If you want to add a pleasant scent to your home, the best essential oil diffusers might be your safest and easiest choice. While candles are beautiful, you’re dealing with a wick to trim, black smoke filling the air and an open flame. With essential oil diffusers, you can enjoy beautiful scents with less hassle and headache.

Essential oil diffusers can elevate the look and smell of your home with the press of a button. Oil Diffuser 2023

While essential oil diffusers are simple to use, there are many different variations, so it’s important to know what features set them apart. For water-reliant diffusers, keep an eye out for water capacity and the runtime settings; they will determine how frequently you will need to refill the diffuser. Nebulizing diffusers don’t require water and only use essential oils to perfume the air. Auto turn-off is another helpful feature, so you don’t have to wonder if it was accidentally left running in forgetful moments.

From decor-worthy ceramic options like the Vitruvi Stone Diffuser to picks you can control directly from your phone like the Aera Smart, you’re bound to find an option that can fit almost any space. Below, see our list of the best essential oil diffusers based on research done by our experts. If you’re in search of other ways to make your space feel more homey, check out our favorite scented candles and cozy throw blankets, too.

Dimensions: 3.4 x 3.4 x 7 inches | Material: Ceramic | Water Capacity: 90 mL | Auto Turn-Off: Yes

Elevate the smell and vibe of just about any room in your home with Vitruvi’s incredibly popular Stone Diffuser. It runs for four hours consistently or eight hours intermittently. And when it’s done, the automatic safety shut-off feature kicks in so you don’t have to worry about it taking up too much energy. Plus, it features an optional LED light if you really miss that soft candlelight glow. It’s available in five gorgeous colors, including a soft terracotta and light pink.

What our editors say: Forbes Vetted’s weekend updates editor personally recommends this pick.“I’ve always been a candle girl and loved how they looked in my home. I was hesitant to add a diffuser into my decor. This ceramic version from Virtruvi is not only beautiful but the fragrance permeates my whole apartment.”

Dimensions: 3.25 x 11.25 inches | Material: Recycled aluminum | Water Capacity: N/A | Auto Turn-Off: Yes

Hotel Collection has scents that are inspired by some of the most well-known and luxurious hotels across the world. Some popular scents from the brand include fragrances inspired by the 1 Hotel in Miami Beach and oils favoring scents found in Westin Hotels. This stand-alone diffuser uses cold-air diffusion to turn fragrance oils into a dry mist which lingers in the air and offers even coverage without using heat or water. The tower diffuser has a streamlined shape and comes in classic black and silver.

What the reviews say: One reviewer raves, “I’ve been eyeing this diffuser for a few months and I’m so glad I finally gave in to the purchase! I love the sleek and classic design that blends in with the decor and spreads the scent through my whole apartment! Everyone compliments the smell as soon as they walk in. Love it!”

Dimensions: 3.5 x 3.5 x 3.3 inches | Material: Plastic | Water Capacity: 60 mL | Auto Turn-Off: Yes

This mini-but-mighty diffuser is just under $20 and can be taken almost anywhere, but it’s ideal for work spaces and desks. To get it up and running, plug the diffuser into any USB port including laptops. At just under 4 inches, it’s small in size but has a 60-milliliter water capacity which can run for five hours intermittently. The colorful LED lighting comes in seven different options and can be dimmed from low to bright for mood lighting.

What the reviewers say: “I love this diffuser for my office,” a reviewer raves. “The lights are super pretty and you can keep it on one solid color if you don't want it constantly changing, or can keep lights off completely and just have the diffuser running without them.”

Dimensions: 3.9 x 5.5 inches | Material: Plastic | Water Capacity: 100 ml | Auto Turn-Off: Yes

This under-$25 find has independent mist and light features so you don’t have to worry about a light keeping you up overnight. When you do want to brighten your space, it has eight color options—ranging from a soft pink to a deep purple—to help set the mood. It’s important to note that while the intermittent mist setting runs for six to eight hours and pauses every 30 seconds, the continuous mist setting runs for three to four hours and keeps misting until the machine runs out of water.

What the reviews say: “I'm actually really impressed by this little diffuser,” says a 5-star reviewer. “My son has now claimed it as his and he uses [it] as his night light. He loves how the lights change colors and can easily stop it at any color he wants. It's so pretty and gives a really nice glow to a dark room.”

Dimensions:  6.5 x 2.5 x 4.8 inches | Material: N/A | Water Capacity: N/A | Auto Turn-Off: Yes

With watches, ovens and bidets getting smarter, the humble diffuser was bound to get an upgrade and join the ever-growing list of smart products. Through its app, this Aera smart diffuser gives you full control of its functions with the ability to create schedules with two-, four- and eight-hour session options. There are settings for any size room—small, medium and large—and you can also connect it to Alexa for a hands-free control option. For those who need a scent boost in smaller spaces like bathrooms or offices, Aera’s latest mini diffuser plugs right into the wall and can be used with the app as well.

What the reviews say: “Unbelievably easy way to have high-quality scents throughout your home without soot and dangerous flames from candles,” says a reviewer. “Control exactly how much scent you want with the free and convenient app for your smartphone! Your ability to dial up for more scent or dial down when you might be out for the day is completely in your control.”

Dimensions: 6.46 x 6.46 x 4.65 inches | Material: BPA-free plastic | Water Capacity: 500 mL | Auto Turn-Off: Yes

If fragrance alone doesn’t elevate your mood, this diffuser features a sound machine to further send you into a state of total relaxation. You can choose from nine soothing noises: white noise, two piano sounds and six relaxing nature sounds (rain, fire, wind, ocean, forest and brook). This machine also has an independent LED light for a visual option to further elevate your mood.

What the reviews say: “I've had diffusers in the past and liked to have them on while falling asleep. This one is an upgrade on all of the others I've seen. It’s the sound effects that I like the most. It’s really relaxing and on low volume, it helps me fall straight to sleep.” raves a well-rested reviewer.

Dimensions: 4.96 x 4.92 x 7.6 inches | Material: Wood, ceramic | Water Capacity: N/A | Auto Turn-Off: Yes

Add this diffuser to your nightstand and let the smell of your favorite lavender essential oil help you decompress after a stressful day. Leave it on for seven hours of continuous misting or try the 14-hour intermittent setting for a longer lasting fragrance experience. The LED lights with seven options transform this diffuser into a bedside lamp for when you want to enjoy a book and soothing scent before bed.

What the reviews say: “I love the look of this diffuser. It works perfectly for the bedroom,” says a 5-star reviewer. “This diffuser is super quiet. I personally love the white light but the changing colors is pretty gnarly and I use that often as well,” writes another please customer.

Dimensions: 10 x 4 x 4 inches | Material: Wood, glass | Water Capacity: N/A | Auto Turn-Off: Yes

Nebulizing diffusers, like the ArOmis Aromatherapy diffuser, work without water or heat to give you the purest scent derived from your essential oils. Made from wood and handblown glass, this diffuser works best with thinner, water-like oils such as lavender and peppermint. Since there is no water involved, the scent emanating from it is intense so you’ll definitely notice a shift in the air.

What the reviews say: Reviewers love the pleasant fragrance that fills their homes without adding humidity: “I purchased two of these diffusers and I absolutely love them. The scent they produce is stronger than the ultrasonic diffusers I used for years and they don’t add humidity to my home, which is important because I live in Florida.”

We have written dozens of home and decor stories over the years. To find the best essential oil diffusers, we researched options from top-rated reputable brands, then examined their key features and customer reviews.

To make the list, each diffuser had to be compatible with essential oils or an essential and fragrance oil blend. We also selected picks that came in a variety of styles, including water-reliant diffusers like the Vitruvi Stone Diffuser and nebulizing options like the ArOmis Aromatherapy Diffuser (which don’t require water).

Each pick also had to feature an auto turn-off function so readers wouldn’t have to worry about leaving their diffuser on for too long or running out of water and oil. Finally, each option had to have an average of at least four stars for customer ratings with hundreds, if not thousands of reviews.

I am a staff writer at Forbes covering retail. I have been at Forbes since 2013, first on the markets and investing team and then on the billionaires team. In the course of my reporting, I have interviewed the father of Indian gambling, the first female billionaire to enter the space race and the immigrant founder of one of the nation’s most secretive financial upstarts. My work has also appeared in Money Magazine and CNNMoney.com. Tips or story ideas? Email me at ldebter@forbes.com.

I’m a digital media executive recognized for building engaging content experiences that delight and inspire audiences. As Chief Product Officer of Forbes, I lead a team of world-class product managers, designers, e-commerce leaders, and other experts focused on building the products that shape the Forbes brand across the web, mobile, social, and emerging platforms.

I'm a tech journalist working and living in Gloucestershire, in the UK. I ran my own PC hardware review website for many years before transitioning into freelance writing. I've covered everything from the rise of Bitcoin and the encroachment of anti-privacy laws, to tabletop wargaming and advances in virtual reality. I've written, authored, edited, and copywritten for a broad array of the most prominent publications, including Digital Trends, Lifewire, PCGamer, The Inquirer, and KitGuru. I've also written two novels, and contributed backstory and dialogue to a handful of games. I am passionate about all the cutting-edge hardware inside and out the latest gadgets, PCs, and consoles, even if I can't always afford them.

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I am a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, relationships, home, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Women’s Health, Prevention, Health, Yahoo Life, and more. I have a master’s degree from American University, live by the beach, and hope to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.

I'm a full-time freelance writer and consultant born and raised in Lizzie Borden's hometown of Fall River, Massachusetts. Following college, I worked a number of dead-end jobs for nearly a decade before accepting a position as a quality assurance analyst in video games.

While working QA contracts at Electronic Arts, LucasArts, and other developers, I wrote for online gaming outlets and print publications. I soon began writing full-time and expanded my beat, covering more of my favorite interests and hobbies, from film and television to tech, travel, and gear.

Electric Essentail Oil Diffuser Fast-forward 15 years, and I've contributed thousands of articles to 100-plus outlets, including Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter, Time, and Variety. When not writing, I work as a consultant in video games, tech and, sometimes, toys.