Our favourite essential oil diffuser

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
If you’ve been looking to elevate your environment, an essential oil diffuser is an easy way to bring a spa-like experience home. Just like any other product, we want to balance quality and cost.

No doubt about it, Saje, which was founded in Vancouver, B.C., is a go-to for all things essential oils and diffusing. We tried one of their Aroma Om Ultrasonic Diffuser and a few other less expensive options. 

Overall, we prefer the Saje diffuser because of its quality. Saje has a lifetime guarantee on its diffusers. The diffusers we ordered from Amazon work, but we’re not confident that they’ll stand the test of time.

The best thing about this essential oil diffuser test is that now, every day, without fail we select the perfect aroma to set the mood. Our homes smell great, the air is cleaner and we’re pretty sure aroma therapy is doing its job. 

Specs: 

Quality: We were more than thrilled with the delightful essential oil offerings from Saje, which are all 100 per cent natural with no artificial scents added. 

Low maintenance: Add water, add oil and go. It’s also easy to clean. There’s a how-to on that from a Saje expert below.

Aesthetics: The diffuser is made from a sleek ceramic.

Works wonderfully: No doubt about it, turn this baby on and a strong stream of essential-oil-infused air is released into the atmosphere in a manner that is not overwhelming but certainly does not go unnoticed, which is the point. 

Overall: We are super happy with our Saje diffuser. Depending on which oil is selected, it brings a different vibe into the space every day. A fresh, natural scent like Present Moment (earthy citrus, grapefruit and frankincense) makes it feel like the outdoors have somehow swept through your room and left its mark, while something like Liquid Sunshine (citruses blended with bergamot) targets your senses in a way caffeine cannot. 

Saje’s best-selling blend is Liquid Sunshine which is a mix of citrus scents. Deep Breath with its refreshing blend of eucalyptus and peppermint is also a popular essential oil choice.

Because diffusers are actually good at clearing the air, literally, it does leave the space feeling clean. We adore what a good diffuser can do to purify while infusing your air with natural essential oil blends. It also releases negative ions to reduce dust, pet dander and other airborne allergens.

Size: She needs a bigger belly. While the diffuser delivers on misting my space with scents to reflect or alter my mood (it’s mood-altering without the drugs) it just doesn’t last long enough. If you like to keep the diffuser running the entire day you will be replenishing the water several times. Not a big deal. But nice if you didn’t have to.

The buttons: There is one for lights and one for choosing whether you want a steady stream of mist or intermittent. They don’t really make sense, have no labelling and, yes, we read the manual. So we just randomly kinda hit them till it does what I like. Works fine.

Wanting a longer run-time (less up and down to replenish the water), we looked at two other diffusers found on Amazon. 

Not a bad option: This one is as advertised, comes with a remote and looks quite nice. And its 500ml tank is larger than our Saje diffuser. The top is a solid white while the bottom is a lovely faux light-coloured wood grain. It has a classy, Japanese sort of style to it.  

It works and it runs longer than the Saje diffuser. But alas, it really doesn’t deliver the scent-delighting mist with quite the same enthusiasm. Indeed, if we only had this one, we would truly be missing out on the superior function of the Saje option. 

It has pretty LED lights, an automatic shut-off and a remote. Though we don’t think a remote is necessary, it could be handy if your diffuser is a bit out of reach and you want to turn it on or off.

Sort of impressed: It has a low, mechanical purr when it runs which just isn’t all things namaste. Like the Asakuki, it is white, but unlike the Asakuki it’s not a solid aesthetically pleasing shade – rather it is slightly transparent and a bit plastic-looking. To be fair, that is when the LED lights are on. Turn them off and it slips through a stunning loop of colours, melting from lavender to blue, red, yellow and green.

We are sticking with Saje for our diffuser needs. It’s a bit more pricey but it’s all they do and they are good at it. And, their customer service is great. I stopped in a retail location to ask questions and found they were a legit encyclopedia on the topic. 

We’d like to wrap with a cautionary tale. If you like your Saje diffuser, you will probably like the Pocket Farmacy Physical Edition. It’s an essential oil kit collection of five 6 ml essential oils, or “emotionally-supportive blends.” They are roll-on and perfectly fit in your pocket so you can deliver a dose of whatever scent suits you throughout the day. To your temples, wrists and neck. 

The Peppermint Halo is a must-have for migraines while the Stress Release oil is ideal for winding down at night. 

We bought it for the lovely Saje zip-up carrier case which is about the size of a chubby cell phone. Already thinking about repurposing, maybe a wallet or a small purse in future.

We spoke with Saje’s in-house expert to get some of the basics on bringing a diffuser home. Here, Kristin Rondeau, Saje’s Senior Manager, Education, answers some of our questions.

Pets: We long heard that diffusing essential oils and pets are not a good mix. Good news, Rondeau says being smart and strategic (don’t put your diffuser right by your dog bed or cat tree,) and everyone wins. 

It’s also preferable to have your diffuser in an open-concept area rather than in a tiny space. And, if your pet always leaves the room when the diffuser is on, you might want to look into that as an attempt at communication.

Not convinced or want to know more? Learn more here.

Clearing the air: Yes, a diffuser will fill the air with wonderful scents but it does more than that. When you run one, it literally clears the air. 

That’s because they create something called negative ions which mimic the experience of being in nature, says Rondeau. 

Think being near a crashing ocean surf, standing by a waterfall or taking a walk after a heavy rain — diffusers can recreate that sort of experience found in nature which leaves you breathing deeply and can boost your energy.

Once diffused, essential oils see negative ions bind to positive ions, making things like dust and airborne toxins become too heavy to stay airborne so they drop from your breathing space.

That is why there will often be rings of dust right where your diffuser sits, Rondeau says. The extra moisture in the atmosphere is a side benefit (your plants will love it) but a diffuser will not replace a humidifier (check out our favourites here).

Tailor doses of oil to your preferences: If you are using your diffuser every day a standard size 10 mls of essential oils, which is 200 drops should last about a month. Some people will use 10 to 15 drops at a time while others wanting more subtle scents might only use four drops.

“The best place to put it is where you are going to spend most of your time,” Rondeau says. “If you want to get the most benefits of a diffuser, place it near you.”

It’s simple and should take literally 30 seconds, says Rondeau. But, make no mistake, it’s required to keep your diffuser functioning properly or at all. By far, the number one reason for diffuser malfunction is not cleaning it properly.

Take rubbing alcohol (or Saje’s cleaning kit) and add a very small amount to a Q-tip. Clean the small disc at the bottom of the diffuser. Essential oil residue will lift very easily along with any staining elsewhere in the tank. 

How often you clean depends on diffuser use. For Rondeau, that’s daily which means she cleans every one to two weeks. Finish with a good rinse but do it the same way you cleaned, with a Q-tip or a bit of paper towel. Do not submerge the diffuser in water or put it under the tap. 

Shopping Essentials is a category written by research-obsessed shopping experts. Explore product reviews, recommendations and launches — plus behind-the-scenes info on your favourite brands and hidden gems — learn more here or sign up for our newsletter.

Want a deal? We may have a coupon code for that coveted item in your basket.