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.
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 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.
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.
Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s insect repellent ratings:
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