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How to Pick the Best Essential Oil Diffuser
By now, there are hundreds of oil diffusers on the market that buyers can choose from when they are trying to find a high-quality diffuser for their home or car fragrance diffuser. The cost of these diffusers range from $10 to over $100. How do you know which diffuser is the right one for you?
If you are feeling overwhelmed by all of the choices out there, you are in luck. We have made a thorough list of our favorite diffusers with all the pros and cons that we experienced while we were building this list.
Why use a diffuser?
Essential oil diffuser consultant and expert Stephanie Dalfonzo from stephaniedalfonzo.com says diffusers should definitely be in every home.
We are constantly bombarded with so many toxic chemicals, from dryer sheets to the products used to clean our homes. And, instead of spraying chemical air fresheners, diffusing essential oils is a great way to keep your home smelling nice and clean and feeling calm. A car diffuser with your favorite essential oil is a great non toxic alternative to car air fresheners.
We’ve also asked expert Tonia Lyons from abeginnersguidetoessentialoils.com to give a quick list of reasons why essential oils should be used in our homes, and this is what she had to say:
“Diffusing essential oils can: eliminate airborne germs and odors, ease tension and stress, promote relaxation, improve concentration, relieve congestion and respiratory issues”
Now that you know the brief case for using essential oils in your home, take a read of our guide to find out the best essential oil solution for your family.
What to Look For When Buying an Essential Oil Diffuser?
An essential oil diffuser is the most popular method to disperse essential oils into the air. A diffuser can be electric and warm a small bowl or receptacle on the top of the diffuser with a light bulb or small heating element. This warmth causes the oil to release its scent into the air. It is best to avoid candle diffusers due to the risk of fire and larger hot plate style diffusers can have the same associated risks. In addition, essential oils are often happier when diffused at a lower temperature than a candle or hot plate style diffuser will provider. A diffuser can also be electric and use water to disperse aroma into the air as a mist.
A Good Diffuser: How do I Find it?
First of all, cost is not always representative of a good product. Diffusers can be simple or complicated and have additional features if they are more expensive, but that does not automatically make them a better product. A good rule of thumb is that the diffuser needs to not get too hot and it needs to have the option to cycle on for 10-minute intervals punctuated by twenty minute or half hour breaks. If you diffuse too much oil into the air, you could irritate your nasal passages or overwhelm the air with scent.
Secondly, make sure that the diffuser is easy to clean. The style of diffuser with a detachable bowl or receptacle for oils is the best style to pick because you can wash out the remainder of a used oil before adding new oil to the diffuser. A good water diffuser will have an easy-to-access water tank that can be cleaned thoroughly and easily.
This great video will show you some great tips and tricks to choosing a good oil diffuser and also tips and tricks related to maintaining the one you have chosen:
Essential Oil Diffuser vs Humidifier
As if the picture wasn’t muddy enough, oil diffusers are not the only way to use essential oils to scent the air and provide health benefits for you and your family. Humidifiers are similar to nebulizers and they disperse the oil into the air through combining it with water to make a mist.
- The main difference between a humidifier and a diffuser is the humidifier will provide a stronger aroma.
- Humidifiers are often over $100 and they are typically more delicate as they sometimes require glass parts to function.
- If you are using essential oils for their health benefits, a humidifier will deliver more oil to the air and be more likely to disperse the health benefits of the oils throughout your home.
- If you like a lighter scent when using oils, you will want to select a diffuser.
- If you have small children or pets that might knock over your oil receptacle, you will want to choose a diffuser.
- Lastly, if you are worried about price, a diffuser will be the better choice for you as they tend to be less expensive than humidifier.
Here is a video to help you decide which style of diffuser you think will suit you the best.
Which oils to use?
There are many factors to consider when choosing how to fuel your oil diffuser. Tonia Nealey from tonianealey.com explains you should:
- Consider your aims. Some oils, such as mint, are energizing, while others, such as Limonene increase your positivity. Still others improve immunity, digestion and so on, so it is important to prioritize the benefits you expect from your diffuser.
- Viscosity determines how well the oils will actually diffuse into the air. More viscous oils like Vetiver or Oregano tend to sink to the bottom of the diffuser and aren’t well suited for that use. Generally, oils that are less viscous tend to work better.
- Fading time: some oils fade faster than others. For instance, lemongrass fades quicker than roman chamomile, which itself fades faster than ginger.
But most importantly, it’s your personal preference.
There may be several oils that have the same benefit. For example, Lavender and Petitgrain have a similar chemical composition in that they both contain differing amounts of linayl acetate and linalool which make them perfect for supporting healthy sleep and relaxation, but you might be more drawn to oil or turned off by the other. So why not experiment and see which one works for you?
Good to know: make sure any family members or visitors are not allergic to the essential oils. For instance, an allergy to consuming ginger may also apply to inhaling ginger oil particles. Additionally, pets do not like certain aromas, so trial them for small periods of time and see how your pet reacts.
Can Essential Oil Diffusers Help with Asthma?
If used correctly, essential oils can safely supply a host of benefits, from purifying the air and reducing mold and harmful microorganisms, to boosting the immune system. But they must be used with care, advises Elliot Robinson of gunsmithfitness.com:
“Always diffuse the oils in a well ventilated space. By ventilating the room properly you improve the air quality and we know that poor air quality is one of the leading causes of asthma attacks. Clean, fresh air can accommodate the scent of the essential oil. And as the air continuously circulates, the volatile organic compounds in essential oils, which have been blamed for triggering asthma attacks, are not concentrated in the air as much…My rule of thumb that I learned from the Tisserand Institute is to always remember that dilution and risk go hand in hand for asthmatic people”
Good to know: oil nebulizers are recommended by experts such as Elliot, as they are a type of diffuser that converts cold liquid into vapor and they are popular for dispensing asthma medication quickly, as opposed to oil diffusers, which we leave overnight. This is not recommended for asthmatics.
Essential Oil Diffusers for Baby
Essential oils have been shown to provide health benefits for people young and old. Increasing numbers of mothers are using an essential oil diffuser to provide a soothing environment for their baby in times of health and helpful herbal benefits when their baby is not feeling 100%. Here are our top choices for essential oil diffusers that are baby safe.
VicTsing 150ml Essential Oil Diffuser
This wonderful product is perfect for the needs of any mother and baby. It is a convenient size and provides a number of very useful options for use in a nursery.
Equipped with noise reduction technology that provides white noise that can help soothe your baby to sleep.
Small size makes it fit into any size space but does not impinge upon its effectiveness.
Offers various misting levels from low to high to allow you to control dispersion of the oil.
Offers 8 different colored mood lights to soothe your little one.
Comes with a sleep mode that allows the diffuser to run economically so that it can run all night long without being refilled.
BPA free and 100% safe for kids and infants.
Auto shut off if it runs out of water while in use.
Cannot be used without lights.
Not the newest model.
Only works as a nebulizer style diffuser
Homeweeks 100ml Colorful Essential Oil Diffuser
This nice diffuser also lights up and offers a small and efficient size.
Can come with you on vacation due to its size and design.
Shuts off automatically when it runs out of water.
Has adjustable modes to disperse whatever amount of oil that you want.
Produces very fine mist that will not irate skin or noses and eyes.
Hard to open the upper lid.
Can melt the plastic if you run it out of water prior to shut off.
URPOWER Essential Oil Diffuser
This attractive diffuser offers some benefits that the prior two did not.
Ultra-quiet
Produces more mist than other diffusers on the market.
Works very well as nebulizer.
Can be used with or without the nightlight function.
Comes with auto shut off function if it runs out of water while in use.
Only runs for 3 hours on maximum output.
Will not rotate colors.
Does not provide white noise to help your child sleep.
Essential Oil Diffusers that are Pet Safe
Our furry family members have noses and eyes that are often more sensitive than a human’s could ever be. It is important to pick the best essential oil diffuser for the safety and health of your pets.
Syntus 150 ml Essential Oil Diffuser
This sleek, compact diffuser fits into small spaces and corners to prevent pets from tipping it over or knocking it onto the ground.
Offers many different color modes.
Is an effective nebulizer.
Has an auto-off function if it runs out of water.
Produces very fine mist to protect sensitive eyes and noses.
Small size means limited run time.
Can leak at the connection of the top and the body of the diffuser.
Airome Bloom Pluggable Oil Diffuser
This clever oil warmer plugs into a regular outlet and warms oil without diffusing moisture into the air.
Plug-in style prevents the warmer being knocked over or spilled.
Decorative cover is attractive and stylish.
Does not diffuse into the air which protects sensitive noses and eyes.
Very small size makes for limited coverage.
Not a nebulizer.
URPOWER 500 ML Oil Diffuser
This attractive diffuser is practical in size and effect. The large reservoir makes it great for a larger room as well.
Provides superior coverage of large spaces due to its 500 ml capacity.
Lights up with 14 different color options to add nightlight function.
Harder for pets to knock over due to size.
Can diffuse too much product into room if not set to lowest setting.
Because it holds so much moisture, in the event that it is knocked over it will make a large mess
Best Essential Oil Diffuser for Home
Your home needs to be comfortable and uplifting. An essential oil diffuser can provide ambiance, beautiful aromas and health benefits. If it important that you select the best essential oil diffuser for you and your family’s needs.
InnoGear 500ml Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser Wood Grain
Gorgeous styling with faux wood finish that is sleek and elegant.
Offers 7 color choices for mood lighting.
Large holding capacity ensures hours of aroma and health benefits.
Has two settings for dispersion amounts.
Total possible run time is 18 hours.
Advertised that can be run without light on. This is incorrect.
Provides strong scent/aroma effect no matter what level of diffuser is selected.
ArtNaturals Essential Oil Diffuser and Humidifier
Clever design incorporates Bluetooth speaker and clock.
Offers 7 light up color options.
Has three timer settings.
Company provides essential oil packs specifically designed for their diffuser.
No snooze button.
Sometimes has difficulty connecting via Bluetooth.
Backlight for clock linked to light selection for rest of diffuser.
Stadler Form J-001 Jasmine Essential Oil Diffuser
This is a beautiful diffuser that almost looks futuristic. It fits into any décor and offers superior run options.
Stylish, sleek and modern.
Ultrasonic tech makes this very diffuser very effective.
Interval mode offers many different cycling options and settings.
Has the option to run with colors on or off.
Higher price point.
Does not provide white-noise function.
Best Essential Oil Diffuser for Large Space
Large spaces can be difficult to provide aroma and health benefits to. Having a large room to diffuse to can mean that you need to shop for more expensive diffusers, but that is not always the case. Sometimes quality over quantity is all you need to fill up your large space with soothing essential oils.
3-D Glass Galaxy Aromatherapy Diffuser
This cool and intriguing diffuser will fit well into any home with a large space that needs extra coverage.
Beautiful design.
250 ml water tank.
Tank is easy to clean and easy to access.
Offers 7 color modes and nightlight to light up large rooms in the dark.
Auto shut off.
Variable mist functions.
Water tends to only stay good for about 2 days.
Timer function can be hard to learn to use at first.
Quamii Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser
This beautiful faux-wood diffuser has the size and strength to really cover a space effectively.
Ultrasonic tech provides max dispersal with the finest mist on the market.
Humidifier function is top notch.
400 ml reservoir.
Offers both aromatic cool and humidifier functions.
Large size makes it harder to find a place for.
Might not be child or pet convenient due to its size and the large reservoir.
BlueHills 1000 ML XL Essential Oil Diffuser
This awesome diffuser is one of the bigger ones on the market and is as effective as it is good looking.
Has a remote.
Giant 1000 ML water tank.
Has multiple mist modes.
One of the best humidifiers on the market.
Large size makes storage and placement more difficult.
When in light up mode, its larger size can make the room brighter than with a smaller unit.
Large reservoir will make a big mess if unit is knocked over.
Best Essential Diffuser Oil for Sleep
Not everyone is aware that diffusers can provide ambient noise like white noise and also be soothing and colorful to create a mood in the room they are being used in. Just like our section for diffusers for babies, there are diffusers on the market for adults who need a little extra help sleeping at night.
SUNPIN Essential Oil Diffuser
This beautiful unit is the perfect adult sleep aid.
7 color options for nightlight/mood lighting.
Gorgeous design is dreamy and beautiful.
Super quiet for those who are looking for the smallest amount of white noise.
Has four-time settings to determine how long the diffuser runs after/ before you fall asleep.
If you are looking for white noise, this is a minimal noise unit.
Swirling design is a bit brighter than other models on the market.
Slumber Scents Alarm Clock, White Noise Machine and Oil Diffuser
This unit is made for those who need help sleeping. The manufacturer heard people’s demands for a unit made for sleep and delivered.
6 soothing sound profiles.
Has auto off timer that works like a snooze function on a tv.
Alarm function offers peaceful, gentle wake up tones.
Clock is not overly bright and is integrated tastefully into the unit.
Smaller capacity.
If you are not looking for an alarm clock, you likely will not want a large portion of the functions of this diffuser.
Buddha Essential Oil Diffuser/Ultrasonic Zen Cool Mister
This spa-designed diffuser masquerades as a work of art while also diffusing effectively and peacefully.
Offers soft glow which makes a perfect nightlight.
Long-lasting mist function that offers up to 16 hours of mist.
Cool mist function provides very fine mist that will not bead up on surfaces or skin.
Nearly silent.
Does not provide white noise.
Not an alarm clock.
Only one lighting setting.
Best Waterless Essential Oil Diffuser
Sometimes a diffuser that doesn’t need water is the perfect solution for your needs. If you are not interested in having a stronger aroma from your oils, or if you do not want the nebulizing effect of a water-based diffuser, these diffusers are for you.
Pursalt Himalayan Crystal Salt Lamp Diffuser
This high-quality unit provides the healing powers of a Himalayan salt lamp alongside the benefits of an oil diffuser. The salt is warmed when the warming plate is on and provides its own healing benefits to your home.
100% Himalayan Salt offers healing benefits all by itself.
Soothing light makes this a perfect nightlight.
All-natural products make this a sustainable and beautiful choice.
Only 1 light setting and color choice.
Salt can become damp and need to be cleaned with the included cleaning rag.
Hosley’s Cream Ceramic Electric Fragrance Candle Warmer
This is a great choice if you are looking for elegant aromatherapy for your home.
Elegant and attractive.
Diffuses just the right amount of aroma.
Larger size bowl offers even heating of the oil.
Can melt wax as well.
Not a nightlight.
Only has on and off setting.
Odoga Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser
This beautiful diffuser creates a lovely pattern on the walls and ceiling when it is in use. Pretty enough to be in plain sight and effective as the strongest diffusers.
Offers the choice of colors to light it up while in use.
Comes with a remote.
Easy to clean and operate.
Only offers on and off settings.
Smaller size means less coverage.
Brighter than comparable units.
Conclusion
An oil diffuser can provide ambience, beauty and health for you and your family. The market is flooded with options but it is much easier to select the right product for you if you know which functions are of primary importance to you. While all the products on the market can offer a variety of functions, the best diffusers will have variable settings, offer health benefits as well as beauty and let you sleep in comfort. Pair the diffuser you have selected with high-quality essential oils and you will be on the path to a beautiful, healthy, happy home that smells fresh and clean no matter what season.
