I tested over a dozen top home diffusers for scent strength, longevity, special features, and more. The Urpower Aroma is my favorite option for most people.
Compare the Top 13 Scent Diffusers
| Diffuser | Pros | Cons | Type | Additional Features | Oil Type | Remote? |
| Urpower Aroma Essential Oil (2nd Gen) | Optional light. Very simple to use. | Lid doesn’t lock. | Ultrasonic | Light | Bring your own | No |
| Pura Home | Dual-band Wi-Fi. Manual control options. Silent. | Scent refills are pricey for how long they last. | Nebulizer | Dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity (2.4 and 5 GHz), night-light | Proprietary | No (but compatible with Alexa, Google Home, and the Pura app) |
| Aera Diffuser | Gorgeous design. Easy to set up and use. Optional app-based controls. | Scents, though pleasant, can be faint. | Nebulizer | Companion app (requires 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi) | Proprietary | No (though can be controlled remotely with an app) |
| Pura Mini | Companion app for scent control and scheduling. Light color and plug direction can be changed. Scents last a long time. | Occasionally lets out a high-pitched electronic noise. | Nebulizer | Smart features (requires 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi), night-light | Proprietary | No (though can be controlled remotely with an app) |
| Zeya Portable Fragrance Diffuser | So cute. Portable. Smells great. | Scents can be faint. | Fan | N/A | Proprietary scent cards | No |
| Alo Yoga Aura Diffuser | Pretty design. Scents easily fill large rooms. | Large footprint. | Nebulizer | Light | Bring your own | No |
| HoMedics SereneScent Waterless Rechargeable 120 ml Diffuser | No app necessary. Wireless and sleek. Pleasant scents. | Proprietary scent refill cartridges are expensive. | Nebulizer | Customizable color light, timer | Proprietary | No |
| Drift Home Scent Diffuser | Compact. Easy to use. Pleasant scents. | Scent refills can be leaky. | Nebulizer | Subscription model available | Proprietary | No |
| Drift Reed Diffuser | Pleasant scents. Easy to use. | Not super strong. | Reed | Subscription model available | Proprietary | No |
| Atmos Tria Diffuser | Sleek. Holds multiple fragrances. Unique scent options. | Scents can get pricey depending on how you use them. | Nebulizer | App, Google Home and Alexa compatibility | Proprietary | No |
| Atmos Aura Diffuser | Portable. Quiet. Rechargeable. | Can be fiddly to control. | Nebulizer | Rechargeable | Proprietary | No |
| ScentAir Whisper Diffuser | RGB lights. Easy to swap refills. Can scent large rooms. | Expensive for what you get. | Fan | App and voice controls, RGB lights | Proprietary | No (though can be controlled remotely with an app) |
| Lila MellowMist Diffuser | Pleasant design. Easy to use one-handed. Light and white noise machine. | Lid can be annoying to remove. | Ultrasonic | Night light and white noise machine | Bring your own | No |
Scent Diffusers I Don’t Recommend
-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Louryn-Strampe.jpg)
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Hotel Collection Acoustic Studio Pro Scent Diffuser: It’s unclear which owns which, but Hotel Collection is related to Aroma360 (below). The diffusers use the same expensive proprietary scent pods that start at $55. I tested with My Way, which is inspired by 1 Hotel and smells like leather, amber, and sandalwood. The diffuser works well, scents smell great, and the remote was easy to pair. But I was especially excited to try the built-in Bluetooth speaker, which—lo and behold—wouldn’t work. I couldn’t get it to enter pairing mode, no matter how many times I read the instruction manual or which buttons I pressed. It’s a pass for me.
Aroma360 Mini Pro: The Aroma360 Mini Pro is a slick-looking, compact diffuser that’s available in an array of colors. It releases scents in low, medium, or high increments. It’ll spurt out the scent for a few seconds before taking a break. It’s not too loud, and the scent disperses evenly, covering up to 600 square feet. On its face, the diffuser works well, and it looks nice wherever you place it. But the remote is flimsy and tiny, and the diffuser only responded to the remote’s commands about half the time. And there’s no dedicated button to turn the diffuser on or off. That means if your remote is acting up, you’re stuck with the default mode. Secondly, the proprietary Pro-Pod scent bottle is messy. The first time I took it out of its plastic bag, it was covered in oil. I removed the lid and foil cover, and promptly dropped in the slippery bottle, resulting in strongly scented oil spilling all. Over. The. Place.
Pura Plus: The previous WIRED pick for Best Nebulizer, this cylinder-shaped diffuser is Pura’s offering for large spaces. It’s a departure from the brand’s typical style, which is more of a smoke-detector-esque circular or oval-shaped unit that plugs into an outlet. I was surprised to find that the Plus made an audible fan noise (about 32 decibels), as the other Puras are silent. I was willing to live with this, but my first unit began making a very loud buzzing noise when it started up. I received a replacement after sending a video, but now, after a year and a half of testing, the new one is making the buzzing noise as well. I have also seen online complaints from others having a similar issue, so I now recommend the Pura Home (above) instead, which uses Pura’s typical plug-in form but performs just as well as the Plus in larger rooms. —Kat Merck
How Does WIRED Test Diffusers?
I tested each diffuser for at least two weeks and had the help of friends and family to ascertain how strong a scent was over time. I moved each unit throughout my house every few days to ascertain its effectiveness in rooms of different sizes. I also left the room for a few minutes and walked back in to determine scent strength, and I tried every mode and option possible. I looked for diffusers with unique scents or features across all price points, with rooms both big and small in mind.
How Do I Use a Scent Diffuser Safely?
Some ultrasonic diffusers recommend using distilled water, though tap water is fine. Just be aware that tap water can leave behind sediment or hard water deposits. You should clean your diffuser every three or four uses.
You can either purchase pure essential oil or opt for a blend. If you have pets, some essential oils pose risks and can even be poisonous. Essential oils are most dangerous if applied topically to pets—a diffuser used for a short amount of time in a well-ventilated room doesn’t pose as much risk. But it’s important to monitor them and use caution, since sensitivities can vary from pet to pet. This pamphlet has more information on specific oils that can be harmful to cats and dogs. Always consult your vet before proceeding.
How Do Nebulizer and Ultrasonic Scent Diffusers Work?
Scent diffusers primarily work in two ways: Ultrasonic diffusers mix water and oil into a fine mist, and nebulizing diffusers blow air through oil to produce a more strongly scented mist. Nebulizers can be louder and tend to cost more, but ultrasonic diffusers require water refills and don‘t produce as strong of a scent. There are also reed and stone diffusers, which use a carrier oil and fragrance oils to evaporate a scent into the air.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.
