Electronic rat traps provide a very humane and lethal electric shock to kill rats, mice, and other rodents.
Because they are relatively easy to set up and can be effective in rodent control, they have become a popular way to get rid of rats in your attic or home.
With so many available, there are a few key factors to choosing the right trap.
Here are my top 5 choices of the best electronic rat traps available today.
How Do Electronic Rat Traps Work?
Electronic rat traps are very simple to understand. Inside the chamber of the trap are two metal plates.
When the unsuspecting rat enters the trap and steps on both metal plates at the same time, it completes an electrical circuit causing a lethal shock to circulate through the rat’s body.
The rat’s heart will stop and then it will die in a few seconds inside the chamber.
“One important fact is that a rats heart usually will restart after the initial shock. For a positive kill, ensure the electronic trap you pick takes this into consideration”
Make sure you choose a trap that provides longer or multiple shocks to ensure killing the rat when it enters the trap.
The electric shock provides a quick death, making electronic traps a very humane way of killing rats.
However, if you are concerned about killing a living animal, then check out the reviews on the best live rat traps.
Using Electronic Rat Traps
Electronic rat traps are usually battery-operated although some can be plugged into an outlet.
Using batteries makes it convenient when placing the traps in areas without electricity.
However, it is a good idea to use new or fully charged batteries to get the maximum effectiveness and ensure an instant kill every time.
Electronic rat traps are relatively easy to use.
Steps to using an Electronic Rat Trap
- Bait trap with peanut butter on the back wall of the trap.
- Insert Batteries.
- Place in a location with rat activity.
- Turn on the unit and wait for a kill.
- Wash and reuse.
Most traps will have a kill indication light or alarm sound.
Some models like the Victor M2 Smart Kill Electronic Rat Trap on Amazon, come with a WiFi app that can alert you of a kill via your mobile phone which comes in handy when you don’t want to get the ladder out each time to check traps in the attic.
Additionally, no mess is made during a kill providing a humane no-see, no-touch experience. The rat is safely hidden in the tunnel.
To dispose of, just dump the rat into the trash bag and put it in the outside trash bin immediately, or if your area permits, leave it outside for scavengers to eat.
So far Electronic Rat Traps sounds good, right?
Well, there are some downsides to electronic traps:
First electronic zapper traps come at a much higher cost than standard snap traps.
In Addition to the higher cost, electronic traps are not recommended for outdoor use due to the chance they may get wet and malfunction.
Furthermore, because of the nature of electronic devices in general, there is always a higher rate of failure with electronic rat traps as they tend to break more frequently becoming an expensive brick instead of a cost-effective way of getting rid of rats.
Why use an Electronic Rat Trap?
While there are significant downsides to electronic mouse traps, many people have great success and like using them. If you don’t get a lemon and use them properly they can be quite effective at ridding your home of rats.
In summary, electronic rat traps provide quick and humane kills leaving little mess to clean up, and are designed to be a reusable no no-see, no-touch trap.
If you can’t stand seeing a dead rat electronic traps might be a better option for you.
With that said, let’s take a look at a comparison between the best electronic rat traps!
Electronic Rat Trap Comparison Chart
Use the ROCC-O-METER® to quickly determine the best Electronic Zapper Traps for mice. It’s a simple number rating system. The lower the number the better the product with 1= the Best Choice 2=Good, 3=Average, 4=Poor. For more information on The ROCC-O-METER® Click Here.
| Product | Features | More Info | ROCC-O-METER® | Shop Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor M2 Smart Kill WiFi Electronic Rat Trap |
| Victor M2 Details | Score=2 | |
| Rat Zapper Electronic Trap |
| Rat Zapper Details | Score=1 | |
| Victor M241 Electronic Rat Trap |
| Victor M241 Details | Score=2 | |
| Rat Zapper Ultra Electronic Trap |
| Score=2 | ||
| OWLTRA OW-1 Electronic Rat Trap |
| OWLTRA Details | Score=2 |
Victor M2 Smart Kill Wi-Fi Electronic Rat Trap
Downloading the app to your smartphone for kill alerts is a super convenient way of letting you know when to check the trap.
Downloading the app to your smartphone for kill alerts is a super convenient way of letting you know when to check the trap.
I need a 12-foot ladder to get into my attic, and a feature like this helps save time and energy.
The Victor M2 also has a convenient bait door making it easy to bait the trap from the back of the unit.
It is a no-see, no-touch, rat trap that provides up to 50 kills on 4- “C” batteries.
This unit is easy to use and it delivers a quick humane kill.
It has a plastic body and is designed so the lid which houses the electronic can be removed from the body for easy cleaning.
Although expensive, I scored the Victor M2 a “2” on the ROCC-O-METER® due to extra WiFi, easy cleaning and bait cup features make up for the higher cost.
Victor provides a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase and up to 1 year of replacement for defective products.
The Victor M2 Smart Kill Wi-Fi Electronic Rat Trap is available on Amazon and the reviews are great for this product.
Rat Zapper Electronic Trap
It is powered by 4-“AA” batteries that will provide up to 20 kills.
The chamber designed for medium size rats provides a no-see, no-touch experience.
Once a rat is killed inside the chamber a red light on the top of the unit will flash slowly.
The Rat Zapper is easy to set up and can be washed and reused.
The Rat Zapper is manufactured by Woodstream Corporation, the same company that makes Victor products, and provides a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase and up to 1 year of replacement for defective products.
Overall the Rat Zapper Electronic Trap is the lowest cost on my list and is a great choice for electronic rat traps available in 1 to 4 packs on Amazon.
Victor M241 Electronic Rat Trap
It has a large chamber so adult rats should not be a problem with this trap.
It is powered by 4-“C” batteries that provide up to 50 kills per set of batteries.
The Victor M241 also comes with a bait door at the back of the unit for easy use.
The chamber design is a no-touch, no-see experience that catches one rat per setting.
This trap is for indoor use only and can be washed and reused.
A light on the unit indicates a kill or low batteries.
Victor provides a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase and up to 1 year of replacement for defective products.
The Victor M241 Electronic Rat Trap is available in a “1” or “4” pack on Amazon and is moderately priced.
Rat Zapper Ultra Electronic Trap
The larger chamber provides better success for killing larger rats.
It is powered by 4-“D” batteries that deliver a high voltage shock for an instant humane kill and has a longer battery life of up to 60 kills per set.
As with all Electronic Zapper Traps, it is designed for indoor use only and can be cleaned and reused.
The Rat Zapper Ultra is manufactured by Woodstream Corporation, the same company that makes Victor products, and provides a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase and up to 1 year of replacement for defective products.
OWLTRA OW-1 Indoor Electric Rat Trap
The top housing is held by magnets that contain the electronics and batteries. It can be removed quickly for easy cleaning, which is nice.
The OWLTRA OW-1 Electronic Rat Trap provides up to 60 kills per set of 4 “D” batteries.
It generates a 6000 to 9000 high-voltage shock for instant kills and has a convenient led for low battery indicator.
It provides a no-touch, no-see experience when cleaning up.
The OWLTRA OW-1 Electronic also has a pet-safe Dual Infrared Sensor to prevent false zaps to pets and children which is nice.
This electronic mouse trap is reasonably priced and is the only electronic rat trap on this list that is made in China.
The warranty on this product is not clear, so you may have to work with Amazon for returns if you get a defective one.
The OWLTRA OW-1 Electronic Rat Trap is available on Amazon and has positive reviews for this product.
Electronic Rat Trap Conclusion
When working properly, electronic mouse traps can be a very effective way to rid your home or attic of rats.
They certainly provide a quick, clean kill making them a more humane choice.
Also having Wi-Fi notification is really nice feature to make using these trap more convenient.
However, due to the nature of electronic devices, they can be costly and have a higher rate of failure than traditional traps.
When faced with a pest issue, malfunctioning products can add additional stress to an already frustrating situation.
You may want to consider picking an electronic trap from a well known manufacturer, and as a backup get some of the cheaper snap traps just in case you get a defective unit!
For additional information, read the post on The Best Way to Get Rid of Rats In the Attic.
Let me know what you chose by leaving a comment below!
