Fox59 recommends a gun as best self defense "APPLAUSE from the Crowd"

[HonkieKowboy]

They left out my favorite non-gun home defense weapon. Wasp and hornet spray! A dose of that in the face will ruin your day and they usually have a range as much as 20'. Of course a gun is my favorite non-wasp spray weapon.

And also very useful in places where you aren't allowed to have "weapons"... As my school's public safety puts it: "It's considered by the TSA to be a condiment"

Your mileage may vary.