Thermacell Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller

If you camp anywhere near water in an Aussie summer, you know exactly how the evening
goes: the sun drops, the fire gets lit, and the mozzies clock on. We tried everything -
sprays the kids hated, smoky coils we didn't love near little lungs, citronella candles
that did almost nothing in a breeze. Then we got a Thermacell, and it's earned a
permanent spot in the Cruiser.

This is the rechargeable model, and that's the bit we'd point new buyers to. The older
Thermacells run on little butane cartridges you have to carry and replace; this one just
charges over USB, so there's one less thing to pack and nothing to run out of mid-trip.
You switch it on, give it about 10–15 minutes, and it quietly builds a zone of protection
roughly the size of our awning area.

What we love: it's genuinely kid-friendly - nothing sprayed on them - there's no smoke and
no real smell, it's compact, and the rechargeable battery makes it dead simple to live
with. We pop it on the camp table at dinner and the difference is night and day.

The honest cons: it protects a zone, not a person - wander off to the loo and you're back
in mozzie territory, so it pairs best with an on-skin repellent for walks. Give it the
full 15 minutes before the sun drops rather than after they've found you. A strong wind
cuts it down (though the mozzies struggle in wind too). And you'll go through repellent
refill pads over time, so keep a spare pack in the van.

Verdict: for families camping through mozzie season, it's one of the highest "comfort per
dollar" buys we've made. The rechargeable version is the one to get. ⭐⭐⭐⭐½