Verdict
All guidesResearchOpen dataMethodologyAboutContact
Head-to-head · Best Bug Zappers

ASPECTEK Electric Indoor Bug Zapper vs Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

Verdict is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you click through and buy, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our ratings are sourced from independent publications, not sponsors.
The short answer

Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.2 vs 4.0). Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer is best for: larger yards with room to hang it well away from the patio. Read the strengths below before deciding.

ASPECTEK Electric Indoor Bug Zapper
Ranked #3 in Best Bug Zappers
ASPECTEK Electric Indoor Bug Zapper
1 sourceall derived$42.74as of Oct 11

The ASPECTEK HR292 is a 20W plug-in zapper with two UV bulbs and a 2,800-volt grid behind a mesh guard, sold for indoor and covered outdoor use. Bob Vila's bug zapper roundup, which tested six models, named it the best pick for indoors and found it performed as well as many outdoor units of similar design. Its complaints were the loud pop on each kill and a bright, utilitarian look that it said most people would not want in a bedroom.

Strengths
  • — Performed as well as many outdoor black-light zappers in Bob Vila's test
  • — Mesh screen guards against accidental contact with the grid, per Bob Vila
  • — Removable, washable tray makes cleanup fast, Bob Vila found
Watch-outs
  • — Loud pop on each kill, which Bob Vila called a bit unsettling indoors
  • — Bright black light and utilitarian look; Bob Vila would not put it in a bedroom
  • — Not for open outdoor use: Bob Vila lists it for indoors or covered outdoor areas only
$42.74 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer
Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Bug Zappers
Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer
1 source$69.99as of Oct 11

The Flowtron BK-40D is a plug-in outdoor lantern zapper with two UV black light bulbs, an electrified grid and a slot for an octenol mosquito lure. Bob Vila's Tony Carrick ran it against five other zappers over several summer nights in rural North Carolina, rated it 9/10 and called it the best of the group at thinning out biting insects. His complaints were the very short power cord, the bright blue light and utilitarian looks, and the fact that it kills beneficial insects along with the biting ones.

Strengths
  • — Rated 9/10 by Bob Vila, which found it out-zapped five other models
  • — Registered kills within minutes of being plugged in, per Bob Vila
  • — Bob Vila found mosquito activity on the patio declined noticeably with it running
Watch-outs
  • — Power cord is less than a foot long; Bob Vila needed a 40-foot extension cord
  • — Bright fluorescent blue light, constant popping and utilitarian looks, per Bob Vila
  • — Kills all flying insects, including beneficial nonbiting ones, Bob Vila notes
$69.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

ASPECTEK Electric Indoor Bug Zapper

Bob Vila lists the ASPECTEK Electric Indoor Bug Zapper for indoors or covered outdoor areas with about 1,000 square feet of coverage, against 625 square feet for the Black+Decker BDPC941 Bug Zapper and up to 1 acre for the outdoor-only Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer. Its 2,800-volt grid is half the 5,600 volts listed for the Flowtron and below the 4,200 volts on the GOOTOP Indoor and Outdoor Bug Zapper's listing. Bob Vila found it pops loudly on each kill, where the Black+Decker kills without an audible snap.

Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer

The Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer is the only outdoor-only unit on this page and the only one Bob Vila scored in a standalone review. Bob Vila lists its coverage as up to 1 acre, against about 625 square feet for the Black+Decker BDPC941 Bug Zapper, and found the Flowtron far more effective in a heavily wooded yard but much louder and brighter than the near-silent Black+Decker. Its grid is listed at 5,600 volts, double the 2,800 volts of the ASPECTEK Electric Indoor Bug Zapper.

Specs side-by-side

SpecASPECTEK Electric Indoor Bug ZapperFlowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer
ModelHR292, 20W (Bob Vila names it HR292-1; Amazon lists part number HR292-5)BK-40D (sold at some retailers as BK40DK)
TypePlug-in light bulb zapperPlug-in outdoor lantern zapper
SuitabilityIndoors or covered outdoor areas—
CoverageUp to 1,000 square feet, per Bob VilaUp to 1 acre (manufacturer claim)
BulbsTwo 10W UV bulbs; 2 replacement bulbs included—
Grid voltage2,800 volts5,600 volts
CleaningRemovable, washable collection tray—
MountingCountertop, or wall-hung with included chain—
MaterialAluminum—
Dimensions15"L x 3"W x 10.5"H—
Weight1.82 kg—
Light—Two UV black light bulbs, 40W
Attractant—Octenol cartridge included
Power source—Corded; standard three-prong outdoor GFCI outlet
Housing—Polycarbonate
← See the full ranking of best bug zappers