The best Animal repellers, compared.
Top pick: YUCEN solar animal repeller, 2-pack Best value: Famisym HSS-GH501 solar cat and fox scarer – About £25.33, 3.8 from 360, 10 metres, IP44, solar and USB. The stem can pull apart. Updated October 2026.
An animal repeller is a garden device that tries to move cats, foxes, birds or burrowing mammals on without a trap or a poison. In a UK garden you are usually choosing between a motion-sensing ultrasonic box, a hose-fed water jet and a solar stake pushed into the turf. A useful unit matches the type to the animal, states a range you can aim, and can be powered through a British winter. Realistic claims cluster around 8–10 metres. Ultrasound does not pass a fence, and it works better in an open garden. Some cats ignore it. A solar panel needs daylight. A USB lead or replaceable cells suit a shaded fence. These units are not BS 1363 mains appliances. Codes such as IP44 or IP65 are listing claims, not certificates. A hose jet must be drained before frost, and plastic stakes snap in hard ground. The checks for type, power and range are in the [animal repeller buying guide](/hub/pest-control/animal-repeller/sub/animal-repeller-buying-guide). There is no commercially approved mole repellent in England, and customer reviews are not proof that a scarer works.
An animal repeller is a garden device that tries to move cats, foxes, birds or burrowing mammals on without a trap or a poison.
42 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +22,100 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where is the problem?
YUCEN's UK1010 is a two-pack of solar PIR units at £19.90, with red flashing lights and a stated output of 9–65 kHz. The amazon.co.uk score is 5.0 from 11 reviews. Those reviews mention easy setup, flashes used against foxes, cats, deer and squirrels, solar running in cloud, rain and heat, and a chicken-coop user who said birds of prey stayed clear. No repeated defect shows up in that short set of reviews. The dimension field prints 10 x 10 x 10 mm against a weight of 210 g, there is no range in metres and no IP code, and the power-source attribute says ac_dc while the title is solar. A perfect score on eleven reviews does not make this the top pick. It is a cheap pair to try if you accept the listing clashes, and a weak choice if you need a distance you can plan a bed around.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want two solar boxes for the price of one mid-range unit and you will ignore the size line.
Less suitable: You need a metre range, an IP code, or evidence beyond eleven five-star reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
How far does the sound reach?
The listing states 9-65 kHz. It does not state a distance in metres.
Is an IP rating given?
No. Reviews mention rain and cloud. That is not an IP code.
Why is the power source ac_dc?
That is the attribute text. The title and bullets describe a solar panel. The two conflict.
SLAJMNZH's DB0365&0709 is a rechargeable wireless two-pack at £32.99, sold as a bird repeller with adjustable output. The amazon.co.uk score is 5.0 from two reviews. One balcony user reported fewer small birds after about a week, and another used a unit to cut droppings on a car parked under a tree. Both called setup easy. The target-species attribute says Bat, while the title says birds. All UK bats are protected, so this listing is not a bat deterrent. There is no motion sensor in the product details, no range, and no IP rating, and a listing question about wet conditions is unanswered. Two five-star reviews at £32.99 are not a reason to put this above a garden PIR with hundreds of reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are trying a wireless bird unit on a balcony or under a tree, and you have read that two reviews are the whole sample.
Less suitable: You want to move bats, you need a garden PIR for cats, or you want a weather rating.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a motion sensor included?
The listing does not say. It describes a wireless ultrasonic bird unit you leave running, with adjustable output.
Is it weatherproof?
No IP rating is given. A listing question asks about wet conditions and the details do not answer it.
Why does the target species say bat?
The amazon.co.uk attribute says Bat, while the title sells it as a bird repeller. That field is recorded as listed.
PXSCTD's QSQ-UK02 is a solar PIR scarer at £18.99, claimed at 10 metres and 120 degrees, with a flash, a stake or a wall or tree mount, and an IPX6 line set against IPX4 in the copy. The amazon.co.uk score is 4.9 from 11 reviews, and 10 UK review texts were captured with the listing. Vegetable-bed users in that small set reported no fresh digging the next mornings, and they left the unit on solar. There is no repeated defect in those texts, which is not the same as a measured stop. Eleven reviews cannot outrank 3.7 from 22,905 on the PestBye pair. Buy it only if you like the mount options and you accept that 4.9 is a short list, and skip it if you are choosing by how many people have already written about a failure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a solar unit you can try on a fence as well as a stake, and you can live with 11 reviews.
Less suitable: You are treating 4.9 as stronger evidence than a 3.7 from tens of thousands of reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be fixed to a fence?
The bullet offers a stake and a wall or tree mount. It does not list fixings.
What ingress rating is claimed?
The listing says IPX6 and contrasts that with IPX4. That is the seller's rating, not a certificate on the listing.
How many reviews support the 4.9 score?
The listing line says 11 reviews. Ten UK review texts were captured with that listing.
Nitoer's S40L is a four-pack of solar lawn stakes at £19.90, with 4.2 from 22 amazon.co.uk reviews. The maximum-range attribute says 15.24 metres, a bullet says about every 50 feet, and the listing claims IP65 and a 48-hour charge. Buyers who liked it pushed the stakes in with no tools and reported fewer new molehills after a few weeks. One buyer said moles were unaffected after about a week, and one said their dog growled at the stakes. The power-source field says ac_dc, which conflicts with the solar title. GOV.UK says there is no commercially approved mole repellent in England, so these stakes are not an approval and not a cat scarer. Use them only as a lawn experiment you can pull up, and skip them if the problem is fouling on a bed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have molehills in open turf and you will treat a four-pack as a trial, not as a licensed control.
Less suitable: You want to stop cats on a patio, or you need a method GOV.UK lists as approved.
Specifications
Common questions
How far apart should they go?
A bullet says about every 50 feet. The maximum-range attribute says 15.24 metres.
Will it harm pets?
The bullets say there is no poison. One reviewer said their dog growled at the stakes.
Does every review say the moles left?
No. Some reported fewer hills after a few weeks. One said moles were unaffected after about a week.
The RUTIDA RC-511 is a solar PIR scarer at £18.99, claimed at 8–10 metres and 110 degrees, with a dual flash and an IP44 line. The amazon.co.uk score is 4.0 from 17 reviews. Several of those reviews say cat fouling stopped, one early report mentions foxes, and one reviewer said dogs stopped fouling too. The bullets say solar charging and no extra battery, and a buyer who expected a USB lead said that was not what arrived. Another unit showed a red light and made no sound. The dimension line of 6 x 2 x 8 cm does not sit with a listed weight of 320 g. It is a compact solar box when the panel gets sun and you do not need a winter lead, and a letdown if you ordered it for USB backup.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a solar PIR under £20 with a printed IP44 line, and the panel will see daylight.
Less suitable: You need USB charging for a north-facing fence, or you want a review count in the hundreds.
Specifications
Common questions
Is there a USB lead?
The bullets say solar charging and no extra battery. A reviewer who expected USB said it was not what they thought they had ordered.
Is it weatherproof?
The listing says IP44.
What did reviewers notice when it failed?
One unit showed a red light and made no sound. Others said cat fouling stopped.
XINYIWEI's cat-41151 is a solar PIR scarer with a flashing light at £19.99, and the listing claims IPX5. There is no range in metres and no figure for how long a charge lasts. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.0 from 16 reviews. One of the three stored texts says there were no cats or pigeons for nine days. Another says the item did not match the Amazon description and that the seller did not reply, and a buyer who called it fair value still said the effect was unproven. The title mentions variable frequency. Sixteen reviews and a missing distance make this a speculative solar box, not a substitute for the Famisym or the PestBye pair when you want a number you can aim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a mid-price solar flash unit and you will judge it yourself after a fortnight.
Less suitable: You need a metre claim, a large review count, or a listing that matched what one buyer received.
Specifications
Common questions
How long does a solar charge last?
The listing asks this and does not give a figure.
What weather rating is claimed?
IPX5. The listing does not include a certificate.
Do the reviews confirm the description?
One of the three review texts says the item did not match the Amazon description. Another reported no cats or pigeons for nine days.
PestBye's Jet Spray, model PB0033A, is a hose-fed motion sprinkler listed at £49.99 on 19 October 2026, with 3.8 from 4,652 amazon.co.uk reviews. The page claims about 10 metres, 120 degrees and a burst of about five seconds, and reviewers who set the angle say cats and foxes moved on, with a few saying the same of badgers. The plastic stake is repeatedly called flimsy, the spray can leak or point the wrong way, and one review put battery use at four AA cells about every three weeks. Other owners say water got into the head over about a year and they replaced the unit. A same-day check of the live amazon.co.uk page found this ASIN unavailable, so the £49.99 line is the saved shelf price, not a promise of stock. It suits a bed you can reach with a hose and can drain before frost, and it is the wrong buy if you have no outdoor tap.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have an outdoor tap, you can store the head before a frost, and you have checked the listing is in stock.
Less suitable: You have no hose, you need the unit out all winter, or you are buying the saved £49.99 without a fresh stock check.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it need a hose?
Yes. The listing says it connects to a standard garden hose and sprays only when the sensor trips, for about 5 seconds.
Can it be used indoors?
The listing question is there, and the product is a hose-fed outdoor jet. Nothing in the details describes indoor use.
What do reviews repeat about faults?
A flimsy plastic stake, leaks, and heavy AA use. One review said four AA cells about every three weeks. Others said water got in over about a year.
The Famisym HSS-GH501 is a solar or USB PIR scarer at £25.33, with a claimed 10 metres and 110 degrees, an IP44 rating, and adjustable sensitivity and frequency. Across 3.8 from 360 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers mention topping it up by USB when November sun was weak, and several report fewer fox or cat visits than with an older unit that took in water. A badger walked through and was not bothered, and some cats still fouled in front of the stake. One reviewer had the stem pull apart and stay in the ground, and at least one unit broke quickly. The target-species field says cricket and rat, which is not the garden job in the title. It is the best value row here when you want a stated weather code and a lead for a dark week, and the wrong stake if the ground is paved or you expect every visitor to turn around.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have daylight most of the year and want a USB lead for a dull fortnight, at £25.33.
Less suitable: You need to fix it to paving, or you are buying it because the species field matches a cricket or a rat.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be topped up when the sun is weak?
Yes. The listing includes USB charging as well as the solar panel. Reviewers mentioned using the lead in November.
What weather rating is stated?
IP44. The bullet says not to soak the unit.
Does the stake stay in one piece?
One reviewer said the stem pulled apart in the ground and had to be dug out. The listing still describes a simple push-in setup.
PestBye's PB0032X2 is two battery PIR units at £29.98, each claimed at 10 metres, and the amazon.co.uk line is 3.7 from 22,905 reviews. Many of those reviews describe fewer cat messes once the stake or wall tab is aimed at the way in, and some buyers go months between sets of four AA cells, which are not in the box. The same reviews include cats that ignored the sound after weeks or months, branches that kept the sensor awake, and battery-cover screws that would not seat and could rust. A blue activation light shows a trip, and one reviewer had that light stuck on. The listing calls the units waterproof and prints no IP code, and the weight field of 5 g does not match a unit this size. In this set it is the top pick when you want the largest review count and no hose, and a poor bet if you treat 3.7 as a promise that every cat will leave.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a dry pair you can read thousands of reviews for, and you can change eight AA cells through the year.
Less suitable: You need a splash the animal cannot ignore, or you have no way to stop branches crossing the beam.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it plug into the mains?
No. Each unit takes 4 AA batteries, which are not included. There is no USB charge in the listing.
Will it bother garden birds?
The product copy on the listing says it did not seem to bother birds, and that a hedgehog was seen in front of a unit. That is the brand note, not a trial.
What goes wrong after the first weeks?
Reviews describe cats learning to ignore the sound, branches setting the sensor off, and battery-cover screws that do not seat fully.
The POFACT Q-110 is a solar and USB ultrasonic scarer at £17.98, with a motion sensor, an LED strobe and a claimed range of 20–25 feet, which is about 6–8 metres. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.6 from five reviews. A short review said it worked, and solar and USB charging are both mentioned, along with a light-flash mode. One reviewer treated the flash as a help to squirrels rather than a deterrent, and another still saw animals and was unsure it was enough. The listing does not state a volume control or an IP code, and it does not say how long a charge lasts. Five reviews cannot settle whether the strobe helps. It is a low-price solar-plus-USB box to experiment with, and too thin a sample to prefer over the Famisym at £25.33.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want USB backup under £20 and you will treat five reviews as a starting point.
Less suitable: You want a strobe that reviewers agree is a deterrent, or a sample larger than a handful.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this POFACT unit charge by USB?
The listing describes a solar panel and USB charging, with a rechargeable battery. It does not say how long a charge lasts.
Does it need a garden hose?
No. It is an ultrasonic unit with a motion sensor and a strobe, not a water jet.
Can you turn the volume down?
The listing asks the question, but the product details do not state a volume control.
BHW's HD-151 is a solar PIR scarer at £13.98, and the amazon.co.uk line is 3.4 from 201 reviews, the weakest star score among listings here that have reviews. A bullet tells you to leave it in the sun for at least two days before you install it, and the listing gives no range in metres and no IP code. Some buyers said cats and foxes stayed off artificial grass, and one Cumbria buyer used several on molehills. Other reviews say it did not trigger on auto when a person or a dog walked past, that continuous mode was noisy, that a unit stopped after about two weeks, and that a solar panel arrived looking damaged. Cats still entered for some of them. The price is the low end of this set, and the failure notes are why it does not take best value.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest solar PIR in this comparison and you will test whether auto mode actually trips.
Less suitable: You need a stated range, a USB lead, or a review pattern that is not full of early failures.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it need disposable batteries?
The title and bullets describe solar charging. A bullet says to leave it in the sun for at least two days before installation. USB is not stated.
Is a weather rating given?
No IP code is on the listing. Some reviews call it waterproof.
What failures show up in reviews?
Units that did not trigger on auto, a noisy continuous mode, a stop after about two weeks, and a solar panel that looked damaged on arrival.
Slexunilee's Rro-0018 is a four-pack of solar mole stakes at £17.47, with a listed size of 5 x 5 x 35 cm, an ABS body and an 8-hour charge time in the bullets. The amazon.co.uk listing has no customer-review line and no review texts, so there is no star rating to weigh. A bullet mentions a pulse about every 40 seconds. The maximum-range attribute says 650 metres, which is not a coverage figure you can plan a lawn around. No IP code is given. Like the other mole stakes in this set, it is not a commercially approved mole repellent under the GOV.UK guidance for England, and it does not sense a cat on a path. At this price you are buying an unreviewed listing with a range line that should be ignored.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know this is an unreviewed solar stake and you will not use the 650 m line.
Less suitable: You want reviews, a realistic range, or a device for cats and foxes.
Specifications
Common questions
Are there amazon.co.uk reviews?
The listing has no customer-review line and no review texts.
What range is printed on the listing?
The maximum-range attribute says 650 metres. A bullet mentions a pulse about every 40 seconds. Treat 650 metres as the printed figure only.
Does it need a hose or a PIR?
No. It is a set of solar stakes for the lawn, not a motion-activated sprinkler.
Twelve amazon.co.uk listings were scored on 19 October 2026. This is not a laboratory test. Amazon evidence is the star rating and the review count: a 3.7 from 22,905 reviews scores above a 5.0 from two reviews. Listing fit checks the type, a usable range, power that matches the title, and an IP code if one is printed. Review outcome uses themes in the amazon.co.uk reviews only. Value is the shelf price in GBP against a usable spec and a review count you can read. The top pick is the highest score. Best value is the best price against a stated range, a weather line and a review count in the hundreds.
Amazon evidence
30%Star rating and review count on amazon.co.uk. A 3.7 from 22,905 scores higher than a 5.0 from two or eleven reviews. A listing with no review line scores 0 on this block.
Listing fit
25%The type matches the job, the range is about 8–10 metres or a foot figure you can convert, the power source agrees with the title, and an IP code is printed if the seller states one. A 650-metre line, a bat target on a bird title, or a mains attribute against a solar title loses this block.
Review outcome
25%Themes in the amazon.co.uk reviews only: fewer visits, habituation, false triggers, leaks, stems and early failures. A listing with two reviews cannot score like a listing with thousands.
Value
20%Shelf price in GBP against a usable spec and a review count you can read. A lower price does not win when the stars are 3.4 and reviews describe early stops. A £49.99 jet does not win this block when the live page was unavailable the same day.
Start with the animal, then the power you will actually maintain, then a range you can aim. A PIR ultrasonic box or a hose jet is for visitors that cross a beam. A solar stake is a lawn trial for moles, and GOV.UK does not list a commercially approved mole repellent. The top pick is the PestBye battery pair at about £29.98. The best value is the Famisym solar and USB unit at about £25.33. Nothing on this page is a laboratory test, and reviews are not proof that a scarer works.
An animal repeller is a garden device that tries to move cats, foxes, birds or burrowing mammals on without a trap or a poison. UK buyers are usually choosing a PIR ultrasonic box, a hose-fed motion sprinkler, or a solar stake sold for moles. Quality is not the star rating on its own. The RHS says ultrasound works better in an open garden and that some cats ignore it.
A PIR that faces a path or a road will trip on people, dogs and branches, and it will flatten the batteries. Cats that leave on the first night sometimes ignore the sound weeks later. Give the siting more than one evening before you decide the unit has failed.
No unit in this category stops all cats, foxes or moles. A listing that says 100 percent is not a result. A maximum-range attribute of 650 metres is a printed figure, not coverage you can plan a lawn around. Usable claims cluster around 8–10 metres.
Solar needs daylight on the panel. A shaded fence wants a USB lead or AA cells. An in-ground mole stake does not sense a cat on a patio, and it is not a commercially approved mole repellent in England.
A PIR ultrasonic scarer emits a high-frequency burst, and often a flash, when a warm body moves. A water jet uses batteries and a garden hose for a short spray, often claimed at about 10 metres and 120 degrees. Solar mole stakes pulse in the turf. They do not solve fouling on a patio. A bird unit is not a lawn tool, and you must not use any unit against bats. Choose sound when you have no outdoor tap and you can aim an open stretch of garden.
Solar needs daylight on the panel. November is when a USB lead matters. AA cells suit a dark fence, and a pair often takes four cells per unit, not included. No product of this kind here is a BS 1363 mains appliance. A hose jet must be drained before frost. Listing ranges you can use sit around 8–10 metres and about 110–120 degrees, or 20–25 feet, which is about 6–8 metres. Sound does not pass a fence. IP44, IPX5, IPX6 and IP65 appear as listing claims, not as certificates.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are dealing with cats in bare beds and you want the largest review count, with no hose. The PestBye ultrasonic pair is about £29.98, with 3.7 from 22,905 reviews, claimed at 10 metres. Each unit takes four AA cells, not included. Reviews describe fewer messes once the stake or wall tab is aimed, and also cats that later ignored the sound. It is a weaker match if you need a splash the animal cannot ignore.
You are on a fox run, and leaving food out will still draw animals in. The Famisym HSS-GH501 is about £25.33, with 3.8 from 360 reviews, solar or USB, an IP44 line and a claimed 10 metres. Reviewers report fewer fox or cat visits than with an older unit that took in water. A badger was not bothered, and the stem can pull apart. Skip it if the panel gets no daylight and you will not use the USB lead.
You are hoping a cheap stake will end molehills. The Nitoer four-pack is about £19.90, with 4.2 from 22 reviews, a 15.24 metre attribute and a claimed IP65. Some buyers reported fewer new hills after a few weeks. One said moles were unaffected after about a week. GOV.UK says there is no commercially approved mole repellent in England, so this is a lawn trial, not a licensed control. It does not stop cats on a patio.
The top pick is the PestBye ultrasonic cat repellent, set of two, at about £29.98. It is the highest score: 3.7 from 22,905 amazon.co.uk reviews, a stated 10 metres, four AA cells per unit, and no hose. Reviews describe fewer messes, then habituation and branches that trip the sensor. The best value is the Famisym HSS-GH501 at about £25.33, 3.8 from 360 reviews, with 10 metres, IP44, and solar plus USB. The stem can pull apart. A hose jet at about £49.99 has a large review count but does not take best value, and the live page was unavailable on 19 October 2026. A solar box at about £13.98 does not take best value when the star line is 3.4 and reviews describe units that stopped early. None of these scores is a laboratory test. GOV.UK lists no commercially approved mole repellent, and the ASA does not treat reviews as proof that a scarer works.
Famisym HSS-GH501 solar cat and fox scarer
About £25.33, 3.8 from 360, 10 metres, IP44, solar and USB. The stem can pull apart.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured for these 12 listings. Last checked 19 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines captured for these 12 products on 19 October 2026. We did not run a laboratory test. The PestBye jet page was unavailable that day, so its price is the saved shelf price.
