Spider Catcher, Pink, Standard

Out of a family of four I'm the only one who'll go near a spider or insects, one adult daughter is full on phobic and broke her i pad trying to swat a moth with it (to say I was horrified is an understatement). This item has been an absolute godsend! it works so much better than I anticipated. It deals with the smallest to largest spider, and even catches moths without damaging them (admittedly the largest spider in the uk isn't going to be *that* large). The length on the handle is better than most similar items and we can reach most areas. The only small issue we have and I can't see a way to improve on it without having different catchers for different surfaces is that if the insect is on a wall, and you have to angle the catcher, sometimes you can't get it to 'sit' in the central area between the open bristles quite well enough to grab the little feckers. Despite that small issue so far we have a 100% success rate at bug removal, my husband and younger daughter no longer yell for mam to come get the creepy crawlies and are happy to do the job themselves. After owning this product for several months I'd like to add that although still delighted with it's bug catching capabilities the handle has proved a little flimsy, and the 'catch' at the end of the handle has broken and it's popped apart. With a little bit of intense examination, combined with some mild swearing and gaffer tape we have managed to pop things back in place. It doesn't look as 'pretty' but is working. Although I still highly recommend this product I do feel it's a little over priced for the materials used and lack of complexity in its construction, basically it's more flimsy than I would like. Several to keep in different rooms would be my goal. This would be particularly useful for when 'the phobic one' comes home for the weekend so we don't have to spend ten minutes rushing from room to room looking for the single one we own while she hyperventilates, but am unwilling to fork out £40 or more to have one handy in each area of the house.

Fabulous spider catcher

Works brilliantly with almost anything - some of the smaller ones take more than one attempt to bag with it. None of the little blighters appear to be harmed and it keeps me at a nice safe distance. The bristles get a bit too pliable after a few years of use so the whole thing needs to be replaced every so often. On one of mine the trigger mechanism eventually fell apart. However, I feel I got reasonable use out of it before this happened. The only bit of the design that doesn't work is the hook you're supposed to use to hang it from: this doesn't stick with any of the three I bought. I suspect the weight of the catcher is just too great for the little adhesive patch. Not a huge drawback but it does mean you sometimes have to grope on the floor for the catcher when you daren't take your eyes off the scary thing you want to use it for, or it slides and clatters noisily when your nerves are already shredded from having to deal with aforementioned scary thing.

We bought one of these spider catchers last year from another supplier, but decided to get a second for upstairs after coming across a humongous spider occupying the landing. Having to pass far too close for comfort to this lurking monster to fetch the spider catcher from downstairs was not a good experience! We swiftly caught him in the bristles of the catcher and carried him off to the nearest field where he ran off at speed, proving this humane bristlely gadget really doesn't harm it's prisoners. We promptly ordered another spider catcher from Amazon safe in the knowledge that it would arrive the next day! Catching spiders does require a little practise and the fake spider is perhaps best kept for Halloween. Once you have the hang of the catcher, it is easy to use even on moving targets, though it may take a couple of attempts. I find it great for catching daddy long legs that are just out of my reach and we've even caught flies on the move too. Despite our first catcher having heavy use it is as good as new. We do keep the protective cap on over the bristles, as it would be less effective if they become bent. I have no hesitation in recommending this gadget, it's so much better than a jar and piece of card and it is money well spent! One tip, if you have more than one, get different colours so you know if you leave it downstairs, that way you won't be caught without one!

Speaking as the most afflicted arachnophobe that you're ever likely to meet I was dreading the start of the spider season this year. Having just moved to a rural location for the first time, I was horrified to find that at the first sign of inclement weather field spiders the size of my hands began invading my home. Desperate and unable to sleep I scoured the internet for a solution and bought this product after reading the positive reviews. So glad that I found this! Its really easy to use. The first time I had to have a few goes to get up to speed but picked it up quickly. It keeps the offending creatures at a broadly acceptable distance and it's also gentler than it looks so the spiders are not harmed in any way. I've coupled this device with an 18 inch deep sealable storage box and have thus developed an effective and tolerable capture and release routine. I don't normally write product reviews but I wanted to share this with any arachnophobes out there. Get this, it will change your life!

Works really well, bought for my daughter fir Christmas but we all use it!! Make a fabulous present!!