The Thermacell Patio Sheild is a machine that is supposed to provide you with a 15 x 15-foot mosquito-free zone. Does it work? We decided to see for ourselves if this machine does what it promises and if it worth the price tag and the hassle.
What You Get With Your Purchase
The Thermacell Patio Shield retails for approximately $24.99. You can purchase them at just about any sporting goods store or online at Amazon. Your initial purchase procures you one machine, with a single butane fuel cartridge and 3 mosquito-repellent mats. These mats slip into the top of the machine and are supposed to have enough repellant for 4 hours, while the butane fuel cartridge is supposed to last approximately 12 hours.
Clearly, you will have to purchase refills, which are sold right alongside the machine. An additional $24.99 will get you 12 mosquito mats and 4 butane cartridges. The big questions: Does this machine really work and is it honestly worth the continued investment?
Does the Thermacell Patio Shield Work?
Yes and no. The Thermacell Patio Shield most definitely repels mosquitoes but I think they were exaggerating slightly on the square footage of protection. This by no means covered 15 X 15 feet. In fact, while we found that we could sit near it and be reasonably protected, we could not be at opposite ends of the patio. The machine worked best when placed on the ground between us.
Another consideration is wind. This apparatus lets off a mist or clear smoke, therefore you need to be conscious of which way the breeze is blowing and situate yourself accordingly. If you are downwind from it, it works fine, upwind and you are a snack. Also, the wind seems to accelerate the depletion rate of the mosquito repellent mats. On a breezy night, there was no way we got 4 hours of protection out of a single mat.
The Mosquito Repellant Mats
The mosquito repellent mats fit on the top of the machine. The mats are dark blue in color and as they dispense the repellent they become white. Once the mat is white, the repellent is all gone and the mat needs to be changed. The machine causes the mats to get quite hot, so you need to turn the machine off and let it cool down for a few minutes before switching out the mats. I think 4 hours seems overly optimistic and did not find that we were able to get 4 hours out of a mat. As I stated before, the wind seemed to speed up the process. I would say we got maybe 3 hours, but definitely not 4 hours. When it was windy, I would say an hour and 1/2 tops.
Butane fuel Cartridges
The packaging says that these cartridges last a maximum of 12 hours. We found that they seemed to have a lot more life than 12 hours. We easily when well past the 12-hour mark and still had fuel. A definitive perk. If only the refill package had more mats and fewer fuel cartridges. I now have an excess of fuel cartridges on my hands and only a few mats left.
The Thermacell Patio Shield
The machine itself comes in 3 colors; red, blue, and green (not a pretty green either.) One of the flaws of this machine is that it is hard to tell if it is lit during the day. At night, it is easy to see that it is lit and running. Not so easy to tell in the daylight. I have found that it takes several attempts to get it lit and in the daylight, it is difficult to see if you were successful.
Although the packaging clearly says that it is scent-free, there is definitely a smell. My husband really didn’t like getting the mist directly in his face and found the smell slightly noxious.
It does feel a little fragile and seems like it could break fairly easily if accidentally dropped. The top is also it’s base when it is turned on, and you have to make sure that you set it in just right, otherwise, it will tip and fall over.
They do offer you a money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied with the product. Which provides some peace of mind about your purchase.
The True Test…Camping
I decided that in order to give a fair review, I had to take this baby camping. I was surprised to find that this is where it really shined. When we had the fire to our front and the machine place on the picnic table behind us, we were completely mosquito-free. I am not sure why it seemed to perform better when we were camping. Maybe the mosquitos decided that there was ample food for at the other campsite and we weren’t worth the effort.
Is The Thermacell Patio Shield Worth The Continued Investment?
This is another subjective question. I very much like the idea of not having to slather on stinky repellent and not getting eaten alive is a plus. However, I can see that continued use could, over time, result in serious money. If you don’t mind shelling out money every few weeks for mosquito mat refills, then this machine will work for you. If you don’t spend every night on your patio, like we do, and are only using this machine periodically, this will probably work for you, as well. Otherwise, This machine is very costly to run.
My final thought: Personally, I like it but I don’t love it.