Top 10 Best Essential Oil Diffusers Reviews | Buying Guide | Comparisons

Last Updated on November 4, 2022 by Brenda

Are you trying to decide upon what is the best essential oil diffuser to buy?  Do you want one for yourself or as a gift for someone you love? Look no farther—the best diffusers are reviewed here for you to make a sensible choice.

We also include different shapes, and capacities, with affordable price ranges and made a detailed Comparison Chart to help you choose the right unit.

How to Choose the Best Essential Oil Diffuser

If this is your first time buying a diffuser, it can be overwhelming. With my buying guide, the mystery is taken out of the process.

Follow my tips below to help you find the diffuser that works for me.

1. For my first essential oil diffuser I, the buyer, will purchase a small ultrasonic unit that uses water is less expensive, usually under $20.

2. For my second essential oil diffuser I, the buyer, will select from the two options listed below.

Option 1:

I, the buyer, will decide on an ultrasonic diffuser that has more features I would like such as a larger water reservoir and longer running timer, so it will mist all night, and those cost anywhere from $40 to under $80.

Option 2:

I, the buyer, will select a nebulizer essential oil diffuser that does not use water using only the 100% pure essential oils.  The aroma is more stimulating, aromatic, and intoxicating.

I like the nebulizer functionality best even though it is more pricey, so I’m buying it.

3. If you choose an ultrasonic, remember to buy a unit that holds at least 300 mL (10-ounces) of water and can run at least from 2- up to 8-hours that can cover at least 300-square feet.

4. For either type, select diffusers having adjustable mist levels of low, medium, and high. This function tells the fan to go slow, medium, or fast.

5. Everyone loves the cascading colors of the LED lights. Almost all diffusers have these lights so select the one that comes with the unit if you want it for a nightlight too. If you don’t want the lights on when you sleep, you can turn the lights off.

6. Ultrasonic diffusers come with an automatic water shutoff when the water level is low and nebulizers will also shut off automatically when the pure oil level is low.

7. Along with the features I will want to consider how my diffuser will look. Do I want fun whimsical animal or train shapes for my kids, or do I want one that is shaped like rocks, pyramids, vases, candles, or are freeform in shape? These can be simple yet charming, sophisticated, glamorous, or complex.

Essential oil diffusers are trendy and add flair and provide aromatherapy for your home, businesses, lobby, boutique, or spa.

Now that I have taken the mystery out of buying an essential oil diffuser, you can go to the Comparison Chart for the best 10 ultrasonic units to select from shown below.

For the best of the best in nebulizer diffusers, check out the top 10 units most often purchased.

Top 10 Best Essential Oil Diffuser Evaluations

1. URPOWER® 2nd Generation Ultrasonic Diffuser, 100 mL

The URPOWER^® latest version is a Japanese style diffuser producing even more mist than the former model. Put it at your work desk, home desk, Yoga, and Pilates studios, even at your massage or physical therapy workspace. People now put the diffuser in doctor, chiropractor, dentist, and hotel lobbies. Use in your bedroom, boutique, and classroom. It is made of polypropylene (PP) hard plastic and will endure impact and breakage, and is BPS (bisphenol A)-free.

Kids love to fall asleep watching the 7 colored LED lights dance around in heavenly shades of light pink, dark pink, yellow, light misty green, darker green, turquoise, and lavender using the ‘light’ button. The light can be cascading through all the colors, set to 1 color, or turn off completely and can be set to dim or bright. Use it for a romantic evening with your special person and when getting a massage at your favorite massage therapist. The 100% pure essential oils (not included) give a wonderful heady aroma with therapeutic benefits as well. Give yourself a body, mind, and spiritual experience with this outstanding unit.

It is small, so it’s easy to take with you when traveling at 5.50-inches tall x 3.10-inches across the bottom base.

It is a 5-in-1 unit as a diffuser and putting out a small amount of humidity with the water and is also an ionizer, nightlight, and small air purifier when using the best oils. It uses no heat since there is no heating element in the base.

It holds 100 mL (3.8-ounces) of water and distilled or purified is best to not put hard water minerals inside the base and tube. A measuring cup is included to be helpful filling to the Max line. It does not use filters and there is no beeping tone when it shuts off automatically when the water is low.

Use for winter time colds and flu, sinus congestion, chapped dry hands and lips, and mucous membranes inside the nose. It covers 400-square feet.

The red light is for a continuous mist and the green light is for an intermittent mist of 30-seconds on and 30-seconds off. The unit does not have programmable timer settings. It will operate up to 6-hours and is whisper-quiet, so you can sleep or relax. It will run 3-hours on the continuous mist mode and 6-hours and on 30-second intermittent mist mode, it will run 6-hours and maybe more.

The dimensions are about the size of the iPhone^® 6; see illustration below.

Maintenance is easy by adding a little water and wiping the inside with a soft brush or cotton swab gently. Pour the water out from the opposite side of “air outlet” to avoid getting water into the unit that can damage it. Do not touch the very small electronic board. It produces the internal ultrasonic wave vibrations for the unit to function properly. The unit might stop working and indicate an error if touched with your hands.

Plug the UL^® listed 5.8-foot cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60-Hz outlet in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Other countries will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter to use the unit. The advanced ultrasonic technology is 2.40 MHz. It does not use batteries; it is electric only.

Gift-wrapping is available for Christmas, birthdays, and anytime you want your loved ones to have better health. You will receive a User’s Manual and a 45-day money-back Guarantee if you are not satisfied with a 19-month Warranty. It is made in China.

2. InnoGear® Upgraded Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Aromatherapy Oil Diffuser, 150 mL

The InnoGear^® diffuser was upgraded in November 2017 from 100 mL (3.38-ounces) to 150 mL (5-ounces) of water. The diffuser with many features in a soft white color to match with your décor at home, the office, the professional studio you have, and the kids’ rooms. The 7 LED lights are colorful and fun for kids and adults alike of green, dark blue, red, yellow, pink, light blue, and white will soothe your child when feeling bad or needing some sleep. The lights can be adjusted to dim or bright and fixed in the on position. Have all colors cascading, set to a favorite color, or turn the lights off. It is whisper-quiet to not awaken anyone. The unit is not “waterless” because it uses water! Only nebulizer diffusers use no water.

It has a convenient automatic shut off switch for any room anywhere. Mood uplifting and a stress remover, this pretty essential oil diffuser uses 100% pure essential oils (not included) to eliminate pet odors, stale tobacco smells, and is wonderful in the bedroom for an aromatic fragrance when falling asleep.

When refilling the reservoir, add water below the Max line; less water means more mist. A measuring cup is included for filling the water container and the diffuser is made of polypropylene (PP), a durable plastic.

The InnoGear^® upgraded ultrasonic cool-mist aromatherapy essential oil diffuser is BPA (bisphenol A)-free!

The essential oils and slight humidity helps provide moisture for stuffy noses, sinusitis, dry lips, and skin. It is a 5-in-1 unit being a diffuser, a small humidifier, an ionizer, an air purifier used with oils, and a nightlight. When the water is low, it shuts off automatically. It covers a 100- to 150-square foot area of space.

The 3 operating functions with an intermittent mist of 30-seconds on and 30-seconds off, or if you like, leave it on continuously is convenient. Toggle for the misting button: green/red/off. Green is an intermittent mist cycling at 30-seconds of mist and pausing for 30-seconds. The red button is for a constant mist. You can use “off” for the light changing colors without any mist. It runs for 7- to 9-hours in the continuous mode and 9- to 11-hours in the intermittent mode.

Use the diffuser in your living room, bathroom, child’s room, office, and it is a perfect gift to give to someone. It is so small you can take it on a trip with you. It does not use heat and the 100% pure essential oils (not included) are therapeutic.

Plug the UL^® listed 6-foot cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60-Hz outlet in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The power is 12-Watts. Other countries will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter to use the unit. The advanced ultrasonic technology is 2.40 MHz. It does not use batteries; it is electric only.

The dimensions are 3.90-inches tall x 5.50-inches at the base x 3.90-inches at the middle and it weighs only 7-ounces.

Gift-wrapping is available for holidays and anyone loving aromatherapy. A User’s Manual is included as well as a wall charger A/C adapter, a measuring cup, and a 30-day money-back Guarantee with a 1-year Warranty. The diffuser is made in China and ships from the USA.

3. URPOWER® Wood Grain Ultrasonic Diffuser, 150 mL

The URPOWER^® is a lovely faux wood grain adjustable misting aromatherapy diffuser. Add 150 mL (5.07-ounces) of water to the max line in the tank and it is the perfect size for adding 4-5 drops of your favorite essential oils (not included).

It will cover 215-square feet of space in your home, office, studios, or spas. Use in your baby’s nursery or let your teenagers enjoy it while you buy one for yourself.

Enjoy the 7 changing colors illuminating from the LED lights at dim or bright at the top and at the switch area that will enhance your mood at dinner and at bedtime for the kids. The lights can be totally turned off, run through all colors, or turn off.

It will operate for you from 3- to 4-hours in the continuous mode and over 6-hours running intermittently at 30-seconds off then 30-seconds on.

The diffuser shuts off automatically when low on water. It is portable to take with you wherever you go to sit on your desk top or at the spa.

It is made of PP (polypropylene) and ABS (acetyl butylene styrene) plastic and is BPA-free.

The diffuser measures 6-inches tall x 4.25-inches wide. There is no timer, no USB cable, and it does not use batteries.  The cord attaches to the bottom.

Plug the UL^® listed 6-foot cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60-Hz receptacle in North America for USA and Canadian users.  All other countries will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter to have it operate. The output power is 11-Watts, 500-mA, 2.4-MHz.

Gift-wrapping is available for friends and loved ones. It comes with a User’s Manual and a 1-year manufacturer’s Warranty with a 90-day money-back guarantee if something goes wrong with your unit. It’s made in China.

4. InnoGear® Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Essential Oil Diffuser, 200 mL

The InnoGear^® lovely vase-shaped aromatherapy diffuser is unit at an affordable price. It comes in dark brown made of plastic PP (polypropylene) and ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and is BPA (bisphenol A)-free. The plastic is a faux wood grain and not real wood.

It does not come with a USB cable and does not use batteries. Its improved technology will hold 200 mL (6.8 ounces) of water to the max line to cover 100- to 400-square feet of space. It is not “waterless”; it uses water in the tank. That description always makes me crazy!

With its long-life changing LED lights, it will set the mood being with a loved one and help the kids to get to sleep. Set the light to your one favorite color, turn it off, or let it cascade through all the colors.

The unit is whisper-quiet at about 36 dB with no beep tones setting it on continuous with the red light or green light for intermittent settings. When it is low on water, it will shut off automatically.

Clean the unit inside a few times each week for the best functioning. Oils can clog up the tube especially if they are thick or citrus.

It measures 7.25-inches tall and 4.5-inches wide at the base of the unit.

Plug the white UL^® listed 6-foot cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60-Hz receptacle in North America for USA and Canadian users. All other countries will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter to have it operate. The output is 500-mA.

Gift-wrapping is available for friends and loved ones. It comes with a User’s Manual, the A/C adapter, measuring cup, and a manufacturer’s 45-day money-back guarantee with a 1-year Warranty. It’s made in China.

5. Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser, 450 mL from Baxia Technology Store

The diffuser features classic looks with its sky blue color. The base holds 450 mL (10-ounces) of water, and the band around the middle lights up with the LED lights. The unit does not light; only the middle band. This light is soft and subtle for those of you who do not like the entire unit lighted up.

Put it in your office, home, Yoga or Pilates studio, massage and physical therapy studio, chiropractor, dentist, and doctor offices, hotel/motel lobby and anywhere you want fragrance smelling like a perfume bottle! It’s small to take with you traveling.

A 5-in-1 unit, this is a diffuser, a small humidifier, a negative ionizer to uplift mood, a night light, and an air purifier.

It is wonderful in your baby or toddler’s room using melaleuca also known as tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender, but only use half the adult number of drops for little ones.

The changing colors long-life LED lights will be sure to please and sooth. They will stay at one color that you choose, or turn the light completely off. This diffuser lets you control the brightness and dimness of the lights.

Remove the top part that only sits on the base. It does not screw on or twist or click to lock into place, so be careful. Fill the diffuser’s water reservoir to the Max line with distilled water to eliminate mineral build up from tap water or well water.

Distilled water is cheap at only about $1 per gallon at most stores and is worth it. Add 5-10 drops of 100% pure essential oils (not included) and enjoy a wonderful aromatherapy experience. This unit has no problem with citrus, eucalyptus, peppermint, or heavier oils. The white cord plugs into the base of the unit in the small circle.

The oils also provide therapeutic benefits for congested sinus and nasal passages. The oils you select will additionally remove doggy odors and smoky smells. The mini-humidifier will help dry chapped lips, cracked dry hands, and provide healthier sleeping at night. This is not an air conditioner and does not perform as an air conditioner. Air conditioners remove moisture and this unit provides moisture.

The operating time is about 10-hours at the low-mist setting for 30 mL (0.10 ounces) of moisture in your area of 500-square feet each hour. The humidification area is 65- to 82-square feet. The unit is whisper-quiet so that you can watch TV and have conversations.

Set the timer using the pre-set modes to run 1-, 3-, and 6-hours, or to run constantly until the water is gone with a beep tone. To clean the unit, put clear distilled vinegar in the water tank and let it run 5-10 minutes, rinse, and towel or air dry.

Plug the UL^® listed 6-foot cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60-Hz outlet in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Advanced Ultrasonic Technology is 2.4 MHz. Other countries will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter to use the unit. It does not use batteries; it is electric only.

The diffuser is 6.60-inches wide x 6.60-inches tall x 5.70-inches wide at the top and weighs about 14.4-ounces.

Christmas will be December 25 in the USA and this would be a nice gift then or anytime.

Gift-wrapping is available for family, loved ones, and friends loving aromatherapy diffusers. You will receive with your diffuser the power cord, water measuring cup, and a User’s Manual. The VicTsing^® Company diffuser comes with a 45-day money-back Guarantee, and an 18-month Warranty.

6. URPOWER® Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Essential Oil Diffuser, 400 mL

The URPOWER^® tulip-shaped contemporary Zen look diffuser has many excellent features. It holds a large amount of 400 mL (13.50-ounces) of water to cover about 300-square feet of aromatherapy space. The unit is made of medical grade plastic polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polycarbonate (PC). It is BPA (bisphenol A)-free. The faux wood grain comes in deep brown or black, shown below.

The soft LED lights around the bottom middle and switches are in 7 colors to cascade through all of the colors, set at your favorite color, or turn off. The 4 timer settings of 1-, 3-, or 6-hours and can be set with 2 beep tones for low- or high-mist with 1 beep tone. It does not have an intermittent spray mode. It will run on low about 6-hours and on high about 12-hours. The output is about 30 to 80 mL each hour.

Being whisper-quiet to put the kids to sleep, it will automatically shut off when it’s out of water or the water is low. Fill the base to the Max line with purified or distilled water. Tap water with minerals will leave a residue and white dust on furniture. Add 3 to 5 drops of your favorite essential oils or blends (not included) and enjoy.

Put the stunning tulip looking vase-shaped diffuser in all rooms at home, your office, professional studio, and healthcare facilities. The unit is perfect for summer and winter colds, dry skin, lips, and hands, nasal congestion and will remove doggy odor, cigarette/cigar tobacco odors, and dinner smells.

Plug the UL^® listed 5.5-foot cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz, outlet; power 650 mA, 14-Watts, 2.40 MHz.  Other countries will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter to use the unit. It does not use batteries; it is electric only and cannot be used in vehicles.

Gift-wrapping is available for your loved ones and friends for special occasions and holidays. You will receive the User’s Manual, A/C adapter found inside the bottom base, water measuring cup, and a 6-month Warranty. It is made in China.

7. ASAKUKI™ Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Essential Oil Diffuser, 500 mL

The ASAKUKI™—Japanese for Air in The Morning—is a new diffuser to the marketplace this year originating from Japan. The model number ASKDF0110 is a good choice for all of its qualities. The base is faux wood grain and the LED 7 changing color lights will magically illuminate the top part of the unit. The base will hold 500 mL (17-ounces) of water with distilled or purified being best since city tap water is full of lime scale and minerals to clog it up.

Set the time to run for 60-,120-, or 180-minutes or continuously. You can have the lights on without using the diffuser or turn them off completely. Add 2 to 8 drops of your favorite essential oils (not included) for aromatherapy and healthy benefits. It will run 16-hours on the low-mist setting and about 10-hours on the high-mist mode.

The diffuser will humidify a room using essential oils with aromatherapy up to 296- to 323-square feet and humidify a room up to 269-square feet with water only. The diffuser is a 5-in-1 unit as a diffuser, a small humidifier, a negative ionizer, air purifier, and night light. It has a timer and shuts off automatically when it’s out of water.

Plug the UL^® listed 5.50-foot cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz outlet. Outside the USA, Canada, or Mexico you will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter. The advanced ultrasonic technology is 2.40 MHz. It does not use batteries; it is electric only and cannot be used in vehicles.

The dimensions are 4.76-inches tall x 6.60-inches wide and weighs about 16-ounces.

Gift-wrapping is available for your loved ones, friends, and those on your list for holidays and special occasions. You will receive the User’s Manual, A/C adapter found inside the bottom base, water measuring cup, a 1-year warranty and a 6-month money-back Guarantee. It is designed in Japan and made in China.

8. URPOWER® Square Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Essential Oil Diffuser, 700 mL

This is a one-of-a-kind square diffuser with faux wood accents on the top corner and base. The mist comes out of the wood corner. The diffuser is a 5-in-1 unit in that it not only emits a fragrant mist, but the water mist produces negative ions that boost moods and is calming. It’s like the feeling you get when it’s raining—you feel soothed and want to take a nap.

It is also a nightlight that charms and enchants the kids, and a small humidifier with its vapor of moisture. As a small air purifier, it cleans and disinfects the air with oils that help with that.

Fill the diffuser with 700 mL (24 ounces) of purified or distilled water to run 20-plus hours in the low-mist mode and about 10-hours using the high-mist setting, then it shuts off automatically when the water is low with no beep sound.

City tap water is not the water to use because of minerals and lime scale that clog up diffusers and the tube inside to draw up water for the mist. I use filtered or distilled water at about 99¢ a gallon. Minerals in tap water create a white dust on furniture tops as well. It’s best to change the water each day to avoid mold and bacteria growth. The scale buildup is hard to clean, and mold makes spores for more mold growth wherever it’s damp or wet.

Run the unit continuously or set it to run 1-, 3-, or 6-hours. Just add 5 to 10 drops of 100% pure essential oils (not included) on top of the water and turn on to cover about 800-square feet of space. You and the kids will sleep all night long with the whisper-quiet fan so not to be disturbed.

Set the 7 LED lights to cascade through all of its colors, set to your favorite one color, or turn the lights off completely. You can also set them to dim or bright for how you like it best.

The plastic is made of PP (polypropylene) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). It is BPA (bisphenol A)-free for safe use with babies and children.

When your baby or youngster is congested, try using eucalyptus or peppermint essential oils to relieve congestion and dry mouth and lips. The oils will also reduce stagnant odors such as tobacco, pet smells, and old dinner smells. Citrus oils can also be used with no problems.

The unusual square shape will look great and smell good too harmonizing beautifully with any design pattern in your home. It is also lovely in reception or waiting areas for doctors, chiropractors, bank lobbies, spas, Yoga, Pilates, massage and physical therapist studios, nail, or hair salons, and anywhere you want a heavenly fragrance with therapeutic benefits from the oil you choose. Elders in nursing homes or assisted living would delight in one of these units in their room.

The dimensions are 6.50-inches tall x 6.30-inches wide x 5.70-inches deep.

Plug the 6-foot UL^® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz outlet. Outside the USA, Canada, or Mexico you will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter. It does not use batteries; it is electric only and cannot be used in vehicles.

Gift-wrapping is available for loved ones, family, and everyone for a special gift. You will receive the diffuser, alternating current (A/C) power adapter inside the diffuser base, and User’s Manual. It comes with a 1-year Warranty and is made in China.

9. URPOWER® Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Essential Oil Diffuser, Remote, 1000 mL

The URPOWER^® diffuser is a trendy unit using a remote-control unit! You can control the diffuser keeping the remote nearby such as in bed. Its maximum range is 16-feet (5 meters). It is a 5-in-1 unit as a diffuser and putting out a small amount of humidity with the water and is also an ionizer, nightlight, and small air purifier when using the best oils. It uses no heat since there is no heating element in the base. The plastic is made of PP (polypropylene) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). It holds 1000 mL (33.80-ounces) of water.

You won’t need to add more water the entire day or night. The high mist setting runs 10- to 15-hours and the low mist setting runs for 15- to 20-hours. The mist output is about 50- to 150 mL each hour. The diffuser will cover 430-square feet and the humidification covers 269-square feet.

Set the timer for 3-, 6-, or 9-hours. The lights and unit shut off automatically when the water is low.

The long-life LED lights can change through all the colors, be set at 1 color, or be turned off completely and can be set to dim or bright. You can adjust the lights with the remote too.

When your baby or youngster is congested, try using eucalyptus or peppermint essential oils to relieve congestion and dry mouth and lips. The oils will also reduce stagnant odors such as tobacco, pet smells, and old dinner smells. Citrus oils can also be used with no problems.

Put it at your work desk, home desk, Yoga, and Pilates studios, even at your massage or physical therapy workspace. People now put the diffuser in doctor, chiropractor, dentist, and hotel lobbies. Use in your bedroom, boutique, and classroom.

The dimensions are 6.60-inches x 4.70-inches and it weighs 33-ounces.

Plug the 5.50-foot UL^® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60 Hz outlet. The power is 24-Volts, 650-mA. Outside the USA, Canada, or Mexico you will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter. The advanced ultrasonic frequency is 2.4 MHz. It does not use batteries; it is electric only and cannot be used in vehicles.

Gift-wrapping is available for loved ones, family, and everyone for a special gift. You will receive the diffuser, alternating current (A/C) power adapter inside the diffuser base, remote control unit, and User’s Manual. It comes with a 1-year Warranty and is made in China.

10. Pure Enrichment PureSpa XL Ultrasonic Cool-Mist Essential Oil Diffuser, 2000 mL

The PureSpa is indeed extra-large holding 2000 mL (67.6-ounces or 2.11-quarts) of water to the max line to run even longer times without refilling the water tank. It is white in color and is a lovely tall thin unit.

It’s actually a 5-in-1 diffuser. All ultrasonic diffusers using water are a diffuser, a small humidifier, an ionizer, an air purifier, and a night light. If you need a large amount of humidity, buy a humidifier.

It’s an ionizer because water naturally produces negative ions that leave you feeling calm and peaceful. The rain, waterfalls, rivers, and many other natural water producing elements do that as well and it’s healthy.

Using 100% pure essential oils (not included) will refresh your home removing stale odors and doggy smells. The aromatherapy you gain from the oils will give you a wonderful heady aroma. It does not come with a USB cable and does not use batteries.

Complementing any décor, the diffuser will look gorgeous wherever you put it such as your living room, massage studio, physical therapy room, and more. The device automatically shuts off when it’s low on water.

Set this very quiet diffuser to a low- or high-mist level depending on what you like best. Low will give you 50-hours of run time and high will run about 22-hours covering 350-square feet. It has a rainbow of colors in the long-life LED lights and they can be turned off.

The dimensions are 12-inches tall x 5.9-inches wide at the base and it weighs 1.6-pounds empty. The cord attaches at the back side towards the bottom.

Plug the UL^® listed cord into a 110/120-Volt, 50/60-Hz receptacle in North America for USA and Canadian users. All other countries will need to buy a 220/240-Volt adapter to have it operate. The output power is 12-Watts.

Gift-wrapping is available for friends and loved ones. It comes with a User’s Manual, water cup, and a 1-year manufacturer’s Warranty. It’s made in China.

Features to Look for Choosing the Right Diffuser

When you are shopping for one or more diffusers, you might be new to it and not know what to look for. People using diffusers for a long time pretty much know what is best for them. Hopefully, these hints will give you some ideas when looking at diffusers in the marketplace.

Each brand of essential oil diffuser has different features. Some features are similar while others are different. Remember this is a discussion about diffuser features, not what each brand will do. If you want to use many citrus oils, be sure to find a diffuser that does that. Not all diffusers use citrus such as grapefruit, orange, and lemon.

Attractiveness and Appeal

The first thing most of us look at is how pretty and colorful a diffuser is. We check the shape and then we look for the features we like most. We might want something charming, sophisticated, simple, glamorous, complex, or whimsical. We might want animal or train shapes for our kids. Diffusers add flair to your home or business décor. They are trendy and some are contemporary with shapes such as candles, rocks, pyramids, vases, and some are freeform. Please read on.

Where to use Diffusers

Nearly everyone wants a diffuser everywhere today. We are passionate about our essential oil diffusers for aromatherapy and therapeutic benefits. They can be placed in your home in every room, in the children’s rooms, in the bathroom, kitchen, and basement. Many want diffusers at their office desk. Professional offices want them in their waiting area and some dentists have them in the patient’s area. Hotel lobbies keep them around and some are portable to take with you in your hotel room.

Water Capacity

Do you want it to hold lots of water such as 500 mL (16 ounces) or 80 mL (2.7 ounces) or less or even more? Does it matter? Do you want to refill it several times a day or have it run all night? Water capacity is something you will want to consider. The greater the amount of water the unit uses the longer the mist will run. And, of course, less water means less misting time.

Water Type

Most diffuser manufacturers tell you to use tap water at the sink. Well, if you want mineral build-up and lime scale, you will have more cleaning to do with your diffuser. A gallon of distilled water is only about $1 at most stores and is well worth the cost to use it only. Your diffuser will function better and longer if you use distilled, purified, or soft water. What will clog your diffuser are thick oils with resins. They can clog the openings where the mist comes out.

Diffuser Materials

Plastic—Some manufacturers use plastic only for water tanks. Some use plastic for the entire body and tank of the diffuser. We now want no toxins in our plastics known as BPA-free (Bisphenol A). BPA is a synthetic compound and is toxic. Check for the BPA-free label or words when searching for diffusers. Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic polymer used from everything from car parts to carpeting. The PP, PU (Polyurethane), and PUR (Polyurethane) are hard, tough, strong, thick, and durable plastics that are heat resistant. They are not ‘bad’ plastics. Using BPA-free plastics means that when you are using essential oils in your diffuser you will not have chemicals leaching into your oils.

Ceramics—are made from the dirt of the earth and are not harmful. We use ceramic (terra cotta) cookware, dinnerware, and many other ceramic products daily. Diffusers made from ceramic are not harmful, are beautiful, and earthy.

Glass—is made from the sand of the earth and the best glass comes from sand in Kokomo, Indiana. Founded in 1888, Kokomo is the place for American art glass. When you use diffusers made of glass, not only are they beautiful and artfully shaped for your home, they will not be toxic in any way.

Stainless-Steel—diffusers are high quality and the material is tough and sturdy. We use stainless-steel in our cookware and bakeware and it’s the perfect solution for wonderful things. Stainless-steel is made from the basic elements in the earth: iron ore, chromium, silicon, and nickel. No health problems will be found using stainless-steel.

Wood—many diffusers are made of another earthy material, wood. They too are great diffusers to have around and use for their beauty and functionality.

Diffuser Size, Weight, and Stability

Size matters. Will it fit on the dresser, the night stand, the fireplace mantel, the desk at the office, the seating area at the doctor’s office—and many more places people use their diffusers. Do you want round or thin? Square or bulky? Do you want a remote-control unit or can you live without it? Each brand will show you this information. If you want to take your diffuser with you in your satchel or purse, then a smaller more compact unit will be the best for you.

Diffusers come in different weights from small at about 6-ounces to 1.5-pounds without water. They provide rubber feet to offer stability eliminating slipping and falling over making a watery mess everywhere. Most have silicone feet or a rubberized bottom.

Misting Area

You can select diffusers to mist an area of 50- to 1000-square feet. From the size of a bathroom to the entire open living area, you will find a unit for your space. So for large or small rooms, select the diffusers having the range of coverage for your needs. It’s possible you will need more than one unit. They are affordable and last a long time with proper care.

Misting Time

It is convenient to have the diffuser run for a long time so that you can forget about it. But then maybe you don’t want it to run all day or night. If you want it to run only to remove dinner odors, then maybe, you only need a unit that runs for 3-hours and shuts off. Speaking of shutting off, some units shut off automatically and some do not.

Read further for discussing the shutting off features and functionality for diffusers. Some 100% essential oil diffusers can operate for 10-hours and more. Each brand has its specific timer settings. The more oils you use with the mist mode set on high, the shorter amount of time it will run and the more oil will be used.

Some diffusers use settings to include interval misting every 20- or 30-seconds, so the oil diffuser mists in surges. If you do not want to run the diffuser until the water tank is empty, you can choose to run a larger-capacity diffuser for 30-, 60-, or 180-minutes and it shuts off automatically after the timer stops.

Airflow Output

This feature would let you vary the air pressure for scattering the essential oil mist. It is comparable to how fast you operate a fan. It is the speed setting of low, medium, or high on the diffuser.

LED Lights

Some of us like lights and some of us do not want lights. Most units have a light display that is magnificent cascading from one color to another—the entire rainbow—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (ROY G BIV helps me remember).

Lights are pretty, calming, and cool to look at. Lights do not offer any health benefits, unless you simply want to feel relaxed from them. Some lights rotate blending into one another to have double the lights.

Some diffusers let you run the essential oil mist with or without lights, and some stay on one color only. Lights can be used for night lights for the kids or yourself. Some brands provide lights that have dimming and brightening capabilities. Diffusers also are available with no lights except a tiny light at the on/off switch and some people like this.

Noise Level

Some diffusers are whisper-quiet and some are a bit noisier. Many sound similar to a trickling waterfall that can be soothing and calming, yet others find even that slight sound to be disturbing. Search brands to find the one suitable for your hearing preference that will not be earsplitting to you.

Most diffuser’s sound will allow for conversations, movie watching, and reading. Make sure it’s not so close to you to be disturbing. Many users sleep with them close to their head on nightstands at night.

Automatic Shut Off

You want to be safe when using a diffuser for the baby’s nursery and kid’s room. In fact, you want to sleep 8-hours without having to worry about the unit burning up. On the other hand, you might only want to use it a few hours and turn it off yourself. Both types are available.

Almost all diffusers today come with an automatic shut-off feature. When the unit runs out of water in the tank, it shuts down. This is a great feature for safety. When you are occupied with other things, you need have no concerns with this function.

Power

There are units that run on electricity and others that run by battery only. Some brands are made for USA only voltage of 110/120-Volts, 50/60 Hz. Other brands accommodate buyers using them outside the USA in Europe or other countries that use 220/240-Volts.

Maintenance and Cleaning

Cleaning a diffuser is quick and easy. Try a little liquid dish detergent in warm water using a cotton swab for the nooks and crannies. Rinse with cool water and towel dry. Paper towels stick and leave pieces, so a cloth towel is best. If you have sticky oil gunk, use one-fourth cup of clear distilled vinegar alone and let the diffuser run 15-minutes.

Empty the vinegar and rinse with cool water. To remove the vinegar smell let it run a few times with distilled water. Or, you can use rubbing alcohol rather than vinegar.

Warranties and User’s Guides

Check for the length of the Warranty when you search for diffusers. Most manufacturers offer a 1-year Warranty and others guarantee their product for 6-months. Other diffuser sellers offer less time for their guarantees and warranties. Most will stand behind a diffuser with defects in workmanship or if you are dissatisfied. The diffuser box usually has instructions. If not, the website will have a download for the items.

Tips for Using Essential Oil Diffuser

• Always talk with your doctor before using diffusers with essential oils if you have any medical conditions, are pregnant, or nursing.
• Do not use around babies, pets, and the elderly.
• Always purchase essential oils from a reputable company who will refund your money or the oils if you are not completely satisfied.
• Do not mix essential oils unless you know what you are doing.
• Read the instruction manual that comes with your diffuser and use it and clean it the way the manufacturer suggests.
• Remember that USA 110/120-Volt adapters do not work in 220/240-Volt outlets in Europe or other countries. Some diffusers do use both voltages. Check to see if a step-down transformer will work outside the USA or the voltage will burn out the unit forever.

Final Thoughts

We have given you information about diffuser/humidifier combinations. Feel confident, choosing what you like, and read the reviews. The units are not that expensive, so try a few different types with different functions.

Once you are addicted to essential oils misting gently at you with an ultrasonic or nebulizer diffuser—the best ones—you will be on a journey trying all of the wonderful 100% pure essential oils online.

Do not buy oils in the grocery store, big box stores, or department stores. They are usually watered down and are not the pure good oils. Happy shopping and come back to our site often for new things!

You might want to know:

• Diffusers and Humidifier Differences: Which to Buy and Why
• Ultrasonic and Nebulizer Diffusers Compared – What is Your Choice?
• Top 5 Best Portable Essential Oil Diffusers for Your Car Traveling
• Top 10 Best Essential Oil Brands for Diffusers