Different types of diffusers: How to understand them?

Different types of diffusers: How to understand them?

What are the differences in diffuser functions?

If you are buying your first diffuser, it is good to clarify what you actually want from it. Whether it's about the material (plastic, glass, combination with wood), possible lighting, colour changes, when aromatherapy is linked with chromotherapy during use, whether it has a sensor to set diffusion length etc. And of course price plays a role, which can be a quite significant criterion when choosing an aromatherapy aid. You can choose among these types:

  • Nebulizer is a type of diffuser where the diffusion principle is more complex than other types. In nebulizing diffusers, two nozzles blow essential oils and air at high speed (Venturi effect). The smallest droplets disperse into the space and the larger drops fall back into the diffuser to be reused. They do not have a misting function. Nebulizers are the most expensive diffusion aids, often made of glass combined with other materials. They are priced in higher categories and may not suit some due to the audible operation (thanks to the built-in motor). Essential oil particles are small in size and therefore remain longer in the atmosphere.

  • Ultrasonic diffuser is quiet, effective, but less powerful, operating with a misting feature, so it also effectively humidifies the air. Unlike nebulizers, it has a misting function, so essential oils are mixed with water. The principle is simple, a pellet is placed at the bottom of the diffuser that vibrates at a very high frequency. These vibrations turn the water into a fine, cold mist. When this mist rises from the diffuser, it carries essential oil molecules into the air to disperse them into the atmosphere. Its advantage is its quietness; a disadvantage may be lower therapeutic efficacy due to dilution of essential oils with water. They remain in the air for a shorter time.

  • Diffusers that work on the principle of gentle heat, typically various diffusion stones, are intended for direct dropping of essential oils without dilution with water. These are technically the simplest diffusers. The technique of dispersing essential oils simply consists of heating them to a low temperature, never exceeding 45°C. Essential oils are not diluted with water, they are dropped directly onto the diffuser and allowed to evaporate. The heat causes the volatile aromatic particles to mix with the atmosphere. Ideally used in smaller, enclosed rooms. Their advantage is quietness and high therapeutic efficacy.

Safe use of the diffuser

If you want to use essential oils in the diffuser, all necessary information about their safety can be found here on the blog. Just open the Aromatherapy in Practice section. Keep in mind that essential oils should primarily serve as a medicinal means and you should definitely not use them daily just for the scent, because when you actually need them, they won't work as effectively as you would want. If you want to use the diffuser for prevention, try to put one of our unpreserved hydrolates into it. They are ideal for ultrasonic diffusers.

Which diffuser to choose and why?

It is important whether you want to pick according to whether you have children and pets, how long you want to diffuse. What material the diffuser should be made of (durability especially important for daily use in childcare). Whether it has a timer, which allows you to conveniently set diffusion time for half an hour or sometimes less, depends on how many buttons the timer has. This is handy when diffusing for children.

  • In case of young children (up to six years old) and pets presence, we do not recommend using essential oils, but hydrolates, either for prevention or for dealing with anxiety or respiratory illness. Therefore, it is better to go for a USB diffuser with misting.
  • If you want to use essential oils, both diffusers with misting and thermal diffusers are suitable.
  • If you want to diffuse essential oils for their therapeutic effect, we recommend choosing a nebulizer.
  • If you want a completely silent diffuser, choose the thermal one.
  • Warning: We do not recommend using the diffuser more than 2 times for 15 minutes daily for children and 2 times for 30 minutes daily for adults.

What price range do diffusers generally fall into?

The answer is not that easy. The price is significantly influenced by 2 very important factors: diffusion technology and materials used. Also the functions you can select. Unfortunately, origin cannot be a selection criterion; diffusers are made in China.

  • The most expensive are nebulizers, which range in price from 45-80 euros (approx. 1000-2000 CZK or more).
  • Then diffusers with misting function, a timer and for example LED lights changing colors cost 40-60 euros, which is around 1000-1600 CZK. For these products, material plays a major role and a low price outside this range should be a sign for customers to reconsider buying the diffuser.
  • A gentle thermal diffuser or USB diffuser can be bought most cheaply, even in good quality for no more than 30 euros, that is around 700-800 CZK.
  • A diffuser should not have too many functions (Bluetooth, alarm clock, etc.), because these features come at the expense of the actual quality of the diffusion mechanism.

Which diffuser to choose based on area size and diffusion purpose

One of the criteria for choosing a diffuser can also be the space in which it will be used most. Here, we consider whether it is for therapy or just occasional fragrance of the home.

For creating a cosy atmosphere:

  • For a room of 100 m², a nebulizer is suitable
  • For a room of 50 m²: Diffuser with misting
  • For a room of 20 m²: Gentle thermal diffusers

For diffusion with therapeutic effect:

  • For a room of 50 m², a nebulizer is good
  • For a room of 20 m², choose a diffuser with misting
  • For a room of 10 m², a gentle thermal diffuser is suitable

Serene House: Discreet diffusers surprising with price and performance

We are very surprised that price does not always match performance and durability. Experiences of our customers, monitoring of the number of complaints by ourselves and overall user comfort have convinced us long-term that a high price does not always mean quality. We observe how reasonably priced diffusers from Serene House perform and are amazed. We have only had minimal complaints, in a year we sold them, only one complaint over many months, which makes us very happy. Whether you choose a simple ultrasonic USB-powered diffuser or want to invest in one with timer and changing colours because you do not want to watch the clock, they are truly an excellent investment option. Their modern design nicely complements interiors and meets aesthetic and user requirements perfectly.

Car diffusers instead of standard hanging trees

If you have enough of traditional scented hanging trees and too strong liquid car diffusers, we have an elegant solution that takes up little space and freshens the air while driving with a dose of your favourite essential oil. The Serene House car diffuser is designed specifically for use while travelling. Whether you are commuting or going on holiday, it is always at hand to scent the space where you spend short or long distances.

At first use, simply apply 4-6 drops of essential oil on each side of the ceramic tablets (included in the package), then insert it into the warming plate under the stainless steel cover. The heat speeds up the diffusion of the essential oil to scent your car. Each disk lasts about 1 month with regular use. When the essential oil evaporates, apply a new dose on the ceramic disk. One disk is included with the diffuser, more must be purchased separately. The diffuser is powered by a 12 V plug or USB. It has an adjustable angle for all car mounts. So you can easily say adios to conventional hanging trees and synthetic car fragrances without shedding a single tear.