Thermacell Mosquito Repeller Patio Shield; Includes 12-Hour Refill; 15 Foot Zone of Protection; Highly Effective Mosquito Repellent for Patio; Bug Spray Alternative; Scent Free

I didn't get this item for free, so you can trust that my review is solid. Mosquitos are pretty picky about who they prey upon. They prefer a particular scent and blood chemistry which is why I can understand why the reviews range from "didn't work" to "changed my life." Let's face it - when you're in an area where mosquitos are so thick that you can hear them buzzing and watch them landing on your skin, you should just go inside. Not much is going to save you. However, if you're like me and your skin lights up with a neon sign for the mosquitos (and you are the ONLY one they're biting in a group), you're happy to try just about anything that will keep them away from you.My husband bought this Thermacell Repeller so I would stop complaining. I still haven't stopped complaining (sorry, honey), but I have stopped flapping my gums about mosquitos. We put this Repeller out on our porch during the beginning of summer, before the mosquitos were really out and about. About mid-summer I started telling my health care provider (and all of my friends) that I must be going through menopause early or having some major blood chemistry change, because mosquitos were no longer seeking me out of a group. As long as we were outside around our home, I just wasn't getting a bite. It was miraculous and beautiful. Then we went to a friend's house. Ouch. They were all over me again. It took me a while to realize (yeah, I'm a little slow) that the reason I wasn't getting bit at home was because my husband had lit the Thermacell each time we were outside. I honestly didn't even realize it was on and running. It doesn't make noise, doesn't product a smell, and doesn't really take up any room at all. Pretty dang amazing. We went through 3 scent pads this summer and one fill of butane and it keeps on going. It's easy to throw in a bag and take anywhere with us. Most everyone who visited this summer has purchased one. I advise you do the same if you're a mosquito magnet like me. It really is a game changer.

We lived in Houston..where the mosquitos can breed in the air…This thing saved us when we were outside. We loved eating on our patio and always had this nearby. Used it for years!

Remember to shut it off if you're not around. The heating element stays on until you physically shut it off. Otherwise great product to have on the proch.

I feel like I can enjoy my backyard with this thing. Very Effective. The fuel and the pads last quite a while. It doesn't get too hot, so I don't feel like it's a safety concern. Perfect size to take with you camping.

It works pretty well, though not perfect. It is better than having to spray chemicals all over you, though I'm not certain you're still not breathing in a chemical even though it's FDA approved. My problem is there is no timer to turn it off. It comes with a liquid fuel (some sort of gas) that you screw in, and then an ignitor. It creates a small flame which warms up the mosquito repellent pad, and that's how it works. The problem is, after a drink (or two) before bed, I have forgotten to manually turn this off so it doesn't use the WHOLE thing of fuel before I go to bed. I'm now buying the extra 48 hours of fuel and chemical pads just because I know I'm going to burn out a bunch of fuel cells before I remember to turn this thing off. It's a small tweak that could be easily made, and I hope in the future they do, but right now it sucks for that reason.

The problem was the supposed to get the no see ima and it work we don’t see the pesty nats

Great product ! Works wonders !

I am one of those unfortunates that happen to be a mosquito magnet. People all around me can be untroubled while I need to flail at the hordes of ravening mosquitos who are obsessed with my tasty, tasty blood. I enjoy sitting outside in the evening but I don’t enjoy the itchy welts later, or the creepy whine of the attackers around my face. I hate drenching myself in poison, and other remedies are never effective.So far this product seems to be working quite well, with an absence of mosquitos when we have used it, although it’s sometimes hard to tell why. The mosquitos don’t seem to be awful right now, although earlier in the season when we had some horribly hot days they seemed to immediately Velcro to all exposed skin that was outside. Will test further, although we used it with success in our most mosquito-prone area.One thing I did not like is that although the photo with the product seems to show food and drink within the radius of protection, sitting by the people, instructions recommend keeping food and drink out of the protected radius. So if I want to sit outside on the patio swing with my can of Diet Coke and a snack on a table beside me, that’s going to be problematic. I guess just keep that in mind, especially with children.I ended up with the cheapest model first, that has fuel cartridges and then the little patches that go on top to be heated and disperse the repelling agent. Not fond of the thought of liquid fuel lying around, so I ordered a model that heats after being charged electronically - and found that it uses a liquid cartridge of the dispersal agent! Guess I can’t get away from the liquid. I will need to look at other models to see if I can get the best of both worlds and no liquid cartridges.Hope the combo of the two will provide the ultimate protection, since apparently breezes can also affect its effectiveness.Looking forward to a less itchy summer!