The 16 Best Essential Oil Diffusers for Large Rooms 2020 (Plus Recipes)

How do you determine what size diffuser you need?

Which kind of diffuser is best-suited to large spaces?

These are the questions I hear from people shopping for the best essential oil diffusers for large rooms.

Let’s look at the answers now.

What Is the Best Diffuser for a Large Room?

To cover a large room, you need a diffuser with sufficient output.

Passive diffusers (like reed diffusers) won’t be strong enough.

But the size of the tank isn’t as important as how much mist it produces.

A compact nebulizing diffuser may be more powerful than a large ultrasonic humidifier.

That’s because a nebulizing diffuser puts out pure essential oil that’s undiluted by water vapor. The aroma spreads throughout a large area.

Meanwhile, an ultrasonic diffuser emits water vapor that’s fragranced by essential oils. It adds moisture, but not as much scent to the air (1).

In either case, it’s smart to have good ventilation wherever you use a diffuser. As nice as it may smell, essential oil is very concentrated and potent (2). Limit your exposure to no more than an hour at a time, and make sure pets can leave the room.

When you choose a diffuser, look at the specifications for how much square footage it can cover. Compare that to the size of the space where you intend to operate it.

I’ve divided the reviews below into two categories: nebulizing and ultrasonic diffusers. These are the two types that are best for large rooms.

Nebulizing Diffusers for Large Rooms

How do nebulizing diffusers work?

They have a pump inside that sends a stream of high-speed air to atomize essential oil into tiny particles. The particles emerge from the diffuser into the room air (3).

The best nebulizing diffusers can handle thick essential oils like those made from resin. They hum quietly as they run intermittently according to a timed schedule.

They are easy to clean when you rinse the glass reservoir with rubbing alcohol. And they may include extras like mood lighting.

Not all nebulizers are powerful enough to atomize viscous oils like sandalwood so please check the fine print before you make a purchase.

Utama Spice Nebulizing Diffuser Danau Satu

In general, a room is considered “large” if it measures over 300 ft.². For example, your living room might be 15’ x 20’.

The Utama Spice nebulizing diffuser can cover up to 400 ft.². That’s impressive as it’s only 8 inches in diameter.

Moreover, it requires little power to operate. It needs just 5 volts, just like the charger you use for your smartphone. You can plug it into your laptop, an external battery pack, or a wall outlet.

It comes with a built-in white light. But you can turn off the light while you’re using the diffuser. It runs for 2 minutes at a time, then pauses for 1 minute. Add a few drops of essential oil to the Pyrex glass reservoir, and it will operate for up to 2 hours before it needs a refill.

The knob on the front allows you to adjust the amount of mist. This controls the intensity, which allows you to use the diffuser in a small room if you prefer.

Aromatherapy Diffuser – Wood and Glass Nebulizer by Aromis

Diffuser manufacturer Aromis makes a wide variety of bases and glass reservoirs to match the decorations in your home or office.

Each reservoir is handblown and each base (if wooden) is painted with water-based lacquer that won’t off-gas VOCs.

At maximum intensity, you can cover up to 30’ x 30’ with one of these diffusers. It will run for 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, for up to 4 hours.

Two Scents Raindrop Nebulizing Diffuser

The Two Scents Raindrop diffuser can handle rooms up to 850 ft.². Furthermore, it only takes a few minutes to fill that entire space with aroma.

The blown-glass reservoir is illuminated by a customizable LED light. The small opening allows the essential oil vapor to emerge as a fine mist.

There are three bases to choose from – light or dark-colored hardwood or ceramic.

The diffuser comes with reusable droppers for easy refilling, plus a one-year warranty.

Redolence Nebulizing Diffuser by Organic Aromas

Organic Aromas offers white, light wood, dark wood, or black bases made from plantation hardwood. The reservoir is hand-blown Pyrex glass.

It runs for 2 minutes on, 1 minute off for up to 2 hours. In that time, it can cover up to 800 ft.².

If you don’t like the bright white lighting, you can turn it off while the diffuser is running.

Aroma-Ace Essential Oil Atomizing Diffuser

The Aroma-Ace diffuser uses a bottle of essential oil as a reservoir. That simplifies cleanup! Just switch the bottle.

The controls allow precise adjustments of how much mist it emits.

This device is made in USA and comes with a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Kevinleo Air Scent Machine 3,500-7,500 Sq.ft, HVAC Unit

Kevinleo’s Scent Machine hooks into your HVAC system or works independently on a tabletop. Either way, it can fragrance up to 7500 ft.².

It atomizes pure essential oil and does not need water.

Program it to run only the days and at the times you need it. Even if the power goes out, it will retain its settings.

Aera Smart Diffuser For Fragrances and Essential Oils

If you don’t mind the vendor lock-in, check out this smart diffuser from Aera. Their app is available for both Android and iPhone.

You won’t be able to use your own essential oils as you’ll need to purchase premade capsules from the company. But on the other hand, you can enjoy customized fragrances like White Tea and sandalwood.

The company calls it “hypoallergenic aroma” with no VOCs or residues.

It covers up to 1000 ft.² depending on the airflow in your home.

Ultrasonic Diffusers

Ultrasonic diffusers are cool mist humidifiers designed to disperse essential oil as well as water vapor.

Not all humidifiers can handle essential oil.

How do ultrasonic humidifiers work?

They use electricity to vibrate a ceramic desk at ultrasonic frequencies. These are so high-pitched that humans cannot hear the sound waves in the water (4).

That means that ultrasonic humidifiers are even quieter than most nebulizers.

The vibration breaks water and the essential oil into tiny droplets that emerge into the room’s air.

Of course, this means that you’ll need strong output to add fragrance to a large room.

The faster the mist comes out, the faster the tank will empty. That’s why most ultrasonic diffusers for large rooms have sizable water tanks.

PureGuardian H4810AR Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier

I know you’re tempted to try using your humidifier as a diffuser. But please don’t do that unless you want to wreck it. The oil will gum up the works. Try this multifunction device instead.

The PureGuardian is a dual warm and cool mist humidifier. It has a two-gallon tank that lasts up to 120 hours and it’s made for medium to large rooms.

It has Silver Clean Protection technology to inhibit the growth of mildew and mold inside the tank. But the essential oil goes into an aromatherapy tray, not into the water.

You can set a 12-hour timer and choose from three speed settings. There’s also a nightlight.

Young Living Essential Oils Aria Ultrasonic Diffuser

Young Living’s Aria diffuser is a deluxe ultrasonic model. It has a glass reservoir on a maple wood base, but it’s not a nebulizer.

You’ll use the remote control to manage the multicolored lighting, play music, set the timer, and control the intensity.

The maximum room size it can cover is 430 ft.²

URPOWER 1000ml Essential Oil Diffuser Humidifier with Remote Control

The ultrasonic humidifier and diffuser market wouldn’t be the same without URPOWER. They are ubiquitous.

This is just one of the many models they offer. I selected it because it has a 1-liter reservoir so that it can run up to 20 hours in low mist mode.

It also has a remote control. The remote manages the light, the timer, and the mist modes.

Exqline Diffuser for Essential Oils Large Aromatherapy Diffuser

For the price, this compact diffuser performs well in large rooms. It holds almost a half-gallon of water that allows it to run up to 20 hours. The maximum suggested coverage area is 450 ft.².

It has a nozzle that rotates 360° and a dial that allows you to choose the intensity of the vapor.

Happily, it’s ETL-certified for safety. Also, it comes with a 1-year warranty and lifetime customer service.

VicTsing Essential Oil Diffuser, 300ml

The VicTsing 300ml diffuser is a top-seller because of the value it offers for the price. It operates up to 10 hours and can fill a space of just over 300 ft.².

It has 15 lighting modes total. There are 7 colors and you can set them to either dim or bright.

Plus, there are 4 timer settings. The press of a button selects one to six hours’ runtime plus high or low mist.

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

BlueHills Premium 2000 ML XL Large Essential Oil Diffuser

BlueHills must know how much we hate refilling our diffusers. They put a 2-liter tank on this model. But it still only measures just under a foot in height and 6 inches in diameter.

Refill it once, and it can run up to 40 hours straight. When it finally runs dry, it shuts down automatically.

Use the dial to control the amount of vapor and the color-changing light.

ASAKUKI Smart Wi-Fi Essential Oil Diffuser

ASAKUKI took the basic ultrasonic diffuser and made it smart. Once you link it to your home network, you can control it through a smartphone app or Alexa.

Just imagine – you can turn it on before you leave the office so that your home already has a pleasing fragrance when you arrive.

The 700ml tank holds enough water to run all night. It will shut down when it empties.

The smart controls allow you to schedule a timer and adjust the light.

Sierra Modern Home Smart Wifi Essential Oil Aromatherapy 400ml Ultrasonic Diffuser

Don’t feel left out if you use Google Home instead of Alexa. This diffuser is compatible with both.

The app works on both Android and iPhone. It allows you to schedule your diffuser, control the LED lighting, and manage the intensity of the vapor. It will operate up to 12 hours continuously on a full tank.

The company offers a 1-year warranty and 24-hour support.

Ominihome Metal Diffuser

If you’re looking for something other than plastic and wood-grain diffusers, take a look at this one. It has a gorgeous bronze casing that’s intricately worked.

The metal shell covers a plastic reservoir that holds half a liter of water. That quantity allows it to work up to 20 hours continuously.

There’s an interior light that changes through seven shades. It emphasizes the beauty of the exterior. While it’s working, it puts out less than 35 dB of noise.

The diffuser comes with a lifetime warranty that includes a 12-month return policy with free shipping.

Recipes to Try out Your New Diffuser

Give your new diffuser something to do right away. Use these recipes to make your home smell amazing.

Autumn Relaxation

• 5 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 5 drops patchouli

Good Morning Blend

• 2 drops frankincense
• 2 drops cypress
• 3 drops lemon

Meditation on a Quiet Day

• 2 drops rosemary
• 2 drops lavender
• 2 drops bergamot

Conclusion

I hope I helped you discover the best essential oil diffuser for a large room today.

If your budget allows, it’s worth it to experiment with both an ultrasonic and a nebulizing diffuser. Then you can decide which one meets your specific needs.

While nebulizers provide an intense aromatherapy experience, ultrasonic diffusers add soothing moisture to dry air.

Let me know which one is your favorite diffuser in the comments below.

Resources:

1. https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/diffu.asp accessed October 16, 2019

2. https://tisserandinstitute.org/safety/safety-guidelines/  accessed October 16, 2019

3. https://organicaromas.com/pages/how-does-a-nebulizing-diffuser-work  accessed October 16, 2019

4. https://www.quora.com/How-do-ultrasonic-humidifiers-work by Kaushik Parashar, published August 9, 2012, accessed October 16, 2019