You've probably heard of a room diffuser but if you haven't, it's a small gadget that fills the air (whether you have a small or large room) with very small, breathable particles of essential oils which give the room a calmer and often relaxing ambience. We love them for giving your home fragrance a boost much more efficiently than a scented candle and many even come with changing-colour lights too, helping to create an ambient mood whether you're in your living room, bedroom, or bathroom.
Some people turn on their room diffusers in the morning to help them get into an energetic mindset while others prefer to have them on at night to help them sleep. You can choose from many different essential oils such as floral scents, fruity ones or muskier smells and there are many blends created for specific goals, such as helping you de-stress or boost your energy.
They're simple to use too. Just add water and the essential oil of your choice, then turn it on for the ultrasonic systems to turn the water into a fine mist that spreads the scent of essential oil around the room.
Remember to not use a diffuser with essential oils until your baby is three months or older.
If a room diffuser sounds right up your street, check out our favourites below to help you fill the room with a delicate and fragrant atmosphere to suit every mood imaginable.
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Best room diffusers
We love Neom products as they just smell fantastic and this diffuser lives up to the brand’s reputation. You’ll be relaxed in minutes with this beautiful ceramic diffuser that'll instantly release a fine mist of calming aromatherapy oil blend into the air. Set the timer for continuous, one, two or three hours and try using the LED light for an ambient glow. The Neom diffuser comes with an essential oil, and you can choose from a range of wellbeing boosting scents such as 'Moment of Calm', 'Bedtime Hero', and 'Scent to De-Stress'.
Review: "I have wanted to treat myself to this beauty for a while now. After another weekend away had to be cancelled due to COVID I thought what better way to perk me up. So glad I did. The pod makes working from home so much more pleasurable and helps to create the ultimate zen atmosphere for my at-home yoga YouTube sessions. Love it!!! Can’t wait to add to my collection of oils."
Tisserand Aromatherapy Aroma Spa Diffuser comes with ultrasonic aroma technology and is small, light, and easy to use. The controls are simple and you can choose from different light and mist modes - have the light on or off and choose between continuous mist, or 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off.
Review: 'Really love this diffuser and quite simple to use. You put about a cup of water in the bottom part of it and then add any oils you want by dropping into the water and then put the cone over the top. It has a little vent in the top for the steam to come out of. You only need oils in future, there are no parts or filters that need changing. It has a low voltage cable to power it that needs plugging in.'
If you truly want to slip into a moment of mindfulness, you can go completely hands-free with the ASAKUKI Wi-Fi Smart Essential Oil Diffuser. This essential oil diffuser can be perfectly controlled via the Tuya Smart app, and is even compatible with Amazon Echo so it can operated with Alexa. You can adjust the light settings, time settings, mist density, and even schedule it to come on at set times. With a large 700ml capacity, this is a top pick for larger living spaces with up to 16 hours of run time.
Review: "I don’t usually write reviews, but this is fantastic!! I’ve got a bit of a pongy dog and other air fresheners just don’t help. This works brilliantly. It’s in the living room but makes the whole downstairs smell lovely. Love the changing LED lights. As far as the noise is concerned I like the sound of tinkling water and with the telly on you can hardly hear it anyway. Would defo recommend"
www.oliverbonas.com
Available in cream, sage green, and grey, this diffuser is, simply put, beautiful. We love the ceramic ridged texture finish that'll effortlessly fit in with your home decor. It comes with six different mood lights that are subtle and relaxing to create the ambience you need and it has four different time settings; pick between 30 minutes, an hour, two hours or three.
Review: "Great product! Easy to set up and use. Lights make for a great atmosphere during diffusion, timer function works well. I really enjoy using this to relax after a long day, and to make a cosy environment during a grey winter's afternoon."
Ultra-quiet, this oil diffuser comes at a great price and has seven changing lights. Each of them is adjustable between bright and dim modes to suit the time of day or mood you want to create. There are three modes to choose from: Adjustable Mist Mode, Intermittent Mist (30 seconds on/30 seconds off) and Continuous Mist. With rave reviews on Amazon, this diffuser will fill the space with your chosen fragrance to help you unwind and relax.
Review: "I wondered about this for a long time before I bought it. It is quite basic but it does all the necessary things and it is a good price. I have now had this for two years and it is still going strong. I have used it for fragrance in my house and for putting eucalyptus oil in when we have colds and it really helps. I lent it out to family members with little ones when they had colds and they have now bought their own."
madebyzen.com
With a slim, sleek design, this is little diffuser is ideal for the office, travelling, at home, or wherever you want to enjoy your favourite fragrance on the go – it’s powered by USB and will give a boost of fragrance and serenity for up to four hours. It's super easy to operate; simply twist the lid to fill and go, and the one button operation gives you the option to add an ambient light halo as it diffuses.
Having tried and tested this one ourselves, we found that it completely lived up to expectations with the soothing aroma instantly scenting the room, despite its more compact size. As it is USB charged, it will only last up to the four-hour mark so you need to make sure to charge ahead of time. However, it's perfect for travelling with so you can feel relaxed wherever you may be.
www.johnlewis.com
With a 100ml tank for you to fill with water and your choice of oil, this absolutely gorgeous Esteban Art Deco Light Effects Diffuser will look beautiful on your chosen shelf and create a luminous fragrance with variations of intensity. It's so pretty, it'd make a great gift too. It comes with a remote control to change the light and mist settings (alternate 30 seconds or continuous for three hours) with three light intensities. There's also a candlelight effect for creating the calm and soothing ambience you need.
Review: "This product is brilliant! Having a remote to turn on the diffuser makes is so easy to use. I love how you can have different functions for the light having it dimmed or flicker. You'll never need a reed diffuser again. Makes a brilliant gift."
www.thewhitecompany.com
A stylish addition to any home, this diffuser from The White Company will deliver the perfect amount of scent in minutes, while also adding moisture to the air. We love the beautiful ceramic design which will transform your space with uplifting fragrances at the touch of a button. Choose how long your diffuser will release scent for: 180 minutes, 120 minutes or 60 minutes.
Review: "This product is the best!!! I absolutely love it. So way to use and the fragrance fills the room - definitely recommend and I will be buying a second one!"
www.marksandspencer.com
Similar in design to the Oliver Bonas diffuser, this one comes with a slightly more affordable price tag. M&S have delivered with their Electric Diffuser Gift Set which comes with calm fragrance oil included. Sleek and silent, it'll infuse your living space for up to six hours with a warm illuminating LED light, just without the colour options.
Review: "Bought this as a mothers day gift. My mum absolutely loved it. It comes with oil to use. It's absolutely silent, the light is a lovely feature. Bought separate oils from Etsy and distributed the scent beautifully. Am going to purchase again for myself and other family members. A better alternative to reed diffusers and looks like a small vase."
If you're working with a tight budget, or just want to try a cheaper version out before buying something a little more luxurious, Airwick has created their own compact diffuser with adjustable intensity and frequency of mist to suit your room. With an updated design that we think looks rather chic, this battery-powered diffuser comes with a fragrance included that'll last up to 45 days of continuous, long-lasting fragrance per refill, or 135 days on the lowest setting.
Review: "Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the new love of my life. So compact yet so powerful and easy to use. Omg, the smell guys I'm in heaven - most of all you don't even know it's there until your hit with that burst of freshness... it's quiet [unlike] the sudden spray ones that would scare me from time to time."
Which essential oils should you use?
Choosing an essential oil to use in your new room diffuser really depends on your mood. Here are some of the most popular essential oils - simply add a few drops and you'll be able to enjoy a moment of serenity in no time.
• Lavender: Calming, relaxing
• Peppermint: Uplifting, invigorating
• Eucalyptus: Clarifying (often used if you have a cold or blocked nose)
• Tea Tree: Cleansing
• Grapefruit: Uplifting, refreshing
• Sweet Orange: Balancing, freshening
• Patchouli: Grounding, relaxing
• Bergamot: Energising, purifying
• Lemongrass: Cleansing, uplifting