In Canstar Blue’s insect repellent review, Bushman, ALDI Repellex, OFF!, Coles, Aerogard, and RID were compared in terms of effectiveness, low skin irritation, odor, packaging design, value for money, and overall satisfaction.

In Canstar Blue's 2021 insect repellent review, Australians rated Bushman as the best. It received five stars for effectiveness, low skin irritation, packaging design and overall satisfaction.

For many of us, our time outdoors is easily ruined by creepy reptiles. Mosquitoes, flies and midges will use unprotected skin to leave us with itchy bumps and lumps for days. trace. Although we use insect repellents to arm ourselves in this situation, it can be a real challenge to find a repellent that is really effective and keeps bugs away from us at all times. How often do you use insect repellents but continue to suffer as a result? (Raise your hand!)

Fortunately, Australians have many options when looking for the weapon of choice against nasty mosquitoes, although the narrowing may ultimately come down to personal preference, as many brands offer varieties suitable for different climates, children and sensitive people. skin.

Regarding which insect repellent brand has the highest score for insect control, Canstar Blue again surveyed more than 750 Australian adults who bought and used one of the many insect repellents on the shelves of supermarkets and pharmacies. Respondents rated brands based on effectiveness, low skin irritation, smell, packaging design, value for money, and overall customer satisfaction. So, what have we discovered this year?

Bushman beat the competition after climbing to the top of our rating list with five-star overall satisfaction and most other categories of reviews.

According to consumer reviews in Canstar Blue's 2021 review, the following are the best insect repellents in Australia:

Our latest rating shows that Australians are eager to buy Bushman to help "repel" insects, with an overall satisfaction rating of five stars, compared to four stars for most other brands. RID is the only exception, with three stars for overall satisfaction.

ALDI Repellex is far ahead in terms of cost performance and odor, and scored full marks in both aspects. It also enjoys a five-star low skin irritation, as well as off! And Bushmen.

As an Australian, Bushman was developed in northern Queensland, an area notorious for mosquitoes. Its products have up to 15 hours of protection against all types of flying insects, including those that bite.

It offers a variety of products, including sunscreen-added products and sensitive skin options. One option is pump spray (100ml), which is said to provide up to seven hours of protection. It is said to be waterproof, sweat-proof and rub-proof. Bushman also sells aerosols ranging from 50 grams to 225 grams, and conventional "heavy" Bushman products contain a higher amount of DEET (a component that determines how long the repellent is effective). They have similar technologies and have additional sun protection features.

Most Bushman insect repellents are said to last up to 7 hours, although the brand also offers a dry gel option that is said to last up to 15 hours on the skin.

ALDI’s specials may attract long lines, but it turns out that the supermarket’s wallet-friendly private label collection is equally popular among necessities such as chocolate and bathroom cleaners. In order to eliminate insects, ALDI's Repellex series includes children's odorless formula and general traditional insect repellent formula. The traditional version uses a 150 g spray bottle with up to 6 hours of tropical intensity protection.

Although it may not have the history of some competitors, ALDI has been surprising the big brands in recent years, which means that German supermarkets should not be underestimated.

Production of personal insect repellent for more than 50 years, OFF! It has always been the mainstay of the local market, providing consumers with a variety of different insect repellents. The series includes OFF!'s Tropical series, which includes a pump that is said to provide up to eight hours of protection. It is said that it has been dermatologically tested, and it is non-greasy and has a light fragrance. The home care series also includes sprays and aerosols, both of which are designed to last up to four hours. It is said that this series is suitable for children 12 months and above.

OFF!’s insect repellent series are said to have a non-greasy and light-scented formula.

Another supermarket giant invested its hats in the mosquito repellent ring, and Coles also provided cheaper alternatives for households with their own brands. For children and adults who need products that do not irritate the skin, Coles sells odorless, low-irritating insect repellent aerosols, which are said to provide up to 4 hours of protection. Another design of Coles Tropical Insect Repellent is to provide you with up to 6 hours of protection. Coles insect repellent includes:

Most products cost only US$4, while Coles’ roll-ball insect repellent check price is slightly higher, only US$7.

As a well-known brand in the market, Aerogard is another Australian company built specifically for the Australian climate. The sister company Mortein takes care of the insects in your home. Aerogard aims to take care of the insects outside and provides a variety of different products.

Aerogard's product line contains three different series, including "odorless", "heavy" and "tropical strength" mosquito repellents, some products can provide up to 6 hours of protection. But if you are looking for odorless varieties, this series is designed to provide you with protection for up to four hours. For those who don't like spraying, Aerogard also offers roller-ball insect repellents. This series of products includes:

Different varieties have different shapes and sizes, from 50 ml spray to 300 g aerosol.

Another Australian brand, RID, was established in the 1940s to help fight mosquitoes in humid climates, and the company has gradually become a well-known brand in the market. According to the brand, due to its bactericidal concentration, RID is also considered a medicinal insect repellent that can provide users with additional protection against diseases and infections.

RID's product line includes the Tropical Strength series, which is said to repel and prevent inflammation, and is said to provide you with longer-lasting protection against mosquitoes that may carry Ross River virus or dengue fever. RID’s Tropical Strength series can also repel insects such as ticks, leeches and sandflies. It provides roller, pump spray and aerosol sprays, which claim to provide up to 6 hours of protection.

Other products include children’s options and convenient sunscreen combinations to protect consumers from UV rays and insects. Other products are also available, such as mosquito coils, and RID hopes to cover all the basics. Some items to check:

The low-irritant preservative series are additionally designed to work for three hours, and RID’s preservative Plus series is said to provide up to four hours of protection.

If you are worried about the chemicals in the insect repellent you are exposed to, you are not the only one. 13% of the respondents in our survey said they are worried about the chemical content of the product. In most cases, DEET is the active ingredient in insect repellents, although some brands use Picaridin as an alternative.

DEET, also known as diethyl toluamide, is one of the most common active ingredients in insect repellents. It was developed by the U.S. Army during World War II to fight insect-borne diseases in jungle battles. All insect repellents will indicate the percentage of DEET concentration on the label, and many brands are usually around 30%. The greater the DEET concentration, the longer the effectiveness. But remember, the amount of DEET only affects the time that the insect repellent stays on the skin, not an indicator of its effectiveness.

For those with skin diseases, the available sensitive options usually have lower DEET concentrations, as do insect repellents for children. You should also know:

Australia is famous for its sunshine and beaches, so you have many reasons to go out. But even though we really want to spend time outdoors, dealing with insects is always risky, let alone an emotional killer. Therefore, many consumers turn to insect repellents to ensure that the fun is not spoiled or they are not bitten. Our research and analysis identified the following drivers of customer satisfaction:

Nearly one-third (29%) of survey respondents stated that they suffer "particularly severe" suffering from insect plagues and bites, so insect repellents are often essential when venturing outdoors. In addition, 37% of consumers said they always buy the same insect repellent, while only 15% of consumers would choose the cheapest option.

Survey respondents were also asked what type of insect repellent they have recently purchased. Aerosols are the most common:

Since everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes to insect repellents, especially when it comes to factors such as effects and smell, it may be worth trying several different options to find the one that best suits your lifestyle. Although our ratings provide a high-level guide on which brands are qualified for the job, your personal experience may be different.

This report was written by Canstar Blue's home and lifestyle reporter Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito. She is an expert in household appliances, beauty products, and all groceries and shopping. In addition to transforming our expert research into a consumer-friendly rating report, Tahnee also takes time to help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions on various consumer products and services, while emphasizing the best prices and anything you need to pay attention to. matter.

Image credit: Elizaveta Galitckaia/Shutterstock.com.

Canstar Blue conducted a survey of more than 3,000 Australian adults in different categories through an ISO 26362-accredited research team managed by Qualtrics to measure and track customer satisfaction. The results of the report are the results of customers in the survey team who have purchased and used personal insect repellents in the past 12 months-in this case 756 people.

Brands must receive at least 30 responses to be included. The results are comparative. It should be pointed out that the brand that received three stars still received at least 6 points (out of 10 points) of satisfaction. This survey did not compare all brands in the market. The rating table is first sorted by star rating, and then sorted by average overall satisfaction. If the rated brand does not receive the minimum number of responses that meet the criteria, the brand may receive an "N/A" (not applicable) rating.

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