The advantages of using essential oils can be utilized quickly, easily, and without too much mess if you make use of an essential oil diffuser to deliver them into the air in your home, or office. An essential oil diffuser is also considered by many experts to be the only way that essential oils can be safely used around kids and pets, who are usually far more sensitive to them than adults. But which of the many ‘top rated essential oil diffusers’ – a term you’ll see used a LOT when shopping for one – is really the best choice?

Before dialing down into specific products, of which there are quite literally hundreds to choose from – it’s best to determine just which of the most common general types of essential oil diffuser is best suited to your needs: evaporative, heat, ultrasonic or nebulizing?

To help you make the best decision for you when shopping for those ‘top-rated essential oil diffusers’ here we are going to take a closer look at the differences between these diffuser types, including the pros and cons of each.

Top Rated Essential Oil Diffusers

What is a Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffuser?

A nebulizing diffuser uses a high-velocity, pressured air stream and jet nozzle to break down the essential oil into minute particles. A light mist of oil is released from the diffuser and enters the atmosphere. The nebulizing diffuser produces a fine mist that diffuses the complete oil at once rather than in stages, without changing its chemical makeup or fragrance.

On the pro side this means that you will be using your chosen oil at its ‘full strength’ and you won’t need to worry about dilution ratios or other calculations. This however can produce a mist that is too potent for sensitive noses – including those of pets and kids – and it will mean you will use a lot more oil than other essential oil diffusers do.

What is an Evaporative Essential Oil Diffuser?

Essential Oils in a white glass oil diffuserAir movement is used in evaporative dispersion to disperse the aroma of the essential oils throughout the space. A tissue or a pad with essential oils placed on it serves as a filter through which air is forced by a fan. The oil evaporates thanks to the flowing air, and the oil-laden air is then blown throughout the room.

You will receive the oil in segments while using an evaporative essential oil diffuser; the lighter essential oil components will evaporate first, followed by the heavier components.

This does often lead to a quieter aromatherapy session – some top-rate essential oil diffusers are quite loud – which might be ideal for an office when you don’t want to disturb the other people working around you. On the downside, due to the fact that not all of the parts of the complete oil are dispersed at once, it might not be as effective as other methods.

What is Heat Essential Oil Diffuser?

Heat diffusers, as the name implies, use heated components to aid in the essential oil’s slow evaporation into the air. The best heat diffusers will utilize a very low heat to prevent significantly altering the chemical components of the oils being diffused, unlike some heat diffusers that use extremely high heat to achieve a stronger aroma.

This means that it will do its work silently, but a heat essential oil diffuser may not deliver a powerful enough scent to meet your personal preferences.

What is an Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser?

This increasingly common diffuser type utilizes water and electronic frequencies to combine essential oils and water to produce a fine mist. A tiny disk submerged beneath the water’s surface generates ultrasonic vibrations that force the essential oil to dissolve into minute microparticles.

Essential Oils in a black oil diffuser in a homeOnly a minimal amount of essential oil is used in ultrasonic versions, and no heat is utilized to create the mist in an ultrasonic essential oil diffuser. If you live in a dry climate, this approach also doubles as a humidifier, which is beneficial. Ultrasonic diffusers produce little to no noise, which makes them ideal for usage at night. They are also the only type of essential oil diffuser that many experts consider safe for use around toddlers and pets.

They do have their potential downsides though. The essential oil makes up a very minor portion of the mist, and it is dispersed by the ambient air current in the space. You might not want to use your diffuser to add extra water to the air if you already reside in a more humid area, or at the height of hot, sticky summer either!

The aromas of essential oils have a great deal of potential to positively affect your mood and general well-being, regardless of the essential oil diffuser you select. In the end, you can use any of these diffusing techniques to benefit from aromatherapy in your home and office. It will simply depend on which method, based on the information we’ve shared here on the top-rated Essential Oil Diffusers and your personal preferences, works best for you.