The best electric rat traps, compared.
Top pick: LSJXHAIK DB0484 Best value: Roshield EV TRAP – About £29.99 with 3.4 from 262 reviews on this ASIN, an LED cable and a buzzer, for a dry indoor spot only. Updated October 2026.
An electric rat trap is a reusable plastic chamber that baits a rodent onto metal plates and delivers a high-voltage shock from batteries or a low-voltage lead. You buy one when you want a kill trap without anticoagulant bait, usually for a dry kitchen, loft, or garage. A title that says rat is not a chamber measurement, and a mouse slot will not do the job. This comparison did not measure a voltage or a kill time. If you are not sure which animal is in the house, read [how to tell a mouse from a rat](/hub/traps/blog/tell-a-mouse-from-a-rat) before you buy on the word rat. Judge a unit by chamber size, by a real splash-cover claim if it will sit outside, and by UK reviews that describe a finished kill. “Humane” and “instant” are claims, not a measured result.
An electric rat trap is a reusable plastic chamber that baits a rodent onto metal plates and delivers a high-voltage shock from batteries or a low-voltage lead.
36 products checked · 61 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
Swipe for more
1-2 of 10
Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will the trap sit?
The LSJXHAIK DB0484 can run from the included UK adapter or four AA batteries, giving it more flexible day-one power than USB listings without an adapter. A mechanical door closes behind the rodent, and an external LED is stated to show a capture before you release the catch into a bin. The chamber is described as splash-proof and the title says indoor and outdoor, but there is no IP code or listed size. Its perfect five-star average is based on only three reviews, which is far too little evidence for a confident performance claim. Batteries are not included, although the seller does name peanut butter, hazelnut spread or chocolate for the bait cup. It is a feature-rich budget possibility for a dry sheltered position, not a proven outdoor rat trap.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Dry sheltered indoor positions where a UK adapter, battery backup and catch light are useful.
Less suitable: Exposed outdoor use, large rats where chamber size matters, or buyers wanting established review evidence.
Specifications
Common questions
Are batteries included?
No. The bullet says 4 AA batteries are not included. A UK power adapter is included.
Does the LED show a catch?
The bullet says an external LED lights when a rodent is captured.
What bait does the listing name?
Peanut butter, hazelnut spread, or chocolate, in the internal cup. Bait is not included.
The VeftBltrem 0H1C is an indoor 28 cm chamber that can use a 5 V/2 A USB supply or four AA batteries. Its red catch light and red-and-blue low-battery signal provide clearer status information than many similarly priced listings. The seller claims 1,800 V, but that figure was not independently measured. Neither the USB adapter nor the batteries are included, so the £23.12 shelf price does not buy a complete power setup. A five-star average from two reviews is too thin to demonstrate reliable catches or durability. It suits a budget indoor setup only if you already have the correct supply and accept the very limited evidence.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Budget indoor use where a suitable 5 V/2 A adapter is already available.
Less suitable: Outdoor locations, buyers needing included power, or anyone wanting established reliability evidence.
Specifications
Common questions
Does USB power run all the time?
The bullet says use the included USB cable with a 5 V/2 A adapter, which is not included. It does not say the trap charges and then runs unplugged.
Can it go outdoors?
The bullet says indoor use only.
What should you do before emptying it?
The bullet says disconnect power and not to touch the plates while the trap is on.
The grey Vistroll MK22-ZZ01 is a very small 12 × 5 × 3 cm rechargeable chamber with two bait compartments. Its bullets describe small mice even though another target field also names rats, so it should not be bought as a general rat trap. A light and sound alert plus a removable base make checking and emptying clearer than on listings with no alert information. The claimed 2,000 V was not independently measured, and the power field says air powered while the bullets describe charging for two hours. Its 4.6-star score comes from only 25 reviews, and the same review text appears on the red colour listing. This is better viewed as a compact indoor mouse unit than as evidence-led equipment for a brown rat.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Small mice in a dry indoor room where a compact rechargeable chamber is appropriate.
Less suitable: Brown rats, damp garages, outdoor runs, or buyers relying on model-specific review evidence.
Specifications
Common questions
Will this grey Vistroll take a large rat?
The bullets say it is designed for small mice. The listed size is 12 × 5 × 3 cm. Target species also says Rats.
Can it be used outdoors?
The bullets name indoor rooms, including a garage. There is no IP rating.
Why does the listing say air powered?
That is the power-source value on the listing. The bullets describe a rechargeable trap. Both lines are recorded.
The red Vistroll MK22-ZZ01 uses the same 12 × 5 × 3 cm format and 2,000 V claim as the grey version. Its listing describes a rechargeable chamber with a light, sound alert and removable base, which is convenient for indoor monitoring. However, the bullets refer to small mice, and the available listing does not answer whether it works on larger rats. The structured power value says air powered, conflicting with the rechargeable description. The displayed 4.6 stars from 25 reviews are not separate evidence because the review text is shared with the grey ASIN. Choose the colour only after deciding that a mouse-sized indoor unit, rather than a true rat chamber, matches the animal you have identified.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Small-mouse control in dry indoor rooms where the red colour is preferred.
Less suitable: Larger rats, outdoor use, or shoppers treating the 25 reviews as colour-specific evidence.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the red unit a different model?
No. Model number MK22-ZZ01 matches the grey ASIN. UPC and weight differ.
Does it work on larger rats?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. The bullets say small mice.
Are the 25 reviews separate from the grey listing?
The review text on the two listings is the same.
The OWLTRA OW-1 is a rat-sized indoor chamber measuring 23.9 × 7.6 × 9.9 cm and running on four C batteries. Its two infrared sensors and magnetic lid are practical features, while removing the top is stated to cut the power. The listing claims 6,000–9,000 V, but that figure was not independently measured. Shared OWLTRA reviews include quick mouse catches and one large rat after pre-baiting, but also one incomplete kill. The displayed 14,738-review total is shared with the OW-7 and therefore is not model-specific evidence. At £34.99, it is our top pick for a dry indoor rat run, provided you can accept battery power and check the trap at least every 12 hours.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Dry indoor rat runs in kitchens, lofts or garages where the trap can be checked regularly.
Less suitable: Damp rooms, outdoor locations, or households wanting a rechargeable or mains-powered unit.
Specifications
Common questions
Can the OW-1 be used outdoors?
The bullet says indoor use only and tells you not to use it outdoors.
Which batteries does it take?
The bullet says 4 C batteries, and claims one set is enough for 60 rats. The listing does not say the cells are in the box.
Does the lid cut the power?
The bullet says the unit deactivates when the top is removed.
The OWLTRA OW-7 is the only unit in this set with an IPX4 claim and a supplied cover for restricted outdoor use. It measures 27.9 × 9.9 × 10.9 cm, has an entrance of about 2.6 inches, and signals a catch with light and sound. You can run it from four D batteries or a 5 V USB supply, although USB must remain connected and does not charge the trap. Outdoor placement still requires the cover, a clean raised dry surface and protection from standing water. Its displayed 14,738-review block and review text are shared with the OW-1, so they cannot prove this model's performance separately. At £49.99 it costs the most in this comparison, but it is the stronger conditional choice where occasional splashes rule out an indoor-only box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Covered outdoor runs, sheds or garages where the trap can remain raised, covered and clear of standing water.
Less suitable: Exposed wet ground, puddles, or buyers who need a compact and inexpensive indoor trap.
Specifications
Common questions
Can the OW-7 sit outside?
Only with the supplied cover, on a clean dry raised surface. IPX4 is claimed. The bullet excludes standing water and says to check the cover after rain.
Does the USB lead charge the trap?
No. The bullet says the lead must stay connected. The unit does not charge internally from USB.
Are the D batteries in the box?
The bullet says 4 D batteries are not included.
The Roshield EV TRAP is an 18 × 8 × 8 cm indoor unit for mice and rats, supplied with a power cable and a separate blue LED cable. Its buzzer and remote light make a catch easier to notice when the chamber is out of sight. The seller claims up to 30 shocks from a full charge, but the listing also labels the power source as AC, so the power description is not fully consistent. Its 262 reviews are a more clearly separate evidence base than the shared OWLTRA or Vistroll totals. However, the 3.4-star average includes recurring reports of no catches and charging failures, and the buzzer may be intrusive near a bedroom. At £29.99 it is our best-value option only for dry indoor placement where you can monitor charging and alerts.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Dry indoor spaces where a remote light and audible catch alert are useful.
Less suitable: Outdoor use, quiet sleeping areas, or buyers wanting consistently strong review sentiment.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Roshield EV TRAP for outdoor use?
The bullet says indoor use only, and to keep it away from wet places.
What is in the box?
One trap, one manual, one power cable, and one LED cable.
Does the listing say it needs bait?
A customer question asks. The listing does not answer that.
The RatKil rk-08 is a 700 g USB-powered chamber with a claimed no-escape flap for rats and mice. That flap is intended to retain an animal once it enters, but reviews include complaints that the opening is too small or that rats will not go through it. The listing mentions gardens and outdoor spaces without giving an IP rating, so it should not be treated as weatherproof. No dimensions, catch alert or clear disposal arrangement are recorded in the available fields. Its 3.3-star average from 69 reviews gives more evidence than the listings with only a handful of ratings, but the sentiment remains weak. At £34.89 it is difficult to prefer over a documented rat-sized indoor chamber unless the flap design is your priority.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Dry, sheltered indoor use where USB power and a retaining flap are specifically wanted.
Less suitable: Large rats, exposed outdoor sites, or buyers needing verified dimensions and weather protection.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the RatKil rk-08 need batteries?
A customer question asks. The bullet says USB power. The listing has no battery specification.
Can it be used outdoors?
Bullets mention gardens and outdoor spaces. There is no IP rating on the listing.
Is there a size on the listing?
No. The listing gives weight 700 g and no dimensions.
The Delousiber MS-703 is a 25.3 × 10.3 × 10.2 cm chamber with a self-closing door and a claimed 3,000 V shock. It can use a mains lead or four AA batteries, although the batteries are not included. The dimensions are plausible for a rat chamber, and the door allows emptying without direct contact. However, the listing title also calls it a plug-in mice repeller, while the bullets describe a zapper, creating avoidable product ambiguity. Its 2.1-star average comes from six reviews, including one report that it worked only from the mains lead. With no IP rating despite a garden mention and instructions to avoid damp, this is a high-risk budget choice rather than a dependable recommendation.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Dry indoor use only where low price outweighs the substantial evidence and listing risks.
Less suitable: Outdoor or damp sites, unattended battery use, or buyers seeking proven reliability.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this an ultrasonic repeller?
The title includes “Plug In Mice Repeller”. The bullets describe a 3,000 V zapper with a door.
Can it run on batteries?
The bullet says 4 AA batteries if you unplug the charger. One review says it only ran on the mains lead.
Is it for a garage?
The bullet lists a garage, and says to avoid damp areas.
The Delousiber 0HE5QA0000001 is a lightweight 330 g indoor chamber with a claimed 2,000 V output. It includes a USB charging cable and can alternatively take four AA batteries, which are not included. A detachable bait chamber and base should simplify resetting the unit after use. The listing gives no dimensions, runtime, catch alert or answer on multi-catch capacity, so basic buying checks remain unresolved. Its only rating is one star from one customer, with no review text available to explain the failure. Even at £20.99, the lack of evidence and essential size information makes it the weakest option in this comparison.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a highly price-sensitive indoor trial where the missing specifications are acceptable.
Less suitable: Confident rat control, damp locations, or buyers who need evidence on size, runtime and reliability.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it waterproof?
A customer question asks. The bullet says keep it away from damp. There is no IP rating.
Can it hold more than one rodent at once?
The listing asks. The bullet says you rinse and reset. It gives no multi-catch figure.
How long does the battery last?
The listing asks. The listing has no runtime figure.
Shelf prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures stored for these ten listings. They are not a live reload on 17 October 2026. The editorial score on each card is the 0–100 figure already stored for this set, shown on a 1–10 scale. It follows chamber size, placement, power, and the review line, and it holds back points where a review block is shared or a title fights the bullets. It is not a laboratory test, not a measured voltage, and not a licence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Chamber size
30%A brown rat needs a rat tunnel, not a mouse slot. A trade catalogue puts an electronic rat trap around 210–215 mm long. The 12 × 5 × 3 cm Vistroll listings say small mice even where a title says rat.
Indoor or cover
25%Indoor only is the default. In this set only the OWLTRA OW-7 claims IPX4 and a cover, and it still needs a dry surface. IPX4 means splashes, not standing water. A garden sentence with no IP code is not a weather rating.
Power you can run
20%Four C or D cells, four AA cells that are often not included, or a USB lead that must stay plugged in. A UK adapter is explicit on the LSJXHAIK listing. The OW-7 USB lead does not charge the unit.
Alert and emptying
15%An LED or a buzzer tells you there is a catch. A lid, a removable base, or a door means you are not handling the body. Switch off and remove the cells or the lead before you rinse.
Review evidence
10%Stars and review volume from that ASIN. The two OWLTRA listings share 4.0 from 14,738, and the two Vistroll colours share 4.6 from 25. Those counts are not added together. A 5.0 from two or three ratings is a thin base.
Start with the animal, then the chamber length, then whether the spot stays dry. A star rating does not tell you those three. The ten listings below are amazon.co.uk pages, with the prices and review counts stored for this comparison, not a live reload on 17 October 2026. A title that says rat can still be a 12 cm mouse slot. A garden sentence without an IP code is not a cover.
An electric rat trap is a reusable plastic chamber that baits a rodent onto metal plates and delivers a high-voltage shock from batteries or a low-voltage lead. UK householders buy one when they want a kill trap without anticoagulant bait, usually for a dry kitchen, loft, or garage. Judge a unit by chamber size, by a real splash-cover claim if it will sit outside, and by UK reviews that describe a finished kill. “Humane” and “instant” are claims, not a measured result.
The Vistroll MK22-ZZ01 listings are 12 × 5 × 3 cm and the bullets say small mice, even where a title says rat. A trade catalogue puts an electronic rat trap around 210–215 mm long. Measure the chamber, not the headline.
Only the OWLTRA OW-7 claims IPX4 and a cover, and it still needs a dry surface. IPX4 means splashes, not standing water. A garden sentence with no IP code is not a weather rating.
The OW-1 and the OW-7 both show 4.0 from 14,738, and the review text matches. The grey and red Vistroll both show 4.6 from 25, with the same review text. Do not add those pairs. A 5.0 from two or three ratings is a thin base.
A brown rat needs a rat tunnel. In this set that is the OW-1 at 23.9 cm, the OW-7 at 27.9 cm, or the Delousiber MS-703 at 25.3 cm, and the MS-703’s 2.1 from six reviews keeps it off the short list. The 12 cm Vistroll pair is a mouse slot. Size, power, and which room to require are set out in the [electric rat trap buying guide](/hub/traps/electric-rat-trap/sub/electric-rat-trap-buying-guide). Indoor only is the safe reading unless the listing states a cover.
An LED or a buzzer tells you the chamber has fired. A lid, a removable base, or a door is how you empty it without handling the body. Switch off and remove the cells or the lead before you rinse. UFAW says check any rodent trap at least every 12 hours. Bait on both plates, and moving the trap every day, are common reasons a rat will not enter. HSE says consider hygiene, barriers, and traps before anticoagulant bait. Do not put poison beside the chamber.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You have rats in a dry room, you can check a trap at least every 12 hours, and you want to avoid poison. The OWLTRA OW-1 is the top pick: a 23.9 cm chamber on four C batteries, indoor only, at about £34.99. The C cells are not stated as included.
The trap will sit outside or in a damp-edged spot, so an indoor-only box is the wrong tool. The OWLTRA OW-7 is the only listing here with an IPX4 claim and a cover, at about £49.99. It still needs a raised dry surface, not standing water.
You want a lower mid price and a review block that belongs to that ASIN. The Roshield EV TRAP is the best value at about £29.99, with 3.4 from 262 reviews, an LED cable, and a buzzer. It is indoor only, and the reviews include missed catches and charging faults.
The top pick is the OWLTRA OW-1, at about £34.99, for a dry indoor rat run: a 23.9 × 7.6 × 9.9 cm chamber, four C batteries, and a lid that is stated to cut the power. The 4.0 from 14,738 reviews is shared with the OW-7, so it is not model-specific evidence. The best value is the Roshield EV TRAP, at about £29.99, where 3.4 from 262 reviews is a separate count, with no-catch reports and charging failures kept in the score. If the spot can get splashed, the OW-7 is the only IPX4 cover in this set, at about £49.99, and it still needs a dry surface. A 12 cm chamber titled as a rat trap is a mouse slot.
Roshield EV TRAP
About £29.99 with 3.4 from 262 reviews on this ASIN, an LED cable and a buzzer, for a dry indoor spot only.
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 for permitted methods, trap welfare, rodenticides, and chamber size. Listings are the amazon.co.uk captures for these ten ASINs, not a live reload on 17 October 2026. Prices on amazon.co.uk move.
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 come from those listings. We did not run a laboratory test. The scores rank a listing inside this set only.
