My Highest Rated Diffusers
One division of my business designs custom scents for boutique hotels. Hotels may sell candles, but when they scent a lobby or hallway, they usually rely on electric or plug in diffusers. Many of my customers also prefer an electric diffuser to a candle or reed diffuser, and they often ask me which brand to buy. Between my hotel work and those questions, I have researched plug in and corded diffusers in depth, and my top recommendations are listed below.
Best Wall Plug-In
Waterless Cold-Air Diffuser: Luxury Aluminum Plug-In
This diffuser sells for $49.99, and with Black Friday coming up, the brand is offering a sale. It works well for a medium-sized room. I use mine at the entry of my home, and the scent drifts up the staircase.
The controls are on the device, and it measures about 6 inches long and 4 inches wide, so it fits easily in your hand. You can choose from three intensity levels, along with a pause setting. I usually choose L1 with an active time of 15 seconds and a pause of 165 seconds. I prefer only a light amount of scent, so this setting works well for me.
It comes with an empty bottle inside, which is easy to remove and fill. There is no need for me to buy their scents, since they are mostly synthetic and too strong for my taste. And even though they push a hard sell on thier own scents being mandatory - they are not. My natural scents work very well in this machine. At the moment I am using my Salt Air Beach scent, which makes me imagine lying on a hot beach in the Caribbean and I smell it everytime I walk in the door.
The only downside to this diffuser is that I have to put on my glasses to change the settings, since the controls are small. It also does not come with an app, which would make adjusting the settings easier and more precise.
Best Electrical Cord Plug In
Waterless Cold-Air Diffuser with USB cord: Ambiance Mini
Don’t let the word “mini” fool you, because this little one packs a punch. It sells for $130, and the brand also offers Black Friday promotions and first-time discounts. The device delivers consistent scent with pauses, adjustable intensity, scheduling, and lighting, all controlled from an app on your phone.
I use it at home to scent my kitchen, living room, and dining room, and the scent also drifts out to my deck. The entire space is about 1,000 square feet, and it makes a party feel dreamy. I program the lightest scent level with the least amount of dispersion, because once again, I like a light scent as opposed to a heavy one. The design is also really cute, and I love how it looks.
You do not need to buy any of their scents to use this device unless you prefer them. At the moment I am running my Obsidian scent in this one, only at night after dinner. It is the scent I designed for The Westman Hotel, and since it is more of an earthy scent, I like to use it to unwind after my work day.
The only downside to this device is that I have to hide the cord , since I don’t want to see it. I don’t mind, though, because it really does the trick and the device is kind of hip looking when the cord is hidden.
Cleaning the Electric Diffusers
Cleaning electric and plug in diffusers is easy, and it only needs to be done when you change scents. Unplug the diffuser, remove the bottle, and make sure most of the leftover scented oil is out. Fill the bottle one quarter of the way with rubbing alcohol, screw it back into the diffuser, plug the diffuser back in, and let it run for about 15 minutes. Then remove the bottle, toss the alcohol, and refill with your desired scent.