Emergency Visits for Tick Bites Are Up 25% This Year. Here Are the 8 Best Tick Removers Recommended by Doctors if You Get Bitten in 2026

But as an avid gardener, hiker, and camper, I’m certainly not going to let the threat of ticks get in my way. If you’re like me, you may always be sure to have insect repellant on hand if you’re in the woods or likely to encounter tall grass, but something you may not have thought to tote along is a tick remover.

Ahead, we tapped two board-certified dermatologists for recommendations on tools to remove ticks effectively and keep you, your family, and your pets safe from tick bites.

• Best slanted tweezer: Revlon Expert Slant Tweezer
• Best tick key: Original TickKey
• Best tick-twister: Tick Twister Set
• Best V-shaped remover: HomeSake Tick Removal Kit
• Best card-style remover: The TickCheck Tick Removal Card
• Best with magnifier: TickBYTES Tick Removal Kit
• Best spoon tool: Tick Check Tick Remover Spoon
• Best fine-tipped tweezers: Tweezerman Ingrown Hair/Splintertweezer

We spoke to practicing dermatologists to get their insights on the best tick-removal tools that are effective, durable, safe to use, and convenient to carry on outdoor adventures. These medical experts include:

• Kseniya Kobets, MD, director of cosmetic dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care in Elmsford, New York
• Thomas Allen, MD, a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a founder of Advance ER in Dallas

Different tools employ different techniques, but the goal remains the same: complete removal without “crushing the tick,” according to Kobets. With that in mind, the tool you choose should be comfortable in your hand and easy to use for yourself or others who may need to use it.

• Precision and Grip According to Kobets, the most crucial aspect of a tick removal tool is its ability to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible, ideally at its mouthparts, without squeezing the tick’s body. This minimizes the risk of the tick regurgitating potentially harmful fluids into the bite site or leaving behind embedded mouthparts.

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   Fine-tipped tweezers are often recommended for this, especially for nymphs.
• Versatility Many top-rated removers are effective on various tick sizes, from tiny nymphs to larger adults. Some tools even come in sets with different sizes to accommodate this range.
• Portability For those who spend time outdoors, a compact and easily portable tick remover is highly valued. Keychain designs, wallet-sized cards, or small, durable tools that can be tucked into a first aid kit ensure you’re always prepared.
• Durability and Cleanliness Tools made from high-quality materials like stainless steel are preferred for their longevity and ease of cleaning and sterilization.

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• Ease of Use While some tools might require a slight learning curve, the best ones are generally intuitive to use, allowing for quick and efficient tick removal, even in stressful situations.
• Additional Features Some tick removers offer extra benefits, such as integrated magnifying glasses to help spot tiny ticks or tick identification cards for tick analysis, adding to their overall utility.

“There are many tools to remove a tick and some can be bought on Amazon and are listed as tick removal kits,” says Allen. He says that fine-point tweezers are the best tool for safely removing a tick. However, some may struggle with the precision of such a small tip, and a tick remover device may be their best bet.

Because the tick removers on our list range from $5 to $20, Everyday Health editors suggest trying a variety of tools until you find one that feels good in your hand. You’ll want to feel in control of whatever technique you use to ensure you’re being precise and calm during the extraction. Improper removal, crushing the tick, or delaying removal of the tick can increase the risk of tick-borne infections, according to Kobets. 

“If you have been bitten by a tick, things to look for are fever, chills, headache, joint pain, rash, [and/or] fatigue,” says Allen. “ If you experience any of these, it’s important to see your doctor and get tested, as many tick borne diseases can be treated with antibiotics.” Allen says that it’s common to get a little redness around a tick bite, possibly up to a dime sized mark, but if the rash starts expanding, he advises to see your doctor. You may want to put the tick in a plastic zip bag after removal and bring it to your doctor for testing.

Other tickborne diseases include anaplasmosis, babesiosis, powassan virus, bourbon virus disease, ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, and Colorado tick fever. Many of these illnesses have similar symptoms like rash, fever, chills, severe headache, nausea, diarrhea, but many can lead to life-threatening conditions, so it’s important to see a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms in the days or weeks after a tick bite.

There are several types of ticks in North America, and each carries the risk of transmitting different diseases. You should look out for the following ticks:

• The black legged tick (also known as the deer tick) can be found throughout the United States. In its nymphal stage it’s small and can be hard to detect. These ticks can carry Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus.
• The western black legged tick is found along the Pacific coast of North America and is the prime transmitter of Lyme disease in that area. It can also carry anaplasmosis.

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• The Lone star tick is distinguishable by the white dot marking on its back; however, adult male Lone star ticks don’t have this marking. They’re widely distributed throughout the United States, aggressive, and pursue human targets.

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  They’re known for transmitting alpha-gal syndrome, bourbon virus disease, ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus disease, tularemia, and Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), which has symptoms similar to Lyme disease.
• The American dog tick (also known as the wood tick) is found east of the Rocky Mountains and is most well known for spreading Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.
• The Gulf tick is most often found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and can carry a form of spotted fever called Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis.
• The Rocky Mountain wood tick is mainly found in the Rocky Mountains and can transmit Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tularemia.
• The brown dog tick is found throughout the United States. It’s known for carrying Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the Southwestern U.S. and along the U.S. border with Mexico.

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