The best Mosquito repellents, compared.
Top pick: Autan mosquito and insect pump spray, 100 ml Best value: Autan mosquito and insect pump spray, 100 ml – About £8.50 for 100 ml, against about £8.95 for 50 ml of 50% DEET, with 4.5 from 2,234 reviews. The picaridin percentage is not in the bullets. Updated October 2026.
A mosquito repellent is what you buy in the UK when you want mosquitoes, midges, or other biting flies to land less often. Most useful products go on skin. Some are a vapour for one room. People buy one for a holiday, for a child the label allows, or for a garden and the Highlands. Tell a suitable product by the active and the percentage on the pack. UK traveller guidance names four actives: 50% DEET first, then icaridin (often 20% if you will not use DEET), a PMD-type oil from lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. There is no extra duration above 50% DEET. A pump covers the skin you leave bare. A band only scents the wrist. A plug-in only treats one room, and the pins have to match a UK socket. Treat the hour claim as a ceiling, and reapply after sweat or swimming. DEET goes on after sunscreen and stays off watches, glasses, and phone screens. How to choose the active before the pack size is in the [mosquito repellent buying guide](/hub/pest-control/mosquito-repellent/sub/mosquito-repellent-buying-guide).
A mosquito repellent is what you buy in the UK when you want mosquitoes, midges, or other biting flies to land less often. Most useful products go on skin. Some are a vapour for one room.
38 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +19,200 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where does it need to work?
The Autan pump is 100 ml at about £8.50, picaridin-based, with a listing claim of up to 8 hours against common mosquitoes, 6 hours against tiger mosquitoes, and 4 hours against biting flies and ticks, for children over 2. Across 2,234 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.5. People who say they are usually bitten report no bites on holiday, including one who preferred it to DEET, and walkers in Wales mention horseflies. Several call it light and quick to absorb, though a minority are still bitten or find the smell strong on a formula the listing calls unscented. The picaridin percentage is not in the bullets, so this page alone cannot show you the 20% icaridin figure in UK traveller guidance. On the listed price it is about £85 a litre, against about £179 a litre for the 50 ml DEET bottle, which is why it is the best value skin spray here if the bottle in your hand shows the strength.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want more liquid per pound than the 50 ml DEET bottle and you will read the percentage on the bottle.
Less suitable: You need a printed 50% DEET figure for a malaria-risk route, or a listing that already states 20% icaridin.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it DEET free?
The title and the formula line say DEET free. The bullets say picaridin-based. They do not print a percentage.
Can it be used on clothes?
The listing asks this and does not answer it. The bullets say spray onto skin or onto hands.
Does the listing answer the midge question?
It asks whether the spray protects against midges and does not answer. Horseflies, ticks, and tiger mosquitoes are named, with 4 hours for flies and ticks and 6 hours for tiger mosquitoes.
The Lifesystems Expedition pump puts 50% DEET onto skin from a 50 ml bottle at about £8.95, with a listing claim of up to 8 hours and a label for children aged 2 and over. Across 1,300 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.5. Reviewers who usually get severe bites report no bites on a Turkey holiday where it was applied, and one Scottish evening review reports none after topping up. The repeated complaint is an oily or greasy feel, and bites still show up on skin left bare. A leaking bottle appears in a review that liked the fluid, and the product-details line prints ASIN B082JHVDWJ, which does not match this page URL. The listing says to put sun cream on first and that DEET may cut SPF by 30–40%. It is the top pick in this comparison because it is the only row that prints 50% DEET.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a printed 50% DEET pump for a high-bite or malaria-risk trip and you will cover the skin you leave bare.
Less suitable: You want a light, non-greasy spray, or a bottle whose printed ASIN matches the page.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say how it sits with sun cream?
Yes. The bullets say apply sun cream first and let it absorb. They also say DEET may reduce SPF by 30 to 40 percent. That figure is the listing note, not a separate test.
What age does the listing state?
Children aged 2 years and over. The listing does not add a pregnancy line.
Why does another ASIN appear on the page?
The product-details line prints B082JHVDWJ. The page URL is B082JJ5N9V. The link uses the URL ASIN.
The H HYDRO SIP 15-pack is about £8.89 for bands that print model KI-2025, the same number as the £6.37 12-pack, with a title claim of 450 hours and no oil named in the bullets. Across 783 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.3. Reviewers report no bites on the arm that wore the band and say the legs still need one, and a pushchair with a band on each side left a child unbitten in that account. Couples also report bites after they took the bands off to change. Others were still bitten while a citronella smell was present, and in a wet spell in Cyprus buyers went to a pharmacy for something stronger. You pay more per band than for the 12-pack, and the longer hour claim arrives without a citronella bullet.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You specifically want 15 bands of model KI-2025 and you will put one on each limb you leave bare.
Less suitable: You want the cheaper 12-pack that names citronella, or a skin spray with a printed percentage.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the same model as the 12-pack?
Both listings print model KI-2025 and brand H HYDRO SIP. This title says 15 pieces and 450 hours. The 12-pack bullets name citronella and 350 hours. This spec block does not name an oil.
Where did reviewers still get bitten?
On limbs that were not wearing a band, and in Cyprus during a wet spell, after which they bought a pharmacy product.
The H HYDRO SIP 12-pack is about £6.37, with pure citronella oil on the bullets, a claim of up to 350 hours if you reseal the bag, and rank 1 in insect-repellent wristbands on the listing. Across 2,728 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.2. Holiday reports include no bites in Crete, and families call the pack light and adjustable, with a resealed bag keeping the smell for another wear. The same trip can work for one person and not another, and one buyer changed bands daily because the smell faded well short of 350 hours. Dye transfers when the bands get wet, and fasteners come undone. The bullets say all ages without a numbered minimum, and model KI-2025 is also printed on the 15-pack that does not name citronella.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the largest citronella-band sample in this comparison and you will wear more than one band.
Less suitable: You need a named DEET or icaridin spray, or bands the reviews say stay dry without transferring dye.
Specifications
Common questions
Can children wear them?
The listing asks. The bullets say kids and all ages. They do not give a minimum age in years.
Do the bullets say waterproof?
No. The listing asks. Reviews say water fades the scent and dye can transfer to clothes.
Do the bullets mention ticks?
Yes. The duration line is up to 350 hours if you put the band back in the airtight bag.
The Anbar 14-pack is about £7.95, with a citronella scent, a claim of up to 250 hours, and a waterproof, stretchy, one-size line aimed at hiking and camping. Across 1,437 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.2. A Croatia holiday review reports no bites on wrists and ankles while others in the party were bitten, and one midge review reports none while the bands were on. A France trip reported fewer bites, not none. The bands stretch and do not return to size, they are not individually wrapped, and one review limits the effect to a couple of days. An ankle rash left a swollen red itchy mark for several days, and a repeat buyer linked a face rash to sleeping in the band.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a mid-price pack with a waterproof claim for a dry hike, and you will take it off if the skin reddens.
Less suitable: You have reactive skin, you sleep in the band, or you need a spray for skin away from the wrist.
Specifications
Common questions
Can they be worn in water?
The title and bullets say waterproof and stretchy. The listing also asks about water. Reviews do not confirm swimming. One describes a rash after ankle wear.
What age is printed?
Bullets say small toddlers and the family. There is no age in years, unlike the sprays that say 2 years and over.
The PR0TEX pack is 18 leather-style bands at about £9.99, the largest count here, with a DEET-free title, a resealable pack, and no ingredient table or hour figure in the listing. Across 700 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.2. A family holiday in Portugal reports no bites, and another buyer still smelled citronella at 72 hours. Reviews also describe about four days of wear, and one person who is usually bitten reports none with bands on both wrists and both ankles. Italy in the heat still produced bites the buyer could not call fewer, and colour runs when the bands get wet. Some reviews are unused stock bought for a later holiday, so they do not describe bites at all. The product-details line prints ASIN B0GWFJR43R, which does not match the page URL, and the listing date is 7 April 2026.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the biggest band count in this comparison and you will keep the bands dry.
Less suitable: You need a named oil percentage, or bands reviewers say can go in the water.
Specifications
Common questions
Can they be worn in water?
The listing asks and does not answer. Reviews say the colour comes off when wet and to take them off before swimming.
Which oils are listed?
None in the spec block. Reviews mention citronella, and one mentions peppermint and cinnamon. Those are review smells, not a label table.
Which ASIN is on the page?
The page URL is B0DP34RTDF. The product-details line prints B0GWFJR43R and a first-available date of 7 April 2026. The link uses the URL ASIN.
The APHY bundle is two sprays and an after-bite pen at about £10.95, sold for outdoor travel and camping, with an all-day line and no hour figure. Across 321 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.2. Some travellers, including a Vietnam trip, say the spray kept mosquitoes off, and one review says the pen soothed an old bite straight away. On a Rhodes holiday both pumps locked after the first spray, and other buyers say a unit stopped after first use or ran out quickly. The listing does not name the active, so the star line cannot tell you whether this is DEET, icaridin, or something else. Several reviewers were still bitten or could not tell whether it helped.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a spare spray and a bite pen, and you will read the bottle for the active before you travel.
Less suitable: You need a named 50% DEET or a stated picaridin percentage, or a pump reviewers say keeps working.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the pack?
The bullets say two mosquito and insect repellent sprays and one after-bite pen. Item form is stick and spray. Unit count is 120 g.
Which active does the listing name?
None. DEET-free is also not stated. Treat the fluid as unknown from this listing.
Did reviews mention the pump?
Yes. On a Rhodes trip both sprays worked once and then the pump locked. Another review says one stopped after first use.
The Teepu pack is 15 PU-leather bands at about £4.99, the lowest bracelet price here, scented with citronella, lemongrass, lavender, and peppermint, and a title claim of up to 350 hours. Across 157 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.2. Wearers who are usually bitten report none while a band was on, including an Asia trip where the pack was shared, and one sensitive-skin review reports no irritation. A Greece review describes bites about 1 cm from the bands on ankles and wrists, about 60 bites between two people. Red dye transfers onto clothes, and all 15 bands share one pouch, so the scent fades if you leave it open. The 350-hour line is a pouch claim, not a time for which bare skin stays protected.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest named-oil bands in this comparison as a spare scent, and you will still cover skin with a spray if bites matter.
Less suitable: You want cover on skin away from the wrist, or bands that reviewers say do not stain clothes.
Specifications
Common questions
What oils does the listing name?
Citronella, lemongrass, lavender, and peppermint. It also says DEET-free. No percentage is printed.
Can children wear them?
The title and bullets say adults and children. They do not give a minimum age.
What did reviews say about colour?
Red dye transferred onto clothes. Bites were reported about 1 cm from the bands.
The Cliganic pack is 10 microfiber bands at about £8.99, citronella-scented plant oils with no percentage and no hour figure, sold for parks, hiking, and camping, with a resealable bag. Across 1,519 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.1, and only nine UK review texts are held, so the themes are thin. Those texts include no bites on the Norfolk Broads, a week in Greece with the band on a leg, and two weeks in the south of France with one band on each arm. One review says they do not work against horseflies, midges, or other common UK insects, and another describes more intense itching after a couple of hours. The button is fiddly, and one wearer put the band in a pocket instead. A failure review also mentions stickers, so that result may not be the band alone.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a fabric band with a bag, and you will treat nine review texts as anecdotes.
Less suitable: You need an hour claim on the listing, or a spray for horseflies and midges.
Specifications
Common questions
Can they be worn in the rain?
The listing asks and does not answer. Bullets mention a resealable bag to preserve the oils, not a waterproof test.
Are they adjustable?
The bullets say one size, comfortable, and adjustable. One of the nine reviews says the button was too fiddly and the band went in a pocket.
How many review texts are held?
Nine, against a listing count of 1,519. Praise and failure are both in that short set, including a Norfolk Broads report of no bites and a review that says they failed on UK horseflies and midges.
The Active Era pack is 12 glossy black coils at about £8.99, with lemongrass, geraniol, and citronella oil, a claim of up to 250 hours or 10 days, and a label for children aged 3 and over. Across 5,062 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.0, the largest sample in this comparison and the lowest bracelet stars. Camping and Spain reviews report no bites against a usual handful, and some parents say children stayed unbitten while adult results were mixed. Buyers who change the coil every few days, or when the smell fades, then report no bites, which is shorter than the 10-day line. One coil snapped on first use, a review warns of a lemon allergy, and another says the bands are not individually wrapped, which conflicts with the resealable-pack bullet. People without bands were also unbitten in one account, so the 4.0 is hard to read as a test of whether mosquitoes landed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the biggest review sample and a kids-3-plus line, and you will change the coil when the smell goes.
Less suitable: You want the 4.5-star skin sprays, or you have a lemon allergy.
Specifications
Common questions
Are they one colour?
The bullets say glossy black coils, not a mixed colour pack. The listing asks about other colours and does not list any.
What age is on the title?
Adults and kids 3+. That is the only numbered child age among the bands in this comparison.
Did a review mention an allergy?
Yes. One reviewer says they do not work and to avoid them with a lemon allergy. Another says a band broke on first use and the smell faded.
The ABL plug-in is two 35 ml bottles at about £12.49, with a claim of up to 45 nights a refill, and bullets that say it deters mosquitoes and midges and also kills flying insects. Across 310 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 3.6, the lowest stars in this comparison. A London parent reports a child who had been bitten every night was not bitten after the unit was plugged in, and some holiday users, including Mauritius, report no bites. Several reviews say the plug is a European two-pin, not a UK 13 A plug, and one unit would not turn on on an Asia trip. In a West Africa stay the bottle level did not drop over six weeks, the device was only slightly warm, and the user was badly bitten. The active is not named, while the bullets say chemical-free.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already have a matching plug and you only want a vapour for one indoor room.
Less suitable: You need a UK 13 A plug, a named active, or cover for skin outdoors.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it fit a UK socket?
The listing does not say BS 1363. Reviews say it arrived with a European 2-pin plug and needs a UK plug or another unit.
Is it safe for children?
The listing asks and does not answer. Do not copy an age from a different brand.
How can you tell it is on?
Reviewers say there is a switch and no light. One bottle did not drop over six weeks and the unit was only slightly warm.
Eleven amazon.co.uk listings are scored from 0 to 100 as a shelf sort on 21 October 2026. This is not a bite trial, and we did not run one. Up to 40 points come from the star line: the rating divided by 5, times 40, to the nearest whole number. Up to 60 points come from the listing. That block rises when the page names an active UKHSA and UKMEAG use and prints a percentage, and when the review sample is large. It falls when the active is missing, the format only scents a wrist, reviews describe a European two-pin plug, a pump that locks, dye transfer, a rash, or a details line whose ASIN does not match the page URL. Stars are not a landing-rate score. A 4.2 from several thousand bracelet reviews cannot outrank a pump that prints 50% DEET. The top pick is the highest total. Best value is the skin spray with a named active that gives more liquid per pound. Citronella bands are cheaper and do not take that badge.
Amazon.co.uk star line
40%The listing rating divided by 5, times 40, to the nearest whole number. A large bracelet sample does not outrank a lower star line on a 50% DEET pump. Stars are satisfaction, not a count of landings.
Named active and strength
35%Points rise when the page names DEET, icaridin, IR3535, or a PMD-type oil and prints a percentage. A missing active, or a picaridin line with no percentage in the bullets, scores lower on this block.
Format, sample, and listing faults
25%A large review sample adds points. Points come off when the product only scents a wrist, reviews describe a European two-pin plug, a pump that locks, dye transfer, a rash, or a product-details ASIN that does not match the page URL.
Start with the active and the percentage, then the age on the label, then whether the format covers skin you will leave bare. Price and scent come last. UK traveller guidance puts 50% DEET first. A citronella band is not one of the four actives. Hour claims are a ceiling. Nothing on this page is a bite trial.
A mosquito repellent, for a UK shopper, is a skin product, or sometimes a room vapour, meant to stop mosquitoes, midges, and other biting flies landing. Quality is the active ingredient and the percentage, not the star rating. Public UK guidance, in the 2026 bite-prevention chapter, says use 50% DEET first. If you will not use DEET, use the highest strength of icaridin (the public traveller sheet says 20%), or a PMD-type oil from lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535.
A 4.2 from several thousand bracelet reviews is satisfaction, not a landing-rate test. It does not outrank a pump that prints 50% DEET. UKMEAG does not treat citronella blends as a reliable repellent.
Those figures sit on titles and pouches. They are not a time for which bare skin stays protected. Reviews describe bites a centimetre from the band, smell that fades in days, and limbs that were not wearing a band.
A plug-in in this comparison is described in reviews as a European two-pin, not a UK 13 A plug. Bites still show on skin the spray never reached. Reading “DEET-free” as “as strong as DEET” is the same class of mistake. The ASA has already rejected that kind of line where the evidence was missing.
The first check is a named active from the four: DEET, icaridin (also sold as picaridin), IR3535, or PMD, which is hydrated, cyclised eucalyptus citriodora oil. If none is printed, do not treat the product as travel protection. Strength follows the trip. Use 50% DEET where malaria or heavy biting is the worry. There is no extra duration above 50%, and fitfortravel says not to put more than 50% on skin. If you will not use DEET, the public traveller sheet says 20% icaridin.
UKHSA allows 50% DEET over two months, including pregnancy and breastfeeding. Under two months, ask a clinician. The two named sprays here say 2 years and over, which is tighter than that public line. Among the bands, only one coil pack prints kids aged 3 and over. Several others say all ages or toddlers and give no age in years. Format decides what skin is covered. A pump you aim, then rub, can reach ankles and neck.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You need 50% DEET on the skin you will leave bare, plus a net and clinical advice for the route. The Lifesystems Expedition Maximum 50% DEET pump, 50 ml, is about £8.95, with a claim of up to 8 hours and a label for children aged 2 and over. Across 1,300 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.5. It feels oily, bites still show on bare skin, and the product-details ASIN does not match the page URL. Skip it if you wanted a light spray.
Parents of children over two, and anyone who dislikes DEET or wears a plastic watch, are the icaridin audience. The Autan mosquito and insect pump spray, 100 ml, is about £8.50, with 4.5 from 2,234 reviews and a listing split of 8, 6, and 4 hours by insect. The bullets say picaridin-based and do not print a percentage, so you read the bottle for 20% icaridin. It is the wrong pack if the route needs a printed 50% DEET figure.
You may want a coloured band as a spare scent and you still need a spray if bites matter. The H HYDRO SIP citronella bracelets, 12 pack, are about £6.37, with pure citronella oil, a 350-hour claim if you reseal the bag, and 4.2 from 2,728 reviews. The effect differed between people on the same trip, dye transfers when wet, and there is no numbered minimum age. Leave them if you need a named DEET or icaridin spray.
The top pick is the Lifesystems Expedition Maximum 50% DEET pump, 50 ml, at about £8.95. It is the highest score because it is the only listing here that prints 50% DEET, with a claim of up to 8 hours, a label for ages 2 and over, and 4.5 from 1,300 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviewers report an oily feel, bites on skin left bare, one leaking bottle, and a product-details ASIN that does not match the page URL. The best value is the Autan mosquito and insect pump spray, 100 ml, at about £8.50. That is about £85 a litre against about £179 a litre for the 50 ml DEET bottle, with 4.5 from 2,234 reviews and a picaridin-based formula. The bullets do not print the percentage, so you still read the bottle. Bands from about £4.99 are cheaper and do not take this badge. None of these scores is a bite trial.
Autan mosquito and insect pump spray, 100 ml
About £8.50 for 100 ml, against about £8.95 for 50 ml of 50% DEET, with 4.5 from 2,234 reviews. The picaridin percentage is not in the bullets.
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 eleven listings. Last checked 21 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 eleven products. We did not run a bite trial.
