These 10 Home Fragrance Diffusers Will Infuse Your Space With Scent-Sational Bliss

Filling your space with scent can be a powerful thing. For instance, starting your day with a whiff of citrus can wake you up and get you mentally ready for what’s ahead, while sniffing on lavender before bed can make it easier to drift off to dreamland². While candles and sprays are great ways to add scented home ambiance into your routine, a home fragrance diffuser allows you to do it on autopilot.

“A fragrance diffuser is a device that disperses chosen scents into the air, enhancing the ambiance of a space,” says Rancy Wong, the international product manager at doTERRA, an essential oils brand. “Diffusers can be used in any room in the house. Some popular locations are in the kitchen to freshen up a space after cooking, in the bathroom to keep it smelling clean, in a bedroom to diffuse while sleeping or in an office to accompany you throughout your workday.”

What makes these home fragrance devices better than their similarly scented counterparts is that they require very little work—all you have to do is turn them on. There’s no remembering to trim your wicks or having to search for the bottle of pillow spray that’s buried somewhere in your nightstand; they’re “set it and forget it” products that will leave your space smelling its best. Keep scrolling to find out what you need to know before you invest.

Best home fragrance diffusers, at a glance

• Best electric home fragrance diffuser: Pura 4, $50
• Best ultrasonic diffuser: Neom, Wellbeing Pod Luxe. $130
• Best waterless diffuser: Homedics, SereneScent Diffuser, $150
• Best home fragrance diffuser for large spaces: Aroma360, Wireless Pro, $170
• Best home fragrance diffuser for small spaces: DoTerra, Volo Diffuser, $98
• Best humidifier home fragrance diffuser: Canopy, Bedside Humidifier, $125
• Best decorative diffuser: Saje, Aroma Wave, $129
• Best hotel scent diffuser for home: Hotel Collection, Studio Scent Diffuser, $189
• Best reed diffuser: Nest, Bamboo Reed Diffuser, $62
• Best lighted diffuser: Asakuki, 500 ml Premium Essential Oil Diffuser, $26

 

How home fragrance diffusers work

Fragrance diffusers—otherwise known as essential oil diffusers or aromatherapy diffusers— work by emitting scent into the air. There are five different types of devices on the market, each of which operates in a slightly different way and comes with its own set of benefits.

1. Waterless Diffusers

These types of diffusers diffuse essential oils into the air without the assistance of water.

Pros: Because these diffusers don’t use water, they disperse essential oils into the air more potently.

Cons: Waterless diffusers are more expensive to operate and require you to use a higher volume of essential oils for optimal results. Additionally, they can be noisy.

2. Ultrasonic Water Diffusers

“These popular electric diffusers use electronic frequencies to create a fine mist from essential oil and water,” says Wong. “A small disk under the water’s surface creates ultrasonic vibrations that break an essential oil into micro-particles.”

Pros: These models are quiet, don’t use heat, and only need a small volume of essential oils. “They can also act as both a diffuser and humidifier, which is helpful if you live in a drier climate,” says Wong.

Cons: Because ultrasonic water diffusers use water, only a fraction of the mist that comes out of them is essential oil, and if you live in a humid climate, you may not want to add more water into the air.

3. Heat Diffusers

“As the name suggests, heat diffusers evaporate essential oils with warmth,” says Wong. “Some heat diffusers mix essential oils with water, while others employ high temperatures for a stronger aroma.”

Pros: Heat diffusers are economical, efficient, and silent.

Cons: Heat diffusers can be dangerous due to their high temperatures. Just make sure you turn them off and keep them away from things that are flammable!

4. Evaporative Diffusers

“Evaporative diffusers have a fan that blows air through a filter, such as an essential oil–infused tissue or a pad, evaporating the essential oil and dispersing it through a room,” says Wong.

Pros: They’re extremely quiet.

Cons: Evaporative diffusers release essential oils first, so they may not deliver strong scents because the chemical components are diffused at different times.

5. Reed diffusers

“A reed diffuser is a passive diffuser that does not have any electronic components or fan to help disperse the aroma,” says Wong. “Reeds absorb the mixture of fractionated coconut oil and essential oils and evaporate the oil slowly into the air.”

Pros: Reed diffusers do not require batteries or electricity, which means they’re pretty affordable.

Cons: Dispersion is generally weaker, which means these types of diffusers are better suited for small spaces like bathrooms or nightstands.

How to choose a home fragrance diffuser

There are several factors to consider when choosing the best fragrance diffuser for your home. First and foremost, how big is the space you’re trying to fill with scent? For larger rooms, you’ll want to opt for a waterless or ultrasonic device, as these tend to deliver more potent perfuming effects. “Also, evaluate factors like run time, noise level, ease of cleaning, design, budget, and additional features to choose a diffuser that suits your space and preferences,” says Wong.

Once you’ve made your pick, it’s important to remember to clean your diffuser regularly.

What is the difference between a home fragrance diffuser and an air freshener?

Air fresheners and diffusers both work to release fragrances into the air—they just happen to do it in slightly different ways. “Diffusers employ mechanisms like ultrasonic vibrations or heat to disperse natural essential oils, creating a nuanced scent profile and contributing to a specific ambiance with potential therapeutic effects,” explains Wong. “In contrast, air fresheners rely on synthetic chemicals to quickly eliminate or mask unpleasant odors, often using aerosols, gels, sprays, or solid forms.”

While both of these product categories get the job done in enhancing the air in your space, diffusers do so “with a more natural and multifaceted experience,” says Wong, while air fresheners use artificial fragrances to get rid of bad smells.

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