5 Best Roach Baits In 2023: Reviews & Top Picks

Almost everyone hates cockroaches. Roaches are gross. Roaches also have a nasty habit of coming inside and making their home alongside your home. Once roaches get entrenched, they can be extremely difficult to dislodge. Having roaches hanging out in your kitchen after dark is the stuff of nightmares for many homeowners. Luckily, there are plenty of products on the market that can help you control a roach infestation. There is a series of modern baits that lure roaches in, poison them, and kill them before they can stick around for too long. There are a variety of different types of effective roach baits that can help almost anyone tackle these annoying pests.

Here are five of the best roach baits this year, along with pros, cons, and reviews. There is also a buyer’s guide at the end that will help you decide what type of bait is most effective for you and what things to look out for before rushing into a purchase.

A Quick Glance at Our Favorites of 2023

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Advion 68663 Arena Cockroach Bait Station	Easy to use Lasts a long time Kills bugs in a wide radius	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Hot Shot HG-95789 Roach Killer	Effective Easy-to-use Kills eggs as well as adults	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		TERRO T500 Roach Killing Bait Traps	Easy-to-use traps Included adhesive strips Windows allow you to see if the traps are working	CHECK PRICE
Best Gel		Combat Max Roach Killing Gel	Long lasting bait Easy to use and apply Can infect an entire colony of roaches over time	CHECK PRICE
Best Powder		Terro T530 Roach Bait Powder Plus	Clear instructions for best results Great powder applicator is easy to use Large number of applications included	CHECK PRICE

The 5 Best Roach Baits

1. Advion 68663 Arena 12 ct. Bag Cockroach Bait Station – Best Overall

When it comes to roach baits, there is one quality that stands out above the rest, and that is effectiveness. Roach bait is only good if it is very effective, and there is no product more effective than Advion 68663 Arena 12 ct. Bag Cockroach Bait Stations. These stations, called arenas, kill bugs quickly but they also last a long time.

Instead of using liquid like some other products, this is a station that uses powder to kill bugs. These stations kill bugs inside the arena, outside of the arena, and far away from the arena. That means the active ingredient is extremely effective at both luring and killing roaches. Some verified customers have reported sweeping up literal piles of dead bugs, which is more than anyone can ask for when it comes to roach bait.

This system comes with twelve separate stations that are designed to last a very long time. You can place them wherever you need to. They also have a long shelf life, up to five years, so you can store them and use them at a later date if needed.

There are very few complaints about this product. It is advised to keep the roach arenas well away from children and pets, which could be a consideration for some people. They are also more expensive than other competing products. The product is very effective, hence the price, but it is something that needs to be mentioned for those who might be on a budget.

2. Hot Shot HG-95789 Roach Killer – Best Value

Some roach baits are a little more affordable than others. In some cases, people just want to grab something cheap and effective that they can get and start using it right away. For those people, we have Hot Shot HG-95789 Roach Killer. These traps are very affordable, work quickly, and can be easily obtained. Simply make the buy, put out the traps, and wait for the roaches to wander by.

These traps are easy to use, effective, and let you just throw them away when they are used up. There is no fuss, no mess, and no surprising price tags to deal with. This specialized liquid formula also is able to target the eggs that roaches might be laying in your home. If a roach carrying eggs gets into the trap, it will kill the roach and the eggs, which helps snuff out any future infestations that might arise.

The biggest complaints about this product revolve around the efficacy and spillage. Some people claim these traps simply don’t work well, which sometimes happens with budget products. However, there are plenty of people who swear by these traps. Another issue seems to be with the liquid spilling out and getting on people’s hands which can be unsafe in some situations.

3. TERRO T500 Indoor Multi-Surface Roach Killing Bait Traps – Premium Choice

Not everyone wants to deal with applying powders or gels to specific areas. Some people never want to touch a roach, even a dead one. For those people, there are effective fast-acting liquid bait traps. TERRO T500 Indoor Multi-Surface Roach Killing Bait Traps lure roaches in, trap them and kill them inside the bait station. Once the roaches are inside, you just have to throw the trap away and set a new one. Repeat the process until the roaches stop coming.

This product has a few quality-of-life upgrades that help make them easier to use than ever, including a window that lets you see if the roaches have entered the trap. They also feature an adhesive strip that allows you to attach the traps to hard-to-reach areas where they will stay secure over time as they work their magic.

One of the biggest complaints about this particular product is the fact that the adhesive strips do not last very long. Sometimes they come undone and fall, which can be frustrating. Other complaints say that some of the traps are prone to leaking. This is more common if you buy multiple traps meaning it is not common, but leaking does show up from time to time.

4. Combat Max Roach Killing Gel – Best Gel

Combat Max Roach Killing Gel is a product designed for the long haul. This gel works slowly to kill as many roaches as possible over time. The gel draws the roaches in and entices them to take a bite. After the roaches eat the gel, they will slowly die. Bonus points if the roaches bring some of the gel back to their nest, where they share it with their friends, thus poisoning larger numbers of bugs than before.

Combat Max Roach Killing Gel comes with an easy-to-use tube that makes applying the gel easier than ever. Simply put the gel in cracks, crevices, and high-traffic areas where you have seen a lot of roaches. The gel is designed to last up to a month, where it continues to act day after day. When used appropriately, this product can be very effective, but you might not see immediate results.

Not everyone wants a slow-acting roach bait, even if the long-term results might be favorable. Some people prefer fast-acting bait that kills instantly. If that is the type of bait you are looking for, then you might not be satisfied with this product.

5. Terro T530 Roach Bait Powder Plus Applicator – Best Powder

One of the most difficult parts of using powdered roach bait is applying it properly. Powder can be unruly to apply, and it has a nasty habit of getting everywhere and not settling exactly where you want it. Terro T530 Roach Bait Powder Plus Applicator solves this problem by adding an ingenious nozzle that allows you to place the bait accurately without wasting anything. This makes putting the powder bait down extremely easy.

In addition to that, this product is very effective. The product does not only work on roaches. It also works on ants, earwigs, and silverfish, which are other common household pests. If you apply it properly, roaches disappear after a couple of days. Terro recommends putting 6 applications per 100 sq. ft. for moderate infestations and up to 24 applications per 100 sq. ft. for serious infestations.

Be sure to follow the instructions for the best results. This product includes 150 separate applications for one reasonable price. All of that makes Terro T530 Roach Bait Powder Plus Applicator the best powdered roach bait on the market right now.

The biggest downside is the fact that the powder is very fine and can be hard to see. This makes knowing exactly how much powder you have put down and where you’ve already put powder down hard to parse in certain areas.

Buyer’s Guide: Picking the Best Roach Bait

Type of Bait

There is a large number of different roach baits on the market for you to choose from. Each is a little different, and they are aimed at different types of homes and infestations. There are gels, powders, traps, liquids, and sprays. Some are designed to lure roaches in and kill them right away and others are designed with a slower kill in mind. Some are easier to apply than others. Some are more toxic than others. Before making a final decision, it is important to know what kind of bait you are most comfortable with, and which will be the most effective for you individually.

Targeted vs. Widespread

Not all roach baits act the same way. Some baits are very targeted. Things like traps or localized gels only affect areas where roaches are prevalent. Other types of bait, like sprays and powders, are designed to be put over a wider area with the hopes of catching more wayward roaches. You need to decide if you want a widespread treatment or a more targeted one.

Targeted treatments are more potent and work on areas with large numbers of roaches, but they might not catch the roaches you can’t see. Widespread treatments aim to net more roaches overall, but the effects might be less potent and more diffused. Your individual house and the nature of your particular infestation will steer you towards one or the other.

Effectiveness

Some roach baits are more effective than others. Some baits are great at drawing the roaches in but might not be super effective when it comes to eliminating the colony. Some baits are very effective, but they might take hours, or even days, to take full effect.

If you want to kill something quickly, make sure the product you are buying is a fast-acting formula. If you are more concerned with poisoning a large colony, you might want to get bait that is slower but more effective in the long term. Check the time to kill, the method of killing, and the overall effectiveness before making a final decision.

And then there are some products that have been tested and reviewed and found just not to be very effective at all. Make sure the product you are getting is as effective as you expect, or you could end up disappointed.

Toxicity

A large number of roach baits are safe for children and pets, but not all of them are. Before making a final purchase take a few things into consideration. Do you have children that could get into the product? Having a child get doused in roach killing bait liquid or dump powder on themselves could be very bad.

Similarly, pets, especially dogs, have a bad habit of getting into things they shouldn’t. If you have a nosy dog, make sure that any roach bait you get is not toxic to your beloved pet. The last thing you want to do is make a call to poison control or rush to your local veterinarian in the event that you accidentally bought something that is toxic to children or pets. Double check that any bait you purchase is safe for your particular household and lifestyle.

Instructions and Ease of Use

The last thing to consider is the product’s ease of use. Some products are easier to use than others. Bait traps are very simple and allow you to trap roaches and simply throw the trap away, but they are not a very widespread product. Other products have specific instructions about frequency, how to apply the product properly, and the amount to use.

Many people report that roach bait doesn’t work, but in many cases, this is because they did not follow the instructions properly. For the best results, you should always consult the instructions and follow them to the best of your ability. Not following the posted instructions can severely hamper the effectiveness of the products in question.

Conclusion

Whether you just spotted a couple of roaches or are dealing with dozens of the little buggers, there is bait on this list that will work for you. There are widespread baits that can tackle hundreds of square feet and targeted gels designed to kill roaches where they stand. Using the available information, you need to choose a bait that is right for you and get to work. All of these products are highly effective, readily available, and ready to work in a variety of situations, but we selected the Advion Bait Station as the best overall. If you are looking for a budget alternative, then Hot Shot Roach Killer is your best option, with TERRO Bait Traps on the other – premium side of the spectrum.

Featured Image Credit: Olgamir, Shutterstock