Best Fruit Fly Traps (Tested & Ranked)
Not all fruit fly traps are created equal.
We bought, tested, and timed six of the top traps — including DIY versions, Amazon best-sellers, and our own NoBuzz Trap™.
Here’s what we found 👇
Our Testing Method
We set up a controlled environment with 50 fruit flies and tested each trap for 48 hours. We measured:
- Capture rate (how many flies caught)
- Speed (how quickly they worked)
- Ease of use (setup and cleanup)
- Mess factor (spills, odors, aesthetics)
🥇 1. NoBuzz Trap™ (Best Overall)
- ✅ Caught 42 flies in 24 hours
- ✅ No odor, leak-proof, child-safe
- ✅ Sleek, reusable, eco-friendly
- 🔁 Pairs perfectly with refill bait
What we loved:
- Fastest acting trap in our test
- No spills or mess during the entire 48-hour period
- Attractive enough to leave on the counter
- Simple to set up and dispose of
What could be better:
- Higher initial cost than DIY options
- Requires replacement bait (though subscriptions make this easy)
Verdict: Best all-around performer, looks great on the counter.
Final Score: 9.5/10
🧪 2. DIY Vinegar + Soap Trap
- ⚠️ 28 flies caught, but 4 escaped when moved
- 🧴 Can spill easily
- ❌ Attracts gnats and other insects too
What we loved:
- Cheap and easy to make
- Uses common household items
- Works reasonably well for light infestations
What frustrated us:
- Messy setup and cleanup
- Strong vinegar smell
- Plastic wrap tore easily
- Caught flies sometimes escaped
Verdict: It works, but it’s messy and inconsistent.
Final Score: 6.5/10
🪰 3. Yellow Sticky Card Traps
- 🟡 10–12 flies caught over 48 hours
- 😬 Visually unappealing
- 📉 Didn’t attract all fly types
What we loved:
- No liquid to spill
- Long-lasting (can use for weeks)
- Cheap and widely available
What we disliked:
- Slow to work
- Unsightly yellow cards on counters
- Caught fewer flies than liquid traps
- Difficult to dispose of
Verdict: Decent backup, but not a standalone solution.
Final Score: 5/10
🍎 4. Commercial Apple Cider Vinegar Traps
- 🟢 18 flies caught in 48 hours
- 💰 More expensive than DIY, less effective than NoBuzz
- 🦟 Also attracted gnats and other pests
What we loved:
- Ready-to-use convenience
- No setup required
- Attractive packaging
What disappointed us:
- Lower catch rate than expected
- Still had vinegar odor
- Price point didn’t match performance
Verdict: Convenient but not the best value.
Final Score: 6/10
🍷 5. Wine Trap (Customer Favorite)
- 🍷 15 flies caught, but many drowned
- 🎯 Moderately effective
- 🧼 Difficult to clean
What we loved:
- Uses leftover wine (eco-friendly)
- Decent attraction rate
- Simple setup
What we found challenging:
- Flies often drowned, making counting difficult
- Red wine stained containers
- Not as effective as dedicated baits
Verdict: Good use of leftovers, but not optimized for fruit flies.
Final Score: 5.5/10
🪲 6. Beer Trap
- 🍺 8 flies caught in 48 hours
- 🚫 Attracted more non-target insects
- 🦟 Created a gnat problem
What we loved:
- Another way to use leftovers
- Easy to set up
What went wrong:
- Lowest catch rate of all traps
- Attracted gnats, moths, and other insects
- Created more problems than it solved
Verdict: Skip this one.
Final Score: 3/10
💭 Final Thoughts
If you’re tired of fruit flies lingering in your kitchen, a proper trap makes all the difference.
For Quick Results: NoBuzz Trap™
Our testing showed that the NoBuzz Trap™ consistently outperformed all other options. It caught the most flies in the shortest time while being the cleanest and most attractive option.
For Budget-Conscious: DIY Vinegar Trap
If you need an immediate solution and don’t mind the mess, the DIY vinegar and soap trap is your best budget option.
For Ongoing Protection: Subscription Service
The real key to staying fruit fly-free is having traps ready when you need them. Our subscription service ensures you never run out of effective bait.
Complete Fruit Fly Solution
We built the NoBuzz Trap™ to combine:
- Proven attractants (scientifically formulated)
- Clean design (no spills, no odors)
- Fast results (works in 24-48 hours)
It’s now part of our complete DIY Fly Kit with drain gel and prevention tools for customers who want to tackle the problem from every angle.
Ready to try the #1 rated trap? Order NoBuzz Trap™ with our 100% satisfaction guarantee. Or get the complete solution with our DIY Kit that includes traps, drain gel, and prevention tools.
✨ Want to go deeper? Check out How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies for our complete elimination guide.