The complete guide
Buying Guide
The Electric Bug Zapper is the one to reach for when swatting has stopped being funny. It plugs in, and two 20 W ultraviolet tubes pull flying insects towards a high voltage metal grid that kills them on contact. There is no spray, no plug-in liquid and no smell, so it suits a kitchen or a bedroom where you would rather not be spraying anything.
At 40 W it is the largest insect killer on this site, and it is built for rooms rather than for a single corner. It hangs from a hook or stands on a worktop, which is why it turns up in kitchens, bakeries, delicatessens and restaurants as often as in ordinary homes.
Insects collect in a tray under the grid. Pull the tray out, tip it into a bin and slide it back. Keep the tubes free of dust and the light stays bright enough to keep drawing them in.
It is a mains device with an exposed grid behind its guard, so treat it like one: unplug it before you clean it, and put it somewhere children and pets cannot reach into it. For a room where that is difficult, the rechargeable mosquito racket does the same job with nothing left switched on.