The 19 Best Aromatherapy Diffusers and Humidifiers 2021 (Plus Recipes)

Solve two problems at once: Get a diffuser with humidifier function.

You’ll save money and effort and enjoy double the therapeutic benefits.

Not only will you fragrance your surroundings, but you’ll also have adequate moisture for good health.

Keeping the humidity between 30 to 50% reduces viruses and keeps your skin healthy (1).

Meanwhile, aromatherapy can help you reduce stress, improve concentration, and fight a cold.

The best aromatherapy diffusers and humidifiers are ultrasonic devices that run quietly in the background for hours.

They don’t use a lot of electricity and don’t need a lot of oil, either.

Can You Use a Diffuser as a Humidifier?

You certainly can use any of these diffusers without essential oil.

They are cool mist humidifiers, also known as ultrasonic humidifiers.

But they are made to handle essential oils, not only water. Unlike regular humidifiers, they won’t get gummed up if you use oils with them.

Can You Diffuse Essential Oils in a Cool Mist Humidifier?

Please don’t try diffusing essential oils in a regular cool mist humidifier.

They will damage the equipment.

After all, it’s often less expensive to buy a cool mist diffuser even if you don’t use oils with it all the time.

How to Choose an Aromatherapy Diffuser/Humidifier

Consider these three features as you shop for a diffuser to humidify your home.

• First, what’s the coverage area?

Most diffusers will specify measurements in square feet so that you can get the appropriate model for the room where you plan to use it.

For example, you might be looking for the best diffuser humidifier for large rooms.

• Second, how easy is it to maintain?

Make sure it’s straightforward to refill and clean.

You don’t want a moldy tank spreading microbes (2).

• Third, what kind of controls does it have?

Can you manage the amount of mist, set a timer, or turn off the light if you don’t want it?

Be sure to satisfy those three requirements before you worry about the device match your décor.

Obviously, there are other details that can make or break your purchase.

The length of the power cord, safety certifications like ETL or UL, and automatic shutdown when the tank is dry are also important.

Now let’s discover the top aromatherapy diffusers and humidifiers.

Plant Therapy NovaFuse USB Diffuser

Plant Therapy is one of the top essential oil brands. Therefore, it’s not surprising that they sell diffusers.

The NovaFuse can fragrance up to 269 ft.². That’s a small or medium-sized room.

If you’re concerned that it will add too much moisture to the air, you can check its performance with a hygrometer. Digital household thermometers sometimes show the relative humidity, too.

To ease your concerns, it operates either intermittently or continuously for up to 10 hours. Moreover, it only needs 5 to 8 drops of essential oil.

The tank is made with food-grade polypropylene plastic. It’s durable and impervious to essential oils.

The modern design is available in either black or white. It has a built-in color-changing LED light and comes with a USB adapter.

URPOWER 2nd Version Essential Oil Diffuser Essential Oil Cool Mist Humidifier

URPOWER manufactures several different diffusers and upgrades them with new features on occasion.

This is the newer edition of their compact tabletop diffuser for small rooms. It holds about 3 ounces of water and runs up to 6 hours.

When the water gets low, it shuts down automatically.

There’s a color-changing mood light plus a timer. All you need is ordinary tap water and 3 drops of essential oil.

Recipes for Your New Aromatherapy Diffuser

As I write this article, we’re getting near the holidays. Here are recipes to celebrate fall and winter.

Crisp, Clean Forest Air

• 3 drops sandalwood
• 3 drops fir or pine
• 3 drops cypress

Winter Celebration

• 2 drops orange
• 1 drop cinnamon
• 3 drops pine or fir
• 1 drop clove

Keep reading because I’ll add more recipes in a moment.

LEVOIT Dual 100 Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier Essential Oil Diffuser

LEVOIT’s Dual 100 is very quiet, making only 28 dB of noise. That’s like a quiet day at the library.

Pick this one for your bedroom as it’s perfect for using there. It has Sleep Mode that turns off the display lights and turns on a sensor to maintain the ideal amount of moisture in the air.

There are three speed settings in total. It’s designed to avoid soaking the floor or the tabletop.

Furthermore, you can fill it from the top. The opening is big enough that it’s easy to clean inside the tank.

Essential Oil Diffuser 160 ml Cool Mist Aromatherapy by Radha Beauty

This diffuser holds 160 mL, or about a half cup of water. It runs continuously or intermittently.

There’s also a feature that allows you to use it as a nightlight without diffusing.

When the water runs out, it powers down automatically.

InnoGear Upgraded Version Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser

If you’re on a budget, pick this diffuser as it’s inexpensive and customizable. It’s best-suited to spaces up to 150 ft.² in size.

Fill it with tap water, and the 3-ounce reservoir will last up to 8 hours on the intermittent setting. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the pretty rainbow lighting.

Edens Garden Hand-Crafted Ceramic Diffuser

Skip the plastic and go for this handmade ceramic diffuser. It’s simple but effective.

The 3-ounce reservoir is best for small rooms. Choose from intermittent or continuous mist to fragrance the air.

You can dim or brighten the light or turn it off completely.

VicTsing Essential Oil Diffuser, 300ml

If you have a medium-sized room up to 300 ft.², this cool mist humidifier is a popular choice. It will run up to 10 hours, which makes it convenient for bedrooms.

There are 4 timed settings, plus you can adjust the flow of mist.

The 7-color light cycles through different shades. You can dim it or turn it off.

The manufacturer offers a 45-day money-back guarantee and a 12-month warranty.

Essential Oil Blends for Your Diffuser

Aromatherapy can help you relax and feel better.

Sweet Dreams

• 2 drops vetiver
• 3 drops frankincense
• 4 drops lavender

Clear out the Sinuses

• 2 drops tea tree
• 3 drops cedarwood or frankincense
• 4 drops eucalyptus

Go Away Germs

• 3 drops rosemary
• 3 drops lemon
• 5 drops peppermint

InnoGear 500ml Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser

Grab this diffuser if you want to sleep all night with it running. In low mist mode, it works up to 17 hours straight.

If the winter air is especially dry in your house, you can run it up to 8 hours in high mist mode continuously.

There are timer settings for shorter aromatherapy sessions. Choose from one, two, or three hours at a time. You can control the mist and the light independently of one another.

URPOWER 1000ml Essential Oil Diffuser Humidifier with Remote Control

Go even longer between refills with a 1-liter diffuser. It holds about a quart of water and diffuses up to 20 hours on low.

Another attractive feature is the remote control. You can sit across the room and manage the light, the timer, and the flow of mist.

Essential Oil Bluetooth Diffuser Ultrasonic Humidifier For Aromatherapy Oils by GuruNanda

We’re in the twenty-first century, so why not enjoy all the technology has to offer?

This diffuser lets you link your phone and play tunes while you enjoy the cool, aromatic mist. It will also give you a beautiful light show.

Plant Therapy AromaFuse Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser 380 mL

The AromaFuse is ideal for large rooms as it covers more than 500 ft.². It can operate continuously for 10 hours.  Use the intermittent setting and it works even longer.

There are 5 settings total, including timed cycles. You can also leave the light on or turn it off.

ASAKUKI Smart Wi-Fi Essential Oil Diffuser, 500ml Aromatherapy Humidifier

What if you could turn on your diffuser before you leave work?

This one joins your home network so that you can control it from anywhere with an app. The app is compatible with Apple and Android phones alike.

But wait, that’s not all – you can control it with voice commands through the Amazon Echo.

The settings allow you to set a timer and adjust the mist and light.

But don’t worry about checking back to turn it off as it will shut down automatically when the water gets low.

The manufacturer offers a 1-year warranty.

Young Living Aria Ultrasonic Diffuser

This premium diffuser comes with a remote control for the timer and light. It can cover up to 430 ft.².

The main attraction, though, is its ability to serve as a speaker for beautiful music. Plug in your phone or enjoy the pre-programmed tunes.

Also, it has a glass reservoir that’s dishwasher-safe. That’s good to know if you’re trying to avoid plastic.

SpaRoom AromaHarmony Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser with Bluetooth

Here’s another diffuser/humidifier with Bluetooth. It’s compact and made for rooms up to 200 ft.².

It has a built-in light and adjustable mist. On the intermittent setting, a full tank will last up to 6 hours.

Sierra Modern Home Smart Wifi Essential Oil 400ml Ultrasonic Diffuser

If you use Google Home, this is the Wi-Fi-connected diffuser for you. It’s also compatible with Alexa and has an app for smartphones.

A full reservoir means it can run for 12 hours continuously. But you can adjust settings with voice commands or the app to reduce the mist or set a timer.

The company offers a one-year warranty and 24-hour support.

Crane Essential Oil Diffuser Cool Mist Humidifier

Crane makes those adorable animal humidifiers, so I was very pleased to discover they make diffusers, too. The 21-ounce tank on this model is adapted for essential oils.

It will work for 8 hours continuously. For best results, use it in small spaces under 150 ft.².

You can turn the nozzle in a full circle to aim the mist away from the furniture. If you use filtered or distilled water, you’re less likely to end up with white dust.

There’s a color-changing nightlight that you can turn off if you don’t want to use it. Then the humidifier will shut down automatically when the tank empties.

PureGuardian H965 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

For extra time between refills, you need this one-gallon humidifier/diffuser. It can go 70 hours (almost 3 days!) on the low mist setting before the tank empties.

It’s made for medium-sized rooms.

The tank has Silver Clean Protection to inhibit mold and mildew. That doesn’t let you off the hook because you’ll still need to clean it on occasion.

Also, note that you won’t put the essential oils in the tank. They go in the aromatherapy tray instead.

PureGuardian H4810AR Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier

For maximum service between refills, how does 120 hours sound?

This PureGuardian model has a 2-gallon tank for medium to large spaces. It’s also treated with the Silver Clean Protection to keep mold from growing inside.

You don’t need to run it continuously as it has a 12-hour timer. There are three speed settings, plus a nightlight.

Again, take note that the oil goes into the aromatherapy tray, not the tank.

Homasy 4.5L Cool Mist Humidifier Compatible with Essential Oil

The large tank on this diffuser ensures 30 hours of runtime in low mist mode. It can cover up to 538 ft.², or a large living room.

But you can’t put essential oil into the reservoir. This is only a cool mist humidifier unless you put on the aroma nozzle that holds the oil.

When it’s working, it makes only 28 dB of noise. You can adjust the flow of mist and turn off the light.

Conclusion

Add moisture and fragrance to the air with an aromatherapy diffuser and humidifier. You’ll never have to choose between the two again.

You’ll also never have to fight for space at the power outlet as one device provides both functions.

There are many ultrasonic diffusers to choose from, whether you’re on a budget or ready to splurge. Choose from simple, compact humidifiers or Wi-Fi-connected smart diffusers.

If you found one today that you love using, tell me about it in the comments below.

Resources:

1. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151016-the-real-reason-germs-spread-in-the-winter by David Robson, published October 19, 2015, accessed October 21, 2020

2. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/humidifier_factsheet.pdf accessed October 21, 2020