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Louryn Strampe
Gear
Keep things smelling fresh with these handy home gadgets.
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-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Louryn-Strampe.jpg "The Best Essential Oil Diffusers (3)")
The Best Essential Oil Diffuser
Urpower 300ml Aroma Essential Oil (2nd Gen)
Read more-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Kat-Merck.jpg "The Best Essential Oil Diffusers (4)")
Best for Luxury Scents
Pura Smart Diffuser
Read more-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Louryn-Strampe.jpg "The Best Essential Oil Diffusers (5)")
This Diffuser Is Just OK
Aroma360 Mini Pro Scent Diffuser
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Nobody wants a stinky house. An essential oil diffuser can help disperse fragrance throughout your home, and the internet is full of similar-looking picks at all sorts of price ranges. I dug into a few popular options—like our top pick, the Urpower Aroma ($30)—to try and find diffusers that’ll freshen the air without causing more trouble than they’re worth.
Be sure to check out our related buying guides, including the Best Scented Candles, the Best Bedsheets, and the Best Robot Vacuums.
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How We Tested and What’s Up Next
I tested each diffuser for at least two hours and had the help of friends and family to ascertain how strong a scent was over time. I left the room for a few minutes and walked back in, and I tried every mode and option possible. I have additional diffusers to test from Homedics, Urpower, Seasons, and more. Be on the lookout for results in a future update.
Scent Diffuser Safety and Tips
Scent diffusers primarily work in two different ways: Ultrasonic diffusers mix water and oil into a fine, lightly-scented mist, and nebulizers blow air through oil to produce a more strongly-scented mist. Nebulizers can be louder and tend to cost more, but ultrasonic diffusers require water refills and don‘t produce as strong of a scent.
Some ultrasonic diffusers recommend using distilled water, though tap water is fine. Just be aware that tap water can leave sediment or hard water deposits behind. You should clean your diffuser every three or four uses.
Essential oils can be purchased in blends or single concentrated scents. If you have pets, some essential oils pose risks and can even be poisonous. Essential oils are most dangerous if applied topically to pets—a diffuser used for a short amount of time in a well-ventilated room doesn’t pose as much risk. But it’s important to monitor them and use caution, since sensitivities can vary from pet to pet. This pamphlet has more information on specific oils that can be harmful to cats and dogs. Always consult your vet before proceeding.
Scent Diffusers We Don’t Recommend
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Hotel Collection Acoustic Studio Pro Scent Diffuser for $130: It’s unclear which owns which, but Hotel Collection is related to Aroma360 (above). The diffusers use the same expensive proprietary scent pods that start at $55. I used My Way, which is inspired by 1 Hotel and smells like leather, amber, and sandalwood. It smelled great. This diffuser works well, and the remote was easy to pair. But the reason I was excited to try it is that it has a built-in Bluetooth speaker. Lo and behold, the Bluetooth wouldn’t work. I couldn’t get it to enter pairing mode no matter how many times I read the instruction manual or what buttons I tried to press. It’s a pass for me.
| Type | Nebulizer |
| Additional Features | Speaker (allegedly) |
| Oil Type | Proprietary |
| Remote? | Yes |
Louryn Strampe is a product writer and reviewer at WIRED covering beauty, home goods, and gifts. During her five-year tenure at WIRED and throughout her 12-year career, she has written about everything from food to sleep to video games. She previously wrote for Future PLC and Rakuten. She resides in ... Read more
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