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Best Essential Oil Diffusers

Updated November 2023
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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
ArtNaturals Essential Oil Diffuser and Humidifier with Bluetooth Speaker Clock
ArtNaturals
Essential Oil Diffuser and Humidifier with Bluetooth Speaker Clock
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Most Comprehensive
Bottom Line

This feature-packed product is more than just an essential oil diffuser.

Pros

Doubles as an aromatherapy diffuser and humidifier. Bluetooth speaker and alarm function. The automatic shutoff function stops when the water reservoir is empty. The nightlight function has two separate brightness settings.

Cons

Clock is pretty bright, which may be disruptive if kept near bed.

Best Bang for the Buck
Earnest Living Essential Oil Diffuser
Earnest Living
Essential Oil Diffuser
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Best for Small Spaces
Bottom Line

With multiple great features, this compact model will give you exactly what you need.

Pros

Compact and perfect for side tables or small spaces. Has a 100mL water capacity. 4 timer settings and a 7-color nightlight. Attractive ceramic with a unique design on front. Doubles as room decor. Works as a cool-mist humidifier.

Cons

Some complaints about shutoff before set time.

Vitruvi Stone Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser
Vitruvi
Stone Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser
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Most Stylish
Bottom Line

This attractive essential oil diffuser will make your space smell great while it compliments your decor.

Pros

Stands out for its ceramic exterior that makes it look like pottery. Comes in a choice of 5 colors. LED light produces a soft glow. Emits aromatherapy scents up to 500 square feet. Quiet operation.

Cons

Expensive, yet the capacity is only 90 mL.

HLS Aroma Diffuser for Essential Oil
HLS
Aroma Diffuser for Essential Oil
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Budget-friendly
Bottom Line

Its versatile features and stylish design make this essential oil diffuser a good value for the price.

Pros

Offers a sleek design with relaxing lights that change color. Four timer settings including continuous suit different needs. Emits pleasant aromas with quiet operation. Very affordable for its feature set.

Cons

Some reports of malfunctioning after several months of use.

Sierra Modern Home Smart WiFi Wireless Essential Oil Aromatherapy Diffuser
Sierra Modern Home
Smart WiFi Wireless Essential Oil Aromatherapy Diffuser
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Feature-packed
Bottom Line

With smart capabilities, this ultrasonic diffuser is a good option for anyone who likes to add devices to their smart home.

Pros

Smart model with Wi-Fi connectivity and a user-friendly app that will control its functions. Features 7 modes w/LED light in numerous colors. Works with Alexa or Google Home. 400 mL capacity.

Cons

The finish may show wear prematurely. A few diffusers arrived damaged.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for Best essential oil diffusers

Aromatherapy is a popular form of alternative, natural therapy. It's based on the theory that different aromas can benefit bodies, minds, and spirits. There are several common vehicles for dispersing these aromas, including scented candles, smoke-generating incense, and essential oil diffusers.

If you’re in the market for an essential oil diffuser, you may have noticed the plethora of products from which you can choose.

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To use an essential oil diffuser, you simply mix a few drops of concentrated essential oil with water in the diffuser’s reservoir. The diffuser then disburses a fine scented mist into the air.

Benefits of using an essential oil diffuser

Many people use essential oil diffusers simply to add a pleasant background fragrance to a room. But for practitioners of aromatherapy, the use of different essences goes beyond simple air-freshening.

There are a number of health and wellness benefits associated with different blends of herbal and floral scents. Although health claims made by manufacturers are not independently verified, here are some common benefits many users claim to experience with essential oil diffusers.

Mood elevation

Familiar aromas, such as the smell of pine during the holidays or the scent of cookies baking, can evoke an emotional response. Other scents, such as peppermint and spearmint, can create a positive, fresh atmosphere in the room. Many professionals use mood-elevating oils to calm anxious patients or clients.

Air sanitization

Much like an antiseptic aerosol spray, some essential oil diffusers deliver a fine mist that attaches to pollutants in the air, such as smoke, dust, and mold spores. As these trapped particles fall to the ground, the air becomes more sanitized and less likely to spread germs and spores to the room's occupants.

Tension and headache relief

Certain essential oils can have an effect on the respiratory system, including the nasal passages. As users enjoy a relaxing aroma, they breathe in oil-infused water droplets. These small beads of water and oil can help loosen phlegm and moisturize nasal passages. They can even help release tension associated with headaches.

Humidification

Many essential oil diffusers can also be used as small room humidifiers. While the effect may be subtle in a large waiting room or den, an oil diffuser placed in an enclosed bedroom can provide the extra moisture a patient needs for improved breathing or sinus relief. Dry offices can also benefit from a humidification boost.

Improved sleep quality

There are several specific essential oil blends recommended for better sleep. These aromas tend to put users in a relaxed frame of mind right before the sleep cycle begins, and they continue to provide a sense of calm throughout the night.

Hands on: best essential oil diffusers

Other aromatherapy vehicles

While an essential oil diffuser is a popular choice among aromatherapy practitioners, there are other delivery systems designed to fill a space with aromas, therapeutic or otherwise.

These include scented candles, incense sticks, and aerosol air fresheners.

It’s important to understand how these other methods work and how they match up with the performance of an essential oil diffuser.

Scented candles

Scented candles are readily available in many department stores, gift shops, and mall kiosks. They come in a variety of fragrances, from straightforward floral scents to complex seasonal blends. Some are designed to duplicate familiar aromas, such as fresh fruit or baked goods. There are also therapeutic blends that can be used in aromatherapy sessions.

However, scented candles do have a few issues not found with essential oil diffusers.

  • Scented candles depend on an open flame to deliver their fragrances. This could pose a safety hazard if small children are present or the candle is not properly supported during use.

  • The amount of fragrance released into the air while burning can be negligible. Many people purchase a scented candle based on the strength of its aroma on the store shelf but are disappointed when they discover that the actual fragrance is much more subtle.

Incense sticks and cones

Incense sticks are a popular choice if you want to fill the air with a strong, complex fragrance. These sticks are generally inexpensive, but they’re not quite as easy to find on store shelves as scented candles. They require some form of holder to protect surfaces from burns and ash residue.

To use an incense stick, you light one end and allow it to smolder as it delivers scented smoke into the room.

Incense cones are more compact than incense sticks. You can burn an incense cone in a ceramic or metal holder for the same effect as an incense stick.

Reed diffusers are similar to incense sticks, but they require no burning. Simply rest the reeds in a jar or other container with an essential oil mix, and the scent gently diffuses.

Aerosol air fresheners

Aerosol air fresheners can be found in virtually every grocery or department store. With the press of a button, you can use them to refresh and sometimes even sanitize the air.

While aerosol air fresheners may not offer the exotic or therapeutic fragrances designed for aromatherapy, they do offer an array of odor-masking scents for everyday use. There is no open flame, no lingering smoke, and no need to refill a container regularly. Some aerosol cans can also be attached to timers and automatically dispersed throughout the day.

But the odor-masking effects of most aerosol air fresheners are only temporary. Once the larger droplets of fragrance dissipate, the unpleasant odors often return. Repeated sprays can also leave noticeable residue on furniture, food, and other surfaces. Furthermore, most aerosol cans are designed to look functional, but they’re not especially decorative.

Essential oil diffusers, on the other hand, often have artistic designs and decorative elements that combine form and function. Spraying a room with air sanitizer or deodorizer may be pragmatic, but displaying a decorative essential oil diffuser accomplishes the same goal with a little more style.

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Did you know?
An essential oil diffuser disperses more fragrance into the air than most scented candles are designed to deliver.
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The pros and cons of essential oil diffusers

While there are other methods for dispersing aromas into the air, such as scented candles and evaporative sticks, many aromatherapists prefer using essential oil diffusers in their practice. Before you invest in something new, however, it pays to consider some of the pros and cons of these devices.

Essential oil diffusers disperse the entire product

Unlike scented candles or evaporative sticks, an essential oil diffuser will eventually deliver all of its contents into the air. Nothing is wasted.

Essential oil diffusers disperse a continuous aroma supply to the room

Many people use an aerosol air freshener to combat unpleasant odors or stale air. But the effects of a spray deodorizer are notoriously short-lived. An essential oil diffuser, on the other hand, delivers a steady mist of oil-infused water into the air.

Essential oil diffusers allow for different aroma blends

Incense sticks and scented candles often emphasize a single aroma or a blend of similar aromas. However, many aromatherapists recommend using several different fragrances to create a specific mood or treat a specific condition. With an essential oil diffuser, you can experiment with different oil blends to find a background fragrance that satisfies you.

Essential oil diffusers require regular maintenance

An incense stick or scented candle will eventually burn out on its own, but an oil diffuser requires refills. Some oil diffusers have timers or automatic sensors that power off the machine when it becomes empty, but others continue to operate in a dry state, which could lead to damage.

Many essential oil diffusers require a power source

Unlike an incense stick or scented candle, an oil diffuser can require an electrical power source. As such, finding a place for it in a room can be challenging. Some people prefer to camouflage their essential oil diffuser by surrounding it with a floral arrangement or other decorative element. Others choose to place their diffuser in a specific area, such as a bathroom or bedroom. All of these locations would require a supportive surface and access to an electrical outlet. Battery-powered essential oil diffusers do exist, however.

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Did you know?
The water/oil droplets dispersed by an essential oil diffuser can adhere to pollutants in the air, causing them to fall to the ground. In this manner, the diffuser can actually help sanitize the air.
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Learning about essential oils and aromatherapy

Mastering the art of aromatherapy is not a requirement for essential oil diffuser ownership, but it does help to understand the basic principles behind the practice.

One potential source for more information about aromatherapy is your local health food store or alternative medicine shop. These stores tend to carry a large assortment of essential oils, and they may have an experienced aromatherapist on staff.

A trained aromatherapist can suggest specific essential oil blends for specific purposes. Some aromas are better for inducing sleep, for example, while others are known to improve focus or alleviate the symptoms of depression.

Online pharmacies and natural remedy shops often provide detailed information on the benefits of every essential oil they offer. When in doubt, it is usually possible to order a sampler kit containing small doses of the most popular essential oils. Aromatherapists and alternative medical practitioners may also have their own websites filled with advice on the effects of aroma on both body and mind.

"When you use an essential oil diffuser (as opposed to a scented candle, incense stick, etc.), there is no ash, melted wax, or oil residue to clean up."
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Tips

  • An essential oil diffuser can add some much-needed humidity to a small, dry room.

  • For best results, experts recommend that you use pure essential oils in your diffuser — not cheap synthetic copies that cost less.

  • Essential oil diffusers are just as much about art as they are science. As such, an important consideration is overall aesthetics. Some essential oil diffusers employ special lights to create a pleasing visual environment during aromatherapy sessions. Some are designed to be functional pieces of sculpture, blending in with other meditative elements in the room.

  • Proper maintenance is important when using essential oil diffusers, especially when transitioning from one oil blend to another.

  • All essential oil diffusers use roughly the same technology to disperse their contents into the air, but differences exist in the aesthetics of each product. High-end diffusers tend to emphasize form as well as function.

  • Some essential oil diffusers feature soft pastel lighting and/or minimalist artwork. Others are more functional than decorative, but they're still capable of delivering therapeutic aromas.

  • If you like the smell of incense but don’t want to deal with smoke or the potential safety hazard of a burning stick, consider an essential oil that’s scented like patchouli or another popular incense fragrance.

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If you think you might forget to refill your diffuser, consider purchasing one with an automatic timer or sensor that powers off the machine when the oil runs out.

Essential oil diffusers FAQ

Q. I want to put an essential oil diffuser in a small guest bathroom. Can the residue stain the walls or leave a sticky mess?
A.
The answer depends largely on the type and capacity of your chosen diffuser model. The microdroplets created by most diffusers should evaporate while suspended in the air, creating minimal residue. However, the area immediately around the diffuser may receive a higher concentration of oil-infused mist, which should be wiped periodically with an absorbent towel.

Q. Is it possible for essential oils to trigger allergies or create health problems?
A.
Although anything is possible when it comes to allergic reactions, most users should not experience the same reaction to diffused essential oils as they might with the real source. A rose-scented essential oil, for example, does not contain the pollen responsible for an allergic reaction.

The concentration of oil in the dispersed microdroplets is so diluted that inhalation should not pose a hazard, either. You should not engage in direct inhalation of the oil-infused droplets, since an oil diffuser should never be confused with a room humidifier or steam vaporizer.

Q. Are essential oil diffusers noisy to operate? I want to put one in my bedroom so I can sleep better at night.
A.
Again, the answer depends on the particular make and model of the diffuser. Some models use ultrasonic vibrations to convert liquid into microdroplets. People with sensitive hearing may be able to detect these high-frequency soundwaves. Other models contain a small pump to disperse the mist into the room.

When some oil diffusers run dry, they can become noisy until the power is turned off or the supply is replenished. If you intend to operate an oil diffuser overnight, be sure it is completely full and has some sort of automatic shutoff feature.

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