If you’re looking for a top Essential Oil Diffuser, this extensive review will help you make the right choice.
Considerations
Buying an essential oil diffuser is not a straight-forward task, and if you think it is, you could be wasting your time and money at the same time. You should consider some important things before you go to pick a diffuser for you.
Let me help you out in making a list of important factors that you should consider while selecting an EO diffuser.
1. Timer: A timer can help you use the diffuser in a worry-free manner. You should select a diffuser that has timer setting options. There are different options available.
2. The capacity of the diffuser: Another factor that should be considered is the capacity of the diffuser to contain the oil mixture. The more liquid it can contain, the longer the running time would be without any hindrance.
3. Square feet to be covered: You should also look for the power and ability of a diffuser to diffuse the EO’s into the air. You can check for the square feet value that can be covered by any particular diffuser.
4. Noise produced: A quieter machine is better. This is because the diffusers are meant to give you a relaxing environment and if they are not quiet enough, their usability is halved.
5. Auto shut-off function: Another very important factor that I prefer to look for before I select any diffuser is the auto shut-off function. Such a function gives you complete peace of mind to run the gadget without any worries about turning it off when it’s empty.
6. Extra features and programs: Extra features and programs,, like different time settings, light options, etc., would be a plus to consider if you need a fully loaded diffuser/humidifier.
Top 10 Best Essential Oil Diffuser In 2019 Reviews
Being an aromatherapy user, I have always tried to hunt down the most trustworthy products for better results. Due to this fact, I have experience in using a variety of essential oil diffusers. I am recommending here the best 10 out of the thousands that are there to distract you online.
1. NOW Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser
Our Rating: (3.9 / 5)
A market leader for years, this product has a simple and durable design that can be placed virtually anywhere from your living room to the car dashboard. Best of all you don’t have to worry about spillage or worse, damage to the diffuser. This, along with the beautiful use of colors, allows the product to offer unmatched diffusion rate and efficacy courtesy of the use of special ultrasonic high-frequency vibrations.
These vibrations, which are created using electrical current, ensure a fine mist without falling into the all-too-common shortcoming of using heat. This in turn ensures that the oil retains its integrity even when the product is being used for a long period of time.
2. Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser
Our Rating: (4.1 / 5)
A close competitor of the Now Foods product, this product by Mei Go comes in a deceptively simple but highly sophisticated design, topped off by the inclusion of a number of romantic LED lights. Coming to efficacy, we find that the product makes efficient use of the electricity-induced ultrasonic waves to produce tiny water particles. These in turn create a mist which helps ionize (or diffuse) the essential oils in the nearby area.
Further, with a water tank capacity of 120ml, this product is small but capable of running for a long period of time, while the powerful motor ensures that this water is mobilized rapidly to allow the oils to spread in a large area (up to 10*15 sq feet). Fears of over-saturation, however, do not arise because the product has an auto-timer that turns on or shuts off after a 30 sec time interval.
3. Greenair Spa Vapor+, Oil Diffuser Advanced Wellnss Instant Healthful Mist Therapy
Our Rating: (4.2 / 5)
This comes in a conveniently small design. This product from Greenair offers a convenient on/off switch at the front of the product to enable easy control. Like all great essential oil diffusers, this product relies on a quiet motor system that uses ultrasound to create a fine vapour mist that stays suspended in the air for a long time, thus making frequent running of the machine unnecessary.
The real USP of the product though is the ceramic disc, which allows it to hold oils for a long time without suffering oil corrosion or spillage/leakage. Coupled with the ability to work with purified water, this feature makes the Vapor+ stand out.
4. QUOOZ Lull Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Diffuser
Our Rating: (4.5 / 5)
Composed of a design that aids meditation, especially when the inbuilt lighting is set to breathing mode, this QUOOZ product offers an unmatched capacity of 200ml. Such high capacity ensures that the product is capable of carrying out diffusion enough for large rooms, or alternatively, run for 8-10 hours at a stretch to keep a smaller room fragrant throughout the day.
Such lengthy work periods are not usually necessary, however, because the product comes with rapid diffusion aromatherapy technology that allows the product to create large amount of aromatic mist in a short time. Indeed, such functionality is available even when ordinary tap water is used. Last but not least, the product comes with auto shut-off feature that turns off the machine when the water level runs low, thus ensuring that the motor does not overwork itself. Electricity is not wasted, and most vitally, there is never a risk of electrical fire due to the product working without sufficient materials.
5. Riverock Essential Oil Diffuser
Our Rating: (4.6 / 5)
Unlike many diffusers that follow a good looking but generic design, Riverock has invested an entire team of acoustic engineers and design experts to create a product that resembles a river pebble. Combined with the gentle sound of river water that it produces and the essential oil mist that it gives out, this allows the product to produce a real river or brook ambiance. As research has shown, the sound of river water accentuates the impact of meditation and removes negative energy from the surroundings.
Design aside, the product possesses powerful components which together allow it to spread the ultrasound-generated oil vapour in a 250 sq. ft. area in a short span of time, or alternatively, run for 4-5 hours non-stop without losing mist quality or suffering from fatigue. Along with the simplicity of operating the product using the push-down top button, these make the product ideal for large spaces.
6. Smiley Daisy Oil Diffuser Mini Cool Mist Humidifier
Our Rating: (4.4 / 5)
Possessing a simple but beautiful LED-lit exterior similar to the QUOOZ Lull Ultrasonic essential oil diffuser, this produce offers a two-button control interface, allowing the user to change the intensity and duration of the mist and the lighting with ease. Complementing the beautiful exterior is the powerful 2.4MHz ultrasonic unit that produces a sufficient amount of mist without creating a lot of noise.
In addition to the diffuser, this product also incorporates a humidifier that spreads moisture in the air. This aroma-rich moisture helps improve the health of those afflicted with breathing problems, and also reduces the smell of tobacco. With the auto shut-off when waterless feature being included as well, the Smiley Daisy product is one of the best options for hospitals or other areas involving people with breathing issues.
7. ZAQ Noor Multi Color Litemist Aromatherapy Diffuser
Our Rating: (4.1 / 5)
Meant for small personal spaces, including automobiles, the ZAQ product is compact yet powerful. The compactness translates into easy portability, with the cone shaped structure further aiding this property. In terms of power, this product is capable of producing excellent ultrasonic mist, and given its ability to run for up to 4 hours on end, can even improve the ambiance of moderately large areas.
Interestingly, this is one of the few essential oil diffusers to feature a choice of colors, and when coupled with the range of LED lights that are provided with each color, turn this diffuser into an excellent tool for personal meditation.
8. Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser By AromaSoft
Our Rating: (4.6 / 5)
While the exterior of this product may appear plain and unremarkable, the real USP of the product lies inside. Capable of storing up to 120ml, this diffuser uses ultrasonic technology and an energy-efficient 24V motor to create the perfect mist. Alongside this, the product also comes with an unmatched range of 7 LED colors, which can cycle or remain fixed, depending on your choice. These choices can be made using the simple set of buttons present on the front face.
In addition to these, we find the auto shut-off feature so vital to leaving the product working through the night, especially in the rooms of children. Hand in glove with the equally useful option to create a special “nighttime blend” of oils in the product, this product is ideal for families who wish to enjoy the fruits of bedtime aromatherapy without worrying about electrical faults.
9. Samyo 100ml Aromatherapy Essential Oil Purifier Diffuser Air Humidifier
Our Rating: (4.1 / 5)
Another highly efficient product with a bland exterior, this offering from Samyo comes with four timer settings that allow the ultra-efficient ultrasonic mist production system to work the way you want it to. Indeed, with time limits of up to 180 minutes, the product can improve the ambiance of even huge rooms without the need to monitor the unit every few minutes.
Complementing the timer customizability, the product also has four lighting options, each of which can be further customized using two light intensity modes. This is especially useful for the times when dim light is needed for meditation, and then brighter light is needed for working in the room.
10. Signstek 1500ML 1.5L LED Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser Humidifier Aromatherapy Air Purifier Mist
Our Rating: (3.7 / 5)
Meant for working with extremely large environments, this 1500 ML unit is capable of running for the better part of the day, creating mist that envelops areas as large as halls. Despite the large size, the product hardly makes a noise, thus allowing it to be deployed in school atria. The product is not exceptionally heavy, even though it is one of the largest essential oil diffusers in the market.
Further, the product produces negative or happy ions, which improve the oxygen intake of the body and go a long way in improving the mood and psyche of the person. Coupled with the humidifier that helps people with health problems associated with dry or polluted air, this negative ion production facility counts as one of the additional reasons why this product is suitable for public places.
My Advice
A major problem people face while selecting an essential oil diffuser is determining how to choose a diffuser for a specific purpose, such as one for pets, babies, large space or small room.
Let me suggest to you my picks and hope you will also like them and benefit the way you need. If you want to have an essential oil diffuser for your baby, then you have to concentrate on why you need it. If your baby has difficulty falling asleep, having a diffuser that has soft, soothing lights and no noise and a runtime of about 8 hours would be perfect, like Id suggest you to buy the Ultrasonic essential oil diffuser by Flymei that has 7 soft-colored lights and can also be used as a humidifier to keep your babys skin moist and soft.
Another necessity that you may have to cater is to buying an essential oil diffuser for dogs at home. Id recommend to have a diffuser that functions quietly and can provide a soft scent from pure essential oils, rather than a mist. Also, light may or may not be desired. My pick for this purpose would be the aromatherapy diffuser by Aroma soft.
Another very common reason to buy an essential oil diffuser is for treatment of cold and flu symptoms. If you are also looking to have an essential oil diffuser for colds, then you must be having a diffuser that can work as a diffuser and a humidifier as well. For cold and flu symptoms, the scent will have to penetrate the skin cells, and should be available in the form of a mist to be inhaled through the nose in order to treat the irritation in the mucous lining. For this you may choose to buy the Riverrock diffuser by Deneve, Quooz lull ultrasonic diffuser, or GreenAir spa vapor and EO diffuser.
If you need essential oil diffuser for bedroom or for a large room, you should have a diffuser that has a long run time of about 10 hours. It should also have the ability to produce a strong aroma around the room for a long-lasting effect. My recommendations for such a purpose include: ZAQ Noor, Signstek, River rock, and Green Air spa essential oil diffusers. All of these have a coverage area range from 200-600sq ft and a tank capacity of about 80-1500ml. You can easily select from these four picks according to the time you need it to run for you.
I hope you will also agree with these picks that I have suggested, and will be enjoying your aroma diffusion at its best.
While each of the above products is efficient and capable of improving the mood and health, it is a fact that they have different capacities. Such variance in capacity is crucial for ensuring that the rate of diffusion is neither too slow nor too high. In fact, if it is found that the essential oils cannot be smelled or are giving too strong a smell, it generally means the diffuser is too strong or too weak. Further, the presence of timers and humidifiers are additional benefits which can be considered. All things considered, the above list contains a sufficient number of top-notch products for virtually any person or establishment to choose from, and do so with confidence that these would do justice to their health and the costly essential oils being invested in it.
Essential Oil Diffusers Background
EOs (or essential oils) are the most vital extract of plants and herbs that can change the whole expression of your surroundings as well as your inner self. Wondering how thats possible? No need to wonder, as myself and many others have found these magic liquids to be one of the most effective and powerful ways to attain wellness in your life.
Now the question comes: how to use these essential oils correctly. The use of EOs is not new the ancient people have used these oils as a remedy for a number of human issues as well as enchanting fragrances. In the past, these oils were to be applied to the skin or where it was intended to work; for example, for headaches, the desired oil was applied to the forehead, for bodily pains a similar method was used.
Gradually, people figured out numerous ways to use the aromatic oils for aromatherapy purposes, including scented candles, inhaling the fumes through steam, putting the oils onto a cloth to inhale its fumes, etc. All of these ways have some limitations of their own and need constant supervision for consistent results. If you have a blocked nose and using a tissue paper or cotton cloth to inhale the EO’s components, then you will have to put the drop after every few intervals of time. Some other methods include heating and vaporization.
Aside from these ancient methods, we now have the most convenient and effective tool to diffuse the oil around you to get the best results from the EO’s that is, the essential oil diffuser.
What is an essential oil diffuser?
An essential oil diffuser is a small machine that has a compartment to place either a mix of water and essential oil or sometimes only a few drops of essential oil. The diffuser breaks up the oil into small particles and then diffuses them in the air.
Though there are various aromatherapy diffusers available in the market that are meant to diffuse the oil around you, the results of the diffused aroma depend upon the way diffusion has occurred. There are different ways to diffuse the essential oils such as through heating, ultrasonic waves, or nebulization. All these methods provide specific results that are different and vary in their effects.
Why do you need an aromatherapy diffuser?
For those who are not even aware of the benefits of an essential oil diffuser, or are not familiar with the ways a diffuser can help you achieve your therapeutic and wellness goals, it hard to decide and buy.
Let me tell you why you should practice aromatherapy, and why you need a diffuser for best results.
Aromatherapy and essential oils have become the most preferred alternative medicine for health and wellness issues, including stress, headaches, body aches, nausea, breathing issues, skin issues, and nervous problems.
Using various oils can help you alleviate symptoms instantly and have no side effects. You just have to pick the right essential oil depending upon the purpose you need to serve.
After choosing the right essential oil, you need the best diffuser to help you achieve the best results. An aromatherapy diffuser is an essential part of the session as you would need a consistent and balanced supply of essential oil ingredients around you to soothe your nerves and take care of the problems you are facing. Without a diffuser, you would not be able to create a wellness atmosphere using an essential oil.
A diffuser would give you a continuous supply of essential oil droplets so that you can inhale it and relax in the aromatic and pure air.
How do essential oil diffusers work?
In starting to practice aromatherapy at home, I wondered how it worked and what made the diffusers the best solution for diffusing essential oils. I conducted detailed research and explore all different types of diffusers to know how they would work and whether there would be any difference in the quality of diffusion among various types of diffusers.
The diffusion is accomplished by heating the oil or the mixture of water and oil, or using ultrasonic waves to break the molecules to help them escape from the diffuser.
Following the basic rule that the molecules of the essential oil would diffuse from its higher concentration to the lower concentration in the air, the aroma diffuses rapidly and makes the atmosphere pleasant, with a balanced aroma around the place. In order to break and diffuse the EO’s the latest diffusers use different methods:: either it can be done along with water or just essential oil. You can choose any of it depends upon the way you need the aroma and the results that are required.
Types of essential oil diffusers and how to use them
It was a very confusing experience for me to choose the best type of essential oil diffuser. There are mainly four kinds of EO diffusers based on the methods used to diffuse the oil. Due to the fact that there is a difference in the diffusion method, the results and effects are also different.
Let me tell you what I have seen and experienced in this venture of finding the best diffuser from these four types:
- Heating diffusers
- Evaporative
- Nebulizers
- Ultrasonic diffusers/humidifiers
Now Ill briefly yet comprehensively introduce to these four different kinds so that you should know which is the best and why is it so depending upon their features and methods of diffusing the essential oils.
1. Heating diffusers
Diffusers that use heat to break down the essential oil into small particles were widely in use in the past, and are still used where there is a need to cover small- to medium-sized places. In this type, the essential oil is required to be placed either on a pad or in a compartment where the heat is transferred to it in order to break its molecules. The aroma can then be spread around where required.
Though its best for small places or short term use, I found it to be less useful for aromatherapy sessions, because the oil evaporates quickly due to quick diffusion. You may not feel relaxed if you are worrying about turning the unit off when its empty. Another main drawback of this type is that when the oil gets heated, it may not remain in its original form, and its composition may change due to disintegration caused by the high temperature.
I would not recommend this type if you need pure molecules for fast and quick results.
2. Evaporative
Now comes another common practice to use the essential oil: evaporative diffusers. This type makes use of the evaporation principle. The most commonly known example is the fan diffuser. The essential oil is placed on a pad and the air is blown above its surface. In this way the vapors of the oil get diffused into the air. This method is not very effective.
Because the aroma will not last for a long period of time, you will have to put more drops to carry on the diffusion process.
Another example is using a tissue paper to inhale the aroma. Such a diffuser can be helpful for a short term usage, but not for a long aroma therapy session.
3. Nebulizers
I was thrilled to have a nebulizer, because I thought it would give me the best results because the nebulizer breaks the oil molecules to create very small particles without using water and can give you strong fumes of pure essential oils. Such fumes are best to be used for a quick result and can give an instant relief to your problems.
After using it few times what I experienced was that, I had to pour into a lot of EO into the nebulizer because I had to add only the essential oil and not the mixture with water. Due to that I was out of my essential oil bottle. Another thing that bothered me a lot was the noise produced that made it unacceptable while you need to relax or sleep at night.
These are better for short term instant relief, but not good to be used for longer sessions.
4. Ultrasonic diffusers/humidifiers
After using all of the above mentioned methods, I was feeling helpless about finding a diffuser that would serve calmly around me, without posing any hassle to pour more oil and still give a consistent and balanced touch of soft fragrance around me.
After searching up for some time and collecting information about the latest solution, I found my best partner in the form of an ultrasonic diffuser.
These diffusers use ultrasonic vibrations to create a light mist of essential oil along water without heating the oil. That’s why it gives the pure EO’s effects without any disintegration issues.
Here are the reasons why I recommend it for everyone:
- The ultrasonic diffusers are quiet while functioning, and as such they can be used when you want to relax or sleep at night.
- The use a very small amount of EO drops in the water and give you a balanced aroma when you need.
- They are compact, easy to handle, and easy to maintain.
- They will give a light mist when necessary and function both as a humidifier and a diffuser.
- They can function without any issues for hours.
I loved the features offered by this one and now I have settled to use an ultrasonic diffuser. It gives me the results that I need, and itt’s not just me. The majority of aromatherapy users have preferred and recommended the use of ultrasonic EO diffusers.
How do I diffuse the oil for best results?
In order to get the best results, you should choose a way that gives you the original essential oil ingredients without altering its nature and composition. Though there are a number of methods that can be used to just diffuse the oil into the air, like using a spray, nebulizer, candle, reed diffusers and also a tissue paper, none of them would give you a perfect effect as it is being given by an ultrasonic diffuser.
For best results for aromatherapy, you should buy a diffuser that will help you diffuse the essential oil of your choice, and offers the required characteristics without making the atmosphere overly humid and still maintaining a perfect mist in the area. It will give you a perfect blend of essential oil and water vapors in the form of tiny droplets to provide you a soothing effect when you need.
Whats the difference between Humidifier & Diffuser?
In case you are not sure whether you should buy a diffuser or a humidifier as you cannot differentiate between them exactly don’t worry, let me help you out.
A diffuser is a machine that diffuses a mixture of essential oil and water in the form of micro droplets called mist. These are micro sized and do not increase the humidity level of the area being treated.
In a humidifier, the diffuser creates a humid atmosphere through water vapors and also diffusing essential oils along with the water vapors. Vapors produced are not very tiny in size and you can feel a humid or moist atmosphere.
If you need a mild steam or humid atmosphere, you should prefer to buy a humidifier. On the other hand, if you only need an aromatherapy diffuser, you can either buy an ultrasonic diffuser or a combination of both.
Some items which people frequently buy when buying a diffuser
You can also try out these accessories to help you use the diffusers more easily:
- Oil transfer pipettes
- An essential oil sample with six different aromas
- Essential oil rack
Essential Oil Diffuser Buyers Guide Infographic
Conclusion
Now, I am sure you have a solid understanding of the essential oil diffusers, and you can now select the best option for you. I have given the most trusted and quality brand products here that I have used and would not hesitate to recommend to anyone who needs help in knowing about the diffusers for best results. You can explore the various types and know what suits you the best in order to freely select any of the above mentioned EO diffusers and purchase your favorite diffuser with confidence.