Best Roach Killer: Gels, Bait, Spray & Traps

11 minutes Last Updated: 07/05/2019

Author: Jaleesa Bustamante

After 75+ hours of research & testing, we’re comfortable recommending Trapper’s Glue Boards as the best roach killer currently on the market (as of summer 2019) due to its’ suitability in all environments (pet safe, kid-friendly, and odorless), affordability & overall effectiveness. We maintain this recommendation even after accounting for newer options on the market that have been released in late 2018 & early 2019. Read further to find out what we found.

Trapper Max Mouse & Insect Glue Boards

$30

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Trapper Max Mouse & Insect Glue Boards

9/10

Quick and easy to set up and place.
You get a lot of traps for a very reasonable price.
Attracts roaches and all kinds of other pests (mosquitoes, spiders, ants, scorpions, and mice) in days.
Safe for kids and pets.
No strong, foul odor — the traps smell like peanut butter (it’s strong when you first peel them open, but after that, you won’t notice).
Difficult to keep the traps in place. You may need to use tacks to secure them against the wall or put them in places where people and pets can’t accidentally step on them.
Need to be replaced every 2-4 weeks; they fill up fast with all kinds of pesky critters. However, you get so many for the price that they’re not expensive to maintain.
They can get pretty dirty — sometimes they get covered in soot, dust, and animal droppings.

Amount:

72 boards

Roach Killer Type:

Trap

How to Use:

Peel off the wax paper and fold the board into an “insect motel” or lay it flat behind appliances and/or other secluded spaces. Laying them flat may be better for figuring out where roaches are coming.

Our Review

These Trapper Max Mouse & Insect Glue Boards offer a quick and easy setup and super fast results. The surfaces of these traps are very sticky and work wonders; after a couple of weeks, the glue boards should be absolutely covered with all kinds of pests. In fact, these traps may just work too well — you may end up attracting critters that you didn’t even know where present. The good thing is, you get 72 boards for about $25, so you can really go all out and place them in all parts of the unit. Once you know where the roaches are primarily coming from, you can use these boards as a maintenance measure and keep them in secluded places like behind appliances and in kitchen cupboards and replace them as necessary. Remember, these are extremely sticky, so it’s not unlikely that your or a pet’s foot will get stuck on one — make sure to place them carefully in corners and secure them to the wall with tacks if need be. It may be difficult to keep them in place if they aren’t out of your way. Regardless, these traps are excellent; they work great, they don’t smell bad (just a bit like peanut butter), and they’re kid- and pet- friendly.

Black Flag Roach Motel Insect Trap

$15

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Black Flag Roach Motel Insect Trap

7/10

Super sticky and highly effective.
Great value.
Provides same-day results if used properly.
Easy-to-use cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic. No assembly necessary. Just unwrap the traps and deploy them.
Contains no pesticides; kid-, pet-, and allergy-friendly.
These traps do not contain any pesticides, making them okay to use around kids and pets.
Emits a faint, slightly unpleasant “syrup” smell used to attract the roaches.
Needs to be placed very strategically in the property. These traps aren’t potent enough to attract roaches from far distances — try to think of the most attractive places for roaches: in the pantry, near pet food bowls, by water pipes, etc.
Roaches may build up a tolerance and lose interest in the traps meaning you’ll have to take extra measures to eliminate them.

Amount:

12 traps in 6 boxes, with 2 traps in each box

Roach Killer Type:

Trap

How to Use:

They are rectangle-shaped cardboard box traps that are sticky on all sides — when one side gets full, you can just flip it over. You can easily dispose of the traps by carefully placing them in a regular trash bag

Our Review

For the most part, these Roach Motel traps really work and can be a relatively inexpensive solution to your rental property’s pest problem. They are very convenient and easy-to-use. If you order from Amazon, you can receive the traps within days and deal with the roaches in no time. Just make sure that you deploy the traps in places that you know roaches will be attracted to. While these traps are highly effective, they aren’t quite potent enough to attract roaches from far away. Placing them in corners and other secluded spots should help you gauge where the most roaches are coming from. Depending on the size of the infestation in your property, these traps might be all that you need. However, for the most part, traps are just indicators of present roach populations and help you pinpoint their favorite hangouts. Remember that you will probably need to use another kind of product, like a spray or IGR to prevent the roaches from coming back.

Trapper Insect Trap

$20

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Trapper Insect Trap

7/10

Extremely sticky and works very well at attracting cockroaches and all kinds of other critters.
They can last up to a year, which is great for long-term roach control.
Easy to pick up and dispose of.
They are odorless and don’t contain any pesticides.
Simple, odorless, sticky paper glue traps used to capture and monitor roach activity in your property.
May require some extra effort during assembly and can make your hands super sticky.
You will probably need to put your own kind of bait on the traps since the glue isn’t that attractive to roaches on its own. Try some peanut butter, a bit of dog food, a marshmallow — you can use pretty much anything around the house, just keep in mind that roaches prefer sweets, meats, and starches.
They’re a bit difficult to hide if you are placing them in living areas or under doors, so they can definitely be an eyesore (but you can rip the tab off and easily stick them under furniture if you’d like).

Amount:

The pack comes with 30 7 x 3 in. cardboard traps. They can be used individually as large traps, or cut into 3 smaller pieces (using the perforated guidelines) to get a total of 90 traps.

Roach Killer Type:

Trap

How to Use:

The traps can be folded into “insect motels” or laid flat under doors, in cupboards, or behind appliances

Our Review

The Trapper Max Insect Traps are highly effective cardboard traps that capture countless roaches (and all kinds of other creepy-crawlies) in no time. These do require a bit more effort on your part as far as assembly goes, just because you may need to cut the traps up into smaller pieces, peeling off the film can be tedious and sticky, and you will probably need to use your own kind of bait. They’re also a bit of an eyesore, especially when they get completely covered with bugs. However, these traps are odorless and safe for kids and pets, so your tenants won’t have to worry about that. They’re also easy to dispose of and are great for monitoring roaches around your property — just make sure you place them strategically throughout the home.

Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

$32

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Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

9/10

This is an extremely powerful product. Roaches begin gathering near the gel within minutes of applying.
The bait provides long-lasting results.
It’s quick and easy to use and apply. You should dot the gel along walls and floors to get the best results.
Reasonably priced for how well it works. Sometimes this product may even work better than a professional exterminator — and it’s way cheaper!
Advion is a potent gel bait that contains indoxacarb, a long-range and delayed-action insecticide which works great on large infestations since 1 roach can infect up to 40 others.
This bait is designed to target the majority of common roach species like German, American, Australian, Smoky-Brown, Brown, Asian, Oriental, and Brown-Banded.
It can be used both indoors and outdoors and it’s safe to easy in food-handling areas. However, it should be kept out of reach for pets and children.
The syringes are a bit flimsy and the package comes with only one plunger rod, instead of one for each tube.
Looks gross after the roaches start dying. It can be a bit difficult to clean up the residue of the gel. A trick would be applying the gel bait onto strips of tape so it’s easy to peel off and throw away.

Amount:

A pack of 4 1.06-oz. syringes

Roach Killer Type:

Bait

How to Use:

Apply a few globs in the areas of the rental where the roaches seem to be hanging out

Our Review

Advion Cockroach Gel Bait can really work some magic on your rental property. After finding out where the roaches are coming from with an effective trap, using this gel bait will garner practically instant results. Be careful when using this product in places that are accessible to children or pets — they should be kept away from the strong, harmful chemicals. The little syringes make the gel super easy to apply, although you will need to keep using the same plunger rod for each new tube. It may also be a pain to clean up the residue that the gel leaves, but you can use tape to avoid extra messes. For almost $30, the bait is a little pricey, but it’s totally worth it considering its awesome roach annihilation abilities.

Invict Gold Cockroach German Roach Control Gel Bait

$25

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Invict Gold Cockroach German Roach Control Gel Bait

8/10

Great price for great results.
You get 4 whole syringes when all you usually need is a few drops. This product can last you a very long time.
Achieves long-lasting roach control.
Contains 11 attractants and the powerful insecticide imidacloprid.
Really only targets German cockroaches, a common, small species. However, some customers have claimed the product works for American cockroaches and brown-banded cockroaches too.
Takes a bit of time to work, but if you’re patient you will see results.

Amount:

A box of 4 35-gram syringe tubes.

Roach Killer Type:

Bait

How to Use:

Apply a few drops in areas where roaches frequent; use in conjunction with other roach-killing products

Our Review

If your rental property has a German cockroach problem, then Invict Gold is an essential product for you. This liquid gel bait attracts the roaches over a short period of time and helps to wipe them out. It doesn’t work immediately, but it is definitely helpful if used in conjunction with a good roach trap. This way, you’ll be able to treat your target area more effectively. For a reasonable price, you can expect to see a significant reduction in the German roach (and population in your rental.

Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait

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Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait

7/10

These liquid bait stations are extremely attractive to roaches, combining a solid food source with a water source they need, allowing for a lethal dose of poison to enter their systems quickly. Remember that a roach can live for up to a month without food, but can only survive seven days without water.
They work fast and you can expect to see a sharp increase in roach activity within 24 hours.
They are cheap and work fast.
They’re cute and discreet, so they won’t create an eyesore in your tenant’s living space.
They’re easy-to-use and make no messes.
Kills roaches and the eggs they carry too.
Comes with 6 bait stations, so if you have a larger infestation in your rental, you may need to purchase more. You’ll also have to replace them quite often.
It won’t completely wipe out a population — you’ll have to use other products to do that. However, setting up these bait stations can be a great defense measure.

Amount:

6 bait stations

Roach Killer Type:

Bait

How to Use:

Just pull the tab and place them where the roaches are coming from.

Our Review

The Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait stations are markedly unique and effective. These stylish, pod-like bait stations look more like air fresheners than they do roach killers. However, the special combination of food and water sources make this product irresistible to roaches. This allows for the poison to enter the pests’ systems quickly and eliminate them indefinitely. Depending on the size of your rental’s roach infestation, you may need to purchase more than one box of these bait stations. If you use them in conjunction with other roach-killing products, you’ll be able to generate long-lasting results.

Combat Roach Killing Bait

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Combat Roach Killing Bait

6/10

Cheap, quick and easy-to-use.
Makes no messes.
Small and discreet.
Targets large roaches and their nests.
This targets the cockroaches’ nests. When a roach takes the bait, it goes back to its nest and shares the bait, infecting other roaches and causing a chain reaction.
Takes a couple weeks for the bait stations to make an impact on the roach population.
They are more of a solution for minor infestations; this won’t do much in cases of large intrusions.
Roaches may develop a tolerance quickly.

Amount:

8 child-resistant bait stations

Roach Killer Type:

Bait

How to Use:

Place them in the areas roaches come from/are attracted to

Our Review

These are some of the most common, basic types of roach bait stations. While they are very affordable and super simple to use, they don’t really make that much of an impact on the roach population. It takes a while for them to work and some roaches may develop a tolerance to the poison. Although tenants will notice that fewer roaches will be coming into the rental, you may need to employ other products to get rid of a large infestation.

Bengal Roach Spray

$30

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Bengal Roach Spray

8/10

Odorless and mess-free. All you need to pick up are dead roaches.
Prevents reinfestation of cockroaches for up to 6 months.
Stops roaches from reproducing.
The spray contains Nylar, an IGR that is essential in preventing cockroach reproduction.
Deemed as one of the most popular and sworn-by roach-killing products on the market.
This product is expensive and the cans you get are pretty small. You’ll also still have to use it in conjunction with a roach bait.
Contains harsh chemicals, so you should vacate the area with pets and children for at least an hour after spraying.

Amount:

2 cans

Roach Killer Type:

Spray

How to Use:

Spray it in every nook, cranny, and crevice of your rental unit to draw the roaches out and kill them

Our Review

At $33.60 for two spray bottles, this product is a bit on the pricier end. However, the chemicals usually work better than a professional exterminator, and you’ll be saving yourself over a 100 bucks. Bengal Roach Spray is widely revered as one of the best roach-killers on the market. It is extremely potent and can wipe out a ton of roaches in just one widespread application. You’ll still have to use a roach bait to get a clear idea of where exactly the roaches are coming from, but you can spray this in any crack or crevice you find to defend your rental against potential intrusions. What’s great about this spray is that it contains an IGR, meaning it will attach the roaches’ reproductive cycles as well, working to keep new roaches from being born and infesting your property.

EcoSMART Technologies Ant & Roach Killer

$28

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EcoSMART Technologies Ant & Roach Killer

6/10

Safe to use around kids and pets.
No harsh chemicals.
Effective if used properly.
Kills roaches fast on contact.
Emits an overpowering, lingering minty scent — can be very unpleasant for some.
You have to spray quite often if you want to keep up with the roach control.

Amount:

2 14-oz. aerosol cans

Roach Killer Type:

Spray

How to Use:

Spray often in roach-prone areas

Our Review

This plant-based roach spray by EcoSMART Technologies is kid- and pet-friendly and doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals that are harmful to one’s health or the environment. It works to kill roaches and ants on contact but doesn’t do much in terms of preventing roaches from coming back in. You’ll have to spray it a lot if you want to use the spray as a defensive measure. The spray also has a really strong lemon scent that makes some people question if the spray really is as safe as it claims to be. However, for the most part, it works, and it’s supposed to be an alternative solution to other harsh sprays on the market.

Raid Ant & Roach Killer Insecticide Spray

$15

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Raid Ant & Roach Killer Insecticide Spray

7/10

Affordable and convenient.
Kills roaches on contact, no matter how big they are, and will help prevent new ones from coming in. Works as advertised.
Smells better than your average bug spray.
The nozzle can get flimsy since the spray shoots out in a powerful stream, no a light mist like you’d expect.
It leaves behind a sticky residue on your walls/floors.

Amount:

2 17.5-oz. aerosol cans (lemon-scented)

Roach Killer Type:

Spray

How to Use:

as Spray as a preventative measure around the property

Our Review

Raid is probably the most well-known roach-killing brand out there, and with good reason. The products are both reasonably priced and effective. This purchase comes with a pack of two insecticide sprays that work perfectly to kill roaches on contact. It also has a surprisingly nice lemon scent that isn’t overwhelming or nauseating. Because these sprays are so affordable, sometimes the cans will be defective or the nozzle will become flimsy or clogged. The spray also comes out in a stream rather than a mist, so you have to be careful when using it. All in all, this spray is cheap and convenient and it gets the job done. Just remember to arm yourself with other kinds of roach-killing products.

Syngenta Demon WP Insecticide

$18

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Syngenta Demon WP Insecticide

8/10

Highly effective and affordable.
It’s the same stuff professionals use.
Provides long-lasting residual effects.
Contains 40% of the powerful insecticide cypermethrin.
It is odorless and can be used indoors and outdoors.
Needs to be used very carefully. It can stain dark furniture or become very powdery and make a huge mess.
You will have to purchase a separate spray bottle to mix the packets with water. It’s possible to use an old spray bottle you have lying around, but it’s worth it to buy a lawn and garden pump sprayer to most efficiently apply the solution. Here is a good one.

Amount:

2 foil envelopes with water-soluble packets of Demon wettable powder

Roach Killer Type:

Spray

How to Use:

Mix powder with water and fill a spray bottle with solution; spray as needed

Our Review

The Syngenta Demon WP insecticide is a heavy-duty product that will make a significant impact on the roach population in your rental. You can get 4 envelopes of packets for just under $9, making this product a bargain when you consider it’s what the pros use. It does require some extra effort on your end, though. You may want to consider purchasing a gallon pump sprayer to apply the insecticide with. Just mix the packets with the appropriate amount of water and pour the solution into the sprayer. It provides long-lasting results without any lingering odors. Make sure to follow the directions very carefully so that you mitigate messes.

Martin’s I.G. Regulator

$17

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Martin’s I.G. Regulator

9/10

Works really well at eliminating roaches and keeping them from reproducing.
Has no smell and leaves behind no residue.
Safe around kids and pets once dry.
Can be used indoors and outdoors on furniture, carpets, kennels, poultry houses, and many other listed areas.
Contains 1.30% pyridine
Covers up to 6000 square feet
You need to mix this carefully with water and make your own solution that you can apply with a spray bottle. You’ll probably need to purchase a separate one on your own.
Needs to be reapplied every month or so to keep up with roach control.

Amount:

1 4-ounce bottle

Roach Killer Type:

IGR

How to Use:

mix 1 ounce of the IGR per gallon of water and use a spray bottle to apply

Our Review

Although this product may seem small and simple — looks can be deceiving. The bottle can last you a very long time — you only need to mix a little bit with water to make a powerful spray that stops roaches from reproducing. It’s so effective, some professional exterminators even use this IGR in their work. You’ll have to reapply it every once in a while to make sure to roaches don’t keep reproducing, but if you use it with other products, you may be able to get rid of them for good.

Gentrol Insect Growth Regulator

$18

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Gentrol Insect Growth Regulator

6/10

Works within a few days of spraying.
Contains no pesticides.
When used in conjunction with a good roach bait, this can help eliminate roaches permanently.
Contains 0.36% of the insecticide hydroprene.
Odorless.
A little pricey for just one can.
Depending on the size of the infestation and what other products you use, you may not see much of an effect.

Amount:

16-oz. aerosol spray can

Roach Killer Type:

IGR

How to Use:

Spray in roach-infested areas

Our Review

This is a great IGR spray for getting to hard-to-reach places. It’s also odorless and easy-to-use. However, it’s not that strong and it’s a bit pricey. Even though it works for smaller infestations, it often doesn’t make much of a difference in people’s roach problems. If used in conjunction with a good bait, this will help stop roaches from reproducing, but there are other IGRs that are more potent and effective.

Vendetta Plus Cockroach Gel Bait

$30

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Vendetta Plus Cockroach Gel Bait

8/10

Provides a good gel bait and IGR in one product.
You can expect results within a week.
Does not need to be reapplied often.
Contains 0.05% of the widely-used insecticide abamectin.
The bait has a powerful IGR that the roaches take back to their nests and spread to other roaches.
It is banned in California because abamectin is known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
Particularly stubborn roaches may ignore the bait.

Amount:

4 tubes and 4 separate plungers

Roach Killer Type:

Bait/IGR

How to Use:

Dot the gel along surfaces near roach-prone areas

Our Review

Vendetta Plus is an all-in-one product, offering customers with an awesome gel bait and potent IGR in little syringe tubes. With Vendetta, you won’t have to worry about buying a supplemental IGR for your roach-killing strategy. This gel is easy to apply and produces results within a week. It also doesn’t have to be reapplied often as other baits do. Depending on how big your infestation is, you may need some other products in the mix. Some roaches may develop a tolerance and avoid the bait too, so develop a good plan of attack and arm yourself wisely.

Don’t see what you’re looking for, or still have questions left unanswered?

How to Choose a Roach Killer Product

When choosing the best roach killer, consider the size of the infestation and where it is primarily located. There are a variety of strategies for approaching these nasty pests, so you need to identify what stage of roach-killing you’re currently in. Roach sprays are generally the quickest and easiest method for killing roaches on sight, but they do not wipe out entire colonies.

If there are only a few roaches in the kitchen because some food was left out, for instance, then a spray may do the trick. However, if you don’t know where the roach infestation is coming from, or the roaches have begun to lay eggs, then spraying your property randomly isn’t going to do much. You’ll need to find the source of the problem with bait and traps or use an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) to stop the roaches from reproducing and eliminate baby roaches and eggs.

Most of the time, you’ll probably have to start from the beginning to completely get rid of the roaches in your rental. Ideally, you will be using two or more kinds of roach killers in conjunction to most effectively target the problem area.

Roach Killer Categories

After identifying the severity of the roach infestation, you should have an idea of what you need to do. Here are the different types of roach killers you can purchase and the order you should use them in:

Roach Traps: You should lay down a few roach traps around your rental unit to get an idea of where the roaches are setting up camp. Roach traps are used to monitor the activity of cockroaches in your property. You’re not going to get rid of all the roaches using these traps, but they are definitely helpful when figuring out where your pest problem lies.
Roach Baits: Once you set up the traps and wait a while, you’ll be able to identify the point(s) of interest in the rental unit. Now you can place a few roach baits in the most infested areas to lure the pests out of hiding. Baits can definitely help eliminate a large part of the roach population. Because most of these baits cause a late reaction time, the poison is able to spread easily to other roaches in the colony.
Roach Sprays: Roach sprays can kill roaches if sprayed directly on the pest at the moment, but these products are typically better on the defensive end. Sprays are never going to eliminate entire roach colonies, but they can create barriers around the home to prevent roaches from coming in. You should use sprays along with other roach-killing methods.
Insect Growth Regulators: An IGR can be the most operative kind of product in your efforts to eliminating a roach infestation. IGRs target the roach’s reproduction cycle and prevent new babies from being born. By attacking the root of the issue, you’ll be able to make sure that new roaches won’t keep turning up in your rental. Sometimes IGRs are present in other roach-killing products, but not always, so you may need to purchase a separate IGR product on its own.

Don’t see what you’re looking for, or still have questions left unanswered?

Trapper Max Mouse & Insect Glue Boards

Trapper Max Mouse & Insect Glue Boards

Our Review

Black Flag Roach Motel Insect Trap

Black Flag Roach Motel Insect Trap

Our Review

Trapper Insect Trap

Trapper Insect Trap

Our Review

Advion ﻿Cockroach Gel Bait

Advion ﻿Cockroach Gel Bait

Our Review

Invict Gold Cockroach German Roach Control Gel Bait

Invict Gold Cockroach German Roach Control Gel Bait

Our Review

Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait

Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait

Our Review

Combat Roach Killing Bait

Combat Roach Killing Bait

Our Review

Bengal Roach Spray

Bengal Roach Spray

Our Review

EcoSMART Technologies Ant & Roach Killer

EcoSMART Technologies Ant & Roach Killer

Our Review

Raid Ant & Roach Killer Insecticide Spray

Raid Ant & Roach Killer Insecticide Spray

Our Review

Syngenta Demon WP Insecticide

Syngenta Demon WP Insecticide

Our Review

Martin’s I.G. Regulator

Martin’s I.G. Regulator

Our Review

Gentrol Insect Growth Regulator

Gentrol Insect Growth Regulator

Our Review

Vendetta Plus Cockroach Gel Bait

Vendetta Plus Cockroach Gel Bait

Our Review

How to Choose a Roach Killer Product

Roach Killer Categories

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Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

Advion Cockroach Gel Bait