Question 1

I won't be able to use all of the mats this summer and would like to use the remainder next summer.  Will they still be effective?

Accepted Answer

I had a mat that was out of the mylar sleeve, it slid down my workbench in my garage and evaded my finding it that day.  4 or 5 years later I found it wedged between a draw track and got wedged right on top of N52 super magnet I also thought was long lost.  
 My west coast home has a garage that is as hot as hades in all months except the few weeks winter arrives.
 That four or five year old pad had the same lifespan as one just purchased. This surprised me.  I generally refill the butane cartridges myself with Puretane once depleted, but the mats I buy in bulk (just the mats) as I've tried many times to resoak the mats with various things like citronella, lemon grass Lemon eucalyptus oil, all sorts of essential oils, both natural and synthetic including Permethrin (natural)

At the end of the day the Thermacell mats I'll buy, as it works better than any alternative I've tried thus far.

Question 2

The refill mats are three times longer than the ones that came with the MR450 portable unit. How do we fit them in?

Accepted Answer

From the Thermacell website: 'The Long Life MATS which are approximately 3x the size of the regular MATs should be centered in the device as well. There is not need to move or slide the long life mat on the repeller grill. Neither sets of MATs require moving or turning over. The heat from the device will draw the repellent to the center of Heat Plate and disperse the repellent.'

(pretty much every other answer or review here is incorrect.. Yes having the longer pad sticking out makes this less convenient and portable for portable units, the tradeoff is that you don't have to change it as often.)

Also FYI according to Thermacell, just because a pad turns white, doesn't mean that the repellent is used up. The blue dye is independent of the repellent, and pads sometimes turn white prematurely, and even when completely white, they still have some repellent left. Thermacell recommends leaving the pads in for 3-4 hours, even if they turn white sooner than that. From Thermacell: 
'The MATS have two chemicals on them. the first chemical is the repellent. The second chemical is a timed released blue dye. The blue dye, can fade in some cases in a short period of time, but the repellent remains on the MAT for the full 3-4 hours. Our testing shows that after 4 hours, 25% is still on the mat.
You can leave the Mats in even if they turn white a bit sooner than you expected. The environment can cause this to happen as well: heat, humidity, wind. and altitude. We recommend just leaving them in for the full 3-4 hours even if they seem to be turning white.'

Question 3

will this cartridge last until next year if i haven't opened it yet?

Accepted Answer

Hi. Probably. The repellent mats are sealed in foil pouches. The butane cartridge has a screw on cap. The box states "Store unit and butane cartridges in original box in a cool, dry place away from sources of heat." Reading between the lines, it seems that as long as you store them properly, they should last. Packaging does not have an expiration date. You can also call or email the manufacturer: Phone: 1-8-NO SKEETERS; email: Consumerquestions@thermacell.net. hope that helps.

Question 4

Did anyone else have trouble getting this item shipped to their address?  I tried both my work and home in CA.

Accepted Answer

I also could not get shipped to CA - glad I tried to order the canisters at same time before the belt and lantern so I knew to remove it all from cart! :(

Manufacturer	Thermacell
Volume	1.64 Fluid Ounces
Scent	Unscented
Assembly Required	No
Product Dimensions	13.97 x 10.41 x 4.32 cm; 159 g
Package Weight	0.16 Kilograms
Batteries Required	No
Batteries Included	No

Thermacell Max Life Refill

Details

Description

Specifications

Have a Question? See What Others Asked

Common Questions