Few things are more annoying than being bombarded with mosquitoes and other pesky bugs whilst enjoying a summer barbecue. There are hundreds of bug catchers on the market, so it can be a challenge to grab one. I mean, we covered quite a lot of products for various circumstances, and there are loads more to consider.

This article focuses on people who have a serious gnat problem. If you read my article about getting rid of gnats with white vinegar, you already know that this solution does really help as long as the amount of gnats is acceptable. If however gnats managed to occupy a great portion of your kitchen, you might want to grab a machine that does all the hard work for you.

For anyone wondering, the product I’m discussing in this review is not a bug zapper. So no, you won’t experience those typical zapping noises. Instead, this gnat catcher is pretty silent.

Furthermore, this trap doesn’t rely on chemicals or messy solutions. It uses specialized light rays with various wavelengths to attract your gnats (which I’ll discuss later on). Gnats are drawn into the machine, after which they’re sucked straight onto a sticky bottom. Escaping is impossible. Keep in mind that this catcher is meant for indoor use only.

Basic Features

• Comes with 10 sticky glue boards to make it last for a while
• Comes with a four-foot power cable
• Comes with two buttons – a Catching button and a Light button
• Has a specialized fan at the top to prevent bugs from escaping
• Is available in two different colors: black and white
• Super easy to use because you press the catching button and that’s pretty much it
• The Smart Band change mode offers a total of seven different wavelengths to personalize its effectiveness
• Saves energy and therefore money

Like I said, this gnat catcher is quiet and has no annoying odors or smells. It’s easy to set up. All you do is plug it in and press one (or both) of the buttons at the top of the device: Light and/or Catch.

At 8.5” x 5.4” in size, this bug trap won’t take up a lot of room, which is great for smaller homes or apartments. In my opinion, these traps shouldn’t grab a lot of attention anyway. Let me list a few advantages to know about:

• Free of chemicals
• Non-toxic and safe
• Odorless
• Almost no noise
• No radiation

This gnat trap will cost you around 25 bucks. I’m not saying this is cheap, but for a best-selling product that’s not a bad deal. Here’s a link to Amazon:

Where Do Gnats Come From?

Gnats are attracted to old food, wet clothes and even dark sticky kitchen sinks. Keeping the doors shut and getting rid of air leaks is a good idea, but pests can get into your home in other ways as well:

• Cracks and passages in areas such as vents, your home’s foundation, siding, exhaust fans
• Heating and plumbing system
• Any large opening, such as your chimney or fireplace

Basically, any opening (regardless of how small) can attract gnats into your home. Storing old food in the kitchen trash and getting rid of open water can help a lot. However, there’s no guarantee that you’ll never have to deal with gnats in the future. 

This gnat catcher provides the best results if you leave it in a dark, closed room and if you let it run for a minimum of three consecutive nights. It has three major components: The attracting UV light, the catching airflow, and the sticky glue board at the bottom. All you have to do is occasionally remove the sticky board and replace it with a clean one.

Yet another reason this device works so well is its feature of switching the wavelengths every 15 minutes. The seven different wavelengths switch with one another throughout the day so that the device is as efficient as possible. All of its power is used to kill as many bugs as possible. Because of its light weight you can easily install it in different rooms. Some people even grab 2 or 3 to run things simultaneously.

Final Thoughts

If your gnat problem has just started and there are only a few of them buzzing around, try to get rid of them through the vinegar solution. Once this seems to be insufficient, grab yourself an efficient trap.

Prevention is key: Get rid of old food as fast as possible, especially during summer months when gnat season has opened. Kitchen sinks are a popular place for gnats to hang out, so make sure they are clean and well maintained.

This typical gnat trap is one of many. I always advise people to do a little research. New gear comes out regularly. Just make sure to distinguish between a zapper and a trap. This gnat catcher is an actual trap, which means no zapping noises or funny smells. Even though esthetics play a role, try to go for something that won’t grab everyone’s attention. Something that looks like a background lamp for example. If your wall is painted in black, maybe a black catcher is the way to go. Think of these tiny details and you should be fine.