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If critters in the walls have got you climbing up the walls, it’s time for some mouse traps. No matter how cute a single mouse may be, an infestation of them in your home or garden is another thing entirely. Those cute little buggers can reproduce like crazy, spread disease, and even cause electrical fires by chewing through wiring. That just won’t do. But you don’t have to let pests get the best of you, as there are a number of excellent traps out there to fit all manner of situations. From no kill to electric, expensive to budget, one of the best mouse traps—like our best overall, the Tomcat Press ’N Set Mouse Trap—is certain to fit your needs.
How we chose the best mouse traps
To find the absolute best mouse traps on the market, we compared a variety of products, considering not only price but also factors such as type, how humane it may be, and the ick factor—that is, the state of the mouse in the trap and how discretely you can dispose of it. We cross-referenced these selections with recommendations from pest control professionals, as well as general consumer ratings. You can be confident that these are the best available today.
The best mouse traps: Reviews & Recommendations
There are many factors to consider when deciding which mouse trap is right for you. Whether it’s a jaw-type combining the simplicity of a spring trap with modern ease of use or an electric and discrete trap that keeps the dirty work hidden, the best traps can get the job done for not much dinero. With our top picks, you can make mice disappear (without making them transparent).
Best overall: Tomcat Press ’N Set Mouse Trap
Tomcat
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Specs
- Type: Jaw
- Discrete: No touch disposal
- Reusable: No
Pros
- Highly effective
- Easy to set
- Good value for money
Cons
- May be difficult to reset after springing
Build a better mouse trap and the world will beat a path to your door, or so goes the saying. While this refers to innovation in general, Tomcat may have built a literally better mouse trap with the Press ’N Set Mouse Trap. A modern take on the jaw type, it’s both safer for humans and dangerous for mice.
The trap, which resembles the teeth and jaw of a dangerous animal, is set with a single button, reducing the chance of getting fingers caught. The trap is disposable, with the set button acting as a grab-tab so you don’t have to touch the mouse. The trap is highly effective and also affordable, with two traps in a single box and for a very good price. Note that some users have said that it’s difficult to reset after false triggers—but at this price, it’s still a good deal, making it one of the best traps.
Best splurge: Victor Electronic Mouse Trap
Vict
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Specs
- Type: Electric
- Discrete: No touch, no see
- Reusable: Requires refill chambers
Pros
- 100% kill rate
- Built-in safety features
- No touch, no see disposal
Cons
- Kill chamber not reusable
- Pricey
Let’s face it: No one wants to kill a mouse. Sometimes, we have no choice, however, and if you’d rather not have to see the mouse after the deed is done, Victor’s Electronic Mouse Trap is an excellent splurge alternative.
Promising a 100 percent kill rate, the Victor trap uses electricity to dispatch the rodent quickly. The kill chamber features beveled columns to prevent escapes, as well as a built-in bait cup and automatic safety switch to prevent accidental shocks to pets and children.
Squeamish users will like the fact that this trap is no-touch, no-see with a disposable chamber and LED alert light to notify you when the trap has been tripped. However, chamber refills are not cheap, upping the price on an already pricey trap. However, for some, that may be money well spent.
Best value: Tomcat Mouse Killer
Tomcat
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Specs
- Type: Poison
- Discrete: No touch, no see
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Indoors and outdoors
- Reusable
- Bait blocks long-lasting
Cons
- Mouse dies in a separate location
Unlike other traps in this list, the Tomcat Mouse Killer doesn’t kill the mouse on the spot but poisons it, letting it leave the refillable station to meet its maker elsewhere. Mice can enter the station, eat the bait, and then leave. Because it’s enclosed, it’s safe for pets and children. While you may never see the dead mouse, you will be free from having to dispose of the rodent.
The package includes the station and a number of bait blocks (in this case, 16), with each bait block rated to kill up to 12 mice. That’s great value for money, making it one of the best mouse traps.
Best design: RinneTraps Flip N Slide Bucket Lid Mouse Trap
RinneTraps
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Specs
- Type: Bucket lid
- Discrete: No touch
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Indoor and outdoor
- Can be used humanely
- Safe for other animals
- Multi-catch
Cons
Most traps can only catch one mouse at a time. For bigger infestations, such as on farms or in large indoor spaces, you may need something with more capacity. RinneTrap’s ingenious Flip N Slide Lid Mouse Trap gets our pick for best design for its simplicity and capacity. Simply snap it onto the top of a five-gallon bucket, bait it, and wait for mice to trip the ramp and fall into the bucket. RinneTraps claims you can catch up to 30 mice at a time. Because there’s no poison or other lethal element, the mice remain alive. How you dispose of them, however, will be up to you.
Best humane: Motel House Humane Mouse Trap
Motel House
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Specs
- Type: Catch and release
- Discrete: No touch
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- No kill
- No touch release
- Kid- and pet-safe
Cons
- May be difficult to clean
If the idea of killing a mouse is too much to bear, try a humane no-kill trap. We recommend the Motel House Humane Mouse Trap. A clear plastic cage, the Humane Mouse Trap features a sensitive trigger for catching and holding mice, plus a single slide release for an easy, no-touch liberation. To reduce the chance of the animal getting hurt, the trap also includes tail protection and good air circulation. It’s kid- and pet-safe and even includes a free cleaning brush, although some users have claimed it’s difficult to keep clean.
Best budget: Victor M142B Power Kill Easy-Set Mouse Trap
Victor
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Specs
- Type: Snap
- Discrete: No
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Single click set and release
- Affordable
- Reusable
Cons
Traditional spring snap mouse traps have been the go-to for 140 years for a reason: they’re effective. Victor’s M142B Power Kill Easy-Set Mouse Trap updates the basic wooden trap with plastic but keeps the general idea intact: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
What Victor has done, though, is make the mouse trap a little easier to use. It features a single-click set-and-release mechanism, a large bait trough to make bait placement easier, and an oversized trip pedal for higher catch rates.
It’s also easy on the wallet, with two traps in the pack, perfect for when you need to set many traps around the house or garden simultaneously. It’s also reusable, making it very economical.
What to consider when buying the best traps
When buying traps, it’s important to consider the type that will work best for you. The most common type is snap, which is what you may be most familiar with from cartoons and “Jackass” movies. These are effective but often messy. Other variants include the bucket type, which captures the mouse in a container; electric; “no see,” which hides the body from you; and no-kill (humane) traps. After this, you’ll want to ensure you purchase enough traps to end the infestation. Remember, where there’s one mouse, there are likely many more.
FAQs
Mice are intelligent animals and can learn to avoid traps. They have sensitive noses and will steer clear of anything with a human smell. For the best results, wear gloves when setting up the trap and handling bait.
Mice are a lot like us; they want good-tasting and high-calorie foods. Anything sweet or fatty will tempt them. For bait, try fruits or vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, cheese, peanut butter, sweets, or pet food. If something doesn’t seem to be working, try a different food. There are also specially-made mouse attractant gels that can be effective as bait.
Being prey animals, mice are naturally skittish. Hence, patience is the key to trapping rodents. You may need to wait a few days before you find anything in the trap. Location is important, too. Mice tend to avoid open spaces and prefer to run along walls. Try setting up traps next to walls or under furniture.
Having a mouse in the house is never fun. However, with so many varieties of traps on the market, you’re sure to find one of the best mouse traps to suit your needs. Although snap traps are tried and true, plenty of modern kinds can take the mess out of pest removal. If you prefer a humane trap, catch-and-release ones are also available. Finally, if you find the mice outpacing your best efforts, you may want to call in a professional.
