The Best Cockroach Bait: Reviewed and Ranked

Written by Austin S.
Updated: January 23, 2023
© Dmitriy_Danilov/Shutterstock.com

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Best forProduct
Best OverallCombat Roach Killing Bait
Best Gel-Based BaitAdvion Cockroach Gel Bait
Best for German RoachesROCKWELL Invict Gold Cockroach Gel

Do you find yourself infested with roaches? and you simply are unsure of how to get rid of them and get them out of your space? Well, if so this is the article for you.

Cockroach bait is a type of pest control that uses a palatable base to attract roaches to eat poison, and distribute it throughout their colony. Bait has long been considered one of of the most effective methods of destroying a population of cockroaches.

In our research, we learned it’s important to clean before using some of these products. We want to point out that we highly recommend cleaning your place very well before using any gel products that way you will only have to use the gel solution one time. If you do not not clean your house or apartment, or space before usingthe gel products, you will most likely have to reuse the product.

This happens because roaches can and will become immune to the gel if you keep using it without cleaning the space first. Cockroaches are coming to your place for two reasons, one is because someone is fumigating their place and they are running to yours for safety. Or two, there is something in your place that is highly attracting them (animal urine, crumbs that happened to fall in between cracks on the floor, mildew, toddlers who run around leaving sticky messes all over, and so on).

In this article we will go over the top cockroach baits, it includes gel-based baits, bait stations, and indoor and outdoor bait.

Cockroaches do a great job at hiding in unknown spaces that we may not be able to see with our own eyes. The great thing about purchasing a cockroach bait is you do not have to do much work with the bait stations, you set them up where you believe the cockroaches are entering and exiting your space and set up the bait station and it will do the rest for you. But don’t worry as we’ll explained everything in more detail.

  1. Combat Roach Killing Bait
    • Specially designed for large roaches, waterbugs, and palmetto bugs
    • Easy to use
    • Best used in areas like under sinks and behind toilets
    • Contains Hydramethylnon
    Check Amazon
  2. Advion Cockroach Gel Bait
    • Targets all pest species of cockroaches
    • Features a potent, non-repellent active ingredient
    • Can be used indoors as well as outdoors
    • High-performing product
    Check Amazon
  3. ROCKWELL Invict Gold Cockroach Gel
    • Very fast working
    • Works great on any roach
    • Use food-grade attractants
    • Continue to work for months
    Check Amazon

The Top Picks for Cockroach Bait

#1 Best Overall: Combat Roach Killing Bait

Encountering roaches in your home is never nice, but don’t worry as we’ve got you covered. Our selection as the best overall cockroach bait is the Combat Roach Killing Bait.

This bait station kills the entire nest by attracting the roaches to the bait station and the roaches ingest the pesticide, and continue to carry it around with them until they die. Plus, other roaches become poisoned by coming into contact with the roaches that have been to the bait station. This bait station uses a powerful insecticide called hydramethylnon. It is a yellow-orange crystalline solid, which is odorless.

This product is easy to use and does not require any assembly. Simply place the bait station wherever you see or have seen roaches and relax while it begins to work instantly.

This roach-killing bait is best used in areas like under sinks, behind toilets, and behind appliances, killing the ones you see and the ones you don’t see. These bait stations are great to use if you have other animals or children, because the poison is contained in the bait station where they cannot access it.

However, the downside to this product is that some customers have reported that they have seen more roaches in the immediate days after beginning to use this product before they actually found any dead ones.

Pros and Cons of the Combat Roach Killing Bait

ProsCons
This product kills the entire nest of roaches by attracting them to the bait station. The remaining roaches are killed when those that have ingested the bait go back to the nest and come into contact with them.Customers have reported seeing more roaches before they actually found any dead ones.
It is easy to use and does not require and assembly.
It begins to work instantly.
The poison is contained inside the bait box, making it safe to use around children and other pets.
Best Overall
Combat Roach Killing Bait
  • Specially designed for large roaches, waterbugs, and palmetto bugs
  • Easy to use
  • Best used in areas like under sinks and behind toilets
  • Contains Hydramethylnon
Check Amazon

2. Best Gel-Based Bait: Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

Gel-based bait is a popular choice for cockroach infestations, which is why we recommend the Advion Cockroach Gel Bait.

This gel bait is a high-performing product that targets all types of pest species of cockroaches. It combines a highly attractive, proprietary gel formulation with a potent, non-repellent active ingredient. The cockroaches cannot resist this superior combination, and even the toughest populations are quickly controlled with this gel bait.

You can use this product indoors and as well as outdoors. For heavy infestations of cockroaches, simply apply three to five spots of bait per ten linear feet. For light to moderate infestations of cockroaches, apply one to three spots per ten linear feet.

However, is recommended that you make sure to deep clean your area before using any gel-based bait for cockroaches, otherwise it probably will not work. Also, as it contains a strong active ingredient it can cause an allergic reaction if it comes into contact with skin. Furthermore, it should not be used around children or other animals as the bait is not contained in a bait station unit.

Pros and Cons of the Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

ProsCons
This product works on all species of cockroaches.You need to deep clean the area before using this product.
It is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.The active ingredient can cause an allergic reaction if it comes into contact with skin.
It contains a strong active ingredient.It should not be used near children or pets.
Best Gel-Based Bait
Advion Cockroach Gel Bait
  • Targets all pest species of cockroaches
  • Features a potent, non-repellent active ingredient
  • Can be used indoors as well as outdoors
  • High-performing product
Check Amazon

3. Best for German Roaches: Rockwell Invict Gold Cockroach Gel

Some bait types don’t work on all species of cockroaches, so if you have an infestation of German cockroaches then we recommend the Rockwell Invict Gold Cockroach Gel.

This product is specifically made for German roaches, however reports suggest that this product works on any roach.

This lightning-fast cockroach control begins killing roaches in as little as twenty minutes after eating it. This product has been proven to also partake in something called secondary kill. This simply means that if a roach comes in contact with another roach that has ingested the bait, it will go to the next roach and kill them.

This bait contains unique food-grade attractants that are intentionally different from other popular baits to help prevent bait aversion. This means that the cockroaches will not become immune to the bait and it will continue to work on roaches for months to come.

However, some customers have reported that while this product does begin to work within 20 minutes, it does not kill the cockroaches immediately, resulting in some crawling around for a further ten minutes until it takes full effect.

Pros and Cons of the Rockwell Invict Gold Cockroach Gel

ProsCons
This product begins to kill cockroaches 20 minutes after they have ingested it.Some cockroaches can crawl around for a further ten minutes as they are dying until it takes full effect.
It kills other cockroaches when they come into contact with those that have ingested it.
It contains unique attractants that are different from other bait stations.
Best for German Roaches
ROCKWELL Invict Gold Cockroach Gel
  • Very fast working
  • Works great on any roach
  • Use food-grade attractants
  • Continue to work for months
Check Amazon

Choosing the Best: What to Look For

When it comes to ridding your home or workplace of cockroaches, there are several approaches you can take, and they each with advantages and disadvantages.

Roach bait combines a food-based lure with insecticide. Once the cockroach ingests the bait, it carries the slow-acting poison back to the best, where it’s shared with other roaches through droppings or bodily fluids, eventually killing the entire nest.

When shopping for roach bait, it’s important to consider the type of cockroach and its potential nesting areas. Not all roach bait will work on all common species. The biggest struggle is finding where the nest entry is and where they exit and making sure you have the bait station in a good place.

When searching for the best roach bait, it’s helpful to know your enemy, which is the cockroaches. There are several different species of cockroaches found in the US, but the most common are the smaller German cockroaches which are often found near garbage and other waste sites, and the larger American (palmetto) cockroach, which generally resides outdoors unless cold weather drives them inside buildings.

It’s important to determine which species has infested a particular location because different insecticide formulas have different effects. A gel bait designed to kill German cockroaches may have little to no effect on American cockroaches.

The product description on the packaging should state which types of cockroaches it’s intended to exterminate. Some cockroaches develop a natural resistance to the ingredients in roach bait, so it pays to invest in brands that appeal to “bait-averse” cockroaches.

The Different Types of Cockroach Bait: Pros and Cons Compared

There are two different methods for delivering poisoned bait to cockroach populations you can use a bait station or gel. We will discuss the differences and pros and cons.

  • Bait Station: This is a plastic container with small entry holes. A bait station can work indoors or outdoors because the solid bait inside is protected from the elements. Cockroaches detect the appealing food-based lure, then enter the bait station and ingest the poison. When they return to the nest, other cockroaches come into contact with the poison and die. Bait stations are easy to handle, easy to place, and easy to remove. However, some roaches may not be able to get to the bait because to opening is too small; that’s why it is important to know what type of roach you have.
  • Gel-Based Bait: The other method is the injection of gel bait. Small portions of an attractive food-based gel are placed strategically near potential points of entry and exit to the nest. Some cockroaches ingest the gel and take the poison back to the nest, where others come in contact with it and die. The main advantage of an injectable gel bait is the ability to reach remote nesting areas. However, gel bait can be messy to apply, and the gel can also be attractive to pets and small children. So if you have other pets or small children the gel may not be the best.

When dealing with a larger cockroach infestation, some users prefer to use both indoor and outdoor methods.

  • Indoor: Most German cockroach colonies tend to form their nests in protected indoor areas near reliable sources of food and water. Injectable gel bait tends to perform much better indoors because the gel can get washed away or diluted if used outdoors. Bait stations can be challenging to place in remote indoor locations.
  • Outdoor: American or palmetto cockroaches tend to form nests outdoors but will travel indoors during inclement weather. Some roach bait, especially tablets and solid bait stations, perform very well in outdoor conditions.

Up Next

Best forProduct
Best OverallCombat Roach Killing Bait
Best Gel-Based BaitAdvion Cockroach Gel Bait
Best for German RoachesROCKWELL Invict Gold Cockroach Gel
About the Author

Growing up in rural New England on a small scale farm gave me a lifelong passion for animals. I love learning about new wild animal species, habitats, animal evolutions, dogs, cats, and more. I've always been surrounded by pets and believe the best dog and best cat products are important to keeping our animals happy and healthy. It's my mission to help you learn more about wild animals, and how to care for your pets better with carefully reviewed products.

The Best Cockroach Bait: Reviewed and Ranked FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Is it true that killing a cockroach attracts other cockroaches?

Although it is not true that killing a cockroach would spread its eggs, killing a cockroach might attract more. However, this might work in your favor if it pulls bugs out of hibernation so they can be removed.

Why am I suddenly seeing roaches?

When somebody “suddenly” encounters a cockroach, it’s usually not as unexpected as it appears. In other terms, they’ve most likely been in the house for some time, and you’re noticing them is more of a fluke than anything else. Perhaps you shifted something they’ve been lurking behind for the past few weeks.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.