Top 10 Best Mosquito Foggers + Buying Guide (2022)

What are mosquito foggers?

Mosquito foggers are devices that spray mosquito repellent or insecticide over a large area, thus allowing for broad-ranging pest control. The repellent is dispersed as droplets so that it can be spread over a larger surface area and penetrate places where mosquitoes are most likely to be hiding (for instance, deep beneath heavy foliage). This is achieved either by heating it to the point where it is transformed into a vapor or by forcing it through some type of nozzle at high pressure.

Mosquito fogger components

A mosquito fogger is actually a very simple device. Though there are several different types out there on the market, all versions of this device consist of a very small set of components: an insecticide; a carrier liquid or solution for the insecticide; a storage tank or reservoir for the fogging solution (and the fuel if the device runs on one); an atomizing chamber in which extreme heat or pressure is employed to vaporize the fogging solution; a barrel or nozzle for dispersing the pest killer; and a power source for vaporizing the insecticide and dispersing it from the blower.

Types of mosquito foggers

Based on the technology they use to disperse insecticide,  mosquito foggers can be divided into two main categories – thermal foggers and cold foggers.

• Thermal foggers – There are two main types of foggers out there on the market – thermal foggers, which use one of the various heating methods to transform an insecticide from liquid form to a vapor or fog that can be dispersed over a wider area. These types of foggers are perfect for large, open areas – as they run on fuels like propane and butane, they cannot be operated in enclosed spaces because of the risk of asphyxiation. They generally use a hydrocarbon-based carrier liquid like paraffin oil or diesel. They are also very powerful and efficient, they generate very small droplets – which means they can penetrate hard-to-access areas – and the fogging mist or spray appears as a highly visible fog which makes it much easier to monitor their output and ensures the correct areas are being sprayed.
• Cold foggers – Cold foggers, or Ultra Low Volume (ULV) foggers as many of them are called, are powered not by fuel but by electricity, but the end result is the same: the conversion of the fogging pesticide into a fine mist which is then dispersed into the surroundings. Most of them work by using an electric motor to force the fogging solution through a nozzle at high pressure so that it is converted into a fine mist or spray. Though safer than thermal foggers, one drawback of cold foggers is that the mist they generate is not as visible as the thick fog of thermal foggers: so you may or may not be able to determine if the spray is going to the desired location. Cold foggers are not quite as efficient as thermal foggers, either, heavier concentrations of the chemical are required to get the same result – though, on the other hand, because they are non-thermal, not as much of the insecticide chemical is burnt in the process. In addition, they can be used indoors as well as outside because there is not the same risk of asphyxiation with this sort of fogger: the carrier liquid is generally just plain water. By adjusting a flow valve located on the nozzle, you can also alter the size of the droplets emitted by the fogger, achieving either ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ applications.

The most popular types of insect foggers are thermal and ultra-low volume (ULV) foggers. Of course, there are various advantages and disadvantages to each, but they are all made to combat pests. They make a fog with a droplet size from 2–60 micrometers (8 to 20 micrometers is recommended) that will stick to even the smallest mosquitoes, so they have no chance of escape.

Advantages of using a fogger

When it comes to mosquito control, mosquito foggers offer many advantages over other pest control methods. To start with, and as we have touched on already, they provide extensive protection against mosquitoes over a large area and in normally hard-to-reach places.

In addition, mosquito foggers are compatible with almost any type of insecticide chemical out there, including all-natural, ‘organic’, options. They are fast-acting, and if you use a residual chemical, they also provide enduring protection against future mosquito outbreaks. Finally, mosquito foggers are in most cases lightweight devices that are very portable and easy to transport around, as well as being very user-friendly.

Disadvantages of using a fogger

Mosquito foggers are not without their drawbacks, however. These include the fact that – in the case of cold foggers, at least – an electric power source is required. Also, as we have seen, thermal foggers cannot be used inside or in any other enclosed space due to the asphyxiation risks involved. Finally, regardless of the type of fogger you opt for,

Fortunately, by following the proper safety measures you can reduce the risks involved considerably – see below to find out more.

How do they work?

Thermal foggers utilize heat to vaporize a fogging solution or insecticide, creating a dense mist that can be sprayed through the nozzle or barrel of the fogger onto all manner of surface, and can also penetrate hard-to-reach locations like dense foliage, long grass, under the eaves and floorboards of your house, shed etc. The fogging solution is poured into a storage tank or container usually located below the fogger body; from there the user pumps it through a pipe into the heat assembly chamber at the front of the fogger by pressing a fogging trigger situated on the handle of the device. There it goes through an element or coil that is heated to the point where the fogging solution vaporizes and can be sprayed through the device’s nozzle as a fine mist.

There are two main types of thermal foggers out there on the market – thermal fuel foggers and electric foggers (in this article, we will also consider ‘commercial’ foggers, which rely on pulse-jet heating technology to vaporize the fogging solution). Thermal fuel foggers contain a socket on the back of them where you place the fuel tank (usually propane) that heats the element. Electric foggers, by contrast, heat the heating assembly using electric energy (they have an electric cord that needs to be plugged into an external power source).

Main benefits of using a thermal fogger

Compared to other types of foggers, thermal foggers can generate a mist or fog made up of very small particles, as little as 0.5-5 microns. This makes them ideal for targeting smaller insects like mosquitoes that prefer to dwell in hard-to-reach places, like dense foliage and undergrowth, below the floorboard and eaves of your house, and so on. However, unlike cold foggers where the size of the droplets emitted by the fogger can be controlled by adjusting the airflow of the fogger, it is much harder to control the size of the particles released by a thermal fogger. They will come in a wide variety of sizes.

Where can they be used?

As we have seen, because they play with fire and high temperatures, thermal foggers are not safe to use indoors or in an enclosed space, due to the risk of asphyxiation, nor in areas that contain flammable materials. In addition, in colder weather, there is a risk that the heat assembly of the fogger will not heat up to a point where it completely vaporizes the fogging solution so that pesticide that is still in liquid form will begin to drip from the fogger leaving hard to remove stains on the floors and carpets. Thermal foggers are thus suitable for outdoor use only.

Thermal fogger types:

• Propane Mosquito Foggers – Best propane mosquito foggers rely on propane fuel to heat up the element or coil that vaporizes the fogging solution. They come with a canister for attaching the propane tank to the fogging device so that you can carry your device around with you and go fogging wherever you like: as long as fuel remains in the tank, no external power source is required. Beware, though, that with many propane mosquito foggers, the propane tanks are sold separately, so if you do end up buying one of these foggers, be sure not to forget to purchase a fuel tank to go with it! Here are the best propane fogger options currently available on the market.
• Electric Mosquito Foggers – Electric thermal mosquito foggers rely on electricity to heat the coil that vaporizes your fogging solution. As they don’t require flammable fuel or the generation of open flame, they are safer to use inside than propane-powered foggers; however, it is still not recommended due to the fact that they, too, generate a lot of heat and reach very high temperatures in the process of vaporizing your fogging solution. Electric mosquito foggers come with a power cord that needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet, and they may or may not come with extension cords (which give you more options as to where you use them). Here are the best mosquito fogger products that use electric power to heat an element currently going around.
• Commercial mosquito foggers – We have also included commercial mosquito foggers under the heading of ‘thermal foggers’, as these foggers also rely on the generation of heat to vaporize the fogging solution and create a pesticide mist or fog. Some of them are electric powered. Others run on standard unleaded fuel; what sets them apart from the propane and electric foggers considered above, is that they are designed for large-scale commercial fogging operations – like the fogging of warehouses, barns, factories, farms, etc. If you want to start your own commercial fogging business or are the owner of a farm or other large installation, then here are some products you might want to consider buying.

How do they work?

Unlike a thermal fogger, a ‘cold’ fogger does not use heat to vaporize the fogging solution or pesticide poured into the device. Rather, it employs cold spraying methods, the main one of which is subjecting the fogging liquid to extremely high pressure, separating it into a mist made of tiny particles. The power source pumps the fogging solution from a storage tank or reservoir out through a nozzle at the front of the fogger, transforming the fogging liquid into a spray or mist.

As with thermal foggers, cold foggers can run on either fuel or electricity, though by far the majority run on the latter, including the main type of cold fogger, the ULV fogger (as we shall see shortly). Likewise, some cold foggers are compatible only with oil-based fogging solutions, others use only water-based ones, others are compatible with both.

Main benefits of using a cold fogger

One useful feature of cold foggers, is that you can easily adjust the size of the particles emitted by the fogger, simply by altering the rate of airflow (which can usually be done by turning a flow valve located on the device). This is useful if you want to fog different kinds of environment: for example, smaller particles are better for indoor areas as they will remain in the air longer rather than resting on the furniture and fittings, and they also penetrate better into small cracks and crevices underneath the floor etc.

Similarly, small droplets are more appropriate for miniscule insects like mosquitoes, whereas larger bugs may be better eliminated by using larger droplets. Also, you will probably want to use larger droplets when you spray outdoors, as smaller ones are more easily blown away from the targeted surfaces by the wind. If you want your cold fogging device to emit larger particles, then simply increase the air flow; through the fogger, you will reduce it if you want smaller ones. Generally speaking, the size of droplets generated by a cold fogger can range from 5 microns up to 50 microns.

Many cold foggers can also be put in auto mode and left to fog an area, unmanned, for hours at a time. Propane foggers, by contrast, require someone to always press the trigger.

Some ULV foggers come with a special flex hose and a handle so you can take it into hands and use it as portable fogger while walking around and fogging harder to reach areas.

Drawbacks of cold foggers

However, cold foggers are not without their disadvantages either. They tend to be more expensive than thermal foggers, less efficient – both in the sense that they require more power to run them, and they require higher concentrations of insecticide to get the same results – and the droplets they generate are not as small as those created by thermal foggers. Also, the fog produced by cold foggers is not nearly as visible as that from thermal foggers, making it much harder to monitor whether your fog is going to the places you want it to.

Main type – ULV foggers

The main type of cold fogger, by far is the ULV fogger. The centerpiece of this type of fogger is an electric motor that generates and regulates the flow of air and pumps flogging solution from a storage tank located in the fogger body through the nozzle connected to the end of the fogger. The nozzle converts the fogging solution into a fine spray. As the ULV fogger relies on electricity to power it, it must be within reach of an electrical outlet, whether using extension cords or not. Here is our pick of the top three ULV foggers out there on the market today.

Mosquito foggers are very simple devices to use. Although you should (in the case of thermal foggers) allow some time for pre-heating, most of them you can strap onto your back straight away like a backpack and walk around the yard or room spraying insecticide from a hose or blower-type device. Here are some pointers for getting the best results from your mosquito fogger.

Where and when should you fog?

Mosquitoes come out in full force at dawn and at dusk, so these are the best times to fog your yard, etc. As for where to use your fogger, educate yourself concerning the places mosquitoes like to set up their nests; generally speaking, they like dank, dark areas containing plenty of foliage and vegetation cover (think long grass, shrubs, bushes, etc) – and any source of standing water is a literal breeding ground for these creatures, whether it be outdoor ponds and pools, bird baths, old watering cans and flower pots filled with water, rain puddles, and the like.

Because mosquitoes don’t stray very far from their breeding grounds, this is an effective means of ridding yourself of whole generations of mosquitoes – current and future.

Here are some of the places you will probably end up applying fog to:

• On and under the leaves of plants;
• In and under any shrubs and small bushes in your yard;
• On and around trees, in particular, the treetops where the majority of leaves (read: shelter for mosquitoes) are to be found;
• Tall grasses;
• Outdoor ponds, pools and other sources of standing water;
• Any other dark, dank areas on your property – for example, under buildings, within cracks and gaps etc.

Especially in the case of propane or other thermal foggers, you want to spray only in areas that are well-ventilated and contain no flammable material. As we have seen, it is forbidden to use this type of fogger indoors, but if you need to spray an area under your roof, or within any nooks and crannies of the built structures of your property – first ensure the area receives proper ventilation. Also, propane foggers generate a lot of heat – and can sometimes even emit a small fire-ball – so be sure the area you are spraying is clear of any materials that could light on fire.

It should also go without saying that a mosquito fogger is not to be used near food, or around children and pets!

How to use a fogger

There are many different types of fogger out there on the market, and to determine how to use yours’ correctly, you should always look at the instructions that come with your product.

There are some general rules that apply to almost all fogging devices, however, and here are a few of them:

• When fogging your yard, don’t stand too close to the surfaces that are being sprayed. A good rule of thumb is to keep a distance of at least 5 or 6 feet; that way, the fog won’t get blown away in an uncontrolled fashion by any winds or breezes that happen to be present during the fogging; and more insecticide will land on the surface you want to spray;
• Wear protective equipment – at the very least safety goggles and gloves;
• Push down on the spray button once every 3 to 4 seconds as you move around the area to be sprayed, that way you ensure no spot gets left unsprayed;
• If you are fortunate, your device will come with a hose extension that enables you to access hard to reach areas. Make sure you use it because mosquitoes and other pests love to dwell within dense foliage, cracks, crevices etc.

How often should you fog?

This depends on the type of insecticide being used to fog: some products are extremely fast acting – but deliver only very short-lived protection – whereas others are effective at creating an ‘insect barrier’ that repels mosquitoes for a lot longer. Always check the specifications of your product to determine the length of protection it supplies: 6 hours is a common number – more than enough to enjoy an outdoor picnic or barbeque!

What type of chemicals should you use?

Fogging chemicals are often divided into ‘residual’ and ‘non-residual’ chemicals. Residual chemical leaves a long-lasting chemical residue and so are not recommended if will be spraying on and around your plants, and in areas where children and pets are known to wander. They are best suited to uninhabited places like around the eaves of your house, where you can use them to effectively create a barrier between your home and any mosquitoes wishing to intrude upon it. You can also use them indoors, provided once again that there is no children or animals present.

as a result, they will have much less of an effect on non-targeted wildlife.

What liquid should I use with my fogging pesticide?

Again, this depends on the type of pesticide used and the fogging device it is used with. Check the specifications contained in the labeling of both products to see if they work best with water-based solutions or oil-based solutions or can be used with both.

Do mosquito foggers work?

Mosquito foggers are usually very effective. If you fog your backyard an hour before the party, you’ll have up to 12 hours of mosquito-free peace.

If you want to completely rid yourself of these nasty creatures, then you should eliminate standing water from your yard, keep your lawn mowed, and use larvicides in any standing water you can’t remove. While it may be tempting to just fog your yard every day or at weekly intervals, the insecticides in mosquito foggers also kill beneficial insects like bees and butterflies. You don’t want to get rid of all the bugs from your property.

Furthermore, mosquitoes have been known to develop resistance to insecticides. The more you spray, the more likely your mosquito population will become resistant. Integrated pest management (using multiple different chemical and physical strategies) is the best option for controlling pest insects.

Safety tips for using a fogger

Mosquito foggers, though seemingly innocuous little devices, are not without their hazards; to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones, here are a few little rules you should follow.

• Read the instructions – To get optimal results from your device – and to ensure you are not exposed to any hazards – one of the simplest but most easily overlooked things you can do is to read the instructions that come with your product. These will inform you of how to use your fogger correctly, how far to hold it from your body, which spaces it can be used it, which solutions it is compatible with, what protective equipment you should wear whilst fogging, and suchlike. Any fogging device worth the money you fork out for it will come with a user manual that contains this and similar information.
• Wear protective gear – Most fogging solutions are not strictly speaking poisonous to humans or even pets, however, they can still cause allergic or other harmful reactions if too much comes into contact with your skin or respiratory system in too short a space of time. So when fogging, you should at the very least put on protective goggles, work gloves, long-sleeved shirts and pants, and closed shoes. A respirator may be a good idea as well. Be especially careful when handling the fogging pesticide in concentrated form, which you may do when you are pouring it from the bottle into the storage tank of your fogger.

When it comes to choosing a mosquito fogger for your household, there are a few important things that you need to consider. Some of them we have touched on already, such as whether the fogger is a thermal fogger or cold fogger, whether it is powered by fuel or electricity, and what type of pesticide and fogging solution it is compatible with. Here are a few other factors to look at:

1. Materials

When buying a fogger, choose one that is made from high-quality, sturdy materials – preferably stainless steel. Especially if you are going to be fogging outside, you want a product that will stand up to all weather conditions, including wind, rain, sleet, and scorching summer sun. Look for a product that has a UL or IP (eg IP55 or IP65) waterproof rating, and is also certified as corrosion resistant.

2. Droplet size

The range of sizes of the droplets generated by your fogger should also be listed on the product specifications contained on the packaging of your fodder. For mosquitoes, you want droplets of 20 microns or less – not only because mosquitoes are very small insects but also so that the droplets can penetrate the hard-to-access regions where mosquitoes are known to dwell.

3. Formulation output

This phrase refers to how much formula is released per minute by your fogging device.

Another thing to look out for is how large of an area will be covered by a given unit of the fogging formulation used with your fogging device. Look for a product that will enable you to get ‘bang for your buck’!

4. Storage tank size/capacity

If you are conducting large-scale fogging operations, then be sure to buy a device with a large storage tank for the fogging solution. That way, you won’t run out of pesticides halfway through the job!

5. Fogging solutions that your device can be used with

Some devices are only compatible with water-based solutions, others with oil-based ones – others still can be used equally as effectively with both. Be sure to check this information before buying a fogger and fogging solution that doesn’t match!

6. Weight and dimensions

If you are going to be strapping your fogger to your back and spraying a large outdoor area, you want a lightweight, compact device. Similarly, if you take it with you on camping trips and the like. Be sure to read up on the dimensions – and weight – of the product you have your eye on.

7. Other uses

Can your fogger be used to apply disinfectant, conduct odor control activities, and treat and prevent mold? Is it suitable for use against other types of pest problems – for example, termites. It might be useful to buy a product with multiple possible applications.

In this article, we have explored the different types of mosquito foggers out there today, their benefits and drawbacks as a pest control method, and pointed you towards some of the best mosquito foggers of each kind existing on the market at the moment.

We hope you now have a clearer idea of what these devices are all about and how they can benefit you and your loved ones this summer. So get out there and start looking for a suitable mosquito fogger for your family!