10 Best Roach Killers 2023 - Better Homes & Gardens

When it comes to getting rid of the notoriously resilient (and, quite frankly, disgusting) cockroach, you'll need the best roach killer to do the job swiftly, easily, and efficiently. Roaches are notoriously difficult to get rid of, so choosing a roach killer that actually works to eliminate these pests can seem like a mean feat—but it is possible.

We did our research and found the absolute best roach killers available to buy to keep your home free from these nasty creepy-crawlies. We also spoke to Judy Black, VP of Quality Assurance and Technical Services at top pest control services company, Orkin, LLC, about what factors to consider when looking for the best roach killer.

"The best strategy for the control of household cockroaches is to use baits," Black tells BHG. "This type of control strategy is not quite as fast-acting, but is much more effective than aerosol sprays and liquid treatments in the long term."

Our top pick for the best roach killer is the advion 383920 Cockroach Gel Bait. This commercial-grade roach killer set is easy to use, lasts a long time after application, and kills both German and American cockroaches upon contact. It's also pet-friendly to keep your four-legged friends safe.

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Why You Should Get It: This powerful, commercial-grade killer can be used both inside and outside of your home.
Keep in Mind: You have to wear protective gear when placing this bait around your home.

This industrial-grade roach-eliminating set from advion is our top pick for the best roach killer currently available on the market. Made in the USA, the formula in this insecticide can efficiently tackle residential or commercial areas with a high infestation problem. It's even suitable for use in kitchens and other food-prep areas. Four syringes come in the set, and each tube is enough for application in up to five different spots.

After you've taken care of the inside or your home, you can also use this product outdoors, around the house, and in sheds and garages, too. In addition to the usual roach-attracting spots, like under sinks and in wall cracks, the best application is the four-corner method, which entails applying the product to every corner of each room. This product is highly appealing to unsuspecting roaches, so don't be surprised when dead ones start appearing all over the place.

Price at time of publish: $40

Product Details:

Form: Gel | Time Needed to Work: Immediate | Efficacy Length: Three months | Targeted Pests: Most cockroaches, including German and American | Safe for Pets: Yes

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Why You Should Get It: If general pest control is your concern, this formula kills ants, fleas, and spiders as well.
Keep in Mind: This spray is water-based, so it's not effective in areas that get wet.

The Spectracide Bug Stop Home Barrier comes in a large, 1-gallon container to effectively cover even larger homes and outdoor areas—and you'll still have some left over, making this the best roach killer for anyone on a budget.

This insecticide works quickly, killing cockroaches as soon as they come in contact with it, and it's also effective on other insects too, including ants, spiders, fleas, and silverfish. As the formula is water-based, there's no odor and it also won't stain your floors or patio.

The container has a convenient handle and comes with a sprayer which is pretty much ready-to-use as soon as you set it up. You don't have to mix a thing as the formula comes completely ready; all you have to do to get in terminator mode is unscrew the bottle's cap, and pop in the included sprayer. The sprayer also makes it really easy to get in hard-to-reach areas, such as behind the fridge or stove, and in any cracks. The effects of this powerful insecticide can last for up to 12 months.

Just make sure to keep kids and pets away from the area until the spray has dried completely.

Price at time of publish: $13

Product Details:

Form: Liquid | Time Needed to Work: Immediate | Efficacy Length: Up to 12 months | Targeted Pests: Insects | Safe for Pets: Yes, only once dried

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Why You Should Get It: This gel can kill cockraoches it never even comes into direct contact with, so it's a great pick if you're not sure about the source of the infestation.
Keep in Mind: Unlike other formulas, this one requires time to kill the roaches it comes into contact with, so patience is required.

Disturbingly, some cockroaches are what the pros call "bait-averse" meaning that they will actively avoid ingesting roach killer. Thankfully, the Maxforce FC Select Professional Roach Killer Bait Gel manages to trick even these more intelligent cockroaches (usually of the German variety) into having a little nibble.

The formula has a trademarked Domino Effect® meaning that once one roach has ingested it, it will then kill off any other pests that it comes into contact with. This means that the cockroach won't die instantly (it needs to be able to get back to its crew in order to pass the poison on), so it will take a couple of days till you start seeing results (up to eight days for American roaches).

Thanks to the syringes that come already filled with the insecticide, you don't have to mix any ingredients and can easily access hard-to-reach areas. The formula can be used both indoors and out, but it does dry into an unsightly brown which is not much of an issue if it's applied outside, in cracks, or behind large appliances. Once it is dry, it is safe for use in kitchen spaces.

Although it's an extremely effective roach-killing product, it's not pet-safe, so it's best to avoid it if you have any furry friends running around.

Price at time of publish: $33

Product Details:

Form: Gel | Time Needed to Work: Immediate and ingestion | Efficacy Length: Up to one year (reapply as needed) | Targeted Pests: Cockroaches (German, American, oriental, brown, and smoky brown) | Safe for Pets: No

Courtesy of Amazon.com.

Why You Should Get It: For occasional use on cockroaches right in front of you, this easy-to-use spray version is your best bet.
Keep in Mind: This method needs to be reapplied frequently and is toxic, so you can't use it around children or pets.

Thanks to the fast-acting Raid Ant & Roach Killer, there's no need to pack your bags and check yourself into the nearest hotel as soon as you see a cockroach in the house (be honest, you've thought about it).

Unlike other roach-preventing killers, this spray can be used directly onto the critter, or in the little gap it's managed to crawl into. One thing's for sure, it won't be coming out of that hole once you've sealed it off with this spray—it will simply kick the bucket on the spot.

While the product claims to also prevent roaches from reappearing, it's not an overall protectant for heavily infested areas. Having said that, it's a very tough roach killer you'll definitely want around the house for emergencies, perhaps in addition to your long-term baits and traps. What's more, this multi-purpose killer can be used on an array of other insects too, including ants, earwigs, household spiders, stink bugs, and even scorpions.

If you have a pet, you'll want to make sure it can't get into any room that you've applied this spray to, as it's not safe for people or pets to touch.

Price at time of publish: $10

Product Details:

Form: Spray | Time Needed to Work: Immediate | Efficacy Length: Up to four weeks | Targeted Pests: 13 insect varieties including roaches, waterbugs, ants, spiders, beetles and scorpions | Safe for Pets: No

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Why You Should Get It: We appreciate that these traps can be stuck to other places besides the floor, making them safer for households with pets and kids.
Keep in Mind: They are a little bit finicky to set up, since you have to stick the roach food on an adhesive tab.

There are many perks to this economical HOY HOY Trap-A-Roach Bait Glue Trap set.

Firstly, it's highly affordable and there are five traps in the set, meaning you can adequately prep all the important roach hideouts, like behind the refrigerator, the stove, and under your bathroom and kitchen sinks. It's the best roach killer for anyone who doesn't want to get their hands dirty, as you don't have to apply any liquids or gels directly to your floors or sideboards. It's also odor-free. In addition, the traps are safe to use around animals, as long as your pets can't get directly to them. Thankfully, they come with sticky-tape on the back of each trap to enable you to stick it on the back of cabinets or even somewhere higher up, and out of the reach of pets and children.

The traps are only an inch high, meaning you can even slide them under cabinets. This product is best for those occasional roach sightings as opposed to a full-blown infestation. While the trapping method is not a long-term roach killing solution as the insects can't escape in order to take the poison back to other roaches, you'll definitely see a decline in the number of cockroaches you once had.

While you will have to deal with disposing of the traps with the nasties inside, there is a little tab on the top of each one so you won't have to get too close to the corpses.

Price at time of publish: $10

Product Details:

Form: Trap | Time Needed to Work: Immediate | Efficacy Length: One month | Targeted Pests: Cockroaches | Safe for Pets: No

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Why You Should Get It: It's easy to apply and highly effective, making it an affordable option that is ready to apply as soon as you get it.
Keep in Mind: Applying it requires a soft touch—too much powder, and the cockroaches will avoid it rather than walking over it.

The HARRIS Boric Acid Roach and Silverfish Killer Powder is a great way to kill cockroaches and keep more from cropping up. The company has been around since 1924 and is well-known for its bug-busting formulas.

This powder is affordable, easy-to-use, and comes ready for use straight out of the box. It's made from 99 percent boric acid, which is the key deadly ingredient that (morbidly) affects the roach's nervous and digestive systems, swiftly killing it. However, while the roach will be attracted to this bait, it won't be tempted to eat it—bear with us; it works in another, clever way.

While you may, upon the first sight of a roach, want to sprinkle this stuff everywhere, too much of it will actually make cockroaches walk around it and avoid getting poisoned. Since it's not a yummy roach bait, per se, you have to apply just the recommended amount—a light puff of the bottle is all that's needed for a thin layer of dust to cover the desired surface. The way it works is that the cockroach will, unwittingly, walk over the dust, then go home and lick itself clean, thereby ingesting the poison. In the meantime, it will have also taken the powder to its friends, so they can all meet the same gnarly fate.

Price at time of publish: $19

Product Details:

Form: Powder | Time Needed to Work: Up to 72 hours | Efficacy Length: Weeks to months, as long as it is kept dry | Targeted Pests: Cockroaches, palmetto bugs, waterbugs, silverfish | Safe for Pets: No

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Why You Should Get It: The most varied option on this list, its your best pick if roaches aren't the only bug you're trying to send packing.
Keep in Mind: Pests need to come into direct contact with this pick for it to work, so you'll need to apply it thoroughly to keep any from sneaking through.

This large container of Ortho Home Defence Insect Killer can be used both indoors and around the perimeter of your home, making it our top pick for the best roach killer for multipurpose use.

It can kill a plethora of over 130 insects, including roaches, ants, fleas, ticks, and spiders, and comes ready to use. The easy applicator wand sprays the product accurately, and exactly where you want it to go, and the best part about it is that it dries extremely quickly, meaning that it's safe for use around pets too (once dry, of course).

There's no odor to it and, as long as it's applied on non-porous surfaces, the product won't stain the floors or walls either. It works by not only killing insects upon contact, but creating a bug barrier that stops them from getting into your house. A single application can impressively last for up to 12 months.

If you have a serious infestation, this product can't get to the root of the problem as it kills bugs on the spot, therefore doesn't allow them to transfer the poison back to their hideouts. However, it's excellent at preventing roaches from getting in if you apply it to all perimeters.

Price at time of publish: $19 for 170 oz

Product Details:

Form: Powder | Time Needed to Work: Immediate | Efficacy Length: Up to 12 months | Targeted Pests: 130+ insects, including cockroaches, spiders, stink bugs, house centipedes, millipedes, beetles, scorpions, silverfish, earwigs, fleas, and ticks | Safe for Pets: Yes, once dry

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Why You Should Get It: If the fumes of traditional sprays bother you, this pleasant-smelling, essential oil-based pick might be a good option.
Keep in Mind: Applications are only effective for a few days at a time, and the formula kills on contact, so you'll need to reapply often.

If you're desperate to get rid of trespassing bugs, but don't like the idea of releasing harmful chemicals into your home, it may feel like a bit of a conundrum. Insect killing sprays are known for being toxic with strong, cough-inducing smells, but natural remedies, like this EcoLogic Ant and Roach Killer Aerosol, have thankfully burst onto the scene to kill insects in a more environmentally and human-friendly way. It has a cinnamon scent which is actually rather pleasant, and nothing like your typical insect spray.

Though it's made from natural ingredients like cornmint oil, cinnamon oil, and clove oil, it still has a powerful insecticide in the form of lemongrass oil that can kill roaches and other insects immediately upon contact. The aerosol allows you to powerfully spray the product into crevices, under appliances, and in hard-to-reach corners, and it's safe around pets as long as you allow it to properly dry first.

This is not a means of infestation control, but can certainly stop stray roaches dead in their tracks.

Price at time of publish: $8

Product Details:

Form: Aerosol | Time Needed to Work: Immediate | Efficacy Length: Needs reapplication every few days | Targeted Pests: Cockroaches, ants, spiders, black widows, crickets, and ticks | Safe for Pets: Yes

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Why You Should Get It: These traps use a unique liquid bait to make them even more attractive to cockroaches.
Keep in Mind: You'll need to keep an eye on the liquid level on these traps to make sure they stay effective.

Did you know that roaches often come into a house to look for water in addition to food? Apparently, they can survive quite well without food for up to a month, but, when it comes to water, they can only go without for seven days. With that useful information in mind, the clever Hot Shot HG-95789 Roach Killer includes both food and water bait, serving as a delicious and satisfying last me...