For many people, the best essential oil diffusers have become increasingly, well, essential for anyone struggling to wind down and switch off. The way in which these gadgets help is actually pretty straightforward (and not all that dissimilar to scented candles): Drawing on the principles of aromatherapy, the essential oils placed within these diffusers stimulate the body and mind’s response to certain scents. The result? With the right scents, essential oil diffusers can be a cheat code to create a calm and sleep-inducing environment. (It’s about more than just having the best mattress, after all.)
Whether you’re looking to secure better sleep, reduce anxiety, or simply want to fill your living space with a simple yet sensational mist of superior scents, our pick of the best oil diffusers will both nail the brief and look good while doing it. From ultrasonic diffusers to options with light changes and mist modes (plus the smarts of automatic shut-offs and timer settings, which we’ve found particularly useful to lull ourselves to sleep without stress), we’re shining a light on some of the best aromatherapy diffusers you can buy right now below, plus a plethora of helpful information to guide your search.
The Best Essential Oil Diffusers, According to GQ
Best Essential Oil Diffuser Overall: ESPA Aromatic Essential Oil Diffuser
The challenge with essential oils is making sure enough of the oils are diffused so that you start to feel the benefits of aromatherapy, but not so much that it’s overpowering. Managing to perfectly bridge that fine line is ESPA’s diffuser, which is designed to release fragrance with ultrasonic vibrations that ensure the perfect amount of vapor ends up in your living space, releasing a fine mist and creating a delightfully soft light, should you be that way inclined. Use it as a nightlight, use it as a humidifier, or just sit back and relax with the aromas.
Most Stylish Essential Oil Diffuser: The White Company Electronic Diffuser
As far as home fragrances are concerned, The White Company can do no wrong. And, whether you pair it with one of the brand’s bestselling home scents or not, this electronic diffuser always manages to dispense exactly the right amount of fragrance in a matter of minutes, meaning you can spend more time relaxing than worrying about fiddling with different settings. With a range of timer settings, you can also turn it on before you go to bed and trust in the power of an auto shut-off for a restful night’s sleep.
Best Waterless Essential Oil Diffuser: NEOM Wellbeing Pod Mini
Don’t let the diminutive stature or the name fool you, NEOM’s Wellbeing Pod Mini packs an incredible aromatic punch. Unlike many other essential oil diffusers we’ve reviewed, there’s no need to clean out a water tank here, either—you simply pop your chosen NEOM Essential Oil Blend bottle into the device’s body and you’re good to go. Cold fusion technology converts the 10-milliliter blends into a microfine vapor in seconds, which makes it a pretty luxe little travel companion, too.
Best Affordable Essential Oil Diffuser: Tisserand Aroma Spa Diffuser
A budget-friendly choice, Tisserand’s Aroma Spa Diffuser uses ultrasonic diffusion without heating the water (a common tech failure in sub-par models, which damages the essential oils) to distribute a fine, fragranced vapor into the air. The intermittent mist setting is useful, working at 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off, and the color-changing light adds a nice touch, as well.
Best Compact Essential Oil Diffuser: Neal’s Yard Remedies Diffuser
Sophisticated and somewhat Scandi-coded, this diffuser from Neal’s Yard Remedies is a brilliant choice whatever the size of your room. Produced from sustainably sourced hand-cut bamboo, it creates a fine mist of water with your blend of choice. Prefer reed diffusers? Its Calming blend does exactly what it says on the bottle, and will last roughly two months with no top-ups.
Best Essential Oil Diffuser for Fragrance: Diptyque Electric Diffuser
An essential oil diffuser should really bring something to the table in the aesthetics department, and none do this better than Diptyque. While it isn’t technically an essential oil diffuser (it uses Diptyque fragrance capsules rather than pure essential oils), the high-end fragrances will work their charm to make your home feel calm, comfortable and, above all, luxurious. If you’re after a decadent spin on the traditional essential oil diffuser, this is it.
Best Essential Oil Diffuser for Sleep: Jurlique Aromatherapy Diffuser and Sleep Blend
Wield the combined powers of ultrasonic technology and aromatherapy with Jurliqu’s sensational essential oil diffusers and Sleep Blend Essential Oil. A savior for those who’ve yet to nail their self-care ritual, when paired together, the duo release a gentle mist of Tasmanian Lavender; Australian Marjoram, Mandarin and Orange; and Roman Chamomile into the room of your choice, creating the perfect environment to send you into a deep, restful slumber.
Essential Oil Diffuser FAQ
What features should I look for in an essential oil diffuser?
Beyond the actual diffusing part, you might be interested in features like timers (to ensure that energy isn’t wasted after you’re sound asleep) and lighting. Some models also come with remote controls for convenience, as well as LED lights for an added dash of eye-catching color.
What tank size should I look for in an essential oils diffuser?
The larger the water or oil tank, the less often you’ll have to fill it up. The downside, of course, is that you might be tight on space and/or rather have a more compact unit that won’t dominate a space. Tank sizes vary, though typically you’ll find them in the 100 to 200ml range.
How do essential oil diffusers work?
Quite simply, essential oil diffusers work to disperse essential oils into the air, scenting your home in the process. As different essential oils encourage different responses in the brain, they can also work to help you feel more relaxed, to help you sleep better, and to improve concentration or wake you up, depending on your choice of oils. Most high-quality essential oil diffusers use ultrasonic waves which break down the oil, mixing it with the water and diffusing it into the air in a fine mist. Others heat the oils, but tend to make the benefits of using them less effective in the process, so are better left avoided. Many of the best essential oil diffusers also incorporate timer settings, which mean you can set it to automatically shut off after a certain period of time, as well as mood lighting to help you relax. Different to chemical-laden air fresheners, essential oil diffusers prioritize natural, aromatic scents which instill a sense of health and wellbeing, to boot.
How do essential oil diffusers help you relax?
The basic principle is actually quite simple: the aromas of different oils stimulate different responses in our hypothalamus gland, which then triggers the production of hormones. According to essential oil brand Neom, the hormones then produce different responses within the body and mind as chemical messengers are sent to specific cells, leading to better sleep, less stress, more energy, and even a mood boost, depending on the oil. Scent can also be linked to our memories, stimulating positive responses in our bodies and helping us to relax.
What are the benefits of aromatherapy and essential oil diffusers? And are oil diffusers worth it?
Essential oil diffusers may be beneficial for reducing anxiety, as Dr Chris George explains: “Some small studies support the use of lavender essential oils for a reduction in stress and anxiety. One study, in particular, used lavender oil preparation Silexan in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and compared this to benzodiazepine medication [a commonly prescribed drug for anxiety].
“What they found is that the lavender preparation had comparable positive effects on sleep as traditional medication. However, the huge advantage is that the lavender oil did not produce many of the unwanted side effects associated with the medications.”
Of course, essential oils are not prescribed by NHS doctors in the UK, and these preparations are broadly considered to be better as part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). As such, should you be looking to treat a sleep disorder, it is advised to prioritize medical advice.
Which scent should I use?
The scent you choose to diffuse from your essential oil diffuser really depends on three things: what you’re looking to get out of it, a little bit of your own personal preference in scents, and also the time of day. If you’re a beginner in the essential oils world, it’s probably worth experimenting a bit before settling on the blends and scents that are right for you.
Lavender oil is one of the most commonly used oils, and is particularly beneficial for its ability to help with sleep and anxiety. Tisserand aromatherapist Jo Kellett recommends starting with lavender oil and geranium, while the head aromatherapist for Neal’s Yard Remedies recommends frankincense to help slow the breath and calm the mind, before moving on to neroli or camomile.
Some of the zestier scents can also be good options during the daytime as some, such as lemon or orange, have been thought to help you feel more energised and improve concentration.
How We Tested
To assess which essential oil diffusers we felt deserved a spot in our guide, we looked at a range of factors: the capacity of the diffuser, the space they can diffuse into (from small to large rooms), the range of additional features (like lighting and timers), and how they look aesthetically. We also looked at a range of essential oil diffusers at different price points, to make sure we found the best for every all of which target different budgets. While some come with specific scents, whichever fragrances and oils you choose to pair them with (more information on how to choose those below), we’re confident any of these will be up to the task and then some.
This story originally appeared on British GQ.
