Home essential oil diffusers are really popular right now, but what if you don't spend enough time at home to actually enjoy yours? Luckily, the best oil diffusers for your car help you get the most out of your essential oils wherever you happen to be going. They're great for commuters, tense drivers, and those who travel for a living, because they turn your car into a mini oasis in the midst of all that rage-eliciting traffic.
While shopping for the best essential oil diffusers overall, you'll probably be looking for a large tank capacity and an eye-catching design — but when it comes to travel-friendly diffusers, it's pretty much the exact opposite. For your car, you'll want something that's small, sleek, and spill-proof. That way, it fits in a tiny, secure crevice and won't cause any messes should you need to slam on the brakes.
Additionally, make sure the diffuser you choose has the right hookups for your car. It's best to pick one that utilizes a USB plug or a DC jack. At the very least, it should be rechargeable or battery-operated, because you're not likely to find an AC plug in anything short of a tour bus. To help you out, here are the best oil diffusers for your car that work in virtually any vehicle.
1The Best Overall, All Things Considered
Why it's great: The econoLED aromatherapy diffuser is a DC jack, so you just fill it with 50 milliliters of water, put in two drops of essential oil, and plug it straight into your car. It diffuses moisture and the scent of your choice into your space, and you can rotate it 180 degrees to point the output any which way. It's available in three colors (pink, blue, and purple), and each one has an auto-off feature for your safety.
What fans say: "This is really a fun diffuser for your vehicle, I was really surprised how powerful it was. I used lavender oil this morning on my drive into work and it really helps with the anxiety of the drive. Very easy to use, fits almost everywhere with the convenient tilt feature."
2The Best Investment
Why it's great: Unlike a diffuser (which distributes the oils via evaporated water particles), a nebulizer is turns the oil itself into a dry mist. As a result, it doesn't use any heat or water, so you get strong scents and preserved healing qualities without any spills. The Two Scents nebulizer diffuser does all that — and it's rechargeable for up to 50 hours of cordless use on one charge. It's one of the highest-rated options in its category because it fits in the palm of your hand, but is surprisingly powerful. It even comes with two leak-free bottles, even though you can attach any 10-millimeter bottle directly to the unit.
The tradeoff: It's definitely on the pricier side. Also, since it doesn't use water to disperse the oils around a room, you'll have trouble filling a larger area with scent (but this wont be an issue in most cars).
What fans say: "Have tried 3 or 4 diffusers and this is by far my favorite. Was searching for a cordless model that was small yet still felt robust, and that's what I've found here. The rechargeable battery is great; I have quite a long commute, so being able to bring this device in the car is really useful."
3The Best Diffuser That Clips To Your Vent
Why it's great: If you don't want to deal with batteries, adapters, cords, and recharging, these vent diffusers are the way to go. That's because they clip onto your car's air vents and utilize the heat or AC to fill the space with therapeutic scents. For $12, you get two hypoallergenic stainless steel lockets and 10 felt pads that serve two purposes: They diffuse any essential oil of your choice, and they add a touch of color to the intricate designs. The clip is protected with rubber to prevent any scratching, the pads are totally reusable, and the design doesn't require any water, so you don't have to worry about clean-ups.
The tradeoff: These diffusers won't work as well if you haven't turned on your heat or AC. And, since these work through evaporation, the scents are subtle and dissipate fairly quickly. That means you'll also have to add more essential oils pretty often.
What fans say: "I've been wanting a car diffuser ever since I stated using essential oils a few years ago. I'm super picky and wanted something pretty and simple and I absolutely love these!! They are beautiful and come with so many color choices so I can use different colors for different oils and not have to mix them if I don't want to."
4The Best Diffuser That Fits In Your Cup Holder
Why it's great: For those looking for a traditional unit, this one from InnoGear has all the features you'd want in a home diffuser — just in a travel-friendly design. It has a color-changing light, a 70-milliliter capacity, two misting modes (continuous and intermittent), and an auto-off function that kicks in when the tank runs dry. It also fits directly in your cup holder and features a USB plug to keep it operating.
The tradeoff: According to reviewers, it's not the most durable option. Since you're dealing with water, it's also a bit inconvenient to refill and may leak if it tips over.
What fans say: "These are the best diffusers that use a USB as a plugin. The output is so strong and Im pretty thrilled with it as I have gotten so many and they are not good at all. This one is the perfect size and fits nicely in my cupholder in the car."
5The Best Diffuser That Hangs From Your Rearview Mirror
Why it's great: The RoyAroma acorn diffuser is made from real wood and has an adjustable strap that you can use to hang it anywhere in your car. Simply unscrew the lid, fill the interior bottle with the oil of your choice, and put it back. The wooden pieces act as a reed, pulling the scent up and out through the ventilation holes, so your car fills with a subtle-yet-uplifting aroma. When the smell starts to fade, turn the acorn over to wet the stopper again. Bonus: Some reviewers say this diffuser makes for a great necklace for on-the-go aromatherapy.
The tradeoff: Since it doesn't use any motor or airflow, this one isn't as noticeable as other options. If you're looking for strong scents, go with another choice.
What fans say: "The latch is sturdy (which is often a problem with a product that you have to open and close often), the tree designs are beautiful and the color coded oil pads are wonderful! They make keeping oils separate so much easier."
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