The best aromatherapy diffusers to make your house feel like a spa

Do you have an aromatherapy diffuser in your home? No? Why not!

These contraptions are the easiest and quickest way to make your house feel like a spa.

In these strange times when we're not leaving the house much (if at all), it's important to develop end-of-day rituals to bring a bit of calm and peace to your home, to pamper yourself and relax after a day of trying to work and look after the kids at the same time.

We've tested some of the best aroma diffusers on the markets to find out which one you should invest in.

What is an aromatherapy diffuser?

You might have used an oil burner with a candle in the past to make your room smell nice, and to feel the benefits of essential oils, but this is the next step.

Aromatherapy diffusers work with ultrasonic systems to turn the water into a fine mist, and spread the scent of an essential oil around the room.

Made By Zen Sophie Aroma Diffuser

This aroma diffuser is, simply put, beautiful. It’s more like a sculpture, an interesting vase or candle holder, than a diffuser. Most visitors to my house have admired it, but not known what it is. The mood lighting is subtle and relaxing, and makes lovely patterns thanks to the ceramic holder. However, it’s not the easiest to control; you have to press one side of the ceramic case down, and it’s a bit tricky to master. I kept worrying I was going to break it; I also worried about smashing the ceramic every time I took it off to refill the water.

One thing to note (which might seem obvious, but didn’t to me as a newbie) is that it won’t work if there’s no water in it - it just flashes and stays off. It doesn’t explain this in the instructions though! However, like most of the aroma diffusers in this list, it features a sensor to switch it off if the water runs dry, to prevent your house burning down - which makes sense when you think about it.

There is only the option to have the mist on, or off, no intermittent; the light can rotate between colours, or choose just one, or turn the light off for just the mist.

Ellia Adore Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser

Another diffuser that could pass as an ornament rather than a functioning mister. I was unsure about the dark colour, but when the light is on, the colour is mystical and pretty. It’s really easy to control, as it has a remote, to control the mist, colour, and also the ‘plinky plonky music’ (so-named by my toddler son). It’s sturdy and easy to use, simple to refill, and attractive. This one made me think that the next step is an aroma diffuser that’s also an Alexa speaker - like a Sonos but with mist - which can’t be that far away, surely.

There are two mist options; continuous, which will run for six hours; or intermittent (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off) that will run for 12 hours. The light can rotate between colours, or stick with just one colour, or just have the mist with no light; you can have high or low brightness, too. There are several relaxing musical tracks to listen too, easily skipping between songs with the remote control. The packaging is great with this, too; it’s a bit like opening a beauty product (and arguably just as relaxing as a face mask).

My only negative was that the instructions say to use 5-7 drops of oil in the diffuser; personally, if I used that much essential oil in it, I’d struggle to function due to the overwhelming fumes. One or two drops is enough for me.

Ellia Gather Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser

An expensive choice, this diffuser really makes your room feel like a spa lounge. It’s made from pure white ceramic, and pale wood, looking graceful in the corner of your living room or bedroom. Another controlled by remote, meaning it’s easy to use, and you can run it for about 10 hours continuously. Due to the cost, this is one that you will have to love the look of to invest in, as you can get the same benefits from a diffuser half the price.

Tisserand Total De-Stress Aroma Spa Diffuser

A small and simple diffuser, with one button for the light (on or off) and one button for mist. No complicated controls here. It’s small, light, and easy to use - ideal for at home as an unobtrusive diffuser, or even a great option if you’re travelling and want to take a piece of relaxation with you. You can choose continuous mist, or 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. This is a straightforward and reliable diffuser, not necessarily the best-looking on test, but it does the job well. I use this in my son’s room, as he doesn’t need a fancy diffuser that looks like a vase. The only negative is the loud beep when turning it on or off.

[Cooks Professional Large Light Wood Grain Aroma Diffuser](https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/cooks-professional-light-wooden-grain-aroma-diffuserdiffuser)

One of the cheapest aroma diffusers on test, this one is simple and easy to use. Choose between mist for one hour, three, six, or continuous; and either rotate between colours or choose your favourite. It can run for about eight hours continuously.

It is, however, one of the noisiest on test, with a gentle hum as it works; plus, the colour lights shining through the wood grain can look a bit off-colour. However, for the price this does the job well.

VicTsing Essential Oil Diffuser

A bargain offering, this one has a ‘sleep’ setting which means the mist is lower than normal and the light is off, for between five – 10 hours; there’s also a ‘timer’ button for a continuous three hours of misting. The light colours aren’t exactly subtle, however.

Tree Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser

A stunning diffuser, that doesn’t look like a diffuser – you could be fooled into thinking it’s just a fancy lamp (John Lewis do sell very similar lamps!).

You can cycle through seven colours or keep it on just one; and choose continuous or intermittent mist.

Petits Rituels Essential Oil Diffuser

The diffuser looks great and is super easy to use. Simply fill the tank up with 200ml water, add in your favourite oil (we used Tisserand's Sleep Better Diffuser Oil) and you’re good to go. It has three light settings and a range of cool, relaxing colours, as well as two, four and eight hour running times. We found it's perfect to relax with while reading a book in the evening. It’s easy to control with the simple 'mist' and 'light' buttons on the front, although as it’s so lightweight, it does need to be held when you do this or you might end up pushing it off the surface. If it runs out of water, it automatically shuts off and the plastic components are made from BPA-free plastic.

Which essential oils should you use?

Choosing an essential oil to use in your new aroma diffuser really depends on your mood. Here are some of the most popular essential oils:

Lavender: Calming, relaxing

Peppermint: Uplifting, invigorating

Eucalyptus: Clarifying (often used if you have a cold or blocked nose)

Tea Tree: Cleansing

Grapefruit: Uplifting, refreshing

Sweet Orange: Balancing, freshening

Patchouli: Grounding, relaxing

Bergamot: Energising, purifying

Lemongrass: Cleansing, uplifting

Here's a great set of 12 essential oils for just £16.29 from amazon.co.uk

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