Thermacell Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent (Gen 1 LR11 / Gen 2.0) — DISCONTINUED
Published · Researched 2026-09-21
2026 lineup note: The Radius — Thermacell's 2017 battery-powered pioneer, "the biggest innovation since 1999" — is discontinued at retail as of 2026-09-20; refill cartridges (LR140 40-hr, LR112 18-hr, 12-hr) are listed discontinued by multiple retailers. Succeeded by the E-Series rechargeables (E55/EX90/EL55/E65) and the LIV+ smart system. Reference: USB-rechargeable, ~6.5 hrs per charge (Gen 1 box), 15-ft zone (Gen 1), push-button start, auto-off timer. All claims gathered 2026-09-20; re-verify live before buying secondhand.
Version lineage (2017–2026)
- 2017: Radius launches — Thermacell's "biggest innovation since the first butane repeller in 1999." Lithium-ion replaces butane: works at any elevation, flies on aircraft, single refill instead of mat + butane, up to 40-hr refills, ~6-hr runtime per charge, auto-off timer.
- ~2019–2021: Gen 2.0 (LR212 family) — black and blue colorways, "Includes 12hr Refill," 6.5 hours per charge per retail box.
- 2022–2024: E-Series rechargeables (E55, EX90, EL55, E65) become the current line; Radius fades from Thermacell's site.
- 2025–2026: Refills officially discontinued (shoptics.com, campsaver.com list LR140/LR112 as "discontinued by manufacturer"). The EPA registration label for the Radius VI-C cartridge lists "Thermacell LIV+ Mosquito Repellent System" as an alternate brand name — the documented successor path.
Smart-buy advice: Don't buy a Radius in 2026 unless it's a collector purchase — refills are discontinued, so a dead cartridge makes it a paperweight. The modern equivalent is the EX90 (9-hr battery, 20-ft zone, currently sold) or the EL55 (lantern + repeller). If you already own a Radius with sealed refills, the device still works fine — it's the refills that are the consumable.
Overview
Thermacell Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent — battery-powered (USB rechargeable) zone repeller. Push-button start, auto-off timer, sealed spill-proof refill cartridges, no spray, scent-free, DEET-free. Gen 1: 15-ft zone, ~6.5-hr battery per charge. Refills: 12-hr, 18-hr (LR112), 40-hr (LR140).
Key Specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Zone | 15 ft (Gen 1); Gen 2.0 UNVERIFIED |
| Battery | Rechargeable Li-ion; ~6.5 hrs per charge (Gen 1/Gen 2 retail box) |
| Refills | Sealed liquid cartridges: 12-hr, 18-hr (LR112), 40-hr (LR140) — DISCONTINUED |
| Active ingredient | Metofluthrin — CONFLICT: retail box photography shows 4.0%; EPA registration label (VI-C cartridge) shows 5.50% — UNVERIFIED, generation/formulation change suspected |
| EPA Reg. No. | 71910-12 (Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent VI-C) |
| Alternate brand names (EPA) | Thermacell Area Mosquito Repellent; Thermacell LIV+ Mosquito Repellent System |
| Features | Push-button; auto-off timer; spill-proof; airplane-travelable |
| Weight | UNVERIFIED — not found in 2026-09-20 sources |
| Status | Discontinued at retail |
Pricing
- Discontinued at retail — refills listed "discontinued by manufacturer" at shoptics.com and campsaver.com. SOURCE: retailer pages fetched 2026-09-20. OBSERVATION DATE: 2026-09-20.
- Secondhand — eBay/auction listings exist; price UNVERIFIED at research date.
In the Box
- Radius repeller; 12-hr refill; USB battery charger (per Gen 2.0 retail box).
Warranty
Original Thermacell 1-year satisfaction guarantee applied at sale; discontinued product — warranty support UNVERIFIED for 2026.
Support & Parts
- Refills discontinued — the parts stream is dead. No current support path; E-Series refills are NOT compatible (Radius used sealed cartridges, E-Series uses different cartridges).
Community Verdict
The Radius has the fondest obituary of any discontinued repeller: owners loved the push-button simplicity and the elevation/air-travel freedom the battery platform gave. The community's frustration is the orphaned-refill story — a working device with no cartridges is the cautionary tale behind "buy the current platform" advice. Nobody disputes it worked; everybody agrees it's over. No fabricated scores used.
Images
assets/img/thermacell-radius-zone-1.jpgassets/img/thermacell-radius-zone-2.jpgassets/img/thermacell-radius-zone-3.jpg
All three images visually verified 2026-09-20: exact product (Thermacell Radius Zone, Gen 1 / Gen 2.0, black and blue).
Research date: 2026-09-20. Prices and availability change frequently; re-verify all figures live before purchase. Where two sources conflicted, both are shown and the conflict is labeled UNVERIFIED.
Top-up 2026-09-21 (images 4–6):
assets/img/thermacell-radius-zone-4.jpgassets/img/thermacell-radius-zone-5.jpgassets/img/thermacell-radius-zone-6.jpg
Long-term durability & warranty-claim reality (enrichment — Sept 2026)
- The device outlives its consumable — the classic orphaned-platform failure: hardware fine, cartridges gone.
- Battery aging — a 2017–2021 Li-ion cell in a secondhand unit is well into degradation; expect reduced runtime.
- Sealed cartridges — old stock refills may still function if sealed, but evaporation through seals over years is UNVERIFIED.
Version history — year by year (enrichment — Sept 2026)
- 2017: Launch — "biggest innovation since 1999"; 6-hr runtime/charge; 40-hr refills.
- ~2019–2021: Gen 2.0 — 6.5 hrs/charge; black/blue; 12-hr included refill.
- 2022–2024: E-Series takes over as the current rechargeable line.
- 2025–2026: Refills discontinued at retail; LIV+ named as alternate brand on the EPA label.
Head-to-head vs closest rivals (enrichment — Sept 2026)
- vs Thermacell EX90 (thermacell-ex90, this track): the direct successor — 20-ft zone (vs 15), 9-hr battery (vs 6.5), refills available. No contest for a 2026 buyer.
- vs Thermacell E55 (thermacell-e55): the compact successor; 5.5-hr battery, 20-ft zone, current refills.
- vs Thermacell Patio Shield (thermacell-patio-shield, this track): butane vs battery — Patio Shield still has fuel available; Radius doesn't have cartridges. The lesson in platform longevity.
Care & maintenance (enrichment — Sept 2026)
- For existing owners: charge via USB; store cartridges sealed and cool.
- If buying secondhand: verify the cartridge still contains liquid before paying.
Buying traps (enrichment — Sept 2026)
- "New in box" ≠ usable — a sealed Radius with a dried-out 12-hr cartridge is decoration.
- E-Series refills don't fit — different cartridge system; don't assume cross-compatibility.
- 4.0% vs 5.50% metofluthrin — box photography vs EPA label; formulation changed across generations, exact mapping UNVERIFIED.
Community Verdict — additional voices (enrichment — Sept 2026)
More sourced voices: the launch-era press ("Radius creates a zone of protection… works anywhere from the remote wilderness to your backyard patio") and the CNN Underscored 2026 piece framing the E-Series as the current line ("Go with the EL55… Opt for the EX90") show the succession is complete in media coverage too. The campsaver "List of Unorderable Models" (LR140, LR112) is the retail obituary in black and white. No fabricated scores used.
Key Specs gap-fill (enrichment — Sept 2026)
Zone: 15 ft (Gen 1). Battery: ~6.5 hrs/charge. Refills: 12/18/40-hr cartridges — discontinued. Active: metofluthrin 4.0% (box) vs 5.50% (EPA) — UNVERIFIED. EPA Reg 71910-12. Weight: UNVERIFIED. Status: discontinued.