There are many tools available for self-defense, but when you really need to stop an attacker but want to do so without causing any permanent damage, there is no better tool than a stun gun.

Stun guns are invaluable as personal defense weapons. They are usually compact, easy to operate, and can quickly and easily drop your attacker to their knees in a matter of seconds… if the loud electrical pops and bright flashes don’t deter them first.

But with so many of these stun guns on the market how can you tell which ones are worth your time and which ones are just absolute junk?

Luckily for you, we have compiled a list of what we believe to be the top 5 stun guns out on the market right now. We have chosen a top pick for 3 main categories (best value, best for personal defense, and max power), as well a couple of honorable mentions.

Enjoy!

1. VIPERTEK VTS-880 (BEST VALUE)

The Vipertek VTS-880 is a 15 million volt stun gun that also functions as a rather bright LED flashlight. It’s inexpensive, yet still packs a pretty big bang for your buck.

The non-slip rubber coating makes this stun gun easy to handle and keeps the body of the weapon moisture and oil-free. We’ve found that the rubber coating doesn’t make it any harder to get it in and out of your pocket either, so that is a huge plus in our book. When you need it, you don’t want to be struggling to get it to stop gripping to your pocket, right?

The VTS-880 has an internal battery, so there is no need to worry about constantly buying batteries for your stun gun. Just flip open the built-in prongs and plug it into a wall outlet. With light to moderate use, the battery should hold a decent charge for about a month.

PROS:

• Bright LED flashlight

• Internal battery

• Non-slip rubber coating

CONS:

• The firing button feels flimsy

• The charging plugs become loose after heavy use

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2. VIPERTEK VTS-989 (MAX POWER)

The Vipertek VTS-989 is a 38 million volt stun gun that features an ergonomic handleto give you a comfortable, yet firm grip, when you need it the most. The contoured handle isn’t your only saving grace, though, as it also comes with a wrist strap to make sure your stun gun doesn’t leave your hand accidentally or get taken away from you while in a struggle.

Still not good enough? How about shock plates on either side just below the prongs? Your attacker may try to snatch it away from you or off of them, but as soon as they touch those shock plates they will instantly regret it.

Build quality on the VTS-989 is really nice. It is lightweight and feels really solid in your hand. In terms of size, this stun gun is small enough to fit in your pocket but big enough to be intimidating.

Oh, and speaking of intimidation… the VTS-989 is one noisy stun gun. This is a bonus because the loud cracking sound of electricity jumping across the prongs is enough to deter most would-be assailants.

Most traditional style stun guns only use two inward-facing metal plates, and the arc tends to be more than a little underwhelming. Not so with this stun gun. To step things up a bit, the VTS-989 uses spiked prongs that are capable of penetrating thicker clothing to give you maximum contact.

Just like the VTS-880, this stun gun also comes with a rechargeable internal battery, so you never have to worry about replacing it, just keep it charged and it is good to go whenever you need it.

PROS:

• Maximum shocking power at 38 million volts

• Ergonomic design

• Spiked prongs

CONS:

• Very loud (could be a pro or a con depending on what you like)

• Side shock plates can be hard to remember to avoid when handling

3. STREETWISE STING RING (BEST PERSONAL DEFENSE)

Looking for something just a little bit more discreet than a traditional full-size stun gun? We recommend the Streetwise Sting Ring. As a matter of fact, we recommend it so much that it is made the list as our top pick for best stun gun for personal defense.

The Sting Ring is a compact stun gun that features the newest design in personal protection. It is essentially a ring that you slide over your finger. The top of the ring features to small, inlaid prongs that are capable of delivering an 18 million volt punch.

Attached to the ring is a comfortable oval-shaped base that is designed to rest comfortably in the palm of your hand. When you need to use it, simply turn off the safety light and squeeze the base with your palm.

The Sting Ring comes with a recharging cord to recharge its built-in battery, saving you money on extra batteries.

And if your Sting Ring happens to malfunction, there’s no need for you to fret, because it comes with a lifetime warranty.  Just contact the folks over at Streetwise Security Products and they will be glad to help you out.

PROS:

• Very discreet

• Compact

• Built-in battery

• Budget-friendly

CONS:

• Build quality is not as solid as it could be

• Internal battery doesn’t last for long

4. THE RUNT

The Runt Stun Gun is a high-tech design that has come to be known as a “mini”. This stun gun is small enough to be concealed in the palm of your hand, but don’t let it fool you, it packs a 20 million volt kick that seriously hurts.

The Runt also doubles as a flashlight and contains a bright LED that can illuminate your path up to 5 feet (maybe more, depending on how much your battery is charged).

To keep your stun gun in your hand, The Runt is covered in a slip-resistant rubber and comes with a wrist-strap and an easy release pin.

If you are on a budget, need something relatively small, or you just like being able to have plenty of color options, The Runt Stun Gun may be the right choice for you.

PROS:

• Low-profile, sleek build

• Slip-resistant rubber coating, and wrist-strap

• Extremely budget friendly

CONS:

• LED light isn’t very bright when compared to other stun gun/flashlight combos

5. GUARD DOG INFERNO

For those of us who prefer something extremely inconspicuous, there is the Guard Dog Inferno stun gun.

The Inferno looks like just an ordinary flashlight, and it even works as one too. The LED light on this stun gun is rated as 200 lumens. This means that you have enough light to brighten up a small room, alleyway, or even a small parking garage.

In terms of power, the Guard Dog Inferno is one of the weaker ones on our list, coming in at only 6 million volts of shocking power. But if you combine that with a very bright LED flashlight, and a loud electrical popping sound, you have gained the element of surprise. These things alone may just be enough to scare away your attacker before they even have a chance to get near you.

Since this stun gun is designed as both a flashlight and a personal defense tool, it comes with a safety cap you can put on it when not in use.

PROS:

• Very bright LED light

• Looks like a flashlight instead of a stun gun

• Very long battery life

CONS:

• Safety cap doesn’t always seat properly

• Low voltage at only 6 million volts

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A STUN GUN

When looking to purchase your stun gun, you need to have an idea of what you are looking for. Not all self-defense weapons are created equal, and stun guns are not the exception.

Some are heavier than others, have differently styled prongs, or provide more or less voltage. It is important to know how to pick a stun gun that meets your personal needs.

That’s why we have selected a few of the main defining features that you should be paying attention to when selecting your new stun gun. None of these are written in stone, but they will definitely help you in determining which stun guns are a good deal, and which ones should just be left on the shelf.

BUILD QUALITY

The last thing you want is for your high voltage stun gun falling apart or failing on you in the middle of a struggle with your attacker. Most stun guns are made from a hard plastic or metal base. Either material is fine, but we recommend picking one that is also coated with a slip-resistant rubber.

You also should be aware that you are dealing with a tool that could potentially hurt you if it is used improperly or not handled with care. For this reason, we recommend that you choose a stun gun that has a safety switch on it.

With a safety switch, you have the ability to lock your device. No need to constantly worry if it is going to zap you from inside your pocket so long as you have the safety on.

If at all possible, try to find a stun gun that has a comfortable ergonomic design. This means that it should have things such as contoured finger rests, and as mentioned previously slip-resistant rubber grips. It should also fit perfectly in your hand; not too long, not too short, and light-weight. Overall, it needs to be comfortable and easy to handle.

In short, simply pick a stun gun that is solidly built, is comfortable to hold in your hand, and has some sort of safety mechanism.

BATTERIES

Batteries are the life source of your stun gun. They are what gives it the power it needs to produce the electricity that your attacker is about to get hit with. And the amount of electricity that comes out is dependent on two factors; what type of battery it is, and how charged it is.

Most stun guns now have built-in rechargeable batteries, but there are still plenty that do not. There are reasons for both, however, and while this is more of a personal preference issue, we do highly recommend that you buy a modern stun gun with the built-in battery. It’s just a lot easier to manage overall.

Having to buy batteries constantly is time-consuming and gets really expensive,  really fast.

When you start exploring the higher end stun guns, a lot more options start to open up to you when it comes to the battery issue. You will start to notice that a lot of the higher end models accept external batteries that you have to change out when they die. This is a great option to have as not everyone likes built-in batteries for a variety of reasons.

With replaceable batteries, you are less limited in your power supply options and may be able to find a battery that performs better than one that is built-in.

Built-in batteries are easier to manage but can’t really be replaced that easily if it fails, whereas removable batteries give you the freedom to use whatever battery you prefer but can become quite the hassle.

VOLTAGE

The voltage of your device plays a big role in how effective it is in any given situation. You don’t want anything that is completely ineffective, but you also don’t need anything that’s overkill.

In other words, more voltage means more shocking power. More shocking power means better personal defense. Anything in the 15-30 million volt range should do quite well for you.

PRONGS

If you want to go with something that gives you a lot more contact with your assailant, grab a stun gun that has shard probes instead of traditional metal plates.

This kind of stun gun is extremely useful when you need to make contact with a layer or two of clothing.

If you decide that you really don’t need spiked prongs, you can always go the traditional route and get a stun gun with metal plates instead.

Here’s a quick pro-tip:

If you live in a colder climate, buy a stun gun with spiked prongs instead of metal plates. The reason being is that in colder climates, people will more than likely be wearing layers of clothing to keep warm. Yes, even your attacker. Those spiked prongs will make sure you make contact even through their heavy coat.

If you live in a warmer climate, either style should work all the same for you.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In this article, we have reviewed our top 5 picks for best stun guns on the market at the moment. To do this we scoured the internet reading other users experiences with these stun guns. To make things a little more fun,  we even got some hands-on experience with a couple of these in order to provide a better review.

Every single one of these stun guns has made the list for one reason or another. They all have their pros and cons, but in the end, there is one stun gun on our list thatdeserves to be crowned the champion.

Our top pick overall for best stun gun is the Vipertek VTS-989. This stun gun packs a huge punch at 38 million volts. But what we really liked the most about it is the shock plates on the sides, and its dual spiked prongs.

Do you have a favorite stun gun that you don’t see on our list? Leave us a comment and let us know! We are always eager and excited to test out new gear.

This article by Will Ellis originally appeared at Gun News Daily in 2019.

Image: Wikimedia.