12 best diffusers for long-lasting, fresh home fragrance

After hours of sniffing various scents, it became clear that Marks & Spencer’s apothecary restore diffuser was the best. I had more than one compliment on the beautiful scent when it was in my home. It’s a no-frills amber-coloured glass bottle with slim wood reeds, meaning the design won’t turn heads. But I liked the classic understatement, which would work really well in a bedroom or bathroom.

It uses a lovely blend of essential oils, including geranium, cedarwood, eucalyptus and lavender, which all worked to give my house a serene spa-like feel without being too overpowering.

One thing to note is that if you’re keen to fill a larger room, you might be better off choosing the more strongly scented Molton Brown mesmerising oudh accord and gold aroma reeds (£50, Moltonbrown.co.uk).

Otherwise, this is a fantastic buy that looks far more expensive than it is, with reasonably priced refills (£15, Marksandspencer.com) so you can use it for years to come.

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened this diffuser – the dark, ridged glass bottle has an elegant look I wouldn’t expect from something so affordable.

It looked good everywhere I placed it in my home, and I liked the fact that it didn’t have any visible branding on it. As it’s such a pretty bottle, it’s a shame that it’s not possible to buy refills, but it could be repurposed elsewhere after use, perhaps to hold makeup brushes.

It took a little while for the scent to spread, but when it did, it’s a fairly heavy smell with musky undertones that is better suited to an entrance hall or a bathroom than a kitchen, as it is a touch synthetic. Overall, Matalan’s orchid and vanilla elegance diffuser is a great budget option. You’d never guess it was such a bargain.

I found Espa’s aromatic essential oil diffuser the best electric diffuser. But it was so much more than this. It transformed my home into a high-end spa. Add water to the tank along with a few drops of your preferred essential oil, then add the white ceramic cover. Once turned on, an intermittent mist escapes from the top, which is strong enough to scent a large room.

There’s also an optional low light, which offers a calming effect perfect before bedtime. Better still, Espa’s signature blends don’t just smell good but can trigger specific responses like relaxation or improved mood, depending on which one is chosen. I loved using mine in my living room to help me wind down at night and really noticed the calming effect when using Espa’s soothing aromatherapy single oil (£20, Espaskincare.com).

The only downside is that you need to keep it plugged in. If you’d rather use a portable diffuser, go for the Neom happiness waterless pod mini+ (£77, Neomwellbeing.com) starter pack instead.

Think of this Diptyque home fragrance diffuser less as a diffuser and more like a work of art you’ll want to show off in your home. Mine still has pride of place in my hallway, so everyone can admire it, and it really does turn heads. The oval glass vessel comes in three different sizes to suit differently-sized rooms (and budgets). I tested the 200ml version, which is recommended for a room of approximately 25 square metres.

The downside is that you have to buy everything else alongside it to get the full effect. Bottles of one of Diptyque’s own fragrances are sold separately and come with rattan sticks for the diffuser. I tested roses (£75, Spacenk.com) with my diffuser, a soft, suits-all fragrance that never felt too cloying or headache-inducing.

The vessel itself can be washed out if you want to change fragrances with each use, which is a handy touch. Of course, buying scent does make this already pricey diffuser even more costly, so if you fancy a refillable diffuser for less, the M&S apothecary restore diffuser (£17, Marksandspencer.com) could be a better choice. But you’ll never get sick of looking at this in your home.

Loved by luxury hotels everywhere, Jo Malone London diffusers give any space a sense of pizazz. The pomegranate noir scent has the same fruity but spicy smell as the brand’s fragrance of the same name and would work well in any home, especially during winter.

It looks wonderful on display and comes in Jo Malone London’s signature cream and black box, which makes it a great gift. It was also easy to open, with a simple screw cap rather than a rubber stopper, which is much trickier.

I needed to use all ten rattan reeds provided to really smell the diffuser on the other side of my living room, so if you have a bigger space to fill that would benefit from a more powerful scent, try Rituals’ private collection royal tea fragrance sticks (£58, Rituals.com). But if you’re looking for a luxury diffuser, I’d happily splurge on a refill for Jo Malone’s pomegranate noir.

This is unlike any other diffuser I tested. And I found Neom’s happiness waterless pod mini+ the best portable diffuser. It’s cordless and requires charging before use, which takes around two hours, but it should last around 125 hours.

After it’s fully charged, you screw in one of Neom’s essential oil blends and turn it on using the control buttons atop the device, where you can also adjust the intensity and amount of time it’s on for. A waterless micro-fine mist of scented vapour is released into the air, which means it makes a slight noise when in use, but I didn’t find that bothered me.

Neom’s oils are natural and smell amazing – and, given the size of the diffuser, I was surprised just how far away I could smell the scent when it was in use. While charging the battery wasn’t a deal-breaker for me, and I enjoyed the fact that it’s portable, if you’d rather have a plug-in diffuser, I’d recommend Espa’s aromatic essential oil diffuser (£85, Espaskincare.com).

Much like Yankee Candle’s candles, its diffusers have a strong enough scent to easily hide any nasty smells. I found it too powerful in my kitchen, but it would work well in a hallway or living room.

I loved the fact that it had a scratch-and-sniff panel on the outside of the box, so if you’re shopping in a store, you can test the smell before you buy, which is an ingenious idea. It also comes in a pretty glass bottle with designs on the outside, though the top sits a little loosely on the bottle, so it can leak easily if knocked.

Get yourself in the festive spirit with this Arran Sense of Scotland seasonal diffuser that will add a little Yuletide sparkle to the colder months. Both the outer box and the glass bottle diffuser itself are a striking dark green, stylish Christmas-inspired designs in gold, making this a wonderful present.

Produced on the Isle of Arran in Scotland using ingredients sourced from UK suppliers, it smells just like Christmas in a bottle, with notes of fresh green cedar, fruity cassis and cosy vanilla and musk adding a touch of warming spice. It’s a little disappointing that refills aren’t available, but as a one-off Christmas treat, this diffuser is a delight.

There’s no mistaking that this glass diffuser is made by Molton Brown, as its curved bottle and chunky lid look exactly the same as its upmarket bath products.

The oudh fragrance is one of its punchier ones, with a smoky, full-bodied combination of bergamot, black tea and (you guessed it) oudh, which could prove a little heady for some. If you’re looking for something less heady and more floral, I’d recommend The White Company’s santa rosa luxury diffuser (£38, Thewhitecompany.com), but I personally enjoyed the scent.

Molton Brown’s diffuser did last a long time, though – it had barely reduced after a month’s use in my home, so I’d estimate you’d get at least five from this. It has more than enough oomph to handle a large room, too.

Lords Fragrance House disco ball diffuser is the statement diffuser I didn’t know I needed. But who wants a boring old diffuser when you can have a shimmering, rotating neon pink disco ball? This one looks great even if you don’t turn it on, but when you do, it uses ultrasonic water mist technology to spritz fragrance in the air intermittently. All you need to do is add water and a few drops of your favourite essential oil inside.

Run time can be easily adjusted, and the disco ball rotates and can light up in different colours. This is hard to see in the daylight, but it is very effective in a darker room.

Of course, the glittery pink won’t be for everyone – Espa’s aromatic essential oil diffuser is a more subtle option – but it’s hard not to smile with this in the corner of your room.

The White Company’s santa rosa luxury diffuser is the best reed diffuser. The floral scent has notes of jasmine and tuberose – it’s beautifully subtle and sophisticated, and works really well in the bedroom or living room. I did, however, find it a touch too flowery to use in my kitchen.

The throw of the scent is impressive, and I liked the fact that I could smell it as soon as I walked into the room. The bottle also looks really smart on display.

One gripe is that there are no refills available for this scent yet, so you could choose Molton Brown’s oudh diffuser if that’s a non-negotiable (£50, Moltonbrown.co.uk).

If you’re looking for a large refillable diffuser you can use again and again (and don’t have the budget for Diptyque’s home fragrance diffuser), Next’s 400ml diffuser has come up trumps. If you’re conscious of décor, I found the minimalist white bottle looked chic when on display.

It’s easy to pour the oil into the bottle, plus the refills are well-priced. The fragrance is gentle but noticeable, with a fruitiness that mellows into a more floral fragrance that lingers well. The larger size also means it will last up to six months, making this an excellent buy that won’t break the bank.