The best essential oil diffusers will make your home smell like a luxury spa

Whether you’re looking for something that's simple and soothing (read: spa-like) or colorful and energizing (that doubles as a night light!), here are the best essential oil diffusers for 2025. We also rounded up tips for using these gadgets, so you can get the aura just right.

A quick note before we dive in: We focused our top picks on what we'd consider traditional essential oil diffusers, as in ones that utilize water and essential oils to create a fragrant mist. We like these models because they tend to cost less than waterless diffusers and provide a pleasant, light scent. That said, if you keep scrolling, you'll find some good waterless diffusers that use fragrance vials or bottles.

More tips for a welcoming space: Secrets for a good-smelling bedroom | Steps to a more fragrant entryway | How to make your bathroom feel like a spa

Table of contents:

Best essential oil diffusers for 2025

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Factors to consider when choosing an essential oil diffuser

• Size/range: The upside to larger essential oil diffusers is that they often support greater water/essential oil capacities, meaning they can typically mist for longer durations with less fill-ups. Larger diffusers can also mean a greater scent range — though we found this isn't always the case. Look at the square footage listed in the product description and make sure it matches up with your space. Based on our testing, we’d recommend 150 to 300 square feet for small rooms, 300 to 450 square feet for medium rooms, 450 to 600 square feet for large rooms, and in the 800 to 1,000 square feet for extra-large spaces like great rooms and homes with particularly high ceilings.

• Type: We focused on electric diffusers for this story, but you'll see these other options when shopping.

  • Electric diffusers typically consist of an outer top cover (or decorative shell) that, when removed, reveals a motor base with either a cup you can fill with water and a few drops of essential oil or, alternatively, a place where you can affix an essential oil (or other fragrance) bottle/vial. When powered on, the diffuser releases the fragrance, either at certain timed intervals or continuously, depending on your device and setting selection.

  • Plug-ins go right into an outlet. Instead of adding water and essential oil, you'd usually affix a vial, bottle or bulb of essential oil (or other fragrance blend, depending on what the device supports) and just plug it in, with the potential to customize settings, such as release time.

  • Reed diffusers consist of porous reeds that are submerged in a jar filled with fragrant oil. The reeds draw the oil in for a more passive scent release that takes place naturally over time. You can't time the diffusions, and there's no mist, but there's very little maintenance.

• Materials: Ceramic and glass diffusers tend to blend in better with decorative elements, but they can shatter and therefore aren’t as kid- or pet-friendly. If you're worried about chemicals, you may want to avoid plastic diffusers (though BPA-free options are out there). We always recommend reading product manuals carefully and contacting manufacturers with questions about a product's materials.

• Safety features: Automatic shutoff generally refers to a function that kicks in when an essential oil diffuser runs low on water and powers the device off as to help minimize the risk of a fire hazard.

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How we tested essential oil diffusers

We evaluated these devices by … taking it all in! More specifically, we looked at the following to assess what was best.

• Design: We looked at how easy each oil diffuser was to set up, use, program and maintain.

• Performance: We gauged how effective each vessel was at diffusing oils, including how far the scent traveled and how long it permeated, based on respective brand promises.

• Features: We factored in special functionalities, such as lights, automatic shutoff and Bluetooth connectivity, when assessing things like convenience, value and safety.

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Other essential oil diffusers we tested

We had good experiences with all of the oil diffusers we tested (something we don't say a lot!). Because of this, we focused the top picks above on traditional essential oil diffusers — with an eye toward value and versatility. Below are some other essential oil diffusers, plus fragrance diffusers, for different needs and preferences:

Vivitest Diffuser ($33): If the cost of Vitruvi is out of reach, this essential oil diffuser has a lot of the same qualities. It doesn’t have the warm light ring Vitruvi offers (which we liked for a spa-like zen), it doesn’t have quite as vast a scent range, and there's a one-year (versus lifetime) warranty. But it does boast a range of LED colors to choose from, along with a slightly higher capacity.

Urpower Diffuser ($30): We liked how the wood finish on the base of the Asakuki model in our top picks added another decorative element, and that the remote allowed us to control the device from a distance (it also offers slightly wider scent coverage). But thanks to its colorful glow, this is another great essential oil diffuser, especially for kids and anyone else who wants a taste of the Northern Lights at home.

Innogear Diffuser ($18): This diffuser was among the most compact we tried, with a scent coverage of 100 to 200 square feet. It was easy to use — and it has a little LED light up top that can be set to seven different colors. The scent didn’t travel as far as many of the others we tested, but we'd consider this the best essential oil diffuser for a small room if we were to categorize it.

Neom Pod Mini ($66): This diffuser is unique in that it can be charged with a USB cord. Because it’s wireless and waterless (you insert a bottle of essential oil directly into a pod that fits in the device), it's travel-friendly. Like the Innogear diffuser above, we’d consider this one best for small spaces. It would make a great desk, nightstand or car companion — and because there’s no water, you don’t have to worry about it spilling!

Homedics SereneScent ($150): This waterless diffuser is compatible with fragrance formulas sold by Homedics exclusively (which will run you $34 to $40 each), which knocked it out of our top picks. The diffuser can be plugged in or charged (rendering it cordless) and programmed via the corresponding app or manually — with three levels of mist intensity and the option for both ambient or colored lighting. Based on our tests, Homedics' fragrances are strong and their devices far-reaching (up to 1,000 square feet), making them great for vast spaces: I have an open layout in my apartment, and I could smell — and even see — the fragrances I tested wafting throughout my living room, hallway and kitchen.

Pura Plus ($80): The Pura Plus is waterless (compatible with Pura's clean fragrance blends), Bluetooth-friendly and designed for large areas. It covers up to 2,000 square feet and has a ton of fragrance options, with the ability to toggle between two at a time. Downsides: It must remain plugged in, you need to use the app to choose distribution intervals, and other than indicator lights, there aren’t any ambient or colored rings (we also found others to have a stronger initial boost of fragrance).

Pura 4 ($50): Like the Pura Plus, the Pura 4 holds two fragrance vials and can be controlled via the Pura app. The main difference is that the Pura 4 plugs directly into a wall outlet and is designed for medium-sized (versus large) rooms. I’ve been using one of these in my kitchen for a few months now and it’s managed to keep things fresh and fragrant with very little maintenance (I change out a vial every three to four weeks, and there’s no water reservoir to clean out). I’d consider it a good option for enclosed rooms and areas with limited countertop space.

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How to use and clean your oil diffuser

Most reservoirs can be rinsed with soap and water, and outer shells wiped down, for easy cleaning. Check the manual for how often to clean it — many manufacturers say you should do this every few days to prevent oil build-up. We suggest avoiding chemical cleaners and ensuring plugs are completely dry before plugging your device in.

Essential oil diffuser FAQs

How do you use an oil diffuser?

A traditional oil diffuser typically features an interior reservoir (or cup) that, depending on the capacity, can be filled with a certain amount of water and essential oil (a few drops is what was recommended for those we tested). Once the reservoir is filled, you just put the outer cover (or decorative shell) on and plug in the device.

Waterless oil diffusers typically work with bottles (or vials) of essential oils or other fragrance blends, without an additional water component. Wireless oil diffusers don't need to be plugged in after fully charging; Bluetooth-enabled diffusers can be controlled via Wifi/app connection. More sophisticated diffusers allow you to choose from different mist intensities, time intervals, light colors or even toggle between multiple fragrances.

What is the healthiest oil for diffusers?

Opt for essential oils that are 100% organic and fragrance blends made of clean ingredients, to avoid releasing toxins into the air while diffusing. Additionally, you’ll want to check that none of the oils or blends contain known allergens or ingredients that are harmful to pets or children, if you have them in your house. The diffuser brand Asakuki, which makes one of our top picks, has some tips forblending essential oils.

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