Conclusion:

The Dome Mouser DMMZ1 Z-Wave Plus smart rodent trap is a very interesting device in part because it ties something as mundane as pest control in with something as high tech as home automation with Z-Wave. While it is cool and very useful to have notifications of a kill via Z-Wave, what may be equally important to consider is that the Mouser will work quite well without connecting it to anything. Power it up, bait it, and place it where you expect to catch rodents, and it will work just fine on its own. The red LED will indicate when you have made a kill, and all you have to do is dump the mouse out and put it back in place. While one set of batteries is rated to last for 50 kills, the device itself should last far beyond that... Giving you years of rodent control without any poisons or mess.

Being able to tie the Dome Mouser in with a handful of popular Z-Wave controllers (see the right column of the product page on The Smartest House for the complete list) is definitely what makes this product geeky and perhaps a bit fun. While I haven't received a notification of an actual kill yet, I am anticipating it! Having seasonal issues with rodents lets me know it is only a matter of time before something wanders into the Mouser... and doesn't wander out!



The Smartest House presently offers the Dome Mouser for $79.99. While this is obviously much more expensive than your typical rodent trap, I feel it might pay for itself within a couple of years. Not only can it continue to cleanly kill rodents for years to come, it eliminates all the stress, drama, and hassle that the other methods create... Like when my daughter was the one who saw the poisoned mouse in the garage before I did... Or when a sparrow got stuck in a glue trap and the whole family wanted me to try to save it.

In the end, the Dome Mouser DMMZ1 Z-Wave Plus smart rodent trap earns the Bigbruin.com "Great Idea" award. It might not be a gadget that everyone wants or needs, but it is definitely smart, practical, and very useful.



Pros:

» Works with or without a Z-Wave connection
» Quickly and cleanly kills rodents
» With a Z-Wave connection, you get immediately notification of a kill
» Seems like a family and pet friendly alternative to typical rodent traps
» Just dump out the dead rodent, re-bait if necessary, and you are ready to get your next home invader

Cons:

» Price relative to typical rodent traps is obviously quite high

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