The best electric diffusers have evolved beyond mere decorative accents, they are sophisticated mood enhancers, capable of transforming your home into a spa-like retreat. Praised for their ability to lift our mood through scent, the benefits of essential oil diffusers make them a worthwhile indulgence – some might even call them a wind-down essential. Crisp, fresh scents can help clear the mind, while soothing scents like lavender can promote deep sleep, and calm an anxious mind.
While scented candles and reed diffusers are gorgeous, you’re dealing with a wick to trim, smoke consuming the air and limited scent control. 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 essential oil 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.
Meet the experts:
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.
How we tested the best essential oil diffusers
At GLAMOUR, we’re committed to providing independent, honest and trustworthy reviews our readers can rely on. Our goal here is to highlight not only the best-performing electric diffusers overall, but also the most suitable options for your individual needs.
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 scent throw, ease of use, timers/automatic shut-off, water capacity and design.
While we’ve tested well over 21 diffusers in the past couple of years, our edit features only the final 11 electric diffusers our editors 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.
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