By Maria Cassano and Sarah Madaus
There are plenty of ways to scent your home, but some methods are easier — and safer — than others. Finding the best essential oil diffuser is not just a design trend, but a wellness one too. These diffusers disperse natural oils into the air — lavender, eucalyptus, whatever you like — which can help to freshen up a room and reduce feelings of anxiety. Empty Roller Bottles For Essential Oils
To the latter point, according to scientific studies, some essential oils may have the ability to interact with the brain and the nervous system to impact mood and health, which is hugely important for times when we're spending the majority of our time indoors. One of the easiest (and most pleasant) ways to achieve these benefits is through aromatherapy, where these concentrated oils are breathed in, allowing them to stimulate the olfactory system in the brain. What's more, even if you don't see any magical healing effects from your diffuser, it's still going to make your home smell sublime.
These amazing aromatherapy diffusers require only some water and a few drops of your favorite blend to turn your home or office into a stress-relieving oasis — just make sure you pick up some pure essential oils while you're at it. According to New York City-based acupuncturist, Mila Mintsis, you can tell a brand sells high-quality essential oils if it specifically says it's considered safe for internal consumption. "It will usually say on the bottle or company's website, and in this case, you know for a fact that the company guarantees purity and high quality of its oils," she previously told Allure.
Although you won't be putting the essential oils directly on your skin when you're using them in a diffuser, it's still important to handle them correctly when pouring them into your chosen device. "Phototoxic reactions can be pretty nasty, regardless of whether you have sensitive skin," Robert Tisserand, an essential oil educator, previously told Allure. Among the most phototoxic essential oils that you should be very careful to keep off of your skin are bergamot, lemon, and lime. Cinnamon, clove, lemongrass, cassia, black pepper, and wintergreen all have the potential to irritate skin as well.
Now that you're all caught up, it's time to pick your perfect essential oil diffuser. Below are our current favorites — we know you'll find your favorite here, too. We found some for large spaces and small rooms, options with mood lights, others with different mist modes, and more to suit your specific needs.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Why It's Worth It: Campo promises that its Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser maintains your chosen essential oil's properties by relying on ultrasonic vibrations — not heating or burning — to infuse the atmosphere. Just fill the water tank, add a few drops of essential oil, and press the button to start reaping the aromatherapeutic benefits.
Editor Tip: This sleek, looks-lovely-anywhere ceramic model also touts great safety features like auto-shutoff and LED light, making it as great for a kid's room as it is for your own. Although they're not included with the stone diffuser, you'll want to pick up some of Campo's awesome pure or blended oil scents.
Product Specs: 400 sq. ft. coverage, 3-5 hour run-time, automatic shutoff, corded, optional LED light
Why It's Worth It: Vitruvi is one of the most trusted brands in the diffuser department, and it recently upped its amazing offerings with the Move Diffuser, a cordless, sleek, cylindrical model that to can take with you anywhere in the house.
Editor Tip: Once you add about 20 drops of your favorite essential oil, it runs up to eight hours (four if you choose a consistent stream) before needing to be charged, and it comes in seven stylish colors, from a gilded gold to Barbie pink to a muted citron.
Product Specs: 500 sq. ft. coverage, 4-8 hour run-time, automatic shutoff, cordless, optional LED light
Why It's Worth It: If it weren't for the occasional — or continuous — mist of essential oil, you might think the Saje Natural Wellness Aroma (Be) Free diffuser was a stunning contemporary art piece from a museum gift shop. All the more reason to make a space for it in your home.
Editor Tip: Nicely, it's cordless, so you can bring its aesthetic and aromatherapeutic benefits anywhere you go, but you can also use it while it charges. Heads up: Saje recommends only using its oil blends, as others may be too occlusive and create buildup.
Product Specs: 500 sq. ft. coverage, 4-8 hour run-time, automatic shutoff, USB rechargeable
Why It's Worth It: Time to ditch the Glade plug-ins, friends! Especially if you're looking for a cleaner alternative, the Pura diffuser set might just be your answer. It plugs in just like air fresheners, but it diffuses pure fragrances with simpler ingredients. What's more, you can connect to the Pura app to control fragrance intensity, set timers, and more. Best of all, this is suitable for small and large rooms alike.
Editor Tip: Some of your favorite fragrance brands make scents that are compatible with Pura, like Brooklyn Candle Studio, LAFCO, Capri Blue, and Anthropologie. Candles, who?
Product Specs: 120-hour run-time, app-controlled, plug-in
Why It's Worth It: If you've ever smelled a NEOM candle, you know they're about as potent as candles can get. In fact, the brand puts as much essential oils as they can into each of their products, giving you the most immersive aromatherapy experience. This diffuser allows you to fill your room with those same scents—sans flames.
Editor Tip: The Wellbeing Pod is battery powered (with the option to use a USB cord), so it's nice and portable, whether you need a bedside boost or an energizing fragrance to keep you going during the afternoon slump. It has a waterless design for no mess and virtually no need for cleaning.
Product Specs: 200 sq. ft. coverage, 50-hour run-time, cordless, USB rechargeable
Why It's Worth It: Sometimes, the best diffuser is the simplest one. This ceramic, affordable pick from Amazon has minimal features and a simple two-button interface that anyone can get the hang of quickly. It offers two misting modes: intermittent and continuous mist, and the long duration means you can sleep through the night without the water tank running low.
Editor Tip: This is also one of the quietest picks on our list; you'll barely even notice that it's running. And the chimney design, which is common among water tank diffusers, makes sure that your belongings won't get damp from the mist.
Product Specs: Up to 10-hour run-time, automatic shutoff, optional LED light, corded
Why It's Worth It: Here's a totally waterless diffuser that, instead of the usual H2O, relies on a fan to diffuse your essential oils. You can choose from three fan speeds (which also give off a relaxing hum), and it's powered by a USB-C cord. The Aroma is available in a few different hues, like grey, cream, and jade.
Editor Tip: With this diffuser, you can choose two different ways to fill your space with fragrance. Put a few drops of your chosen oils on the diffuser puck, which is placed on top and best for short-term scent. You can also use the internal diffuser well, which gradually diffuses your oil over the course of several hours.
Product Specs: 3 fan speeds, two diffusion modes, waterless design, corded
Why It's Worth It: We've loved Aromatherapy Associates' fragrant body-care products for as long as we can remember, but one of the brand's best products is intended more for your mood than your skin. The Atomiser is a simple yet stunning ceramic diffuser that skips the water and lets you use less of your favorite essential oil — and lets you switch up the one you're using extra easily — by using an air-compression technology that fills your space for up to three hours.
Editor Tip: Why waterless? Well, it makes the tool easier to clean (mold and mildew, who?), less messy to operate (spills? never heard of them), and a more pure aromatherapy experience.
Product Specs: Up to 3-hour run-time, automatic shutoff, cordless, optional LED light
Why It's Worth It: Is the LittleHippo Wispi technically intended for children? Absolutely. Is it so cute that you're going to want to prominently display it in decidedly non-child areas of your home? Absolutely
Editor Tip: In addition to an oil tray compartment that makes it easy to switch out the essential oil of your choice, it also serves as a muticolor nightlight and, better yet, a humidifier with three mist levels, automatic detection of the room's humidity, and up to 12 hours of use.
Product Specs: Up to 15-hour run-time, automatic shutoff, corded, 7 nightlight colors
Why It's Worth It: Serene House's Astro Diffuser offers three different timer settings, so go ahead and set this baby to run for 120 minutes if you tend to be restless at bedtime. The diffuser runs through seven shades of soothing LED light that gently glow through its frosted glass cover for an added chillout effect, and reviewers report that it produces a satisfyingly strong amount of steam for its small stature.
Editor Tip: Got a larger space? Choose from two sizes with different water capacities (90 and 130ml) so you can smell your favorite oil blends throughout your home.
Product Specs: 150 sq. ft. coverage, 4-8 hour run-time, automatic shutoff, corded, 7 LED light colors
Why It's Worth It: Another best-seller in its category, Urpower's Essential Oil Diffuser has a 130-milliliter tank that's recommended for small spaces (up to 215 square feet). It makes virtually zero noise while operating, and it's available in either black or brown wood grain. Unlike others, the color-changing light comes from inside and shines out the top for a sleek, modern look.
Editor Tip: We're partial to the wood finish, which cozies up any room, but there are other solid and transparent colors to choose from too. And, for the moments you just need some humidity, you can turn this (and others on this list) into a humidifier by simply not adding essential oils to the water tank.
Product Specs: 215 sq. ft. coverage, up to 6-hour run-time, corded, optional LED light
Why It's Worth It: The most frequent complaint about essential oil diffusers is how small they are; most can only run for a few hours and fill a 200-square foot space with scent. Asakuki's Premium Essential Oil Diffuser changes all that with a 700-milliliter tank that holds over twice as much water as most other models, making it capable of filling a living room or a yoga studio — or simply replacing your winter humidifier.
Editor Tip: This one also comes with a convenient remote control that allows you to control the mist setting, LED light color, timer, and more from across the room.
Product Specs: 500 sq. ft. coverage, 18-hour run-time, automatic shutoff, optional LED light, remote control
Why It's Worth It: The Homedics Connect Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser isn't your average, clunky diffuser. That's because this compact, travel-friendly device shoots up to six hours of dry air-alleviating hydration and the built-in light changes colors. It even comes with three samples of essential oil blends to kick off your journey.
Editor Tip: Not only is this pick cordless, but it's small enough to pack in a carry-on and take with you on long-haul travels, either for portable humidity or aromatherapy.
Product Specs: 13-hour run-time, cordless, optional LED light
Why It's Worth It: Swiss-engineered and designed, this ultrasonic diffuser is called Jasmine, and despite its unsuspecting size (five by three inches), it's suitable for rooms up to 540 square feet.
Editor Tip: Its long-running time of 24 hours and low maintenance makes it ideal for both home and office, not to mention it has multiple mist-interval settings and a safety shut-off feature.
Product Specs: 540 sq. ft. coverage, 24-hour run time, automatic shutoff, corded
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