10 best essential oil diffusers: gorgeous scents and mists for your home

There’s nothing like a gorgeous-smelling home to make you feel cosy and relaxed. Home scents like candles, incense sticks and reed diffusers have their charms but nothing keeps your house smelling consistently spa-like quite as well as an oil diffuser.

Oil diffusers are a brilliant way to bring calm into your home. With loads of different scents available, they can transform the mood of a space in moments. Plus, they can really help when anyone in the family has a stuffy nose or a cough.

By releasing essential oil-infused steam into the air, oil diffusers won’t just make you feel like you’re wafting through a spa in a fluffy dressing gown (cucumber water in hand), they can have a positive influence on your mood. The right aromatherapy blend can reduce stress, anxiety and even help you sleep better.

We’ve trawled the Mumsnet talk forums for wisdom and recommendations, in order to bring you a run-down of the best diffusers out there.

Here are the best essential oil diffusers to buy in 2022.

1. Best overall oil diffuser: Neom Wellbeing Pod

Price: £110 | Buy now from Amazon

"I have the Neom one, it was a gift, I love it. In fact two friends have treated themselves to them after seeing mine" - FredaFox

"We have one and absolutely love it. We have it in our bedroom and put it on the timer so fall asleep to it" - Sparklyring

Giving the perfect amount of scent and boasting some of Mumsnetters favourite oil blends in their range, Neom’s Wellbeing Pod is our pick for the best oil diffuser. The stylish, textured ceramic cover will sit well in any room, and the diffuser gives a lovely low-level light. You can set it to run for one, two or three hours, or when it’s full it will run for six or seven hours before the water runs out and it shuts off automatically.

The pod will happily and silently puff away, making your house smell like an expensive spa retreat. Mumsnetters like the lack of bells and whistles - there are no colour-changing lights or sounds - it’s a simple, great quality diffuser that smells heavenly.

Key specs

• Size: 143mm x 92mm

• Timer: Yes

• Auto shut off: Yes

2. Best budget oil diffuser: Amazon Basics Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Diffuser

Price: £19 | Buy now from Amazon

"We tend to use the eucalyptus one whenever anyone has a cold. I pop it in the kids room for an hour before bedtime and then let it run whilst they sleep. My one can switch off after 1hr/3hr or 6hrs. I just got a cheapie one off Amazon and it seems great" - kirkandpetal

At under £20, this nifty diffuser from Amazon’s Basics range is a total bargain. It’s a great option for using in a kids’ room - Mumsnetters like to diffuse Olbas or eucalyptus oil to soothe nighttime snuffly noses - or if you want to buy several to dot around your house.

But it won’t only puff great-smelling mist into your home, this diffuser’s also a bluetooth speaker and a colour changing light. It’s quiet, easy to clean and comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs.

Key specs

• Size: 15.8 x 13.4cm

• Timer: Yes

• Auto shut off: Yes

3. Best oil diffuser with a timer: Muji Aroma Diffuser

Price: £47 | Buy now from Amazon

"I've got one from Muji and it is fine - I do live in a very hot country so don't have any issues with damp though. It's lovely to have on and makes the house smell lovely" - JillGoodacre

"My muji one is fab and has been running well for years" - YepCuntyIsTaken

This aroma diffuser from Muji is a minimalist beauty. It gives a soft light and subtle fragrance, making it perfect for a bedside table. Mumsnetters love its quality, simplicity and robustness, plus it’s easy to clean.

With a timer you can set for 30 to 180 minutes, it will quietly infuse the air with fragrance while humidifying it too. The case is made of plastic and easy to remove for refilling the water tank.

Key specs

• Size: 14 x 8cm

• Timer: Yes

• Auto shut off: Yes

4. Best oil diffuser with a remote control: Trace Essential Oil Diffuser, Remote Control Aromatherapy

Price: £17 | Buy now from Amazon

Boasting a 300ml water tank, this diffuser by Trace is larger than some others on our list. Thanks to this, it will diffuse for up to eight hours so you can happily leave it running all night.

The simple remote control allows you to adjust the timer, colour and light settings. There are different timer settings, seven colour options and adjustable mist modes to choose from, so it’s very customisable. Perfect for covering up cooking or pet smells, this is a great choice for a multi-functional diffuser.

Key specs

• Size: 13 x 13 x 10cm

• Timer: Yes

• Auto shut off: Yes

5. Best Smartphone-enabled oil diffuser: Asakuki Essential Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Humidifier

Price: £24 | Buy now from Amazon

"So my cheaper diffuser is an Asakuki off Amazon, it's really good, I almost prefer it to the neom as it does more! Has different coloured lights which I thought I'd hate but actually some settings are really nice in the corner of a room at night, if it's daytime I just leave the light off" - Ntwa

Looking for a diffuser you can control using your phone? Check out this one from Asakuki. It’s got a huge 500ml water tank, seven colour options to choose from, plus the ability to schedule when it turns off and on. It even connects to an Amazon Echo so you can use your voice to control your diffuser.

It’s relatively easy to pair with a smartphone, and great for controlling from the comfort of your bed.

Key specs

• Size: 12 x 17cm

• Timer: Yes

• Auto shut off: Yes

6. Best oil diffuser for travel: ThisWorks Travel Diffuser

Price: £26 | Buy now from Amazon

For taking your favourite scents away with you, this travel diffuser from ThisWorks is a good option. It uses a tiny fan so you don’t even need to add water. Simply apply a few drops of oil to the pad and it will scent your room for up to four hours.

Small but powerful, the fan means it makes a buzzing noise while it’s on, and you do need to make sure it’s charged up to get the full four hours out of it. If a familiar smell helps you relax and feel at home, this tiny diffuser is perfect for taking to hotel rooms and Airbnbs.

Key specs

• Size: 4.8 x 9.2cm

• Timer: No

• Auto shut off: No

7. Best oil diffuser for sleep: SOTO Aroma Diffuser

Price: £50 | Buy now from Amazon

"I bought one from Amazon called SOTO Aroma Diffuser. It was recommended to me for DS asthma and we only use it and put olbas oil drops in it when his night time cough is bad. It's been brilliant and definitely makes a difference. It also has colour changes and a night light mode too which he likes. It turns itself off when the water is used up" - CocoLoco87

This diffuser from SOTO also works as a humidifier, an air purifier and an ioniser. The spaceship-like unit gives off a soft, calming light while it improves the air quality of the room and diffuses your favourite sleep-inducing essential oils. Mumsnetters highly recommend Neom’s Sleep Blend which can be used in any diffuser.

This diffuser doesn’t have a timer option, but like with any modern diffuser, it will automatically shut off when the water runs out.

Key specs

• Size: 17 x 12cm

• Timer: No

• Auto shut off: Yes

8. Best stylish oil diffuser: Made by Zen Fern Aroma Diffuser

Price: £68 | Buy now from John Lewis & Partners

"I have this diffuser, it isn’t cheap and cheerful but it’s beautiful and makes me smile everyday. I have it on my desk whilst WFH and it’s absolutely lovely. Rebecca Tracey has some wonderful oil blends too, not necessarily a spa scent but I’m using her Botanical Shield at the moment which is very nice" - BangingOn

Look at this beauty! We love the craftsmanship of this vase-like Art Deco-style diffuser.

A diffuser like this has no need for extra gadgets, so there’s no timer option (although it will shut down when the water runs out). Subtly lit, the diffuser gives off a soft amber glow, and Mumsnetters also love Rebecca Tracey’s range of oil blends to use with it.

Key specs

• Size: 13.4 x 12.6cm

• Timer: No

• Auto shut off: Yes

9. Best oil diffuser with sound: Ellia Gather Diffuser

Price: £110 | Buy now from Amazon

This ceramic diffuser by Ellia Gather is easy to set up, looks good and creates an even, natural aroma. With a colour-changing light and a whole library of soothing sounds to choose from, it’s a lovely way to wake up, drop off to sleep or simply have on in the background.

The Ellia Gather diffuser has an impressive 12-hour continuous run time (or 20 hours if you select the intermittent function), so it will keep your home smelling delicious all day long.

Key specs

• Size: 21 x 19 x 18cm

• Timer: Yes

• Auto shut off: Yes

10. Best wooden oil diffuser: Made by Zen Arran Aroma Diffuser

Price: £66 | Buy now from Amazon

"DD has one from MadeByZen in her bedroom, it’s really nice and makes her room smell lovely" - ShouldHaveCouldHaveWouldHave

This wooden number by MadeByZen makes a stylish addition to any room. It’s easy to fill up, gives off a subtle light and a good amount of scented mist.

With no fiddly buttons to contend with - just push the diffuser down to turn it on - this is a lovely, simple model. The light can be turned off for nighttime use, and it will run for around five hours before turning off automatically.

Key specs

• Size: 20 x 7.1cm

• Timer: No

• Auto shut off: Yes

How do oil diffusers work?

Vibrations called ultrasonic waves transform water and essential oils into a fine mist, which is released into the air. Thanks to ultrasonic technology, they don’t need heat to create this mist, and automatically shut down when out of water. This means they’re safe to leave unattended, and no heat means the oils you use won’t lose any of their quality in the process.

Once the essential oil-infused mist is in the air, it can improve air quality, plus you get the mood-enhancing benefits of the oils, which can work to calm your nervous system.

What are the benefits of aromatherapy?

Scents affect our brains and nervous systems, and the most popular essential oils are used to boost our moods. For example, lavender is often used to promote sleep and soothe anxiety, while lemongrass oil is used to stimulate and energise the senses. Aromatherapy is also thought to alleviate the symptoms of many conditions including asthma, insomnia and depression.

What are the best essential oils to use?

For a truly luxurious, spa-esque scent, we love Neom’s range of essential oil blends.

Are oil diffusers safe to use around children?

Yes - they give off no heat, so they’re perfectly safe to use around children.

What’s the best oil diffuser to buy?

Mumsnetters swear by the Neom Wellbeing Pod. It’s a great balance of form and function, plus it makes homes smell amazing.

How we chose our recommendations

Most of our recommendations for oil diffusers came from Mumsnet users themselves. We searched the Mumsnet forums for posts about which diffusers Mumsnetters really rated. We also researched various review sites to find out which oil diffusers performed well across the board.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.