You can never be too careful when it comes to personal safety or protecting your loved ones. Sure enough, many people make sure to purchase all kinds of smart locks, surveillance cameras and alarm systems for their homes in order to keep burglars away but what happens when you and/or your family members are out and about?
Such a situation requires another type of protection, generally provided by self-defense items such as stun guns and tasers!
Keeping your phone battery charged at all times can be a lifesaver in a kidnapping situation but what can that really do while you’re being actively assaulted, for instance?
That is when a stun gun or a taser really comes in handy, being able to instantly reverse the situation, giving the victim the possibility of escaping or getting the upper hand on the attacker.
If you’ve ever thought of getting such a defense weapon, however, you might have noticed how many options there are on the market which means that it can be really difficult to determine which one is good quality or even the best for your specific situation.
Not only are they different sizes and weights, making them easier or harder to carry and grab, but some are also more powerful than others.
They can also be made out of different materials and with different form factors. Basically, no two tasers are the same and that can be confusing and time-consuming to browse and purchase as a result.
With that being said, this guide is here to provide you with all the information you need to make a smart purchase and by the end of it, you should be able to easily select the best one for you out of a list of the best stun guns on the market with no problem!
First of all, stun guns are one of the most popular forms of self-defense available, and it makes sense as to why! It is preferable to defend yourself using something that can incapacitate an attacker temporarily, allowing you to escape and contact the authorities, rather than to really harm that person.
At this point, you might be asking yourself – what is the difference between a stun gun and a taser? A lot of the time, the terms are actually used interchangeably but in reality, these are two very different devices.
A taser is able to shoot out metal prongs that then embed in the attacker’s skin up to several yards away, shocking them with a powerful jolt of electricity.
On the other hand, a stun gun is a smaller device that can be used in much closer proximity as it needs to get in direct contact with the assailant via some small electrodes found on the device.
Naturally, you might have realized that Tasers come with the advantage of being able to keep the distance but there are also some disadvantages.
First of all, tasers are actually illegal under a number of laws in some places and even when legal, there may be the need for a thorough background check before you are even allowed to get one, which takes time.
Another disadvantage is that they tend to be bulkier and harder to conceal, hence not the most portable option.
Furthermore, you should also have some decent aim since you need to make sure you hit your target from a certain distance.
As opposed to all of that, a stun gun is less legally regulated and is also easier to conceal thanks to being more compact, all the while delivering the same level of incapacitation as its cousin, the taser.
At the end of the day, however, if you still prefer a taser and it is legal where you live or travel, don’t worry as there is a great one on the list we provided as well!
But first, here are the things you need to pay particular attention to before choosing a stun gun!
Voltage
As you might be able to tell, if the voltage is stronger, so is the shock the stun gun delivers to your attacker!
That being said, you should go for one that is able to shoot at least a million volts! This is because those that shoot less are generally of lesser quality.
Power Source
Stun guns usually work by using replaceable batteries or rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
Each of the two options come with their own pros and cons.
More precisely, while replaceable batteries mean you do not need to wait for your stun gun to charge up, built in rechargeable batteries usually have a longer battery life and can deliver a stronger shock as well.
Safety Mechanism
Of course, a stun gun’s use is to make defending yourself from attackers easy and swift but you might also be worried about accidentally zapping yourself while handling or carrying it!
So how is that prevented? Well, some stun guns even have a feature that makes them unusable if taken from you so you might want to pick one of those, especially if you are worried about ending up on the receiving end of a powerful zap from your own stun gun.
Ease of Use
Being able to quickly fire a stun gun is really important as you don’t want to find yourself fumbling with it in the middle of a crisis situation, giving the assailant an opportunity to incapacitate you further.
Would you really be able to follow a multiple steps process like pushing a lever, sliding a switch and then pressing a button when under duress? That doesn’t sound effective at all!
You obviously want to be safe from any accidental zapping but there is definitely such a thing as “too safe” in this situation.
Ease of Carrying and Concealment
As mentioned before, you want your stun gun to be easy to conceal and carry around or you might find yourself tempted to just leave it at home more often than not.
That being said, a more compact model is what you need and there are also some options that look like other, everyday objects such as a lipstick, keyring or phone that you can more easily conceal from prying eyes, providing you with the added advantage of surprising your attacker.
Imagine their confusion seeing you pull out a lipstick in the middle of a mugging! That momentary distraction could be exactly what you need to get the upper hand on them!
Now that you know everything you need to know before purchasing a stun gun or a taser, here are some of the best options on the market in no particular order!
VIPERTEK VTS-979
The VIPERTEK VTS-979 has that classic, brick shape but still has a slightly textured, rubbery finish that makes it really easy to grip and hold no matter the situation you may find yourself in.
This is even more so the case thanks to the ergonomic shape, with indentations on one side for your fingers and one on the other side for your thumb.
Close to your thumb is also an on and off switch and an activation button as well, making handling the device as easy and quick as possible without any accidents in day to day life.
But that is not all! This product also features a flashlight function and you can activate it by pressing another button that can be found on the other side, by your index finger.
On one end, there are the two electrodes, prongs protruding from the very front.
As the stun function is activated, an arc will come up between the two electrodes and you will be able to hear the crackling sound.
It measures 6.5 inches long, 2 inches wide, and one inch thick.
Furthermore, it features a port for the AC power cord at the base of it, which comes with the set.
It is a bare cord you are supposed to plug directly into an outlet and not a USB port so keep that in mind.
It also comes with a lanyard that secures to the Taser with a pin.
That being said, if it ever gets yanked away from you, the pill pulls free which causes the stun function to get deactivated, rendering the device useless in the hands of the other person.
That way, if the attacker wrestles it away from you, they will not be able to use it against you.
It delivers a jolt of 59 Milliamps (Ma) which is more than enough to disable a large man.
However, you should keep in mind that the jolt can actually be reduced by resistance so if your attacker is wearing many layers or a chunky, heavy winter coat or jacket, the efficiency of this product will get reduced significantly.
That being said, if you live or travel somewhere with really cold weather, you should go for a more powerful stun gun.
The built in LED flashlight is not the brightest ever but if you need it to just get around the house during a power cut or to check out your backyard at night, it’s still going to make a huge difference, allowing you to navigate everything with ease.
Finally, this stun gun comes with a great warranty, being guaranteed for life against any defects in workmanship or in materials.
Basically, if you have any problems with it anywhere down the road, you will remain protected.
Guard Dog Security Hornet
The Guard Dog Security Hornet is made to be super compact so you can easily take it anywhere with you.
It is a really small stun gun measuring no more than 4 inches long, 1.5 inches wide, and half an inch thick.
Furthermore, it only weighs 4 ounces, making it small and light enough to slip into one of your pockets or attach it to your keychain since there is a short keychain attachment at one of the bottom corners of the product.
This means that you can take it anywhere with you without grabbing any attention or it looking suspicious or out of place.
While it is a great choice for everyone, most men might especially prefer it since they don’t tend to carry purses around so being so compact will come in handy.
If having it on your keychain does not sound like a good idea for you, you will be pleased to know that there is also a black nylon mesh belt holster included.
The housing is made out of plastic with rounded corners so you avoid pocking yourself.
To allow more room for your fingers, one of the edges is a bit curved, all of the controls being situated on the other side.
They are: a safety switch and two separate buttons for the taser function and the flashlight.
On the tip, you can also find three big LED bulbs right under the metal electrodes.
This stun gun charges directly, which means there is no need for a charger.
All you need to do is unfold the power prongs from the back of the housing and you can then plug it into a power outlet to charge.
This product is quite a bit more powerful than the one discussed above, delivering no less than 140Ma of current!
That being said it can go through thick and heavy clothing and many layers without a single problem so you should probably pick this one if you live or travel in a colder climate.
The only inconvenience of this product is that, because of its small size, it needs a small battery that only lasts for 2 to 3 weeks even if you never use the stun function.
At that point, because of passive power loss, it will stop working.
These issues can be easily solved, however – just make sure to plug it in every 10 days or so and you’ll be able to get the most out of it in the end.
The LEDs are also not the brightest but they are more than enough to help you navigate a small room in the dark.
And in fact, because there is no focus on it, the light emits in all directions, allowing you to see equally as well all over the room instead of the corner you’re pointing the flashlight at.
Just remember that this function only works for a few hours at a time before it needs to be charged again.
Vipertek VTS-880
The Vipertek VTS-880 is compact and effective, despite its small size.
It can easily be kept in your pocket and will come in handy if you’re ever attacked, allowing you to subdue them in a second.
There is also no need for an extra charging cable due to the fact that it features a small plug built into the base of it.
Furthermore, just like most other stun guns, there is also a loud sound that will help keep an attacker further away from you as the first line of defense.
Just keep in mind that this stun gun does not have any metal strips along the sides to prevent attackers from taking it from you because of the small size that does not allow it.
However, precisely because it is so compact, it will not stick too much out of your hand in the first place so it’s quite hard to grab before you can stun them anyway.
Another thing it lacks is a wrist strap so you have to keep the holster it comes with on a belt or carry it in your bag, of course.
All in all, these small drawbacks are actually not such big cons that they are deal-breakers and the product is still very much worth the investment, especially if you want a reliable and powerful small stun gun.
Vipertek VTS-195
Usually, flashlights are a bonus feature on some stun guns but the Vipertek VTS-195 is actually a flashlight first and a stun gun second!
More precisely, it acts as a tactical flashlight and because it totally looks like one, there is also a much smaller chance that an attacker would try to snatch it from your hands before getting close enough for you to take them by surprise and stun them.
Basically, this will give you more time to defend yourself and get the upper hand.
Just like all other stun guns from Vipertek, the VTS-195 model also comes with a rechargeable battery so you will not need to worry about constantly purchasing replacement batteries.
Of course, since it’s first and foremost a flashlight, the light it emits is much brighter than others featured on this list.
While it may not last as long as a regular flashlight, it’s still a great option since you won’t have to carry both a flashlight and a stun gun at the same time.
Sabre Self-Defense Kit
This product is quite different from the others on this list thanks to the fact that it includes not one but two types of self-defense products!
That being said, the Sabre Self-Defense Kit comes with a stun gun as well as pepper spray!
The stun gun has a lifetime warranty so you are covered if there are any manufacturing defects.
Normally, it would be better to buy a stun gun and pepper spray separately but if you can’t be bothered to start browsing for pepper spray after going through many models of stun guns, something that can be time consuming and stressful, this is a great option as this brand makes some of the best pepper sprays out there!
Pepper spray is also legal in more states and safer than most stun guns which makes it a great alternative.
TASER Pulse+
Finally, the one and only Taser gun on this list is here!
As opposed to stun guns, which are useful in close combat, this product is able to shoot barked projectiles up to 15 feet away, keeping attackers from getting close enough to strike.
That being said, it is a self-defense device very similar to the ones the police uses.
Furthermore, it is shaped like a gun, which makes it easier to aim and shoot.
Once reaching your target, they will be shocked for 30 seconds as to disable them completely.
But what really makes this Taser special is that it works with the Noonlight app to easily contact the police upon firing the weapon.
There is a main downside, however, and that is the fact that it works with one-time-use cartridges so you’ll have to purchase new ones after firing once.
The good news, however, is that you can actually continue to use this device even without a projectile cartridge, just like it were a regular stun gun.
Foxfend Spark
The Foxfend Spark looks just like a normal lipstick at a first look but features a hidden stun gun.
The lid is great at protecting you from an accidental zapping but keep in mind that it could also mean slower access during a crisis situation.
Lastly, it is also not exactly as compact as a normal lipstick but that is really not a big issue at all!
