We researched dozens of options on the market, evaluating effectiveness, formula, ease of use, and bait type. The Hot Shot Liquid Roach Bait is the winner based on its fast results and ability to eliminate the source of the issue: the nest. Here are the best roach traps. The best way to end a cockroach infestation is not just by killing individual cockroaches, but by eliminating the nest. The best overall product to accomplish this is Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait. These bait traps are our top pick overall, thanks to their dual approach to attracting roaches. Inside each trap is liquid bait that contains food and water, increasing the likelihood that you’ll have regular visitors to the bait trap. Many other bait stations only use a food source to attract cockroaches, but these pests are also attracted to liquid. The package warns to keep these out of the reach of children or pets, but there is no significant odor that comes from the bait stations. You will need to replace the bait stations once the liquid is gone — typically after about a month of use, depending on how quickly the bait is depleted. Users positively report on the speed and efficiency of these bait stations, and many noticed a big reduction in the population of roaches within 24 hours. They do cost more than food-only bait stations, but users agree that the small increase in price is worth the effectiveness. Whether it was large or small cockroaches, the Hot Shot Liquid Roach Bait seemed to attract them both and eliminate the nest — making it our overall pick for best cockroach killer. Price at time of publish: $11 These peanut butter scented glue boards come in a large pack and can be used in any area of the house — including areas with low height clearance. To enhance effectiveness, some people do place peanut butter or other food on the glue trap to encourage cockroaches to venture onto the trap. Once trapped by the glue, the cockroaches will eventually die or can be easily disposed of. Users comment that even larger cockroaches are held tight by the glue when caught. Once the trap is full, you can also flip the box over and use the sticky part on the top of the box’s inside — further increasing the cost-effectiveness of these cockroach traps. Other users have cut the boards into multiples rather than folding them into a box shape. Unlike our top pick for the best sticky roach trap, you will clearly see the roaches and other insects stuck to the top of the board. Some people may not like to see the dead or dying roaches so plainly. However, for an economical way to catch and kill roaches, Catchmaster Peanut Butter Scented Glue Boards are a good bet. Price at time of publish: $31 Perhaps the biggest benefit of this sticky trap over other glue boards is the fact that you don’t have to see the roaches that have been caught. You may have to peek inside to know when the trap is full, but you won’t have an unsightly board laying around with dead cockroaches stuck to the surface. The Black Flag Roach Motel lasts up to 4 months, depending on how quickly roaches and other pests “check in.” Once you’ve reached maximum occupancy, it’s easy to just throw the trap away and replace it with a new one. These traps are pesticide-free and are child and pet-safe. They’re best for dealing with the occasional cockroach intruder, rather than a serious infestation — since they only kill individual insects, instead of the entire nest. Price at time of publish: $12 These syringe-like tubes are filled with a gel that is designed to treat many different species of roaches, and users find that it seems to be irresistible to these pests. Many people report that roaches begin appearing the minute they apply the gel in their home and that the number of dead roaches is considerable after just a few hours. The gel has to be squeezed onto floors, walls, cabinet hinges or other places where the roaches are commonly seen. It’s considered a ‘crack-and-crevice’ treatment, meaning you’ll want to place it in paths commonly used by the pests. Once the roaches have consumed all the gel, treat again to continue killing the population. Cockroaches will take the bait back to the nest, spreading the poison there as well. This method of cockroach treatment will result in a lot of dead bugs to be cleaned up, but it is highly effective. The gel is a more expensive and time-consuming process, but for a serious infestation, it is a top choice thanks to its effectiveness and ability to treat many species of roaches. Price at time of publish: $41 These tablets are a combination of boric acid and a lure, and they’re odorless and non-staining. Many homeowners have found them to be a great solution for killing cockroaches in areas such as under sinks, behind refrigerators and stoves, or on top of kitchen cabinets. The tablets are easy to put down, and don’t require the application effort involved with a gel or spray. You will want to keep these in places where children or pets won’t ingest them, but that is true of just about all pest control products. For an effective cockroach-killing product that comes in a convenient tablet, pick up a package of Harris Famous Roach Tablets. Price at time of publish: $6 This roach killer spray is expensive in comparison to other varieties of sprays, but the effects last up to four months. Many users also expressed that it worked on cockroach populations that seemed indifferent to other sprays. The Bengal Gold formula is a dry spray and is designed to be used to treat and kill cockroach infestations by flushing them out and killing them. It is not a contact spray — meaning you don’t spray it on cockroaches to immediately kill them. Instead, this spray drives them out from their hiding spots, poisons them so they eventually die, and also prevents them from reaching reproduction stage. Many people use it to spray areas where roaches live or are likely to enter, such as under sinks, around toilets, along baseboards, and around entryways. Price at time of publish: $19 Each canister will treat up to 2,000 cubic feet of unobstructed space, and the mist it produces is non-staining and won’t leave a messy residue. The Hot Shot Aerosol Fogger is a broad-spectrum product, meaning it will kill many different types of insects in addition to cockroaches. The mist kills roaches and other bugs on contact, but it also treats the space and provides up to two months of additional pest control. The fumes from the fogger contain a cocktail of chemicals, however, so you’ll have to leave during treatment and stay out for at least two hours. Any pets must be removed as well. After treatment is over, the manufacturer advises you to ventilate the space for another two hours. This process is more involved than some other methods of cockroach control but is a good step to consider if the infestation seems to be lingering or you have other insects you’d like to eradicate at the same time. Price at time of publish: $9
Bait Type
Cockroach traps with bait often use either liquid or food bait to lure in these pests. Since roaches are often on the hunt for either food or water, the types of traps can be a quicker and more effective way to combat an infestation. Some traps combine liquid and food bait to attract as many roaches as possible.
Active Ingredients
Many roach traps include active ingredients that are harmful to children and pets, so it’s important to keep them out of reach. To avoid a catastrophe, one option is to choose cockroach traps that have an alternate method of trapping roaches, like glue boards, or electronic devices that repel insects ultrasonically.
