The 9 Best Mouse Traps of 2023 | by The Spruce

Here are the best mouse traps you can buy.

After speaking with Mannes, we evaluated the most popular choices to find the easiest to set, remove, and clean that can keep your living space vermin-free .

Seeing mice in your house can be stressful. In addition to causing fear, “Rodents can spread disease, trigger asthma and allergy symptoms and cause costly property damage ,” says Cindy Mannes, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for the National Pest Management Association. But many products can alleviate the problem quickly and safely.

Best Overall

Victor Electronic Mouse Trap

4.8

 Amazon

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What We Like

• High-voltage shock

• LED indicator light

• Safety features

• No visual or tactile contact

• Bait suggestion

What We Don’t Like

• 4 AA batteries not included

Squeamish? The Victor Electronic Mouse Trap Is a Must-Have

Electronic mouse traps use high-voltage shocks to deal with mice quickly and efficiently. When we home tested this product, we found it easy to use and clean, and we appreciated its squeamish-free removal. In fact, we found this to be one of the easiest traps to set compared with spring-loaded traps we’ve used.

“The simplicity of baiting it and turning it on made the process quick and easy, and we didn’t have to worry about snapping our fingers in the tension bar,” our home tester reported. And the manufacturer has been a prominent name in pest control since the late 19th century.

To use it, you bait the built-in bait cup inside a chamber, which is removable for easy disposal, and hit the “on” switch. The presence of a rodent causes the lethal electric shock, powered by 4 AA batteries (not included). The manufacturer claims the product kills 100 percent of unwelcome visitors.

We also like that this is a no-see device: A blinking green light alerts you that a mouse is trapped inside. And we appreciate that a built-in safety switch deactivates the trap when it is open, helping protect children and pets.

Handily, this product also includes suggestions for simple food lures such as cheese and peanut butter. You can buy this trap as a single or in sets of one, two, three, or four.

Price at time of publish: $25

Type: Electronic︱Material: Plastic︱Target Species: Mice︱Dimensions: 6.3 x 3.2 x 1.8 inches︱Weight: 7 ounces

The Spruce / Cheyenne Elwell

Best Humane

Motel Mouse Humane Mouse Trap

 Amazon

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What We Like

• Simple to use

• Can be used indoors and outdoors

• Can be used around pets and people

• No pesticide baits

What We Don’t Like

• Hard-to-remove bait container

You can catch mice without killing them by using a product such as the Motel Mouse Humane Mouse Trap. We found that these humane traps work amazingly as promised, and that it’s impossible for mice to escape once they’re inside.

This reusable trap, which comes two in a pack for under $15, captures mice alive, and you can then release them outside without having to touch them. Not only is this kinder to the animals, but the traps do not rely on pesticide baits and do not have any snapping mechanism. The traps come in two sizes, and the larger size seems big enough for most common mouse varieties.

To use this trap, you simply place bait, such as peanut butter or other foodstuff, in the food compartment and open the spring door. When a mouse enters the tunnel-like trap, the door closes behind it, but don’t worry— air holes ensure it can breathe. We also like that the trap cleans up with just soap and hot water and comes with a cleaning brush.

Price at time of publish: $14

Type: Humane︱Material: Plastic︱Target Species: Rats, Mice︱Dimensions: 6.69 x 2.44 x 2.56 inches︱Weight: 11.2 ounces

Best Budget

Victor Metal Pedal Mouse Trap

 Amazon

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What We Like

• Effective

• Inexpensive

• Simple design

• Can set up multiple in one area

• Reusable

What We Don’t Like

• Can be hard to set

• Cannot be used around kids and pets

If you want to spend little money on traps (or just prefer old-fashioned wire snap traps), the Victor Metal Pedal Mouse Traps are the way to go. The classic trap—the manufacturer says they have produced them for 120 years—is extremely budget-friendly, typically costing around $2 per item. (You also can buy them in sets of 4.) Or buy a set of 64 for under $35.) They also are made of wood from responsibly managed forests, according to the manufacturer. But they do require a steady hand to set up.

With this trap, you place a little bit of bait on the pedal, then pull back the bow and engage it with the locking bar. You can then place the trap with the bait pedal facing the wall, and when a mouse steps on it, the bar snaps.

Although this trap is amazingly effective and reusable, keep in mind that it can be hard to set and that you have to deal with the victim.

Price at time of publish: $2

Type: Snap︱Material: Wood︱Target Species: Mice︱Dimensions: 1.01 x 4.08 x 10.25 inches︱Weight: 0.8 ounces

Best Bait Trap

Tomcat Mouse Killer I

 Amazon

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What We Like

• Includes bait refills

• See-through lid to check progress

• Tamper-resistant

What We Don’t Like

• Bait is toxic

The Tomcat Mouse Killer is a station you fill with the brand’s bromethalin-based bait. The unit comes with the refillable station, as well as sixteen 1-ounce bait blocks, which kill mice within 24 to 48 hours after they ingest it. The manufacturer says each block kills up to 12 mice.

This refillable bait station has a see-through lid, so you can monitor how much bait is left. To fill it, you simply load the bait into the removable cartridge, located at the bottom of the product, and push it into place. Mice can enter through either side of it.

The unit is designed to be tamper-resistant to protect children and pets, but keep the trap away from your family members, as the bait is toxic, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Price at time of publish: $27

Type: Bait Trap︱Material: Plastic︱Target Species: Mice︱Dimensions: 4 x 8.75 x 10.50 inches︱Weight: 16 ounces

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Best Snap

JARMINERO Mouse Trap

 Amazon

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What We Like

• Easy to set

• Kills rodents instantly

• Effective

• Reusable

What We Don’t Like

• Not pet friendly

Snap traps are some of the easiest to use and maintain, and the JARMINERO Mouse Traps do not disappoint. These traps come in a set of 12, and they are easy to set, thanks to removable bait cups. You insert the bait cup through the bottom of the trap, then pinch the end to set it. This differs from other snap traps in that the bait loads easily, and you don’t have to place your fingers in range of the snap jaw.

The sensitive pressure plate is triggered by just a few ounces, and it snaps closed, killing rodents instantly.

We also like that it’s easy to dispose of the entire trap, or just the contents, without having to contact the invader. Also, this trap is reusable; you may not even have to add more bait to get the next mouse.

As with all snap traps, the JARMINERO should be kept away from children and pets.

Price at time of publish: $17

Type: Snap︱Material: Plastic︱Target Species: Mice︱Dimensions: 3.1 x 4.1 x 1.8 inches︱Weight: Not listed

Best Hidden

d-CON No View, No Touch Covered Mouse Trap

 Amazon

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What We Like

• Completely covered

• Indicator

• Entirely disposable

What We Don’t Like

• Not reusable

• Alternatives can cost less

If you are trying to avoid putting your eyes on mice but still want them out of your home, consider the d-CON No View, No Touch Covered Mouse Trap. Resembling an oversize hockey puck, with a hollow interior, this product comes with six packs of two disposable traps (12 total).

Each covered trap snaps lethally when the rodent enters. You throw the whole unit away without ever seeing the contents. We also like that the larger size should accommodate even the largest house mouse.

You insert bait through the bottom of the trap, then twist the trap to set it. From here, all you must do is place it in an area where you have seen rodents; an indicator shows in a “Mouse Caught” label, letting you know when a mouse is within. Plus, the covered design keeps dangerous components away from curious pets and children.

While the price may seem higher than other products, these traps do come in packs of two, and you can purchase them in six-packs, alleviating the cost.

Price at time of publish: $31

Type: Covered Trap︱Material: Plastic︱Target Species: Mice︱Dimensions: 6 x 8 x 9 inches︱Weight: 2.05 pounds

Best Glue

Tomcat Glue Traps

Amazon

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What We Like

• Simple to use

• Large surface area

• Can trap flying & creeping pests

• Inexpensive

What We Don’t Like

• Requires manual disposal

We like glue traps because they’re inexpensive, refillable, and don’t use pesticide. Tomcat Glue Traps are some of the best you can buy. Each pack contains six traps that are effective against mice, as well as other pests such as insects and scorpions.

These glue traps contain eugenol, a naturally occurring flavoring item found in common food items, which is also used in some pesticides. Rodents get stuck to the trap when they walk across it. But you have to dispose of the trap and its contents.

The manufacturer says this product is tamper-resistant, but we’ve noted that rodents are capable of moving the trap across the floor and into areas you’d prefer they not inhabit.

Price at time of publish: $6

Type: Glue︱Material: Plastic︱Target Species: Mice︱Dimensions: 3.63 x 10 x 7.88 inches︱Weight: 5 ounces

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Best for Rats

Tomcat Rat Snap Trap

 Amazon

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What We Like

• Simple to use

• Can be used indoors and outdoors

• Holds pests in place

• Removable bait cup

• Reusable

What We Don’t Like

• Not to be used around kids and pets

Often when you have mice, you have rats too. If that’s the case, you need larger traps to deal with them.

The Tomcat Rat Snap Trap is hefty enough to kill even the biggest rats, and can be used inside your home and outside in places where mice frequently live, such as in a garage or barn.

This reusable oversized snap trap has a removable bait cup to make setting it easier, and it has interlocking teeth for a more powerful snap. You can set the traps with a hand or a foot, and they’re effective for catching mice and rats, as well as squirrels.

Price at time of publish: $8

Type: Snap︱Material: Plastic︱Target Species: Rats, Mice︱Dimensions: 3 x 8.63 x 5 inches︱Weight: 6.4 ounces

Best For Multiple Mice

Victor Tin Cat Live Mouse Trap

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What We Like

• Reusable

• Easy to use

• Large enough to catch many

• No toxic baits

What We Don’t Like

• Bulky

Victor makes the list again, this time with its M310S Tin Cat design, which can trap up to 30 mice at once. It’s low-profile, making it ideal for placing it under furniture.

This metal product is a catch-and-release-type trap, with an easy-open lid. But with such a trap, you have to have at least visible contact with the rodents. The M310S features a cutout window that lets you see when a mouse is inside.

We liked that the traps worked best with peanut butter instead of treats that are easy to grab and run such as bread or cheese. The traps are reusable, but rather bulky in design.

Price at time of publish: $23

Type: Multiple Mouse Trap︱Material: Metal︱Target Species: Rats, Mice︱Dimensions: 10.3 x 6.2 x 4 inches︱Weight: 3.2 pounds