I tried 3 gadgets that promise relief from bug bites — did any of them work?

I first spotted Bug Bite Thing on an episode of Shark Tank and was instantly enamored with the idea: a simple plastic plunger that would suction out insect venom, helping halt the body’s reaction to it (ie, itching). No batteries, no buttons, no chemicals; just place one end over the bite and pull up on the plunger for 10-20 seconds.

The good news: It works! However, the longer you wait, the less effective it becomes. When I used it on a bite that was just a few minutes old, the itching all but disappeared. On a bite I’d gotten an hour or two earlier, the itching seemed to come back fairly quickly.

The device is simple to use, and it’s uncomfortable only if you pull too hard on the plunger and create too much suction — in which case it can leave a fairly substantial indentation (dare I say “hickey”?). You’ll need a little practice to find that “just right” pressure.

At $10, Bug Bite Thing is inexpensive to toss in a purse or backpack and have at the ready when mosquitoes strike. As long as you catch the bite early, you can keep itching to a minimum.

It’s hard to beat the simplicity of the Beurer BR90. Just slide the power switch, place the little circular heat plate over the bite, then press the large button up top — once for a three-second treatment, twice for a six-second one.

Contrast that with the Heat It, which requires your phone and an app — and costs $10 more. The Beurer is something you keep in a pocket or purse and have instantly at the ready, which I like.

However, it’s too bulky and heavy to ride on a keychain and doesn’t have a hole for that even if you wanted to make room. That bulk accommodates the included pair of AAA batteries, which should be good for about 300 treatments (assuming you don’t activate the optional LED light, which helps you find the bite in darker environments).

I’d strongly prefer a rechargeable version of the product, which could likely be made smaller as well. (The Heat It, which runs off your phone’s battery, is a fraction of the size.) Of course, you can always use rechargeable batteries of your own.

I’d also welcome a child-friendly mode that delivers a little less heat, something the Heat It offers. Indeed, the latter product is a bit more versatile and certainly more compact. But I like the speed and convenience of the Beurer, as well as the sub-$30 price tag.

Despite relying on the same basic heated-plate technology as the Beurer BR90, Heat It is tiny in comparison — about the size of a mini USB thumb drive and extremely keychain-friendly. Fortunately, it’s no less effective than the Beurer; it really boils down to whether you want to reach for your phone every time you treat a bug bite.

Make sure you get the right model: Heat It is available in a USB-C version for Android phones, USB-C for iPhone 15 and later, and Lightning for iPhone 14 and earlier. It’s too bad there’s not a universal model with multiple plugs, which would make it easier to loan to a friend or family member.

I tested the Lightning model with an iPhone 13. All you do is plug the little dongle into the phone’s charging port and fire up the Heat It app. Choose a few options (duration, child/adult, etc.), then tap a button. It takes about nine seconds to heat up, after which you apply it to the bug bite and wait four, seven or nine seconds for the treatment (depending on selected duration).

And that’s it. I found Heat It very intuitive and easy to use, thanks in large part to the app: It explains in simple detail how this “hyperthermia” treatment works and how it should be used for children, adults and those with sensitive skin.

The only real downside is that because your phone is required, it can be a little tricky to angle the heated plate where you need it — especially on an area like the back of the leg. The Beurer is easier to apply and also faster, with less preheat delay.

Then there’s price: Heat It costs $10 more than the Beurer, despite having no battery of its own. (On the other hand, you don’t have to worry about keeping it charged, as it will work as long as your phone has a charge.) At $40, this feels overpriced to me even though it works and I’m happy to have it on my keychain.