No one wants a rodent problem in the home. Rats and mice can chew through wires, eat through packages of food, and leave little presents all through the house. Fortunately, there are dozens of options to deal with pests. The Ankace Mouse/Rat Trap, sometimes referred to as the Authenzo trap by certain sellers, is one option that claims to get rid of mice and rats humanely, and customers can’t stop raving about how well it works. In hopes of experiencing the same success, we put several of these traps in our home to test their success rate, safety, and ease of setup and cleanup.
Design: Durable and hides caught rodent from sight
The Ankace Mouse/Rat Trap looks pretty different from traditional traps. For starters, it’s made of a durable plastic known as polystyrene. This versatile plastic makes it easy to wash and reuse the trap. The trap also has a spring-loaded mechanism that puts 50 percent more force on rodents than most other traps. It also has a bottom and top trapper with jagged teeth on each to clasp down on its prey. The Ankace trap measures 5.1 x 2.9 x 2.7 inches, which is slightly bigger than traditional wood mouse traps. We found its size to be a major advantage because the upper trapper almost completely covered the deceased mouse when it was caught so we didn’t have to see it when disposing of it in the trash.
Performance: Does the job quickly and humanely
The Ankace Mouse/Rat Trap is ideal for mice and rats. This trap is very sensitive to the touch, meaning only 15 grams of weight is needed to trigger it. The downside is that if a small mouse is caught, it may make a bit of a mess due to the size of the trap and the strength of the spring mechanism. Some reviewers have complained about this problem, claiming it’s better for rats and normal-sized mice. This trap also ensures a 100 percent kill, done quickly and humanely so the rodent doesn’t suffer. The spring-loaded mechanism goes off when the rodent puts its weight on the pressure plate to get the bait. The entire top of this trap then bears down on the rodent instead of just a slim metal bar, as in traditional mouse traps. We caught one mouse with this trap. There was no mess when we went to check it out, and all that was visible was the tail sticking out toward the back of the trap. We knew the trap went off because it was very loud when it was triggered. Ours went off on the first floor while we were upstairs on the second floor trying to go to bed, and the sound it made was pretty terrifying. Pets, in particular, might get a good scare from this if it goes off.
Setup: Easy and painless
Setting the Ankace trap is fairly simple and safe. We started by taking the bait-setting device out of the bottom of the trap. To remove, just turn it counter-clockwise and it should come right out. Next, we put the bait in the small crevice in the bait-setting device. We used a small bit of peanut butter in ours, and we inserted the device back into the bottom of the trap. Make sure to turn it clockwise to lock it into position. After we baited it, we moved our trap to the area where we assumed there was the most mice traffic. To set it, we slowly pressed the rear of the top trapper until it locked firmly into the catch position. When set properly, the bait should be visible in between the top and bottom trappers that are now open and ready to catch rodents.
Safety: Pets and children beware
Setup felt easy and safe enough because there was little risk of getting fingers caught in the trap. Just make sure to keep all fingers away from the front of the trap while in the process of setting it. However, though this trap is very effective, it comes with the disadvantage of being somewhat dangerous due to its strength and sensitivity. Because only a small amount of weight is required to trigger this trap, it’s very easy for a pet or even a child to set it off. It’s important to keep this trap away from all areas where children and pets can reach.
Cleanliness: Reusable and fairly hygienic
Despite being made of plastic, the Ankace trap is reusable. The plastic doesn’t absorb any odors or stains like traditional wood mouse traps. The plastic material also makes it easy to wash and reuse. We found that the top and bottom trappers used to set the trap also work nicely to release the mouse into the trash or the desired disposal area. That way, there’s no need to touch the area where the critter was caught, keeping things more hygienic.
Price: More costly than traditional traps, but still a good deal
The Ankace trap comes in a pack of six that you can find for under $30, which is still more than traditional wooden traps. However, the material of these traps makes reusing them a viable option compared to traditional wooden traps that get contaminated and stained after catching their victims. Considering their efficiency and the fact that they’re reusable, this is a much better deal.
Ankace Mouse/Rat Trap vs. Snap-E Mousetrap
The Snap-E Mouse Trap is another option that effectively gets rid of mice. We tested a pack of six. Measuring 3.75 x 1.75 x 2.25 inches, the Snap-E is slightly smaller than the Ankace. The Snap-E trap is ideal for capturing mice considering its smaller size, while the Ankace is suited for both mice and rats. Both are resistant to odors and stains, allowing users to reuse them should they desire. The Snap-E Mousetrap is made of durable plastic and steel, so it can last for years. It has a pre-formed bait cup that sits within the trap, located in the ideal spot for the vertical bar to strike its prey. To set it, you simply pull back on the upright bar until it locks firmly and then it’s ready to catch mice. The Ankace has a similar setup in that the user simply pulls down on the upper trapper until it locks into place. The difference is in the design of the strike. In the Ankace, the entire upper trapper is used to clasp down on the rodent versus the Snap-E trap, which relies solely on the vertical strike bar. The Ankace also conceals the deceased rodent once it is triggered. The Snap-E obviously just uses the strike bar, which conceals really no part of the dead mouse. Deciding between the two depends on what type of rodents you have in the home and whether or not you care about seeing the deceased rodent when captured. For more recommendations, check out our roundup of the best mouse traps. The Ankace Mouse/Rat Trap is worth trying out because of its effectiveness, easy setup and cleanup, and reusability. For less than $5 per trap when buying the six-pack, it’s a great deal.
