Best Essential Oil Diffusers: Reviews & What I Use

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I’ve posted before about why we don’t use scented candles and what we use instead. One of my favorite alternatives is to use an essential oil diffuser, and many people asked what type of diffuser I use and recommend.

I’m not an herbalist or aromatherapy expert, but I have tried many types of diffusers and I wanted to share the pros and cons of the ones we’ve tried.

From my experience, not all diffusers are created equal and some work much better than others. I wish that I’d read a review like this before deciding which to purchase and I hope my experience will be helpful to you.

Benefits of Diffusing Essential Oils

So what does diffusing essential oils mean exactly, and why would you do it? Diffusers use various methods to disperse essential oil containing water droplets through the air in a fine continuous mist.

Far from being just a natural substitute for air freshener and nothing more, each type of essential oil contains powerful chemical properties (the “essence”) from its parent plant. These chemicals bind to our olfactory receptors (how we smell) and have an actual effect on our limbic system. These nerves in our brains control our hunger, emotions, anger, sleep, and more, so it makes sense diffusing oils can have a real effect.

There are a number of studies (plus a whole lot of anecdotal evidence) that diffusing essential oils can produce the following benefits, depending on the type of oil:

  • reduces stress
  • improves mental clarity
  • uplifts the mood
  • calms and promotes a sedative effect (useful before sleep)
  • purifies the air

In fact, essential oils are so much more than air fresheners that we need to be cautious about how we use them around our homes and our children.

Types of Essential Oil Diffusers

There are a few different types of essential oil diffusers which is one reason why narrowing down to the right one can feel a little overwhelming. The ones I’m aware of include:

  1. Nebulizer Diffusers
  2. Ultrasonic/Humidifying Diffusers
  3. Heat Diffusers
  4. Evaporative Diffusers

In addition to researching them, I’ve tried each type of diffuser and have learned what I like and what I don’t about each.

1. Heat Diffuser

A heat diffuser, as it sounds, uses heat to turn water with a few drops of essential oil into a gas that disperses into the air. These can be electric or use the heat of a candle/flame.

I have not found a heat diffuser that worked nearly as well as even the worst nebulizer or ultrasonic diffusers I’ve tried, so I can’t make any recommendations on these types of diffusers. Since heat affects the beneficial properties of the essential oils, I definitely don’t recommend this method for diffusing oils in general.

2. Evaporative Diffusers

These diffusers use a fan to increase airflow across an essential oil soaked pad or lining. As the liquid evaporates, the scent (and its properties) move into the air.

Another type of evaporative diffuser is diffuser pendant jewelry. The theory is that the essential oil will naturally evaporate and permeate the air and skin.

I don’t find this type of diffuser nearly as effective as the remaining two.

3. Nebulizing Diffusers

Nebulizing diffusers are often considered the most powerful type of diffusers, and with good reason. They do not need water or heat to get the essential oil into the air and they work by using an atomizer to create fine, airborne particles of essential oils and blowing them into the air.

If you can’t tell, nebulizing diffusers are my favorite type of diffuser. If anyone gets sick they can keep a near-continuous stream of essential oils in the air and can fill a room of many square feet.

Here’s my thought process and experience with this type of diffuser:

Pros:

  • Attaches directly to the bottle of essential oil and can be turned on with the flip of a switch
  • No water or set-up required
  • Strong concentration of essential oils released into the air
  • Timers control run time and rest time let you control how long it runs and provide an option other than continuous use
  • No light so they can be used at night, since we avoid night lights

Cons:

  • Noise level is louder than ultrasonic diffusers
  • Uses oils more quickly than ultrasonic or other diffusers since they attach directly to the diffuser
  • More expensive than most ultrasonic diffusers (though not by much)

We useThis Advanced Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser from Amazon. I’ve now saved up and ordered a couple of these because they work so well. Even just diffusing for 15 minutes will leave a lasting essential oil scent for hours.

4. Ultrasonic Diffusers

Ultrasonic diffusers work in a similar way to nebulizing diffusers by creating a fine mist. The difference is that ultrasonic diffusers use water and essential oils to create an ultrasonic cool mist of water/oils that releases into the air. They double as a humidifier, so they are beneficial in winter, but they don’t put out as strong of a concentration of essential oils since they also use water.

Note: It is not recommended to use citrus essential oils with this type of diffuser as they can cause the parts to erode.

Pros:

  • Less expensive than nebulizing diffusers
  • Doubles as a humidifier (beneficial in cold months)
  • Many options to choose from
  • Doesn’t use heat
  • Water tank has a large capacity

Cons:

  • Can’t use citrus essential oils
  • Need water to operate
  • Must be cleaned occasionally
  • Some have lights that can’t be turned off
  • Not as effective as nebulizing diffusers

What we use: Several different types of ultrasonic diffusers and I’ve found that some work better than others. These were our favorites:

  • The Noor Litemist Aromatherapy Diffuser – This simple cone-shape design diffuses for several hours and has an option to turn the light on or off for night time use. (Just please don’t use any LED color-changing lights at night… here’s why!)
  • The Allay Litemist Diffuser – Very similar and slightly cheaper than the Noor Litemist, but it doesn’t seem to have a way to turn off the light which makes it unusable at night (for us).
  • Car Diffuser – I’ve tried smaller models but got tired of repeatedly filling their tiny water reservoirs! This one does take up a cupholder but I like the intermittent/constant control and the sleek design.

Other Ways to Freshen Indoor Air

Essential oils are a great way to freshen indoor air with natural scents but they are definitely not the only way! We keep our indoor air clean naturally with:

Bottom Line: Choosing an Aroma Essential Oil Diffuser

Essential oils may seem like mix-and-match perfumes, but in reality they are powerful essences from plants with medicinal effects. I think using a diffuser is a great step, but urge everyone to do their homework. If you have a family, make sure to diffuse only kid-safe essential oil blends and take breaks by buying a model with controlled mist settings.

This article was medically reviewed by Madiha Saeed, MD, a board certified family physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Have you ever used a diffuser? What did you like or not like about it? Share below!

A comparison of the most popular essential oil diffuser types: ultrasonic diffusers, nebulizing diffusers, heat and evaporation diffusers and others.
Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

249 responses to “Best Essential Oil Diffusers: Reviews & What I Use”

  1. Marie Avatar

    Hi, is it okay to use other company oils (NAN) in my YL dewdrop diffuser? It says to use only YL oils but was wondering if I could diffuse NAN oils in them. Don’t really want to buy a new diffuser. (sorry, broken English)

  2. Val Avatar

    Looking for a nebulizing (doesn’t use heat or water) diffuser with a timer. Which one(s) do you recommend?

  3. Nicole Avatar

    Hi I have been diffusing essential oils and noticed a black residue. Anyone know if this could be mould?

    1. Nina Avatar

      Where is the black residue, in the diffuser? Do you wash it periodically?

      1. Nicole Avatar

        It was inside. I use it almost everyday and never thought to rinse it since I diffuse lavender and tea tree oil very often. I just assumed that since these oils are used to fight mould it wouldn’t be a problem. I just threw it out and bought a new one. Better safe than sorry.

  4. Gwen Avatar

    I use Ameo Essential Oils and I love them! They have Nebulizer Diffusers
    and the Ultrasonic Diffusers.

  5. Sin Albrecht Avatar
    Sin Albrecht

    Im mixing a hair heat protectant using sheabutter and almond oil… would like to scent it with an essential oil… not sure which one I can use?

  6. Élisabeth Laurent Avatar
    Élisabeth Laurent

    Hi Katie,

    I’m looking for more information to choose the right product, Untrasonic diffuser is clearly looking forward to my first point, but I still expect you to answer some point that i’m not clear, which the machine is the best and most popular for small rooms based on your experience while my budget about 50 – 100$ and I can buy from amazon UK and ship it to France? Information on the wiki I found very little information during the search process but I learned some introduction to the product and make some pretty useful information and review articles. But I still want more information and look forward to your feedback to help 🙂

    Thank you!

    1. Katie - Wellness Mama Avatar

      I’m really not familiar with the selection in other countries, but I’d see if any of the brands listed are available where you are. If not, check the reviews on the ones available to you. Most work well on small areas and small rooms though 🙂 Good luck!

      1. Lisa Avatar

        My greenair spa diffuser runs all night long for 10+ hours. It appears to be still giving off some steam. Is it supposed to shut off after 3-6 hours? Would I still be receiving the benefits of the oils after that many hours of running?

  7. Jenny Avatar

    The FDA considers scent to be proprietary knowledge. Makes sense right, if you created a special aroma as a perfumer, you wouldn’t want copy cats imitating your scent. So according to the FDA, you can label your product as being made with natural essential oils and still add 3-5% synthetic fragrance without listing it on the packaging. That would protect your intellectual property.

    The problem is, folks who look for aromatherapy generally want to avoid those chemicals. So the question remains, for those who are sensitive to chemicals & phthalates or for those who are seeking 100% purity, how does one determine if something is safe or not safe?

    Your best bet when purchasing essential oils is to make sure companies you work with do their due diligence and GC-MS test their oils. This is a process of identifying key chemical components in the oils to validate their authenticity.

    Additionally – Synthetic fragrance is also sometimes used as a preservative. This is a loop hole where companies can make their product appear to be paraben-free and free of harsh preservatives. You read the label and it doesn’t say fragrance or synthetic fragrance. I know – it’s a challenge to navigate the world of cosmetics.

    I started my own healing remedy company 7 years ago. We combine oils and flower essences for common concerns such as congestion, stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, etc. But to be honest, in the quest to create alliances with artisan producers who not only are expert distillers, but those who also have the wisdom and knowledge about how to grow, when to harvest, etc, I have come across few legitimate companies.

    I recommend Veriditas for single oils. Mountain Rose as Katie recommends is also good.

    1. Michelle Avatar
      Michelle

      Dear Jenny- I use Nectar essences on myself and my husband – even sometimes when he doesn’t know it (I put a few drops of Decongest/Immunity on a tissue and it stops him from snoring). I always take the Super-Immunity with me, especially when I travel for work. Can I use these oils in my diffuser? Your oils work well and they smell really nice too! Thanks!

  8. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    Hello, I was wondering if it’s ok to use a salt lamp at the same time and or in the room as a diffuser?
    Thank you.

  9. Linda Avatar

    I am looking for a diffuser and oils that I can put in my laundry room where I have 3 litter boxes. I need something that is safe for the cats and I can put on and leave for a couple of days. Right now I used a barn sprayer with a fresh sent that sprays one pump every 15 min. This works for 3 months. I would rather use oils and a diffuser but I haven found anything that fits my needs. Any help would be appreciated

  10. Eleanor Avatar

    Hi,

    I was wondering whether plastic leaching was a concern with humidifiers?

    Thanks!
    Eleanor

  11. Lisa Cross Avatar
    Lisa Cross

    I’m curious to know if there’s any ultrasonic diffuser that shoots the mist out the side versus the top? My 2 year old twins have zero furniture in their room so it’d need to be positioned in their storage section above their closet which is basically a three wall area with opening to their room (similar to the closet but higher up). So rather than the mist shooting up into the storage part where it probably would circulate down to them, I wanted to see what options I had 🙂 Id have to rig the wire along wall to plug in somewhere outside their room as they mess with cords and plugs as well. Any suggestions? I’m desperate. They need a solution to sleep.
    Thanks!!

    1. Mary Avatar

      This is very interesting, but I’m more confused than ever on which company’s oil is the purest to buy. Purest meaning most healthy since from what I’ve been reading therapeutic grade doesn’t mean what I thought.

      1. Stephanie Avatar
        Stephanie

        Mary,
        I believe the surest way to buy quality EO’s is to buy them organic.that way you know they are the purest because they are free of pesticides and most likely the best quality. that’s what i do.

  12. Delphine Avatar
    Delphine

    Heating the oil reduces beneficial properties. It will still smell good, but it won’t be as effective.

  13. Louay Avatar

    What about just using a standard oil burner, which uses a tea light to generate heat? Are they effective?

  14. Ysa Avatar

    Are diffusers safe for dogs to be around? If so, which oils are safe? My dog has been acting sluggish and I’m worried it’s because of the diffusers?

  15. Kati Avatar

    Would it be beneficial to get a diffuser for each bedroom that my children sleep in?

  16. Sam Avatar

    Hi Kate. I read your review with great interest. I’ve been informing myself and comparing Ultrasonic aroma diffusers for one week and yours is the only professional and independent comparative I’ve found. After my evaluation I was almost decided for the Lagute you include in your analyse and I have a question.

    Why do you think that the Lagute doesn’t work so well as the Noor? Now the Lagute is 15$ cheaper in average. Do you think the difference is worth for buying Noor instead?

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