How do essential oil diffusers work?
Nebulizer and ultrasonic essential oil diffusers are the most common diffusers out there. Nebulizers are more powerful, more expensive, and only use the straight essential oil. The ultrasonic oil diffuser is more common among “newbies”, and is less expensive. This type of diffuser uses water and can double as a humidifier when you don’t use oil. The ultrasonic diffuser works by breaking down the essential oil into tiny particles that bind to the water in a very fine mist, which is sent into the air.
What are benefits of diffusing essential oils?
There are lots of great reasons to buy an essential oil diffuser. When you use just water, the diffuser is able to humidify dry air, which helps with dry skin and improves the air quality. When you use the diffuser with essential oils, you unleash countless benefits. Essential oils have been around for hundreds of years and were used as medicine before the more modern cures came around. Essential oils can kill bacteria in the air, and reduce stress. Lots of essential oils also smell great (lemon, orange, vanilla, and peppermint are especially popular fragrances) and provide a natural, synthetic-free way to freshen your home or office.
What’s the misting range on an oil diffuser?
Most essential oil diffusers are capable of evenly distributing scented mist through 250-square foot rooms. This could include apartment living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, offices, and so on. If you have really large rooms, you might find that the 250-square ft. diffusers are focused in one area. In this case, you might want to get a diffuser with a 400-square foot range. These typically cost a bit more, though it depends on what other features they have.
How much water can they hold?
Ultrasonic essential oil diffusers, which use water in combination with the oil, can hold as little as 80ml of water, or as much as 300ml. A medium-capacity oil diffuser can hold between 100-150ml. This may seem like a very small amount, but since the water is converted into mist in the diffuser, the water is used relatively slowly. If you get a 300ml oil diffuser, it is recommended that you don’t fill it less than 100ml. Most include water lines so you know exactly how much water you’re putting into it. The water should always be warm, since essential oils take longer to break down in cold water.
How long do oil diffusers operate?
The misting time on essential oil diffusers depends on how much water it holds and what mist setting you’re using, if it has that feature. Using a continuous mist setting will use up the water much faster than if you’re using an interval misting, which will release mist every 20 or 30 seconds. If you’re using the continuous mist setting, a 150ml one can run for 5 hours. A 300ml-diffuser can run for up to 10-14 hours before it needs to be refilled. These really long diffusers typically have timer settings, so you have a choice about if you want to run the diffuser till it’s empty, or for one hour, three hours, and so on. This timer feature allows you save energy and water.
Can I use tap water in my oil diffuser?
In the past, most required distilled water, or they wouldn’t work. Some of the more expensive ones still perform best with distilled water, but more and more essential oil diffusers can use tap water, and in fact, do better. The advantage of getting a diffuser that uses tap water is that you save money and you don’t have to keep track of how distilled water you have lying around.
What materials are essential oil diffusers constructed from?
Nearly all are made from plastic. The best diffusers will use BPA-free plastic, because when they eventually break down, you don’t want those chemicals coming out in the mist. If you want a diffuser with a different look, there are faux wood versions, which are constructed from plastic, but that resemble wood grain. There are even a few brands that produce real bamboo designs.
How much space do essential oil diffusers take up?
Essential oil diffusers are typically very small. They’re usually 1-2 pounds at the most, and fit just about anywhere, like on a bookcase, nightstand, countertop, and desk. Some have unique shapes, like flower buds, river pebbles, or teardrops, while others just look like compact makeup boxes.
Do they have lights?
Most essential oil diffusers have lights, because it has been shown that soft light in combination with essential oils can enhance their benefits. Rotating, multicolored LED lights can increase focus and reduce anxiety, especially in children who have trouble relaxing at night. Most diffusers also give you option of dimming the light or turning it off completely when it’s time for sleep. If colors aren’t your thing, you can get one that forgo the light show and just have one simple LED yellow light.
What’s the noise level on an oil diffuser?
Ultrasonic technology not only allows the oil diffuser to function, it also results in quieter operation. Whirring or other mechanical noises are common in essential oil diffusers, so any technology that reduces that noise is a good thing. Some diffusers even make light splashing noises, which can be relaxing or annoying, depending on your tastes.
What kind of maintenance do they require?
Essential oil diffusers need to be cleaned somewhat regularly, some once a week. The oils can cause corrosion, and break down the oil diffuser faster. Keeping the oil diffuser clean will delay this process. Most of these appliances just need to be wiped out with warm water, vinegar, or a mild dish soap. Others have a more complex process, where you have to let a soap mixture soak in the oil diffuser, but even that only takes twenty minutes or so.
Are there any safety features I should look for on a diffuser?
The only real safety feature you need on an oil diffuser is the auto shut-off. This is when the water level reaches a low level and the diffuser automatically turns itself off. This is so the diffuser doesn’t continue to operate without any water, saving energy and giving you peace of mind when you aren’t around when the water gets low.
How much do essential oil diffusers typically cost?
They can be pretty affordable. The cheapest ones are under $50, while a medium-priced product can cost 60 to 70 dollar. This price range could include a diffuser with a variety of LED light settings and bigger water capacity. The more expensive ones can cost as much as $100 or more. It’s the essential oils that usually make owning an essential oil diffuser somewhat pricey. This is important to be aware of, since some of the more high-quality oil diffusers require you use more expensive essential oils.
