Customer Reviews

Garden Creations JB5285 Electronic Bug Zapper Racket

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

I have the smaller version of this device (2AA batt.). Works great. Buy 2 or you will have to be fighting with your spouse to use the one you buy.

Frys mosquitoes and causes them to explode. Great theraputic value.

Will give you a painfull zap too if you contact the metal mesh while it is switched on.

Keep out of the reach of children and stupid adults.

The zapper works wonderfully in general. It's not the greatest thing to use on gnats though, as another reviewer noted. The wire mesh is too coarse to guarantee a bridge across the contacts for such a small bug. For anything bigger (mosquitos, flies, bees, etc...) it works like a charm. You do not need to be a tennis pro to be able to hit the bugs consistently. It only takes a basic level of physical coordination.

For particularly big bugs (such as the carpenter bees that infest my back yard) it only stuns them. So if you're swinging after some paleolithic trophy specimin, be prepared to grind it with your shoe after it falls stunned to the ground.

One warning though: Once you press the racquet's button and hold it for even a second or two, the internal capacitor is charged up to 1500 volts. At that point, even if you're not holding the button down, anything that bridges the contacts between the two mesh grids will get popped. This is great for bugs, but not so much for fingers. The zap won't do any lasting damage to you, but it hurts a bit and numbs up your finger for a minute or two. The lesson here is to always assume the zapper is charged, even if you're not actively holding down the button.

Pros: *You get to hear a loud satisfying "pop" with each kill.
*Don't have to switch out batteries as aften because of longer lasting Ds are used.
*Extra size of it allows for larger capaciters to give it higher voltage.

Cons: *Hitting flies in mid air is a bit hard due to the weight of the thing,
*and its not much use to ground insects because you can't swat it against the ground without breaking it.
*Red warning light only stays on when button is depressed, even though it should stay on because juice will still remain in the capaciters for a while which can cause nasty suprises.

They advertised 'THIS IS NOT your regular WEAK "AA" powered Electronic swatter. Our Electronic swatter uses 2 "D" batteries which gives off a POWERFUL 1,500 bug exploding volts!
What was sent does not use D cells but instead uses 2 'AA' cells in direct contradiction to what they said.
I think that the advertisement should clearly state what actually would ship.
I have used it and it does work very well so I'll keep it.
But in the future I would be reluctant to order from that vendor since I can't be sure that what is advertised would be what they send you.

I ordered 2 of these because I specifically wanted the 1500 volt product that took 2 D size batteries (as advertised). All the other similar items on amazon were the cheaper AA battery versions. I also had to pay $13 dollars in shipping. When I got the order, I was surprised that I received the cheaper AA battery version of the product I ordered. When I called the company to correct the order, I was told they no longer carried the 1500 Volt version so they just substituted it with the ones they sent. They never notified me that they no longer carried the version I ordered and never offered me the option to cancel the order. The point is that I could have purchased the cheap product they sent me here on amazon for $8 each with free shipping. This company no longer carries this product so save yourself the hassle and don't order it from this company.

I bought mine locally from a harbor freight store. You can get it online from their website harborfreight dot com when it's on sale for three ninety nine or seven ninety nine regular price. Mine is a 2 D batteries unit and I have been using it off and on for over 3 years before the batteries started to leak and corroded the terminals. I bought a new one and it seems like it zapped a little better, probably higher voltage at the grids. I think alkaline batteries are best as oppose to rechargeable batteries because they are 1.5 volts each compare to 1.2 or 1.25 volts for rechargeable. The extra small fraction of voltage makes a big difference. Since the leakage, I've only use Energizer batteries because they seem to leak less than other brands.

I live close to the lake and there are a lot of mosquitos in my neighborhood. They like to hang out by the shrubs and vines, especially ivy. Mosquitos are attracted to living mammals because we exhale carbon dioxide. There are times when I see up to 20 mosquitos cirling me especially around my legs. I just slowly swing the zapper and they just get caught in the grill of the unit. Sometimes you hear the pop right away but other times they only get stuck. Their body has to be in between the negative and positive part of the grill for it to work. Sometimes I have to shake or blow on the zapper so they fall into right place while holding down the zap button. After they explode, you know that they can't get up and fly away. I think this zapper works better for mosquitos than flies. With flies, their body is plumper and they fly much quicker so you have to give a harder swing. If you get lucky by swinging it just right, he get stuck between the grids. If you find one landed on a flat object like a counter or table, simply move slowly to him and "trap" him. They don't stick to the grill easily so I usually sweep them onto the zapper with a newspaper or something. Sometimes, they just play dead and they don't die right away so it might be wise to wait and see him explode or flare up to be sure he is no longer a nuissance. The popping sound can be loud and startling to some people. Again, you might have to shake the zapper a little bit to get him in the right place.

I only purchased from this company because the first fly zapper worked so well. Also the first zapper that I ordered from them matched what was advertised and worked well. So I ordered again, purchasing two zappers. Rather than the pictured and described zapper, I received something different. Pictured was a zapper that took 2 "D" cell batteries with a lightening bolt on it and a stout electrical grid. What I received was a different zapper. For starters it takes 2 AA batteries and does not work nearly as well as what was advertised. Also, the first one that I opened only lasted 2 minutes and then the button quit working properly. It stayed on even if not pushed. The only way to turn unit off was to take battery out.

I am very disappointed and will not buy from them again.

Bugs go boom.

If you've just started it up, it takes several seconds to get to full power. If you touch a bug with the inner mesh but they just fizz a bit (don't worry, they're stuck there), just keep holding the button. There'll be a loud pop and a flash in a few seconds, and the bug will be history.

Don't touch the inner mesh, even if you've just released the button.

I absolutely LOVE this thing.. broke one by dropping it off the fridge so had to order another one. Do not in any way waste your time on that crappy AA powered one, it doesn't work at all.

I can't stand flies and being a fruit eating family we often get fruit flies in the house. a couple of swings with this thing and some snaps and crackles and they are all gone.

In theory, this is a great product. The first time I used it, that great big fly didn't know what hit him. Of course, I did - and that frighteningly loud *POP* and the accompanying blue spark made me jump back a step and let out a little cry. Then I started to giggle evilly... The problem arose on my SECOND STRIKE. Just as I swung to make my second kill, the racket committed suicide. The cheap little plastic button snapped off and tumbled down deep within the bowels of the machine. And so, the racket kills no more. Piece of garbage - don't waste your money. Buy two? RIDICULOUS.