A Complete Buying Guide to Oil Diffuser

There are hundreds of essential oil diffusers that you can pick from anywhere from $10 to $100 or more. We want to help you through the purchasing process to determine the best essential oil diffuser for you.

Essential oils are plant extracts with soothing, purifying, or even revitalizing effects. Unique instruments are devoted to the diffusion of these oils in the air to reap their impacts at home. Here’s our recommendation for you to pick the best essential oil diffuser, know how to do it and which oils to use.

What is an oil diffuser?

Diffusing or releasing essential oils through the air is one of the most common methods of using essential oils. A diffuser is an electrical gadget that spreads the essential oil of your choosing in your room or house for the time you choose. It produces a very enticing scent and is safe—as long as it you use it properly.

What are the different types of oil diffusers?

There are four common types of diffusers, including nebulizing, ultrasound, heat, and evaporative diffusers. Each diffuser has its particular way of placing essential oils in the air so that you can make use of their beneficial effects. With these four options, how are you going to determine which one will fit better for you? To help you decide what to pick from, we’ve broken down how each diffuser functions and some pros and cons for each diffuser.

What’s a nebulizing oil diffuser?

A nebulizing diffuser is one that breaks down the essential oil into tiny fragments using a high-speed, pressurized air stream and jet nozzle. Upon releasing the oil from the diffuser, it goes into the air in a fine cloud. The fine mist formed by the nebulizing diffuser does not change the chemical structure or fragrance—it spreads the whole oil at once instead of in stages. (Some diffusers emit the lighter chemical compounds first and then the heavy ones later.) The particle size is often small enough to be quickly inhaled and used for aromatherapy.

What We Like:

• Does not use heat or water 
• Release the whole oil into the air for maximum gain

What We Don’t Like:

• Most costly diffusers to use, and purchase 
• It uses even more oil than other diffusers.
• It may be noisier relative to other diffusers.

What’s an ultrasonic oil diffuser?

This famous form of diffuser uses water and electronic frequencies to generate slight fog from essential oil and water. A small disk forms ultrasonic vibrations under the water’s surface, which allows the essential oil to break up into tiny micro-particles.

What We Like:

• Require only a limited volume of essential oil
• No heat is needed to create mist in an ultrasonic essential oil diffuser.
• It functions as a diffuser and a humidifier.
• Great value for the money
• Very little or no noise associated with ultrasonic diffusers
• Suitable for nighttime use

What We Don’t Like:

• Only a small amount of the mist is vital to oil.
• Dispersion of the oil depends on the air current already in the room.

What is the heating oil diffuser?

As the name suggests, heat diffusers are using heat components to make the essential oil steadily evaporate into the air. Often the heat of the critical oil diffusers uses oil mixed with water. Some heat diffusers use very high heat levels to create a better fragrance. The most substantial heat diffusers use low heat to prevent a dramatic shift in the oils’ chemical constituents.

What We Like:

• Cost-efficient 
• A quiet way to disperse the scent of essential oil in the room

What We Don’t Like:

• The heat used can alter the properties of the oil at the molecular level.
• The aromatic benefit of the oil may be diminished or modified.

What is the evaporating oil diffuser?

Evaporative diffusion uses airflow to disperse the smell of essential oils to the region. A fan blasts air through a filter, such as a tissue or pad with the essential oils dumped on it. Moving air allows the oil to evaporate rapidly and to blow vaporized oil into and around the room.

When using an evaporative essential oil diffuser, forming the oil in segments, the lighter critical oil components evaporate first, while the heavier elements evaporate last.

What We Like:

• A discreet way to disperse the scent of oil quickly across the room

What We Don’t Like:

• It might not be as effective as a process. 
• Not all the entire oil components are diffused at the same time.

How To Choose A Diffuser

When selecting your essential oil diffuser, we urge you to take into consideration the following criteria:

Diffusion method

Essential oil diffusers using a cold device (nebulization, ventilation) have the advantage of not altering the consistency of crucial oils, which remain intact throughout the distribution process. As with heat diffusers, they are quiet, unlike those using misting and, in particular, those using nebulizing methods, which produce a faint crackling. Besides being very easy to manage, these specific types of diffusers are also the cheapest ones on the market. However, it is worth noting that the oils used in these products are less potent when they are heated.

Dissemination field

The area protected by an aromatherapy diffuser is the second most critical criterion to be considered. This same metric affects the price and the size of the product: smaller diffusers cover a smaller region than larger diffusers. Many people think the nebulizer essential oil diffusers as the most complex and large-area types. The area covered shall be measured in square feet and shall be shown on the product. E.g., in the case of a room or workshop, a diffuser covering 160 square meters is appropriate. Meanwhile, if you choose to use your diffuser in ample living space, we will encourage you to select a larger protected area (270 sq).

Power source format

Some diffusers in a lightweight and versatile configuration help you take them around (when traveling, at the office, etc.). They are practical and affordable, but they cover a limited area. Besides having no visible cables, you can carry the rechargeable diffusers across space without the need for a power socket nearby.

Design and aesthetics

Several different diffusers come in various materials: wood, steel, rubber, etc. Know that it’s a matter of taste, while wood diffusers are usually more durable than ceramic or glass diffusers, which may help if yours falls off. Try to select a model that limits the diffuser’s fouling, which could obstruct the area devoted to diffusing oils.

In the end, you’ve got to do what is best for you and your budget. If you’re going to use the diffuser for several years to come, you might want to invest in something durable. However, if it’s something you’ll only use for a while, avoid heating elements and plastic materials. A cheaper one would be enough.