Customer Reviews

Mosquito Magnet 1200MM Pro Trap

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

We bought the Mosquito Magnet Pro Plus because we live next to a swamp, and I wanted the latest, greatest device to deal with our West Nile virus bearing 'skeeters here in the Colorado Front Range. The unit arrived, and seemed solid and well designed. The only problem was that the thing would NOT stay running. If you check the manual and the troubleshooting info at the American Biophysics website, you find that aside from the possibility of contaminated propane, there is not much help for this problem. Nonetheless, we tried 4 different propane tanks, using the presurized cylinders to clear the unit, the reset gizmo to clear the tank and regulator. All of it was to no avail. So finally, I contacted AmBioPhys, and they immediately agreed to send a replacement, and have UPS pick up the first one. The second one arrived, and after running for 12 hours, it began to do the same thing...would not keep running. So, I called them again.

This time, I got a more competent tech support person, and we discussed the possibility of the altitude in Colorado being an issue. This seemed feasible since there are things like heat sensors that will shut off the unit if they are not hot enough, and, at elevations, the propane does not burn as hot. Well, ABP is not sure whether it's an issue, but they proposed sending me 2 Liberty Plus units in replacement for the Pro Plus, since it's calibration is somewhat different than the Pro Plus. They sent one immediately, and it is working fine. The second is on the way.

Note that the Pro Plus DOES catch mosquitoes, but, they escape when it turns off, so it's pretty much useless, at least for me. During all this, I asked ABP whether they are having a lot of problems with the Pro Plus, and they said that they are not, but you have to wonder, given that I got two units that would not work.

Anyway, their support was acceptable, but I've lost nearly two months of killing the little buggers while this got sorted out.

It would appear that American Biophysics needed to do a better engineering job. My unit started and ran smoothly through the first propane tank. When it came time to replace the tank, however, I was unable to get the unit to keep running after it started. This became a time-consuming endeavor, trying different propane tanks, repeatedly trying to reset the tanks, using the CO2 cartidges, etc. The people at the propane company, who purged my (second) new tank, seemed to have heard a lot of stories similar to mine. The company did agree to replace my unit with a new one.

I bought two of these machines. Had I known of the difficulty in getting one of them to work I wouldn't have bought them. Also, their tech support is that in name only. You call and you're lucky to ever hear a live person on the other end of the phone. I have yet to hear or talk to one. If you leave emails they are responded to automatically. I have replaced and recharged batteries, perged tanks, switched tanks,quick cleaned the thing , covered the little vents on the sides so that the wind won't blow out the flame, and all for nothing.It won't ignite the gas to make the flame to attract the mosquitos.
One machine took a little effort to get going and is working fine. The other one is the Mosquito Magnet from hell.
If they only had good tech support like Gateway or Intuit that would make it all OK, but as far as I am concerned this thing might as well be made in China, and the tech support would come in Chinese. For this very reason I wouldn't buy another Mosquito Magnet. One would think that for almost $1,400.00 you would get more than a recording. And to think that I bought two of the things.

Wow, until I read these other reviews, I had no idea how poorly engineered these are, not just MINE. I've owned both generations of PROs and have purchased three PROs at $1400 a pop. New generation is better than the old one in that its one button, its worse in that you have to tear these things apart to figure out why they aren't running every year when you try to fire them up. When they run, they're great. From year to year, they stop working.

I had a very revealing conversation with the customer support manager last year when I said, but this is the new replacement unit for last year's failed unit, so why isn't it under a new warranty and she replied, if we did that, we'd have to send everyone a new unit every year! She had no idea what she had just admitted to.

Purchased a MM Pro in the summer of 2000. Worked great for two years, then in July of 2002, it wouldn`t stay on. Called customer service a few times, did everything they told me to, but eventually they sent me a new power unit under warranty. That lasted a little more than one year; in 2003, we started having problems with it again. Called customer service today (July 5, 2004 -- no wait for service rep). Did what they asked. Appears that the muffin fan is dead. Asked about replacing it -- they don`t have any parts information. Not under warranty, must replace head for $350 (and get 6 months warranty on it) or "upgrade" to Pro 2004 for $600 (and get 2 years). I asked them about reliability -- they said the new Pro is more reliable; don`t know if I want to spend $600 to find out.

While it runs, it does catch a lot of mosquitoes, but when it breaks, it's an expensive lawn ornament. These guys need to admit they have/had problems with their units and replace the defective ones.

I have three Mosquitio Magnets that I bought last year. They worked great for a few months then only give "fault" indications thereafter and won't work. This is a defectively designed or manufactured product. I have never submitted Amazon reviews before this product. I feel so cheated that I want to warn others about it. Three bad devices for me, and many other reviews reporting the same problems, means that you purchase this product with great risk.

Thankyou.

I purchased my first Mosquito Magnet, the Freedom Model in the spring of 2002. It worked great! For 18 months. Conviently 6 months after the warranty expired it just wouldn't start.

Eventually American Biophysics (the mfg) told me that since they no longer made that model (what? it was just released as a new model 18 months earlier) that I could either pay $350 for a custom repair or pay $350 and get a brand new PRO model head unit (the main part). After the customer service guy convinced me of how much better the PRO model was and how it would last "much longer" than 18 months I decided to go for the upgrade.

Well here I am, 20 months after I received the new PRO unit and again the unit is dead. I write to customer support and what do I get for a response? "Unfortunately due to American Biophysics advancement in technology and with our Mosquito Magnets we no longer are manufacturing the Commercial Pro model. Which means we do not have the parts available for replacement or repair.".

Here we go again! I have 2 options. Pay $425 + shipping fees to get the unit "that will last much longer than the 18 months the Freedom model lasted" repaired (I guess 20 months is a 10% improvement) -OR- pay to get a brand new "liberty plus" for just $425!

Fool me once, same on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!

Save your money and buy an "alternate brand", or better yet - buy more bug spray. $1000 is a lot of cans of Off!

Wow, pretty much the same sad story. Worked great a season, then just constant trouble. Have done all the maintenance, bought all the CO2 cartridges, spent hundreds of dollars of propane and lures, used all the gadgets to reset the unit, went thru two power packs and two regulators. This doesn't even begin to cover the time on hold with technical support and starting it over and over holding the silly button in for five minutes each time. I finally emailed support for my last ditch effort to fire it up this spring and they said that the only thing they could do for me is to "trade" it in on another model if I sent them another $425 and paid to ship it back to them. Won't be going there...

I purchased a mosquito magnet pro commercial in 2004, it worked well for just one year, this year we have low catch only 10 or 20 a week, did everything they told me to, change parts and propane tank, it does not work at all. it is a very expensive garden ornament.

I bought this product when I moved to Miami from Atlanta. My parents had one in Atlanta and it worked somewhat well, but in Miami I have been unable to control the Mosquito's. Another problem with the machine is every three to four weeks you have to replace the bait and the propane. It would be nice if they could design the system to only need propane and bait every quarter. I have never had any problems with the operation of the machine.