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 have several of these units and can't say enough about how well they keep mosquitoes and gnats away. I do use 2 units for my 20 x 12 foot deck. Manufacturers always tend to over exaggerate the effective range on products like this. I use the half rule. If it says 15ft range I assume its going to be 7 maybe 9 feet which is why I use two units at the same time. If the bugs are really bad I sometimes add a 3rd unit but they do keep the bugs away. It's important to realize that you should turn these on and place them outside at least 15 minutes before you enter the area. This is actually what the Manufacturer suggests anyway. They do take time to heat up and for the vapor to start coming out of the units and to spread around the sitting area. As for the blue pads, I hear some complaints they turn white in less than 4 hours. Turning white doesnt mean its not working. The oil is still being emitted even when it turns completely white. In fact just having them in the sun and humidity will make them turn white but it still takes about 4 hours to exhaust the pad. One other thing to note is once you open the package the clock starts ticking. If you used it on day one for 2 hours and then don't use it for a couple days they will have dried out and no longer work and a new pad needs to be inserted. With that said its not the greatest if you just plan to sit out for an hour but they are still the best solution I have found. I ordered the rechargeable unit that uses a liquid cartridge instead of the pads to see if these are better for shorter usage times. I'll update this review once I try it.Update on Rechargeable version with the liquid cartridges...This is the way to go! Theybwork just as good as the butane models with the pads. They actually heat up faster too. When I'm done with them I turn them off and they are good to go even days later since the liquid doesn't evaporate from the wick. No pads pads or butane cartritges to deal with. When repellent cartridge is empty just drop a new one in. Couldnt be simpler. Note! The cartridge that comes with the unit is only partially filled, just like when you buy a new printer. The replacements are completely filled.

This is a must for our patio! The best part about them is that they really do work, they are safe, light-weight, a decent lifespan, a great value, and they put out very little smell. Highly recommend.

They work great but each pad seems to not work very long at all for the price of them

We had an outdoor event and when we got there the mosquitos were even worse than expected. I followed the instructions to turn it on and I wasn't really sure it was on. There is supposed to be an orange glow which I couldn't really see. I just did what it said and gave it about five minutes and then you notice that it's definitely heated. I would keep this away from children. It probably wouldn't burn them but it might hurt a little. There was no odor and no mosquitos. We used it for about four hours and it worked amazingly well. I would recommend this product!

Easy to use, odorless, and effective. I left a more detailed review for the plug-in chargable version--feel free to check that out.This version works on the same principle and uses similar refills that can be ordered here on Amazon, the vendor's website, or can be bought at your local orange hardware store.Take it from She Who is Glad Humans Don't Get Heartworms--this works!

Only used it once. But purchased it hoping it would stop the mosquito bites we were getting on our lower legs and ankles. This product did not work for that. We had it turned on for a good 30 minutes before we sat in the area to eat. Going to buy the Koyle bracelets and wear them on our ankles while we are outside I guess. :(

Used at a backyard birthday party with an unfortunate surprise bee hive found in the front porch. Not only did it keep the mosquitos away, the bees literally would not enter this imaginary force field. It was worth the money!

The device gets too hot to hold in the hand. The fuel burned too fast. Mosquito was still around the device. Amazon does not take return on this item since there is no button to do that.Contacted the seller of the device, but no reply at all after acknowledging the complaint.