Best-Rated Insect Repellents

See Our Ratings Methodology.

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Most Satisfied Customers | Bushman

Aussies have rated Bushman as the go-to in Canstar Blue’s insect repellent ratings, with the brand receiving five stars for effectiveness, ease of use, packaging convenience, texture and consistency and overall satisfaction.

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How we rate insect repellent

Our review compares insect repellent on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which insect repellent they think is best!


Canstar Blue surveyed 819 Australians for their feedback on the personal insect repellent(s) they’ve purchased and used in the last 12 months.

  • The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.


Respondents rate their satisfaction with their insect repellent brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
  • Overall satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with an insect repellent brand as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Effectiveness: the insect repellent was successful in repelling insects and preventing insect bites.
  • Ease of use: the insect repellent was simple to use, with ample instructions also provided.
  • Packaging convenience: the insect repellent was easy to open and store away (i.e. cap to open/close etc.).
  • Scent: the insect repellent smelled pleasant, and as described (i.e. tropical, etc.).
  • Texture & consistency: the insect repellent was smooth on skin, and didn’t leave an oily residue behind after rubbing in.
  • Value for money: the cost is reasonable for the quality and quality of insect repellent.

The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.

  1. Bushman
  2. Rid
  3. Coles
  4. OFF!
  5. Aerogard
  6. ALDI Repellex

Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.


Top Insect Repellent Brand – Bushman

Bushman Insect Repellent

Founded in 1990, Bushman is arguably synonymous with insect repellent in Australia, with the brand developed and tested within the various environments found across Australia, with its slogan of “don’t feed the mozzies” catching on quickly. Today, Bushman offers a range of products, including roll-on, pump spray, aerosols and dry gels to help you remain unscathed, with the Bushman Plus range featuring 20% DEET, while the Bushman Ultra features 40%, and the dry gel versions of both products containing 80% DEET for those who are going into heavily-infested areas.

  • Bushman was rated five stars for effectiveness, ease of use, packaging convenience, texture and consistency as well as overall satisfaction, with four stars for value for money and scent.

Insect repellent chemicals

If you’re worried about the chemicals you’re exposing yourself to when it comes to insect repellents, you’re not the only one, with 11% of respondents to our survey stating that they are worried about the chemical levels in the products they buy. In most cases, DEET is the active ingredient in insect repellents, although some brands use picaridin as an alternative.

What is DEET?

Otherwise known as diethyltoluamide, DEET is one of the most common active ingredients in insect repellents. It was developed by the US Army during the Second World War to combat insect-borne illness during its jungle campaigns. All insect repellents that contain the ingredient will state a DEET concentration percentage on the label, with many brands typically around the 30% range. The greater the DEET concentration, the longer the perceived effectiveness. But keep in mind the amount of DEET only impacts how long the insect repellent stays on the skin and is not an indicator of effectiveness.

For those who suffer from skin conditions, the sensitive options available will often have lower DEET concentrations, as do repellents for children. You should also know that:

Compare Bug Spray

About our consumer experts


Dean Heckscher: Site Editor

This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.

 

Meet the Editorial Team

 

Samantha Howse: Consumer Research Specialist

Sam Howse Research Specialist

Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.

 

Meet the Research Team

Past Ratings

Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s insect repellent ratings:

  • 2022: OFF!
  • 2021: Bushman
  • 2020: OFF!
  • 2019: Bushman
  • 2018: Bushman
  • 2017: ALDI Repellex
  • 2016: Bushman

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