Choosing a Diffuser

Choosing a diffuser for your oils doesn’t have to seem overwhelming and you don’t have to spend a lot of money either. There are four different main types of diffusers for essential oils: nebulizing, ultrasonic/ humidifying, evaporative, and heat diffusers.

A nebulizing diffuser is probably the best type of diffuser and probably also the most expensive. They do not require heat, water, and don’t contain any plastic. It works by using pressurized air and the essential oil to make a vacuum which blows a fine mist of oil into the air. If you are looking for a diffuser to disperse a perfect amount of essential oil undiluted into the air this is the one for you.

pros… Do not use heat or water and disperse the oil evenly. This diffuser actually disperses undiluted oil straight into the air.

cons… Usually expensive, some consider them noisy, and since they do not use water they use more oil.

An ultrasonic diffuser creates a mist like a nebulizer but uses ultrasonic vibration. The vibrations are created by a small disk under the surface. In the water, the small disk creates vibrations which tend to break up molecules and distribute them into the air.

pros… This type of diffuser only uses a small amount of oil, does not use heat, and acts like both a diffuser and humidifies. This diffuser is also usually quiet.

cons… Only disperses a small amount of oil into the air and not good for large rooms. If you also live in an area that is humid you might not want to moisten the air more.

Heat Diffusers use heat to gradually evaporate the essential oil into the air. Some heat diffusers get very hot to deliver a stronger aroma into the air but, getting one which uses low heat will avoid changing the chemical constituents of the essential oil. If you are using the essential oils for therapeutic purposes.

pros… Diffusers are usually quiet and deliver a powerful aroma of an essential oil throughout a room.

cons… Using a heat diffuser changes the chemical properties of the essential oil, meaning if oils for therapeutic purposes this is not the diffuser for you.

Evaporative diffusers 

use air flow to evaporate the essential oils into the air, turns it from a liquid to a gas. This allows the oils to move through the air quickly.

pros… Moves throughout a room quickly and fills it with the oil’s aroma.

cons… Not usually used for therapeutic purposes due to the components of the oil being broken up and not dispersed at the same time.

I have an ultrasonic diffuser in my home, all over my home. Currently, I have about six. Eventually, I would like to have a nebulizer diffuser in my home to increase the therapeutic benefit, but I have been learning and using essential oils and blends in my current diffuser. I have no complaints about the ultrasonic diffusers I currently have. I would caution you in making sure it doesn’t get hot since this changes the molecules. Quality is important, you want to make sure you are getting the full benefits of the plant when using the oils.

As you begin to explore new oils and blends; I hope this information is helpful to you and your family in picking a diffuser for your home. Rest assured most diffusers come in a starter kit when you purchase essential oils from doTERRA (click the link to be taken to the page).

Jasmine Hutchinson PHN, BSN, RN

For more information about essential oils, feel free to review other blog posts, email me or leave a comment, or check out the My.Doterra.com/MarieHutchinson1 

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