Searching for a way to rid your home of pesky mice or other rodents? We've rounded up the best mouse traps available, and one of the worst.
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A home hasn’t yet been invented that a mouse can’t find its way into. Mice can squeeze through openings as small as one-quarter of an inch, and they see our homes as bastions of comfortable temperatures and delicious snacks. Although you may think mice are cute, they can also destroy food, damage wiring and introduce disease to your home.
Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, it’s always a good idea to keep a mouse trap or two on hand so you can respond quickly when these rodents come around. With that in mind, here are eight great mouse traps, plus one to avoid!
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For value, you can’t beat the classic spring-loaded Victor mouse trap. They’ve been making mouse traps for 120 years, and the same basic design still works.
At about 54 cents a trap (less if you buy in bulk), you can afford a bunch of them. In case of a mess you just throw the whole thing away, mouse and all.
Downsides are visibility (you’ll see all the gruesome details), pet/child safety (keep it away from curious paws or fingers) and ease of use. For those with arthritis or hand strength issues, these can be difficult to set.
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Electric mouse traps zap the critter with a powerful electric charge, disrupting its heartbeat with up to 9,000 volts. We favor the Owltra Indoor Electric Mouse Trap.
One set of four AA batteries puts out enough charge to kill 60 mice. And unlike some other electric models, you can reuse this trap without buying additional parts.
The Owltra features a bait station with air vents at the rear. The aroma lures mice. Once inside, the mouse will pass two sets of infrared sensors before the trap triggers, preventing accidental discharge from a curious child or pet.
The downsides to this design? If you fail to remove a dead mouse promptly, the waste liquids can be tough to clean. And it’s not intended for outdoor use.
Like electric traps but need to eliminate mouse activity in a wet or damp environment? Owltra’s Outdoor/Indoor Rodent Trap is the best option we’ve found.
Notably, the designers did far more than slap a waterproof lid on their indoor model. The outdoor version offers more power and size to handle rats, chipmunks and other larger rodents as well as mice. It takes four D batteries rather than AAs, and can also be powered with a USB line.
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Surprisingly, most mouse trap manufacturers don’t talk up how sensitive their products are. The only manufacturer we found who does is Feeke. It eagerly touts the quick trigger on its MO-1 mouse trap. It requires only 0.025 pounds of weight to activate it.
Don’t set it out around children or pets, of course. But if you’ve got a clever mouse who manages to clean the bait out of other traps, this is a great choice.
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If you need to eliminate some mice but can’t stomach the aftereffects, consider the Kat Sense Tunnel Trap. It’s named for the two tunnel-like entrances on either side of its plastic shell. There’s a spring-loaded trap inside, entirely hidden from view. It’s easy to set and doesn’t require handling the dead mouse.
Downsides? If you’ve got children and pets, a finger or tiny paw might fit into the tunnel, so use with discretion. And it’s a single-use trap that costs more than $8.
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A bucket mouse trap features a tiny access ramp and a trap door, dumping mice into a secure bucket. A great example is the Tulardum Bucket Mouse Trap. Like most bucket traps, the Tulardum kit consists of the ramp and cover; you provide the five-gallon bucket.
A bucket trap is always ready to go. Unlike a traditional spring-loaded trap that must be reset after each catch, after one mouse drops through the trap door, this trap is ready to catch another.
Putting oil or water in the bucket kills any mice that drop in. You could also leave it empty for humane catch and release.
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A humane catch-and-release product traps the mouse in a plastic tube. The Motel Mouse comes with air vents and won’t trap the mouse’s tail. It comes with an easy, no-touch release option.
Like most humane traps, Motel Mouse is safe around pets and children. It also comes in different sizes and colors so you can pick the best possible match for your home and pests.
An added touch we like: A cleaning brush to keep the trap sanitary and scent-free. Besides controlling general odors, it won’t scare away new mice.
If you’re in the market for mouse traps, here are a few factors to keep in mind:
The main concern is the method used to trap and/or kill the mouse. Traps are generally spring-activated (like classic mouse traps), electric or have some other method of capturing a mouse (like a one-way door). All of these must be reset (including adding new lures) between uses, but electric ones may need complete replacements when their batteries are dead.
Some traps leave a dead mouse in plain sight, while others hide them away. Be aware of your personal level of squeamishness in considering your traps. You will definitely have to deal with the carcasses if you’re using kill traps (and throwing the whole rig away can be wasteful), but you’ll have to figure out how to release the mouse if you use more humane options.
Some live traps allow catch and release (and these are the most humane option), but kill traps can be more or less humane as well. A well-designed mouse trap should kill as quickly and painlessly as possible. An important note: If you have any interest in humane pest control, definitely avoid glue traps. These result in a slow and terrifying end for trapped mice.
For homes with children and/or pets, consider an enclosed trap that keeps fingers and paws out of harm’s way. Mouse traps are no joke and can cause serious damage to humans and other pets, including broken bones and/or amputated digits.
A traditional spring trap can be difficult to load, which can make it potentially dangerous when setting up and resetting. To make things simpler for you and yours, look for traps that are easy to set.
Pest control is a regretful business but a necessary one. Still, the category made us take a look at what we were offering in a unique way. Of course, we considered brand reputations, product materials and quality, styles, budgets and more. But we also paid close attention to the user experience—both professional and from the perspective of the average consumer—to help make a selection of mouse traps that suit a variety of needs and desires (like humaneness and ease of use) before settling on a final array, which you see here.
Regarding home improvement and DIY, Dan Stout is an undeniable expert, having worked as a former residential remodeler, commercial site supervisor and maintenance manager. That also means he’s dealt with his fair share of pest control, including the use of a variety of mouse traps, making him uniquely qualified and experienced to speak on the matter.
Electric traps are considered the most effective but also the most expensive. Some companies claim a kill rate of as much as 100 percent, though these rates are typically achieved in clinical settings.
Sometimes, yes. A homeowner’s best defense against trap-avoiding mice is simple: add more traps. The greater the number of traps, the fewer chances a mouse has to skirt them.
Foods high in fat and sugar are often the best to attract mice, which is why cheese and peanut butter are go-to classics. But you can also use beef jerky or even marshmallows (among other things). It’s reported that female mice are also drawn to materials they might use to build nests, like yarn or twine.
As is the case with many pests, keeping your home and property clean and free of excess food debris is your best defense. However, mice are unlikely to leave permanently so long as there are hiding places and food options.
