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9 Best Essential Oil Diffusers for Reaping Aromatherapy Benefits
They're our favorite way to elevate the atmosphere.

Is your atmosphere feeling a little too dry? Using a diffuser is one way to instantly freshen things up, adding some moisture to the air while circulating the scent of your choice softly throughout your space.
Ultrasonic oil diffusers are the most popular and widely available type of diffusers, only needing a small amount of distilled water and a few drops of essential oil to operate. When switched on, a small disc located at the base of the device vibrates at an incredibly fast speed, disrupting the water held inside and breaking apart the water and oil molecules so that they turn to vapor. The mist is then channeled out of the device in a mesmerizing, billowing plume.
The Best Diffusers
Why Use a Diffuser?
Since most essential oil diffusers are equipped with built-in timers, you can run them any time of day without having to monitor them like you would with a lit candle. Sara Panton, founder and CEO of the essential oil brand Vitruvi, says, “Diffusing oils in the morning that help to open the lungs and promote deep breathing to energize the brain and body is a great way to start your day.”
She recommends citrus scents and fresh spruce as being the best for morning aromatherapy. Conversely, bedtime diffusing is an enjoyable, restful ritual all on its own. “Put the diffuser on an hour before you think you’re going to sleep to help pre-scent your bedroom before resting,” Panton says.
These devices are a fantastic alternative to air fresheners and scented candles because they don't disperse potentially harmful, unknown chemicals into the air, and the ultrasonic operation doesn't pose a significant fire-hazard risk. Just make sure that you're only using pure, naturally derived essential oils with your diffuser to prevent headaches and other health issues.
Finally, remember to thoroughly clean your oil diffuser after every use. We've found that letting the device run with water and a capful of white vinegar helps to break up any stubborn oil residue so that you can rinse it clean afterward.
What to Consider
Even though choosing your diffuser can be largely intuitive depending on taste, there are still a few specs to keep in mind:
Size
Essential oil diffusers vary in size, with smaller ones being more portable from room to room or even to your car or packable in luggage during travel. Smaller diffusers are also less obtrusive and integrate easier into existing décor. Larger diffusers have bigger reservoirs, can have longer operating times, and require less frequent refills, but can also look bulky and take up more space.
Coverage
Matching your diffuser to your intended room size is a good way to ensure you get the most out of your home fragrance apparatus. Many diffusers indicate how wide their mist radius is or whether they're good for small, average, medium, or larger spaces.
Noise
Like jewelry, the best oil diffusers are seen and not heard. Though most on the market are virtually silent or unnoticeable, some may still have larger fans that emit a discernible hum and can be distracting, especially if you plan on using your machine in a zone-out space.
Extras
Are you a fan of flashing rainbow LED lights? Auto-shutoff? Remote controls? Music? All or none of the above? Once you've got the basics down pat, all other accessories and extra features are either completely necessary or completely not, depending on your preference.
Now that you have all of the essential info on essential oil diffusers, check out our favorite ultrasonic models that let you reap all of their aromatherapeutic benefits.
Eunice Lucero-Lee is the Senior Editor for Best Products, and is a beauty, astrology, and pop culture obsessive whose work has been featured in publications such as Cosmopolitan, Esquire, The Numinous, and woman&home, among many others. A (very) proud cat mom, she spends her time in Manhattan obsessing over celebrity natal charts, luxury skincare, and Scandi-noir, as well as finding the perfect K-Pop vid to save the day. She can order drinks perfectly in Korean.
Melanie Yates is the senior service editor of Best Products, where she writes and reports pieces pertaining to the etiquette, dilemmas, and how-tos of gift-giving for different occasions. Previously, she was the site's senior home editor, covering all things decor- and bedding-related since 2015. Her digital byline can also be found on Bustle, House Beautiful, and Elle Decor. A longtime classical-music enthusiast, Melanie spends her off-hours enjoying performances big and small across New York City.
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