| Which Essential Oil Diffuser? | | | | favorites. |
| This is a question we get asked frequently. And the | | | | Please note: An aromalamp is sometimes called an |
| answer, of course, is "it depends." The best | | | | "essential oil burner"... this is a misnomer, since the oils |
| aromatherapy diffuser for you depends on your | | | | should never be "burned." The bowl MUST be filled |
| planned usage. | | | | with water, as described below. |
| Nebulizing Diffusers - Zapping Germs | | | | Fill the bowl with warm water, light a tea candle |
| If you want to saturate the air of a room with your | | | | under it, add a few drops of your favorite oil, and |
| chosen essential oil or aromatherapy blend the | | | | the room is quickly filled with the aroma of your |
| nebulizer is for you. When someone in my family | | | | choice. |
| feels like they are "coming down with something", | | | | I was taught years ago that diffusing the oils in |
| that virusey, achy feeling, I fill the glass nebulizer with | | | | warm water is an amazingly effective way to fill a |
| our favorite anti-viral or anti-bacterial oils and let it run | | | | room with the aromatic vapours. The molecules of |
| all night, filling my bedroom with really powerful oils. | | | | essential oil "piggy back" on the molecules of water |
| Odds are when I wake up in the morning, I'll be over | | | | vapor, which disperse amazingly fast. This makes the |
| whatever big bad bug was trying to attack. | | | | aroma lamp almost as effective for therapeutic |
| For strictly therapeutic/medicinal/germkilling effects, I | | | | benefits as a nebulizing diffuser. |
| use one of our Amrita nebulizers. There are many | | | | In my experience an aromalamp can cover a fairly |
| brands on the market. All have a convoluted glass | | | | large area. The water vapour will move where it |
| attachment, powered by an air pump. The glass | | | | wants. The "front" of my house is a large open |
| breaks the oils into microscopic droplets, capable of | | | | area...kitchen, dining room, living room. An aroma lamp |
| remaining suspended in the air for up to two hours. | | | | in one area suffices for all the rooms. |
| The advantage of the Nebulizer is obviously that it | | | | I don't recommend the use of scented candles. Most |
| does the most effective job of filling the air with | | | | are fragranced with synthetics, and the ones created |
| microscopic particles of your chosen oil. | | | | with true essential oils use far more oil that I can |
| The disadvantages are twofold. First, most nebulizers | | | | justify. When I want candle light, I light beeswax |
| are fairly noisy. They are, after all, powered by | | | | candles, lots of them, set in a circle, with an aroma |
| aquarium pumps. Some people don't mind the noise, | | | | lamp and its candle in the center. Beautiful warm |
| reacting to it as a "white noise" background hum. | | | | ambience, the emotional blend of my choice, a feeling |
| Others find it bothersome. If noise is apt to be an | | | | of true luxury! I think an aromalamp is unsurpassed |
| issue, and your area is small, by all means choose the | | | | when your focus is the emotional uses of the oils. |
| a "Tranquility" model. | | | | When I don't want to light a table full of candles, the |
| Second: The nebulizing diffusers tend to require | | | | dancing flame of the tea candle still adds to the |
| higher maintenance than any of our other options. | | | | ambience. |
| First, putting the essential oil into the glass nebulizer | | | | The aromalamp is silent, and attractive, with designs |
| can be a bit tricky. I finally gave in to reality and | | | | to suit every taste. |
| started using a pipette, after spilling oil while trying to | | | | These are the advantages of an aroma lamp. The |
| pour from the bottle into the glass orifice. Also, the | | | | disadvantages? |
| glass nebulizer (together with the attached Silicone | | | | 1. You must be aware of the water level. An aroma |
| tube) needs cleaning occasionally. I suspect I'm not | | | | lamp with a fairly small bowl can evaporate all the |
| the only one who has let the nebulizer stand with oils | | | | water before the candle burns itself out. Adding cold |
| in it, allowing them to react with the oxygen in the air | | | | or cool water to the hot bowl almost invariably leads |
| and get all thick and "gunky" The best way to clean | | | | to broken glass! |
| them is to add high proof rubbing alcohol (90% | | | | 2. If you allow it to burn dry, even if you don't break |
| works best!) to dissolve the accumulated oils, drain, | | | | the bowl, cleaning it can be a challenge. |
| and air dry. | | | | 3. Of course there is always a risk when you have |
| Also, the nebulizer can not be used with the very | | | | candles burning. Don't leave the room, don't use an |
| thick, viscous oils... benzoin, vetiver, etc. They will | | | | aroma lamp around children, or mischievous pets. |
| totally clog it and won't diffuse unless blended with | | | | 4. And speaking of pets. You've put out the candle |
| other, thinner, essential oils. Never use a carrier oil in | | | | because you are leaving the room...but you didn't |
| the nebulizer, or an essential oil diluted in a carrier. It | | | | empty and put away the aromalamp. A thirsty dog, |
| will ruin the glass nebulizer and void the warranty. | | | | cat, or bird can do themselves terrible damage by |
| COOL MIST - For Kids | | | | drinking the water with the dissolved essential oil. |
| If you have young children who are prone to colds, | | | | Please be careful of your furkids or feathered kids! |
| ear infections, etc. the odds are you've been told to | | | | Cool fans - Multi-use |
| run a humidifier in their bedroom. The Cool Mist | | | | The Spa Scenter is one example of a cool, fandriven |
| (sometimes called an "ultrasonic diffuser" or | | | | diffuser.It is an excellent choice for all of the above |
| "ultrasonic nebuliser") functions both as an | | | | uses. The drawer at the bottom slides out. You |
| aromatherapy diffuser AND a humidifier. It holds a | | | | insert a cellulose pad, dampened with your oil or |
| small amount of water that stays at room | | | | blend, and turn on the unit. A cold air fan blows the |
| temperature just in case an active child manages to | | | | oil molecules out of the openings at the top, and the |
| spill it - no danger of scalding. The essential oils and | | | | room is filled with the oil of your choice. The fan is, in |
| water are diffused by ultrasound waves, adding | | | | my experience, quieter and less obtrusive than the |
| humidity to the air while filling the room with | | | | larger nebulizers, although not as silent as the |
| aromatics. | | | | Tranquility or the AromaStone. |
| The advantages of this one are obvious. No | | | | The Spa Scenter uses no heat, so is safe to use |
| breakable glass parts, the added humidity in the air. | | | | around children. |
| The machine shuts itself off when the water level | | | | I find that it will diffuse over a larger area than my |
| drops too far, and can be set to cycle on and off. | | | | AromaStone, and it is safe to leave unattended. |
| I'm told that children are often fascinated by the light. | | | | The disadvantages? I don't think it fills any single |
| (Memories of my mother's LavaLamp...it has that sort | | | | need as well as some of the above named types of |
| of fascination!) | | | | essential oil diffusers. |
| Disadvantages? If you live in a damp/humid climate | | | | The nebulizing diffusers are more powerful when you |
| you might not want to add extra moisture to the air | | | | have therapeutic needs. The aromalamp is more |
| in your home. And there are some who find the light | | | | attractive when your need is for ambience or |
| an irritant. It may not be shut off while the machine | | | | emotional uses only. The aromastone is quieter. |
| is operating. | | | | But for a "compromise" to address many needs, the |
| The AROMA STONE - Silent and Safe | | | | Spa Scenter may be the best all-round choice. There |
| One of these sits on my bedtable. I love it because I | | | | are also smaller battery powered fan/diffusers, |
| can add my current favorite 'go to sleep' oil or blend, | | | | meant for a desk or office cubicle. |
| plug it in and forget it. | | | | ON THE GO: DIFFUSERS FOR THE CAR |
| I think it is one of the two lowest maintenance | | | | Two choices, one "passive" - a hanging clay pot (or |
| electric diffusers I've ever used, and the least | | | | other terra cotta ornament) that can hang from the |
| obtrusive. Totally silent, and safe. Although it does | | | | rear view mirror, or an electric diffuser that plugs into |
| warm the oils without any water added (although it is | | | | the cell phone charger or cigarette lighter. The "plug |
| an option to add a spoonful of water with the oils) | | | | in" is, I think, a bit more effective. |
| the unit heats only to "baby-bottle" temperature. The | | | | Each, of course, has its advantages. With a hanging |
| oils are not over-heated. | | | | terra cotta diffuser you are limited to one oil or |
| The amount of heat is so low I seldom think to | | | | blend, it's not easy to change from one to another. |
| unplug it before I go to bed, and in all honesty have | | | | With the "plug in" car diffuser, you simply change the |
| left it turned on for two or three days. (I don't | | | | little cellulose pad that you apply the essential oils to. |
| recommend that!) The unit warms so gently that | | | | If you know you are always going to want the same |
| there is no danger of its overheating. | | | | air freshening blend in your car, the hanging clay |
| Mine is very low maintenance. If I remember to wipe | | | | diffuser might be simplest. If you sometimes want an |
| it out with a damp paper towel every morning, it | | | | air freshener, and other times want a "stay awake" |
| stays sparkling clean. If I forget and leave it plugged | | | | blend (or an anti-nausea blend) then the plug in car |
| in for too long so that the oil or blend becomes | | | | diffuser would be your best choice. |
| 'glued' to the base, a towel dampened with rubbing | | | | PERSONAL DIFFUSERS - Inhalers (for privacy!) There |
| alcohol leaves it as good as new. While not totally | | | | are two types of personal aromatherapy inhalers that |
| unbreakable (it is ceramic, after all) mine has survived | | | | I am aware of. One is the very basic plastic one |
| being dropped more than once with no problems. | | | | often sees over the counter inhalants packaged in; |
| The aromastone's small size makes it easily | | | | the other is a rather elegant purse accessory. Either |
| "packable" for traveling. I loathe the smell of the air in | | | | will work well for immediate use, for relaxation, |
| hotel rooms and always travel with my aromatics to | | | | combatting a headache, or other physical or |
| make a strange room smell like home! | | | | emotional effects. |
| These are the advantages. | | | | There is one specific type of diffuser that I honestly |
| The disadvantages? It is not a powerful diffuser. It | | | | don't recommend. It is a small "ball" that plugs directly |
| will not fill a large area nor give you a strongly | | | | into the wall outlet. It contains a cellulose pad that |
| scented area, but is perfect for the intimacy of a | | | | you moisten with the selected oil. I have had these |
| bedroom or bath. I would not choose the | | | | overheat and scorch the pad. I wonder if they might |
| aromastone for diffusing germ killing blends...then I | | | | constitute a fire hazard. Since the oils are heated to a |
| want a nebulizer. But for subtle and inobtrusive "set it | | | | high temperature, the oils degrade, and there is |
| and forget it" use, it is unexcelled. | | | | nothing to encourage the movement of the aromatic |
| AROMA LAMPS - for Mood and Ambience A ceramic | | | | vapors throughout the room. The idea of low cost |
| aromalamp was my first (well, actually, my second) | | | | and light weight was appealing, but they truly are not |
| essential oil diffuser, and remains one of my | | | | a good value. |