What does a essential oil diffuser do? It seems like essential oil diffusers are everywhere now, as you can smell them releasing amazing odors into the air in schools, banks, libraries, and private homes. If you are curious about what these diffusers do, how they work, and what benefits you can enjoy when you have one, then it’s time to get the answers to your questions. Although diffusers are incredibly popular, there are still a lot of questions that people have regarding them and whether or not they really are as useful as so many people make them out to be.
Purpose of a Diffuser
Diffusers are devices that are used to help release essential oils into the air. They do this in a number of different ways, and the types of oils that people use will vary from person to person, but the purpose is the same. Whether you are interested in changing the way that your home or office smells, believe that an essential oil has therapeutic powers and want to harness them in your space, or you are simply interested in whether or not a diffuser can help you calm down, they all work the same.
When you use a diffuser of any kind, you are going to disperse oils into the air. These essential oils are incredibly concentrated and do not need to be sprayed directly into your space. Rather than dealing with overwhelming odors from your essential oils, when you use a diffuser you can rest easy knowing that they will spread evenly throughout your home, infusing it with incredible smells without you having to do a lot of work.
How They Work
There are two main ways that essential oil diffusers work. You can either opt for electric diffusers that will manually work to disperse the essential oil through the air or choose ones that work by natural evaporation. Both are a wonderful choice, but it depends on your own personal preference which one is the right kind for you.
By exposing essential oils to the air and allowing them to evaporate, essential oil diffusers can fill your home or office with the smell of these oils. How they expose the essential oil to the air and whether or not they allow it to evaporate naturally is what makes these diffusers so different from each other.
Different Types
There are a number of different types of essential oil diffusers available on the market, which means that you need to be careful when choosing the right one for you and research it to ensure that you have made the best choice for your home or office.
Tea light diffusers work by gently heating a bowl with essential oils added to it. A tea light is placed underneath the bowl and will warm the water. This causes molecules to diffuse through the air, taking with them the essential oil. Unfortunately, these only last for a few hours.
Reed diffusers are very popular and rely on rattan sticks for the essential oil to travel up through the sticks and evaporate to scent the room. They often come in attractive jars or other glass containers and have a liquid that has been infused with essential oils. There are some oils that will diffuse significantly faster than others with this type of essential oil diffuser, so it’s important to think about what type of oil you will be using. Sandalwood and patchouli will not diffuse as fast as oils such as lemon, bergamot, or grapefruit. This type of diffuser is portable and doesn’t rely on electricity.
Ceramic diffusers are great if you want to keep your essential oil smell contained to a smaller area, as they are simply not powerful enough for outdoor or larger areas. They work by allowing the user to place a few drops of essential oil onto the ceramic or terra cotta diffuser and then allowing it to disperse throughout the air after it evaporates naturally. They don’t take any electricity and can be taken with you on the road, which makes them great for people who travel a lot and want to enjoy essential oils while off the grid.
Candle diffusers actually heat up the essential oil to ensure that it diffuses quickly and evenly throughout the room where you have the diffuser set up. They are relatively inexpensive, but aren’t the best option if you are worried about the quality of oil that you are going to be using. This is because any exposure to heat will change the oil and can affect how it reacts with your body.
Electric fan diffusers work by exposing the essential oil that you want to diffuse to the air without using any heat. After the user adds some drops of essential oil to water or a pad, then an electric fan will blow air across the surface of the water or pad, which causes the oils to disperse. This is a great option for a small office or home, but it won’t work well to fill the whole space with a scent if you have a larger space.
Nebulizer diffusers are much more advanced, and use a motor and a glass bottle or cylinder to evenly disperse the essential oils throughout your space. They work by breaking the oil into small molecules before dispersing them so that you have an even and continual smell in your room without a lot of hassle. Unfortunately, they are very difficult to keep clean and can be very noisy. Additionally, if you break the glass bottle then it can be a fairly expensive part to replace, which is why these essential oil diffusers are not nearly as popular as other options on the market.
Ultrasonic diffusers are very common and some of the most recognizable types of essential oil diffusers available today. They work by combining essential oils with water and then using electronic frequencies to cause the water to vibrate quickly. It is this vibration that will create a mist of water and oil that can be released into the air. Due to the fact that they require water and will release a mist, they are great to use in the winter if you want to add additional moisture to your home. There are some models that will turn off automatically so that you do not disperse more oil than desired. These are much less expensive than nebulizer diffusers and are significantly easier to clean, as well, which makes them very popular.
There are also smaller diffusers that you can wear as a pendant on a necklace or put in your car. These are great if you want to be able to enjoy the benefits of essential oils even when you are away from your home or office. They are ideal for treating congestion and other health problems, as you can keep them near your body no matter where you go. It is important that if you opt for this type of essential oil diffuser that you are careful not to choose an oil that may bother other people, as they will be able to smell your oil if they get close enough to you.
What to Consider
Before shopping for an essential oil diffuser you need to make sure that you know exactly what you are looking for. If you are going to be using it in a small space, such as your bedroom or your office, then you may not need a diffuser that is electric. Ones that rely on natural evaporation of the oil are quieter and will only fill your space with the smell of your essential oil. On the other hand, if you want to improve the smell of a larger space, then consider a diffuser that has more power and is electric.
You will also need to consider how easily you can clean your new essential oil diffuser, as well as what your budget is. They can range widely in price and ease of cleaning. The last thing that you want to do is invest in an essential oil diffuser and neglect to clean it, as this can result in mold and mildew growing in the diffuser.
Also remember that anytime the essential oil is heated up that you will change its chemical composition. This is why so many people opt for essential oil diffusers that will not heat up the oil when they release it to the air.
The right diffuser is one that you will use, will provide you with a great smell in your desired area, and is easy to clean. If you want to be able to change out the smell each day, then you will want to opt for a diffuser that allows you to add the essential oils to it yourself. On the other hand, if you are very busy and don’t want to have to think about your diffuser, then a reed diffuser may be a better idea for you. When you understand how diffusers work and the differences between the types, then you will be able to easily choose the right one for you.
