Is Akismet The Best Tool To Block WordPress Comment Spam?

I’ve just decided to switch back to using Akismet to protect this site from comment spam. In the past I wasn’t a big fan of Akismet, because it didn’t provide a lot of ways to deal with false positives, but I feel that I need to try something new as too much spam has been getting through.

Previously I was using Spam Karma 2 as it offered the most control that allowed me to ensure that regular commentators on this blog got through ok, but recently it has been letting too many spam comments through. I was getting so many each day that I’ve been logging on nearly every hour and spending around an hour a day just deleting spam.

I think that Spam Karma 2 has lost it’s position as the best WordPress anti-spam tool because the developer isn’t actively developing it because he said he couldn’t see the point of trying to compete with Akismet, which is bundled with WordPress. I can kind of see his point, but I still think it’s a real shame.

So, what do you think is currently the best WordPress anti-spam tool? Is it now Akismet? Or is there a new kid on the block that has stepped in where Spam Karma 2 has left off?