Reed diffusers - tell me all!

[PeruvianFoodLover]

Are they worth it?
Does the price reflect quality/value or does branding/packaging play a part?
Can you use different scents in different rooms - or stick to one?


I'm rejuvenating our home after 3 years of 60 hour weeks (no time for anything but a quick whip round with the vacuum) - so need a complete beginners guide!

[bobs123]

I'm not much of an expert but I do like reed diffusers.
Yes you can have different scents in different rooms. Personally I wouldn't put them in every room - ie not in the kitchen!
Don't put in sunlight - they don't last as long.
I use the boots ones which I stock up on in the sale after Christmas. DD likes the Next ones. Depends on budget really - I did buy one from Aldi once
They tend to last up to 3 months
If you have big rooms/high ceilings you won't get as much of a smell
HTH!

[springalong]

Some last much longer than others. So quality of brand does seem to matter. If you put in less reeds they will last longer.

I am very disappointed with the large M&S one I put in the living room last week - it is nearly half gone :( Luckily I always buy in the sales

[ClaimedByMe]

I got a jellybean one for xmas, coconut flavoured, i spend too much time keeping everyone away from it incase it gets knocked over and it smells sickly sweet, im not loving it.

[EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard]

There's definitely a difference in quality because often more expensive use better oils, some of them smell very synthetic, or as Claimed says overly sweet.

I use a clean smelling one in the bathroom or loo, linen fresh or coastal and then for other rooms it depends on the mood you want really. I have a Cook's candle for the kitchen to help neutralize any strong smells.

What you could do is shop for a couple of attractive bottle type containers and reeds and then buy the refills. Look on Amazon or Ebay.

[wobblebobblehat]

NEOM are lush but a bit £££. Not sure about other brands.

[pieinthesky123]

I had one on my landing window sill. Unfortunately the cat knocked it over. The damage it caused was outstanding. The paint was removed from the window sill, bannister and walls and the curtains absorbed a huge amount of the scented oil. It was like perfumed paint stripper. Everything it came into contact with blistered and the paint came off!!! Claimed, you were very wise to keep people away from yours.

I know they have a warning on the packaging about the oils etc and surfaces but the damage was a fragrant nightmare and dh has banned me from buying anymore

[mamato3luvleys]

I love the Antigua one from next.

[fussychica]

I've tried several brands and they have all been rubbish after 24 hours or so. I use room sprays and burn fragrance sticks. Zara Home sticks are the best.

[shovetheholly]

I like them, but my cat doesn't. So I don't have them

If I were to buy them, though, I'd go to TK Maxx, because they do loads of diffusers (good brands as well as cheap ones, avoid the latter!) for a significant reduction on normal prices.

[WingsClipped]

The ones from the White Company are lovely. They last quite long and you can take out a few reeds if you find it a bit too strong or have a smaller room.

[Gozogozo]

WRT all are rubbish after 24 hours or so, the Neom ones are fab (& some still in their sale) - just turn the reeds when the scent reduces, and bear in mind that your nose will become immune to the scent after a while. I like Neom as they use essential oils so smell less chemical. I have also had some lovely M&S ones but loathed the air wick type.

[WittgensteinsBunny]

We've used reed diffusers for years, they make your house smell gorgeous. The NEOM ones are amazing - none of the others come close, although the White Company and Neals Yard ones are not bad. This thread has just reminded me to order some refills. Interesting about where to put them in a room to make them last longer, I'm going to change the position of the one in our bedroom, which always runs out faster than the one in the lounge.

[fussychica]

gozo that's where I've been going wrong -I need to spend a lot more.I've never considered spending £40 on them but it seems like you need to to get something worthwhile.
I've bought quite a few scented candles and diffusers from M&S and always been disappointed.

[Armpitt]

they dont smell of anything ime

[noddyholder]

I bought something called a lampe berger from a place that sells really expensive reed diffusers which I just couldn't really smell. The lamp thing is brilliant you light and then blow out after 2 mins and it last for hours

[Mrsmorton]

Jo Malone ones are lovely and last for ages and ages.

[Pannacotta]

True Grace from John Lewis are lovely but £££....

[Reasontobelieve]

Zara are my favourite and last quite a long time.

[wobblebobblehat]

NEOM diffusers are £35 in John Lewis and the refills/sticks are £20.

They are expensive but our downstairs loo smells like a posh spa at the mo shame it doesn't look like one...

[AlpacaLypse]

I tend to stock up when Waitrose has them on 3 for 2. You do stop noticing it after a while, so I tend to keep the little lids and swap them around from time to time.

They're a godsend to me as I'm completely intolerant of those things that squirt perfume, like they have in some public loos, and have had to ask clients to remove them from rooms I have to enter when I collect their dogs for walking. There are several shops I can't go into locally as well. I wish I knew what the ingredient was that makes me feel so ill, I know it's also in Lynx.

[Trills]

I've got one from Oliver Bonas and it smells lovely.

I definitely imagine that the quality of the smell would vary a lot.

[usualsuspect333]

They are like perfumed paint strippers. I refuse to have them in the house since I knocked one over and it stripped the paint off the windowsill.

[Madamecastafiore]

St Eval candle co do lovely ones that last for ages and the refills are really good value. We got one which I think has Bay or Rosemary in it in our cloakroom and everyone mentions it.

[Selks]

They lose their smell and become useless dust traps in my experience. Can't be doing with the things.

[woodhill]

I have the iris one from Next. it is lovely.