Hot or Not? Black Flag’s Propane-Powered Bug Fogger
By Chuck Cage
I’ve seen these up near the checkout counters the last few times I was in Lowe’s, and I really wonder if they’re worth the cash. We have a tremendous bug problem right now in Texas, so anything that’d drive ‘em away for a cookout or outdoor party would really make a difference. But $60-$75 is a lot to spend.
Do any of you have experience with these? Let us know in comments.
Propane-Powered Insect Fogger [Black Flag]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon
June 19th, 2007 at 11:43 am
If mosquitoes are the problem why not just setup a DIY ‘mosquito magnet’. Take a 5g bucket and stick a big chunk of dry ice in there and fill halfway with water. Place it in a corner of your yard where you wouldn’t mind the fog it produces and let the mosquitoes flock over there.
Heck of a lot cheaper than this product (although not quite the same) and worlds cheaper than the propane drive mosquito magnet which does essentially the same thing.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Haven’t use one so I can’t say, but I did notice it is NOT included among the products with a ‘Money Back Guarantee’ [1] from the manufacturer. However, you can extend the warranty for a full year for free [2] if you register within 30 days of purchase. Not sure if that’s a year total or a year in addition to an existing warranty.
[1]: http://www.blackflag.com/guarantee.php
[2]: http://warranty.thefountainheadgroup.com/
June 19th, 2007 at 11:47 am
I’m partial to, and somewhat fascinated with, Purge III. Only licensed for use from a dispenser, but it drops bugs out of the sky. It is hardcore bug killer. I put one over the back door and we have bug free meals out there. Put one over the trash can in the garage as well. Mostly good for skeeters and flys.
June 19th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I have used an electric version fo the same product, and it was at least a little effective. I’m not sure about the years removed from my life by standing in a large cloud of toxic smoke, though.
You might consider, instead of this, getting one of those cheap fog machines from party City/Target/etc. They work on the same principle and if you got a timer you could set it up to do a periodic burst and give you long term coverage, instead of occasionally having to get up and re-fog. I’ve never tried it, but it should work…
June 19th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I’ve used them before a big outdoor party and they work great. They are especially useful if you have a lot of weed/underbrush/ivy, etc where massive amounts of mosquitos hide out.
Plus pumping out massive amounts of smoke reminds me of my childhood chasing behind the anti-mosquito DDT smoker trucks that use to drive through the Southeast.
The huge downside is that it also nukes all the spiders and good insects that share the same habitat. I’m looking forward to trying the hormone attractant water trap thing next spring to stop the breeding cycle before it gets heavy.
June 19th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
I’m not sure I’d trust sending bug juice through a halloween fogger, health risks might outweigh the price difference
June 19th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Works great in nothern michigan in summer. Have had good results in making a bug free vacation by using it in the early am with the wind still and at dusk. Does have the downside of killing everything, but if it is only for occasional use….
June 19th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
We used to use these for concerts in small venues. If you use Roscolux fog juice in them they work great as a party fogger. Back then you could pick these up for under $50.
Of course if you do that, you need to use one that has *never* had bug killer in it.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Another “bike behind the DDT truck” kid here; I’m never quite sure if it’s that smoke that killed so many of my brain cells, or the stuff I encountered in college in the mid-70’s…
That said, I’ll pass on something like this, for two reasons: I definitely don’t want to get rid of the beneficial bugs, and if I’m going to be outside long enough to warrant this, my granddaughters are likely to be with me and DDT truck from my youth nonwithstanding, I’m not willing to subject them to this. I’ll just keep up with trying to elminate as much breeding territory as I can, and use the topical poisons when we must.
June 20th, 2007 at 10:39 am
http://www.diyhappy.com/quick-and-dirty-mosquito-trap/
Could just do something like that too. Much cheaper and less need to refill with ice
July 4th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
When I was a kid at camp a guy used to fog the campsite in the evening with a thing that looked like a chainsaw motor with a long exaust pipe. The Mosquito juice was pumped into the hot exaust and it made fog.
Enter my fogger … my lawn mower.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/bassman700/PICT0005.jpg
I have an oil can with a flexable hose. Cut off the tip and insert it into a 3 ft. piece of copper tube. Get a hose clamp the size of the oil can and a smaller one to join the can onto the lawnmower. Drill a hole into the muffler twice the size of the copper tube. Anchor the tube down to the mower cuz it will blow out of the hole. Fill the can with Mosquito juice, fire the mower and pump the juice out of the can. Great fogger. Fire the fog into the bottom of a bush or hedge and let it rise and vanquish the biting foe.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/bassman700/PICT0007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/bassman700/PICT0006.jpg
One small problem I’ve found is the pressure of the exaust tends to push the juice back up the copper tube which makes you have to pump harder to get it down the tube. To solve this I was going to put a football infating needle on the end of the copper tube and give that a try.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
NOT HOT !!! Burned and bitten,looking for my reciept,bought it at lowes,tried and tried,kept thinking maby it was in the wrist,BULL THE PRODUCT STINKS
June 28th, 2008 at 12:02 am
I too have used the electric model of this dating back to the 60s, and never have had any problems with that.
My electric”disappeared” during a move a few years ago, and I may have to check one of these out, as the property now precludes convenient use of a cord.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
I had mine for 2 years don’t know if the “juice” that comes with it actually kills anything but it fogs.
the trick is let it warm up 3-5 minutes when done fogging let stand alone 5 minutes make dure it’s done “spitting” cause if it cools with any juice in it it will clog and it will be done.
July 7th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
This “fogger” is a wonderful tool, fogs great, and in campgrounds when the bugs are out, no-one around complains of excess fog running through their site! Yet there is a problem that I am sure “Black Flag” is aware of. After some use, it leaks like a sieve!! I say “Black Flag” is aware of, on the front of my operators manual, it states: Do not return to retailer with problems, call “BF”! Something to consider when purchasing. I wish they would take care of this, in my area, it sells for $70.
October 12th, 2008 at 11:39 am
I got it to actually start/light and fog - once. The starter/ignition switch on this thing is a jok. One use for $65… waste of money.
March 14th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
use mine all last summer sells here home depot for less then forty found juice is expensive but use it eveynight and i stay bug free
cough cough hac hac such is life “jsut so u no”
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:59 pm
i’m on my second Black flag fogger, i returned the first one after it started leaking out of the bottom and they gave me a replacement. my second fogger was only used a half dozen times in 2008, i just got it out of the shed and poured in the bug killer to do some fogging and again it’s leaking out the bottom. so i just spent $12-15 on fogger juice and can’t use it. i’ll be damned if i’ll buy another espically at that price. i stored the fogger with the resevior empty, i only put black juice in the fogger. i’m currently trying to find info about this problem on the net. good luck, i’d buy a different brand maybe one with a screw on resevior. the fogger did help keep down the mosiquitos
May 24th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
I own one of these foggers and it works just fine. I have used foggers various times for fogging campsites for the Cubscouts and Church shelter areas before cookouts. These foggers provide severals days of relief from small flying insect problems so you don’t have to spray the day of the party or event.
June 24th, 2009 at 11:43 am
WHEN the thing works, it works awesome, but generally speaking, it’s a poorly made product… one that I highly recommend. In a nut shell, there’s a combustion chamber that gets super hot from burning propane, then you squirt a solution (by pulling a trigger) into a metal coil that goes around the hot center. The solution atomizes and comes out as a fine mist (fog, not smoke). My first one would not stay lit - the slightest wind would blow out the flame. My second one would stay lit and super hot, but the trigger would not pump any bug juice out. On my third one now and it works AWESOME (other than it leaks juice). Poorly made, but a great idea. If you’re desperate like me, buy one and test it out right away - keep returning them until you get one that works. It should stay lit without any fuss, and pump huge amounts of fog with ease. READ THE DIRECTIONS. You can only pull the trigger every two seconds. Make sure you let it warm up and WARM down properly. Good luck. Death to skeeters!!!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:58 am
[...] Black Flag’s Propane-Powered Bug Fogger: Meh. While some few readers really objected to this bug-killing fog machine, numerous comments described easier and cheaper ways to accomplish the same thing in a greener DIY fashion. [...]
July 13th, 2009 at 10:43 am
I bought a black and decker fogger at a yard sale and would like some instructions on use and cleaning.
July 25th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Just bought the electric version today at Home depot because the mosquito control guys said this would help with their “poor” spraying. Got home and the unit doesn’t heat up so NO FOG and the damn mosquitoes are eating me alive (I think I heard some small laughter from the mosquitoes). Going back tomorrow to get a replacement. I sure hope I’m doing the right thing…..In 5 years my physician will declare me brain dead from using one of these units….once again the insects rule and humans drool!!!
July 26th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Works Great!!!!! If any one says different they don’t own one…… I love mine, 3 years
and countless 9.95 jugs of juice…. Worth EVERY PENNY!!!!!!!!!! I can sit outside when ever I want.. ALL the bugs are DEAD and I spray my foundation with other bug killers.
August 18th, 2009 at 10:49 am
My brother bought one and swears by it. I’m on my way today to purchase one for myself. As the guy stated earlier “Death to Skeeters”!!!