The Black+Decker BDPC941 is a compact plug-in lantern zapper for indoor or outdoor use that Bob Vila lists at about 625 square feet of coverage. Bob Vila's roundup, which tested six zappers, named it the best bang for the buck: it kills without the usual audible snap, and its tester found the collection tray impressively full after a few hours. In a heavily wooded yard, though, Bob Vila found its dimmer bulb did not draw enough bugs away, and judged it best for smaller bug populations.
Full review
Where it sits in Bob Vila's test
Bob Vila tested six bug zappers during the height of bug season in the South, running each unit for a set period at night and then judging effectiveness by the insect body count afterward. It also weighed coverage area, ease of setup, usability and looks. The Black+Decker BDPC941 was its best bang for the buck pick.
Bob Vila describes it as a quiet, unintrusive zapper for about 625 square feet, indoors or outdoors, with a weather-resistant housing, and a solid choice for mild pest problems on patios and porches or inside the home.
Quiet operation
Most zappers pop each time they kill an insect. Bob Vila reports this one does it without an audible snap, to the point that its testers were initially skeptical it was working at all. Tester Tony Carrick said that after just a few hours they pulled out the tray and found a significant body count.
Limits in a buggy yard
The trade-off is drawing power. Bob Vila says the unit did not seem to make as big a dent as zappers with brighter fluorescent lights, and that in its heavily wooded test area the dimmer bulb was not enough to draw all the bugs away from the testers' skin. Its list of dislikes also notes that some bugs may stick to the light.
Bob Vila's conclusion is that it is a good mosquito zapper for smaller bug populations and for indoor use.
Design and upkeep
Bob Vila praises the sleek design and compact size, calling it one of the most attractive and low-maintenance options it tested. A removable tray and a brush handle cleaning, and the unit can hang from its ring or stand on a flat base. The Amazon listing adds a 10W UV bulb and a chain for hanging.
Strengths
- +Kills without an audible snap, per Bob Vila
- +Collection tray was impressively full after a few hours in Bob Vila's test
- +Removable tray and included brush make cleaning easy, per Bob Vila
- +Hangs from a ring or stands on its flat base
- +Bob Vila called it one of the most attractive and low-maintenance options it tested
Watch-outs
- −Dimmer bulb was not enough to draw bugs away in Bob Vila's heavily wooded test area
- −Bob Vila rates it less effective in heavy bug areas
How it compares
Bob Vila lists the Black+Decker BDPC941 Bug Zapper at about 625 square feet of coverage, against up to 1 acre for the Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer, and found it made less of a dent in a heavily wooded yard than brighter fluorescent units. In exchange it is quiet and dim where the Flowtron pops loudly and glows bright blue, and it can be used indoors, which the Flowtron cannot.
Rating sources
Our 4.0 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
