AH, those balmy summer nights. It’s the time for outdoor hangouts with mates, chilled beers on the lawn, epic barbecues… and mosquitoes. Thousands of them, biting at your exposed, sun-kissed flesh. Summer, a wonderful time of the year, when you can sit outside and enjoy a bit of alfresco dining and entertaining… until flying insects like midges and mosquitos come out to feast on you. The Thermacell Halo flying Insect Repeller is here to save your summer. It creates a 20m square zone of bug repellent protection, so you can enjoy a peaceful outdoor dining experience.

The Halo Mini is just one unit in the Thermacell range, each unit is designed for specific uses whether this is in the garden, camping or other outdoor activities such as fishing. I couldn’t honestly say that the Thermacell was more effective than a powerful body spray. But of the burn options I’ve tried – including citronella candles – it was the most effective. I like that there wasn’t an open flame to worry about, too. Summer is here – hurrah! – unfortunately, it brings with it a whole host of irksome insects waiting to invade your picnics and barbecues. With Thermacell’s Halo Mini Mosquito & Midge Repeller, you can enjoy your alfresco dining experiences in peace, as its innovative technology creates a 20m Sq. protection zone to ward off unwanted intruders. Great for the garden, park and even the beach, this mini marvel comes with 12 hours’ protection included (with refills available to buy separately).

You know it’s working because you see a tiny orange glow through a peephole on the device’s side. But otherwise, the Thermacell is silent, scent-free, mess-free and, apart from a very faint curl of warm air as the repellent paper starts to heat and do its job, visible-emission-free. There are also two lanterns in the range, the Bristol and the Scout lantern. One provides soft ambient lighting (Bristol) whilst the Scout will give you bright light when needed with four light settings. The Scout can also be used as a light stand alone or as a light and protection device at the same time. On several other camping evenings, where midges were also present in low numbers, the Thermacell did seem to make some sort of difference too; but again it's very hard to say how much. Not once have I been bitten by a mosquito while using the Thermacell - I have however received hundreds of midge bites in the line of duty. It's clearly not a silver bullet.

Summer is here – hurrah! – unfortunately, it brings with it a whole host of irksome insects waiting to invade your picnics and barbecues. With Thermacell’s Halo Mini Mosquito & Midge Repeller and Refill Bundle, you can enjoy your alfresco dining experiences in peace, as its innovative technology creates a 20m Sq. protection zone to ward off unwanted intruders. Great for the garden, park and even the beach, this mini marvel comes with 24 hours’ protection included (with refills available to buy separately). You should be able to see an orange glow in the view hole (near the top of the device) – this means the device is working and, in 15 minutes (30 minutes in larger areas), you will be protected from flies, midges and mosquitoes Only for outdoor use as an insect repellent. Do not use indoors, in tents or in any enclosed area. Do not insert anything other than Thermacell mats into the appliance. Cover or remove all exposed food. Do not leave appliance unattended or use in windy conditions. Do not expose appliance or mats to rain. Do not attach appliance to your body or clothing. Place appliance on a flat, stable surface with the grill facing upward... The idea of sitting in a chemical cloud doesn't really appeal, but weigh this against the possibility that you might not also have to wear insect repellent - itself often quite nasty stuff.

The allethrins are a group of related synthetic compounds used in insecticides. They are synthetic pyrethroids, a chemical found naturally in the chrysanthemum flower. They are commonly used in ultra-low volume sprays for outdoor mosquito control including many household insecticides as well as mosquito coils. Three insect-repelling mats (each lasts for four hours), and one butane canister (which lasts 12 hours). Each mat contains allethrin, an insect repellent that, when heated by your Thermacell device, is dispersed through the air, creating a 20m Sq. protection zone against stinging and biting menaces. End of life indicator The Thermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller effectively repels mosquitoes by creating a 20m2 zone of protection. Powered by butane gas canisters, a mat saturated with insect-repelling allethrin is heated, spreading the repellent through the air, creating a 20m Sq. ‘force field’ that deters meddlesome midges and mozzies. The device works best in calm conditions, as strong winds will affect the efficiency of the repellent.