15 best electric diffusers for a spa experience at home, tried and tested
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With the ability to uplift our mood through the diffusion of scents, the best electric diffusers create an ambience reminiscent of a luxurious spa. There's not much better than opening your front door and catching a waft of a beautiful scent, especially after a long and stressful day.
While scented candles are gorgeous, you’re dealing with a wick to trim, smoke consuming the air and an open flame. With electric diffusers – or nebulising diffusers, as they're often otherwise referred to – you can fill your home with calming, restorative or energising scents while eradicating the extra fuss and potential risks.
So, how exactly do they work? These nifty diffusers emit a continuous stream of mist containing drops of essential oil at a high air pressure into your room, filling a space of any size with a beautiful scent and allowing you to reap the potential benefits of aromatherapy.
What's more? They're often fairly affordable to run, can be left unattended thanks to automated time settings, and many of them double up as other appliances like mood lights, speakers or stylish pieces of home decor. Sound good? We think so too. Ahead, you'll find everything you could possibly need to know, including answers to all your FAQs.
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The best electric diffusers 2024 - our top picks:
- Best overall: Textured Ceramic Electronic Diffuser, £80, The White Company
- Best value: Sage Green Essential Oil Electric Aroma Diffuser, £45, Oliver Bonas
- Best for bedrooms: Neom Organics London Luxe Wellbeing Pod, £108, LookFantastic
- Best gift set: Electronic Diffuser & Set of 3 Signature Fragrance Oils Set, £95, The White Company
Meet the experts:
- Robert Tisserand – one of the world's leading experts in aromatherapy and founder of Tisserand Aromatherapy.
- Jo Kellett – essential oils expert at Tisserand.
What are the benefits of electric diffusers?
Essential oil diffusers use ultrasonic pulses to blend drops of essential oil with water before circulating a fragranced, cool mist around your room. Electric diffusers have the power to fill your space with subtly-scented purified air that helps you feel relaxed or perhaps more focused – depending on which essential oil you choose (more on that later). But that's not all. Investing in an essential oil diffuser also allows you to take advantage of the benefits of aromatherapy.
According to Robert Tisserand, an Essential Oil Educator and Aromatherapy Expert from California, "Clinical studies have shown that aromatherapy by inhalation can have real benefits for people with, for example, anxiety, [problems with] mental focus, depressive symptoms, and menstrual pain."
Further research has supported this, showing that essential oils can interact with the brain and nervous system to positively impact your health and mood. That said, Jo Kellett – essential oils expert at Tisserand – added that essential oils should not be applied directly to the skin, even with their numerous benefits. Indeed, Jo explained, “Essential oils need to be diluted before being applied to the skin in either a base oil, lotion, or cream, for example. They are concentrated essences that can, if used neat, cause a severe skin reaction, or over time build up a sensitivity to that essential oil.” Enter: the essential oil aroma diffuser.
When essential oils are concentrated in an essential oil diffuser – and subsequently inhaled – they can easily stimulate the olfactory system in the brain. Thus, running an ultrasonic diffuser can effectively reduce feelings of anxiety and stress – and help you nod off to sleep.
What are the best essential oils to use in an electric diffusers?
One of the best things about investing in an essential oil diffuser is that you can switch up the oils you’re using depending on your needs at that time. Lavender is good to help you relax before bed (we recommend the Tisserand Lavender Essential Oil), while rosemary will help you stay focused when you're working from home. Cedarwood, lemon, bergamot, vanilla, lemongrass, orange and valerian are good for stress and anxiety, while peppermint is good for a mood boost.
Is it OK to use a diffuser every day?
Yes. Essential oil diffusers are safe, and their risk of harm is minimal. In fact, inhalation is arguably the safest means of administering essential oils like eucalyptus or tea tree. To be extra safe, when shopping for your essential oil blend, be sure that it specifically says on the bottle or website that it’s considered safe for internal consumption. This means the essential oil is safe to diffuse indoors and is high-quality.
Jo explains one of the ways she ensures her oils are still safe for use if you've owned them for a long time: “Essential oils may change odour or colour and more importantly may cause skin sensitivity if used beyond their best before date. We, therefore, recommend that you use your essential oils within one year of opening them to minimise this risk.” She continues: “A good way to keep a check on this is to place a sticker on your bottle with the date of opening.” Take note.
Do electric diffusers use a lot of electricity?
Not particularly, and they're not particularly expensive to run. If you're worried, you go for something cordless or powered via USB that you can simply plug-in. You just need a few drops of essential oil and some water, and you're good to go.
How we tested the best essential oil diffusers
We surveyed the GLAMOUR office to find out what editors and wellness experts look for in the best electric diffuser. Then, we tested every model over a period of at least one month in our homes, adhering to our strict testing criteria, assessing each one on factors like fragrance intensity, ease of use, automatic shut-off, water capacity and design. Our edit features only the electric diffusers our testers really loved – and we've outlined the pros and cons of each to make your choice even easier.
For more from GLAMOUR UK's Commerce Writer Mayola Fernandes, follow her on Instagram @mayolafernandess.