Best Pepper Sprays | Tested & Reviewed
There are a lot of non-lethal options for defending yourself, but few as lightweight and effective as pepper spray. It comes in various sizes, mixtures, and strengths, all tuned to get one job done: disable a person (or animal) with a burning stream. The best pepper spray will do this every time, not just 70% of the time, since we found that low-quality brands showed degradation in a recent study.
There are plenty of brands of pepper spray to pick from. This is where we come in. We’ve researched the best pepper sprays, put them to the test, and now the results are in: the overall best, an upgrade option, and a canine option. If you want to disable an attacker without lethal force, one of our picks will be a trusted tool.
Contents (Jump to a Section)
In this latest update of the best pepper spray, additional pictures have been added, and new selections have been made. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Disclosure»
Best Pepper Spray
Sabre Crossfire Gel
Powerful, Proven, and Effective
Consistent quality in a small canister to effectively disable attackers at a moment’s notice.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at Walmart.
Sabre is a well-known brand that has been supplying pepper spray since 1975 to police and everyday folks. They are ISO:9001 certified, meaning that their products meet stringent manufacturing requirements, guaranteeing their quality. We talk a little bit about why quality is so important below in our Analysis & Test Results section, but variability is not great for the shelf life of the spray.
Specifications
- Spray Contents: Pepper spray, CS tear gas, UV dye mixture
- Volume: 1.5 fl oz
- Heat Rating: 2 SCO
- 1-Second Bursts: 25
- Range: 20 feet
- Size: 4.5″ H x 1.25″ W x 1.5″ D
- Weight: 3.1 ounces
With reliable quality at an affordable price, it’s easy to see why the Sabre Red Crossfire Pepper Gel is the best.
Hottest Pepper Spray
Byrna BGR MAX
Intensely Hot, Long-Range, and Compact
Trusted by LEOs, this spray disables and marks anyone getting out of hand quickly and effectively.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The Byrna Bad Guy Repellent has tear gas, UV dye, and the hottest pepper spray available blended together in a stream.
Specifications
- Spray Contents: Pepper spray, CS tear gas, UV dye mixture
- Volume: 2 fl oz
- Heat Rating: 5.3M SHU
- 1-Second Bursts: 25
- Range: 20 feet
- Size: 4.5″ H x 1.25″ W x 1.5″ D
- Weight: 3.1 ounces
Everything about this pepper spray is at the maximum level, including the pepper heat. At 5,300,000 Scoville Heat Units, it’s about the same as spraying something three times hotter than a Carolina Reaper in the eyes. It also maxes out the OC at 10% and MC at 1.4% to put the pain at the highest allowable level.
If you are looking for the hottest pepper spray, the Byrna BGR MAX Pepper Spray brings the pain with the highest Scoville rating.
Best EDC Pepper Spray
Sabre Keychain
Lightweight, Proven, and Effective
Consistent quality in a small, lightweight canister to effectively disable attackers at a moment’s notice.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at Walmart.
Sabre’s keychain model is the best-selling pepper spray, by far. It’s small, convenient, and effective, making it a smart choice for anyone on the go.
Specifications
- Spray Contents: Pepper spray, CS tear gas, UV dye mixture
- Volume: 0.54 fl oz
- Heat Rating: 2 SHU
- Half-Second Bursts: 20
- Range: 10 feet
- Size: 4.5″ H x 1.25″ W x 1.5″ D
- Weight: 1.6 ounces
The ergonomic grip comes in over six colors, so you can decide to make it blend in or stand out. It also comes with a quick disconnect keychain attachment, so you can leave it dangling from a purse or bag but quickly remove it when needed.
Twist the safety lock, point, and spray when you need to buy yourself some time. It has a 10-second continuous spray, which you can control burst in about 20 sprays.
The Sabre Keychain Pepper Spray puts reliable pepper spray on a convenient keychain.
Best Cone Pepper Spray
ASP Metro Defender D2
Wide Spray, Ergonomic, and Portable
Spray a wide cone at attackers with this high-quality kuboton-style defense tool.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at Amazon.
Armament Systems and Procedures (ASP) developed this tool for off-duty law enforcement officers, and it was an instant hit.
Specifications
- Spray Contents: Pepper spray, CS tear gas, UV dye mixture
- Volume: 0.15 fl oz
- Heat Rating: 2 SCO
- Half-Second Bursts: 12
- Range: 5 feet
- Size: 4.5″ H x 1.25″ W x 1.5″ D
- Weight: 2.3 ounces
I can verify that the hype is real- positioning the pepper spray in a kuboton-style canister is smart design. Holding it with the bottom of your fist pointed at attackers is a natural defense stance, making it ideal for close-quarters and multiple attacker situations.
The spray doesn’t have much distance- its cone nozzle performs closer to a fogger than a stream spray. This is by design, though, since it blankets everything in front of you with a max-strength OC and MC mixture.
With reliable quality at an affordable price, it’s easy to see why the ASP Metro Defender D2 Pepper Spray is the best.
Comparison Table
| Pepper Spray | Recommendation | Price* | Range | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabre Crossfire | Best Overall | $15 | 20 ft | 2.8 oz |
| Byrna BGR Max | Hottest Spray | $20 | 20 ft | 3.1 oz |
| Sabre Keychain | Best for EDC | $10 | 12 ft | 1.6 oz |
| ASP Metro Defender D2 | Best for Multiple Attackers | $41 | 5 ft | 2.3 oz |
How I Tested
Pepper spray is meant to be sprayed, so practical testing involved suiting up in some PPE and spraying them to see their spray pattern, range, and burst count.
Here is how I tested for this review:
- Distance Spray: To check the practical effective range of the sprays, I set up a silhouette target and attempted to hit it with very small bursts to preserve the maximum range of each spray. I started at 20 feet away and walked forward until the target was visibly hit, noting the distance.
- Ergonomics: The ergonomics and canister design helped my grip, aim, and prevented misfires when dropped, etc.
- Measurement: I measured the canisters on a measuring board and used a digital scale to compare against the manufacturing specs. My measurements are listed as there were a few differences.
- Disassembly: I took apart the pepper spray canisters and inspected them using my industrial engineering experience. I looked for manufacturing defects, design flaws, and more.
I also collated the manufacturing data into a table for comparison across the different brands and models.
I’m always looking for new and better gear, so if you have a pepper spray that you swear by, let us know in the comments. We review most of our tested gear annually so we can try to get it in the next roundup and see if it will beat out our top picks.
Why Trust TruePrepper
Pepper spray is one of the most compact, effective, and affordable non-lethal weapons that give you a great self-defense option in a wide range of situations. Because they are used for self-defense, their performance and reliability are important.
I’m Sean Gold, and I’ve been reviewing pepper spray for several years now. As a manufacturing engineer and military veteran, I have a unique background to approach the comparison, review, and testing of pepper sprays from a broad perspective. As the head of my household, I also appreciate how they are tools you may need to rely on to protect your loved ones- meaning they need to be reliable and perform above expectations.
This is why I don’t stop at the surface and dive deeper for this review. I examine how the nozzles affect their spray pattern and break them down to see how the canisters work. I also collate the manufacturing specs and compare them to the exact measurements from my equipment. This broad but thorough approach helps me give the most informed review of pepper sprays you’ll find.
Analysis & Test Results
The best pepper sprays have several important features to look for:
- Value
- Content Mixture
- Range
- Bursts
- Size & Weight
When you get the right blend of these, you can find a spray that you can rely on to disable an attacker. Below, we break down what each of these features means for the pepper sprays that truly set themselves apart.
What is the Best Value?
The amount of money you spend on something like pepper spray shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. It would be hard to do since pepper spray isn’t expensive, but you still want the best bang for your buck.
You never want to spend too much money on one thing when it comes to self-defense and security. It’s better to diversify your spending and budget to make sure you are protected in a wide range of scenarios.
Content Mixture
Most pepper sprays are pressurized chemicals, but the specific chemicals used and proportions can vary. The most common ingredients include:
- Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) – Capsicum is derived from peppers, ground up, and suspended in liquid to be able to spray. This is the literal ‘pepper spray’ ingredient.
- Phenacyl Chloride (CN) – The original Mace formula, this is an aerosolized tear gas. Considered a riot control agent, this is no longer used alone for concerns of toxicity.
- 2-Chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) – An ‘upgrade’ from the older CN formula, this is the newer conventional tear gas used with higher potency and less toxicity than CN.
- Propylene Glycol – Emulsifier used to liquefy agents for pressurization and spray.
- Isopropyl Alcohol – A more penetrating emulsifier, but with a risk of fire.
There are benefits and drawbacks to each mixture, but many manufacturers have developed potent yet reasonable mixtures for fast-working compounds.
Quality
Emulsified chemicals can degrade over time. A recent study by Utah State University showed that shelf life has a sharp fall-off with lower-quality pepper sprays. You don’t want your pepper spray just tickling the other guy when you need to rely on it to sting.
This is why large manufacturers place such a big emphasis on quality and consistency. The manufacturing ISO 9001 standards are a good starting point when you’re looking at quality, as well as checking out negative reviews. It takes just one misfire or degraded batch to create a bad situation for you.
Range
Most sprays are trying to close the distance with a pressurized nozzle to give you range. Large nozzles can unload plenty of pepper spray over short distances; smaller nozzles can send the spray a longer distance, assuming there is the same amount of pressure pushing the mixture out. With all of the sprays we tested, the range eventually goes down as the product (and the pressure) runs out.
This is one reason why it is important to aim the pepper spray and make the initial bursts effective.
Bursts
The number of bursts in a canister is relative to the size, pressure, and output volume. The more spray bursts you have, the better you will be able to disable attackers or even multiple attackers.
Size & Weight
Size and weight matter- you don’t want to be lugging around a fire extinguisher-sized canister just to keep attackers at bay. The best pepper sprays for everyday carry are lightweight and small profile, but still have enough power and bursts to take down the bad guy.
Is Pepper Spray Legal in the US?
Pepper spray is generally legal for civilian use in the United States, although the specific regulations can vary from state to state. The majority of states permit the possession and use of pepper spray for self-defense purposes.
In some states, there are restrictions on the size, concentration, and method of deployment. Other, more strict states have age restrictions or require individuals to obtain a permit to carry pepper spray.
Disclaimer: We are not lawyers and do not share legal advice. Investigate your local regulations on your own or seek legal counsel concerning rules and laws in your jurisdiction.
Who Needs Pepper Spray?
Pepper spray may not be for everyone, as it is just one weapon in a wide variety of self-defense tools ranging from knives to CCWs. Because they are non-lethal, legal in some capacity in all states, easy to use, and very inexpensive, they can be an attractive option for anyone.
We suggest you consider pepper spray for these survival kits:
Similar to a fire extinguisher, it is helpful to know how to use the spray ahead of time. Even the simplest tasks, like removing the guard tab, can be more difficult under stress or attack.
Sources & References
All of our experience and the testing we do to determine the best pepper spray are useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical survival experience:
Boivin, R., et al. (2021). The stronger, the better? A natural experiment on the effects of pepper spray concentration levels. Policing: An International Journal. Volume 44. Issue 1. Pages 106 – 117. (Source)
Brown, L., et al. (2000). Corneal abrasions associated with pepper spray exposure. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. Volume 18. Issue 3. Pages 271 – 272. (Source)
Kaminski, R., et al. (1999). Assessing the incapacitative effects of pepper spray during resistive encounters with the police. Policing: an International Journal. Volume 22. Issue 1. Pages 7 – 30. (Source)
Conclusion
Self-defense is always a top priority, and pepper spray is a cheap, non-lethal solution with wide applications. Grab some for your EDC, survival kits, car, or anywhere else you may find yourself needing a quick and effective incapacitating weapon.
Here are a few other guides and reviews our subscribers have found helpful:
- The 20 Best Improvised Weapons in Every Room of Your House
- Best Expandable Baton for Self Defense
- Everyday Carry List | 25 EDC Essentials
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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Civilians are not allowed to have or use such things where I live.
Hair spray and a lighter works wonders, … just saying.
Great review. I’ve carried the ASP sprays since the 90’s. Good product and I like the fog spray. They also now make larger canisters.