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Oil Diffusers for Aromatherapy – Our top picks for 2019!

Aromatherapy also referred to as essential oils therapy, is the use of essential oils (from flowers, bark, rind, leaves, stalks or roots of a plant) to enhance the psychological and physical well-being of human beings. The practice of aromatherapy is more than just nice smells.

The aroma emitted from these natural essential oils stimulates or rather fuels the functions of the brain, which as a result, act just like a healing therapy. This means essentials oils can lead to relaxation, better mood, more restful sleep, and a lot of other health benefits. They’re most commonly used in health spas and hospitals for relieving pain and offering relaxation and is gaining momentum in the form of alternative medicine.

What’s the best essential oil diffuser for aromatherapy?

What about those of us that want to get these benefits and nice scents but don’t want to pay for a spa or be in the hospital? That’s where diffusers come along. Using an aromatherapy diffuser is one of the most popular ways to maximize the positives of what these oils have to offer.

You can read all about the best essential oil diffusers here!

Benefits of a diffuser

Diffusion is the process through which the essential or vital oils can be dispersed in the house or office space. It fills the place with natural aromas and therapeutic properties. With the help of a diffuser, essential oils are released into the air, thereby creating an atmosphere of relaxation.

Another application of therapeutic essential oil diffuser involves getting rid of animal smells, cooking odor, cigarette smoke, and other non-pleasant scents. You can use aromatherapy diffusers at any place in your house or office and incorporate a sense of comfort.

With the diffusion of essential oils, you can reduced stress, boost your immunity system, and enhance concentration. Also, diffusers help purify the air around you consisting of bacteria, viruses, pathogens and mold.

Diffusers can be used to create uplifting energizing moods. This is not only great when you are feeling sad and depressed; you can also use your essential oil diffuser to set a positive atmosphere for business meetings and social gatherings or to help you get moving on a lazy morning.

What types of diffusers are available?

Available in multiple forms, colors, and sizes, aromatherapy diffusers can be categorized into nebulizer diffusers, heat diffusers, evaporative diffusers and ultrasonic/humidifying diffusers types.

Nebulizing and ultrasonic diffusers are two most popular models for aromatherapy.

Nebulizing Diffusers

Nebulizers quickly spread the fragrance of the oils and are ideal for large rooms. There is no dilution of the aromatherapy oils when using this product, so they are delivered in their most pure form.

If you are using a nebulizing diffuser, you are in charge of the output of essential oils. This device gives you complete flexibility over how much oil you want to use to maximize the presence of essential oils around you. If this is something that interests you, the nebulizing diffuser additionally delivers undiluted, pure, oils so you get the most therapeutic benefits. This is unlike other diffusers that might dilute the oils with water, to add more moisture and humidity into the air.

Some of the more luxurious units will have control options so you can set how much vapor you want to create.

<< See our easy infographic that breaks down between ultrasonic and nebulizing diffusers >>

Ultrasonic Diffusers

Ultrasonic diffusers work in a very similar way to nebulizing diffusers, but the oils are usually diluted with water. This helps control the strength of the scents and also enables it to act as a humidifier of sorts, by restoring moisture into the air. They are usually a little less expensive than nebulizing diffusers.

Whichever type you are looking into, the basic concept is the same. A diffuser creates tiny molecules of essential oils, blended with, or without water, that stimulates the olfactory receptors and consequently, stimulates portions of the brain that regulate moods, emotions, and memory. A single essential oil or a blend can use used to create the desired effect or to create a custom aroma.

Diffusers for Smaller Areas

Heat Diffusers

These evaporate the oils using moderate heat, from a candle, stone, or your own body. They’re silent, inexpensive, easy to use, and good for a couple-hundred square foot area.

Fan Diffusers

The fan diffusers are the next option to consider. These devices come in various sizes, from a personal desktop fan or ones that will cover several hundred square feet. They’re relatively quiet, only slightly more complicated, and evaporate the oils using fan-blown air.

There are other types of diffusers, but since they use heat or are slower acting, they’re not considered the best option for aromatherapy.

Choosing the best aromatherapy essential oil diffuser for you

Now, if you are interested in purchasing an aromatherapy diffuser, make sure that you know to consider a few things so that you can pick the right one for your needs. I always recommend taking a look at different types, models, and functions to get familiar with that options you have. Then when you have a better idea of what you want and where you intend to use your diffuser, you can make your final choice.

Some options to consider are:

  • Built in time functions: So you don’t have to worry about turning it off.
  • Portability: Does your diffuser need to be light because you are moving it around?
  • Design: various models suit any type of location from offices, living spaces, bathrooms, hotels, and more.
  • Light function: Some people like a little ambiance lighting, while others might like no lights so they can sleep.
  • Sounds: Look into how noisy a diffuser is. You don’t want a loud one right next to your bed or in the middle of a conference room. Some diffusers have built in speakers for your own music dock, or their prerecorded soothing sounds.
  • Cost: Find a diffuser that fits your budget. We always recommend starting with well-known brands with good reviews. Both for oils and diffusers.

No matter what diffuser type you choose, you should still be able to enjoy the aromatic benefits of the oils. The need to be careful with your selection comes with the added benefits and uses for your diffuser. If you’re looking to take full advantage of the theraputic and medicinal properties of essential oils, it is important to find one that will suit your needs.

If you’re using your diffuser to boost your immune system, recover from an illness or disinfecting your home or office, it can be important to disperse a higher concentration of essential oils than you can do with a simple fan or warming unit. Generally, the units that cover less area and produce less vapor will be less expensive.

Getting the most for your money

As a helpful hint, keep in mind that no matter what diffuser you use, your nose will stop working before the diffuser does. That just means that we get used to smells that are around us. When you wear perfume or cologne, when you first spray it on, you can notice the scent, but it slowly fades as you wear it. Even if you think it’s gone, if someone new comes in contact with you, they will be able to pick up on the fragrance right away.

This is important to know when you’re using your diffuser just for the aromatic effect. It is best just to run your diffuser a few minutes every hour. Find an on/off cycle that’s best for you. This lets you enjoy the delicious scents but saves you from using more oil than is necessary.

Also keep in mind that the better the essential oils, the longer the lasting effect. It is often worth a little extra time and money to make sure you get quality products. This will save you time and headache in the future and ultimately reduce how much you spend.

If for some reason you do end up with a headache, well, you know, you already have just the right thing to help with that.