ZappLight Review: LED Bulb Meets Bug Zapper

ZappLight is a combination light bulb and mosquito zapper that screws into any light bulb socket. Does it work? Read our ZappLight review.

About ZappLight

ZappLight is a LED energy saving light bulb combined with a flying insect zapper that plugs into standard light sockets. The product website is zapplight.com, which was first registered in November 2015. The screen shot below shows how the product website looked in March 2017. It appears that ZappLight was also tested under the name “Light Bulb Bug Zapper” (lightbulbbugzapper.com) and that product’s website is still online as of March 2017. Note that the television commercial is the same for both products, aside from the name.

Claims & Features

• Eliminates insects on contact
• Installs in any standard light bulb socket
• Doubles as an energy saving light bulb
• Can be used outdoors or indoors
• Portable from one light bulb socket to another

Cost

When purchasing ZappLight, there are three separate offers. The main offer for one ZappLight unit costs $19.99 + $7.99 shipping for a total of $27.98. The double offer, which includes 2 ZappLight units, costs $29.98 + $7.99 shipping for a total of $37.97. Finally, there is a six unit offer where you buy 5 ZappLights and get the 6th one for free. This six pack offer costs $99.99 and includes free shipping.

In March 2017 I spotted a ZappLight at a local Walmart for about $20.

ZappLight Review

This device attempts to combine two products (bug zapper and light bulb) into a single unit. It features a bright LED which attracts flying bugs, and then zaps them with an electric current when they get too close. It is the same concept as a traditional bug zapper, but with a more compact design. Unlike a standard zapper, this product doesn’t require an extension cord, as it can be plugged into any light socket.

Keep in mind that ZappLight will only work on flying bugs, so roaches, ants, and spiders may need to be dealt with in other ways. It is an excellent choice for smaller flying pests such as small moths and flies. I found that it didn’t allow larger moths inside. Once a bug is zapped, there may be a smell which emanates from the bulb, which is also the case with standard zappers. As you can see in the video below, it did a pretty decent job attracting small insects and zapping them. Cleaning it may be gross or arduous for some people, although a few YouTube comments have suggested that a blast of canned air may do the trick.

Although the advertising highlights this product’s ability to kill mosquitoes, there have been studies which indicate bug zappers may actually increase the number of mosquito bites by those who use them. A study from Notre Dame found that bug zappers may attract a few mosquitoes but rarely kill them, leading to more bites, not less. Mosquitoes are attracted more to carbon dioxide than light.

Overall, I think the design of ZappLight will prove to win over consumers, and I’m guessing the eventual star rating among customers will fall in the 3.5 to 3.7 star range. As a light bulb, it is quite expensive, and for the same price you can get a full-fledged bug zapper. On its own merits, however, I think Light Bulb Bug Zapper will perform well enough to garner mostly positive reviews.

Now that it’s available in stores, you may want to pick it up locally to sidestep shipping fees and delays.

Alternatives

There are a number of light bulb bug zappers available online for about $20 each. For a more traditional bug zapper, you may want to take a look at the Flowtron BK-15D, which has over 6,000 consumer ratings on Amazon, and is currently listed the #1 Best Seller in its class.

Video Review

See my full video review (shot in Maui!) below.

Television Commercial

Your ZappLight Reviews

What do you think of ZappLight? Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and a star rating above.