.
Plus, the product and its consumables are DEET-free.
Does it work?
You can probably just barely see the device working; it emits just the faintest wisps from the top of the unit.
I used the Patio Shield on several nights out in our backyard. It has been a cold and rainy spring here in Calgary this year and that’s led to a plethora of mosquitoes. The ideal placement is in the centre of the area where you’re sitting; on a table or otherwise nearby so that it can create that radius of protection.
I can confirm from my personal experience that it doesn’t smell at all, there’s no noticeable smoke or vapour unless you’re looking extremely closely, and it runs perfectly silently. It’s not going to compete with your music and certainly not going to be as jarring as one of those bug zapper devices.
Trying to measure mosquito concentrations in various positions in my yard would be an exercise in futility so I can only go on what my gut tells me with this device, (and what others who’ve been around the Patio Shield say). In short, it actually does feel like it’s working, and I felt like I was slapping mosquitoes a whole lot less or even not at all when I had one of these devices running nearby. It also had the bonus effect of keeping mosquitoes off the dogs too.
No Auto-shut off
I was not very happy with the fact that there is no auto shut off with this device. It’s far too easy to run through a full tank of butane if you don’t remember to turn it off. Which I’m sure Thermacell would like because then you need to buy more.
Working range & time
Thermacell says Patio Shield can repel mosquitoes up to 15 feet away. I found that was pretty accurate from my testing. It did seem after a while that the mosquitoes simply stopped approaching us. When I got up to go inside the house I would find they were hovering elsewhere in the yard.
Mat longevity
Thermacell says that each of the repellent mats should last up to four hours. While that doesn’t seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, it’s likely enough for you to enjoy dinner and drinks in the backyard.
The mats will change colour from blue when they are brand new to white when they are exhausted. And as far as I can tell, if you don’t completely use up a mat in one sitting, as long as it looks like there is still some repellent in there, you should be able to continue using the same mat until it is depleted.
Butane fuel
All the mosquito-free fun goes away after you fully depleted the fuel cartridge which lasts about 12 hours or three consecutive repellent mats. So if you frequently hang out at your patio or other favorite outdoor spot, you better stock up on both butane and mats, and that’s the real downside of picking the Patio Shield over its rechargeable brethren.
Replacement cost
Sure, a replacement 12-hour bundle consisting of a cartridge and set of mats costs just $8.99 USD / $9.49 CAD, but they will add up if you start using the repellent daily or for longer stretches.
This means your total cost of ownership of the Thermacell Patio Shield will eventually exceed the higher price of the Thermacell rechargeable products and their cartridges.
Butane vs battery
While I will recommend most people buy the Thermacell rechargeable versions, those products aren’t exactly perfect especially if you talk about long-term usage. Batteries, even rechargeable ones, as convenient as they are, all have a limited lifespan. Every time you charge the product, the overall lifespan of the battery decreases a tiny bit and that’s a phenomenon all rechargeable products face.
Thermacell didn’t really take this into consideration as you cannot replace the batteries of any of their rechargeable products. Rechargeable products also add more points of failure. What if the battery connection to the product wears out or the charging port gets damaged? The Thermacell Patio Shield doesn’t have these failure points which is likely why Thermacell has them available.
Overall Thoughts: Thermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller
Overall, there’s definitely a customer for this product, and the fact that there are thousands of these sold every month underlines the fact it does have a place in the market. Even so it might not be the ideal solution for everyone. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons to see if it’s right for you.
On the pro side it is extremely compact and lightweight making it very portable, and doesn’t require batteries to operate. It operates without any smoke or scent, and doesn’t make any noise at all. And when it comes to whether or not it works, I feel like it does help keep mosquitoes at bay, and if it doesn’t eliminate them completely, it cuts way down on their concentration within a 15 foot radius.
What are the downsides? Definitely the fact you will need to restock two sets of supplies instead of just one, and that each one has a not insignificant cost that will eventually add up to more than you pay for the device.
The butane cartridges and the mats appear to be proprietary, so it’s not even as though you could find other cheaper or off-brand options. You may also struggle to even find replacements if you’re out camping in the backwoods. Also, most maddeningly, it does not turn off automatically. So if you happen to forget about it, as I did, you can easily exhaust an entire mat or tube of butane, without realizing it.
If you’d prefer to limit your spending to one set of refills, you can investigate a different option like the rechargeable Thermacell Radius, which uses small vials of liquid as the mosquito repellent. I’d definitely recommend Radius, but depending what your use case is, I do also find the Patio Shield does the job as well. For that reason I can definitely recommend it to you as long as you can see the refills treadmill you’re getting yourself onto.
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