Best Bug Sprays of 2025


Our Experts

Our expert and award-winning staff will select the products we cover and rigorously investigate and test our top picks. If you make a purchase through our links, we may earn a fee.

Amanda Caprit's head shot

Amanda Capit

Pool food, hiking and lounges may all be on your warm weather wish list. But fun can be quickly sucked out of such activities When mosquitoes, mites and other hungry insects appear Not invited. The good news is that annoying herds and bites can prepare a bit of parasites – a good bug spray. Bug sprays are special formulas with ingredients ranging from effective chemicals such as DEET to natural elements such as citronella. Generally speaking, repellents approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency are the best option. (And for children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that repellents contain only 30% DEET or other EPA-approved ingredients.)

As you can imagine, there are many bug sprays, wipes and lotions to choose from. That’s why our CNET experts have tested over 20 options from the best brands that will help you decide.

When you live somewhere it’s so hot that opening your back door and starting to sweat and applying an additional layer of sticky is not an option. Cutter dry insect repellent is a much better bug spray in terms of feel. The aerosol nozzle is sprayed widely and evenly, and the formula dries almost instantly on the skin. You don’t need to rub this spray on your skin at all. The bottle has unscented fragrance, but the cutter dry smells slightly. But it’s not overwhelmed like many other sprays, and it’s definitely not unbearable.

Made with 10% DEET, this insect repellent does its job in most environments. However, for backcountry adventures in buggy environments, consider taking something more powerful, such as a 20% or 30% DEET repellent.

If you want to avoid aerosol sprays, what has been proven is a great picaridin-based pump spray insect repellent. Pikarigin is a synthetic compound derived from piperine, a compound found in the family of plants that produce black pepper. It’s not as odour as deep, and according to some studies, picaridin is Just as effective at repelling bugs as DEET.

The proven picaridine pump spray is the only thing that I found to be truly odorless during testing. I would probably have looked engrossed by the bystanders if I saw the smell of my skin and clothes to catch something like this. And in the case of pump spray, it doesn’t have a bad texture – plus it gets pretty lighter and I even had to rub it a little. It was absorbed quickly. Of all the bug sprays I have used in my life, this is the first time I’ve proven it and will buy it in the future.

For those who want to avoid chemicals completely, lemon eucalyptus insect repellents are a gentle way to stop bugs and their bites. I tried several different lemon eucalyptus bug sprays and the Natrapel appeared on top.

It is natural to think that this bug spray is not as effective as its counterpart, which contains Deet or picaridin, as there are no two chemicals that have been proven to repel insects. CDC and EPA Recognize lemon eucalyptus oil as an effective insect repellent. Natrapel bottles are said to provide up to 6 hours of protection against the typical 8-12 of DEET and picaridine products.

Anyway, if you don’t mind applying more frequently, Natrapel aerosols or pump sprays are a good option. Despite the fact that the active ingredient is oil, this bug spray is not as oily as you would expect. It’s a little more difficult to rub against DEET or picaridine spray, but overall it’s not bad. Both bottle types can be easily sprayed. Plus, the smell is nice (if you like lemon eucalyptus).

I’m obsessed with these permethrin insect repellents from Sawyer. I sprayed all the patio furniture from my fabric and tarp covering the gym equipment in my home. Permethrin is an insect repellent designed for clothing and gear. It is not used on skin or clothing while wearing it. Seriously, beware of safety instructions.

Aerosol permethrin creates a great, uniform, fast spray. Easy coating of outdoor furniture in seconds. Pump sprays aren’t that convenient, but they’re fine.

The bottle says the product is odorless, but while using the spray I noticed a slight smell. It was similar to spray paint, but was much more powerful. These bottles are not something I would like to travel with – quite large – I recommend spraying gear before going on camping trips or other outdoor adventures.

Sawyer Permethrin Spray can be washed up for up to 6 weeks or 6 times.

Are you a fan of spray? Try Proven’s Pikaridine Lotion. Like proven pump sprays, odorless lotions are really odorless. “A gentle scent” lotion smells very nice. If you don’t know that it’s an insect repellent, use it as a regular lotion! This lotion uses the same 20% picaridine formula as the proven pump spray. And these bottles are conveniently sized for travel. The small bottle is also suitable for air travel.

I think lotion is suitable for hiking and backpacking trips. I feel that I’m unlikely to sweat on a hot, active day.

For highly packageable insect repellents, try wipes. Because I like Ben’s 30% DEET wipes and know they are effective and easy to travel. You can take insect repellents on your plane, throw some in your day bag for unexpected insects, or equip multiple outdoor excursions with lightweight repellents. You can get 4 packs of 12 wipes on Amazon.

Instead of rubbing dirt on your skin while applying spray, these wipes don’t actually clean your skin, spraying and rubbing lotions on your skin, instead of adding bug protection. If you like to do it, wipes are also great. Wipes also help protect your skin while avoiding damage to your clothes. (In high concentrations, DEET can leave marks on certain fabrics.)

Natrapel attacks again with a picaridin insect reflector wipe. This formula contains 20% picaridine, and is almost odorless with up to 12 hours of protection. These wipes are slightly softer than the ben wipes above, but still effectively wipe off dirt.

And like Ben’s wipes, they are extremely portable and can fit in almost any type of pack you plan to carry. It’s all win-win.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always talk to your physician or other qualified healthcare provider about any questions you may have about your medical condition or health purpose.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *