16 best essential oil and reed diffusers that give your home a sense of calm

Neom’s made quite a splash in the world of home fragrance since its launch nearly 20 years ago, producing beautiful three wick candles and essential oils which focus on de-stressing, calming and mood boosting. The jewel in the crown of its products is the real luxury pod – an electric oil diffuser that distributes whichever essential oil you choose around your living room, bedroom, bathroom or kitchen.

It has a unique design which fits seamlessly in with loads of interior styles, plus it has a breathing mode light which you can use for guided breathing. With celeb fans like Millie Mackintosh, we love the remote controlled element which means you can stay in charge of the luxury pod hands free. And it’s surprisingly affordable for an electric diffuser at £135. It’s a solid five stars from us.

If you’re looking for a reed diffuser with a recognisable scent, Molton Brown’s re-charge black pepper number features a cult classic fragrance. The glass holder is transparent so our tester could see how much liquid had been used, and after a month’s testing the liquid level was reduced by only a small amount. We think the reed diffuser is a slightly softer version of the black pepper shower gel and other bath and body buys in the same scent, with the black pepper, ginger and vetiver offering a gently intoxicating aroma.

If eco-credentials are high up your list of priorities, then let us introduce you to the Neal’s Yard Remedies esta aroma diffuser. Made from sustainably sourced bamboo which was cut by hand, it mists your essential oil around the room every 30 seconds with aplomb. Take care with citrussy essential oils (lemon, lime, mandarin, neroli etc.) because if it’s not rinsed and wiped dry each time these are used (which we must admit is a bit of a pain) these can cause damage which could impact how well the oil diffuser works.

This one isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as some of the others we tested, but it’s incredibly affordable at just £60 and has a soft light perfect for the evening.

If an electric diffuser that costs a fair chunk of money isn’t for you then perhaps your oils are better distributed in a reed diffuser. Sanctuary Spa’s signature collection reed diffuser is seriously affordable at just under £15, but you’d never guess it by the way that it looks. Coming in a versatile white vase with a subtle S on the front, the dark brown reeds suck up the oil inside and disperse the signature jasmine, grapefruit and vanilla scent.

This is perfect for bathrooms and kitchens in particular because it’s small and mighty with a fresh fragrance.

Another reed diffuser, this one is slightly more luxe than Sanctuary Spa. It comes in six varying fragrances which range from nectarine blossom and grapefruit to vanilla blush and peony (£20, Gracecole.co.uk). And you know they’ll be good because the scents are blended by perfumers. The vanilla blush and peony scent is soft; noticeable enough to catch your attention as you enter the room but not overwhelming. The floral notes of jasmine and peony paired with the sweetness of vanilla create a creamy, calming fragrance that lasts and lasts.

Promising to last for up to 12 weeks, the glass diffusers are handmade in England and look stylish and elegant atop the mantlepiece. Other big ticks include these diffusers being vegan, against animal testing and free from parabens.

One of the best known electric oil diffusers out there is Aromatherapy Associates the atomiser. Its distinctive ceramic cylinder and silver “lid”encase the essential oil inside which is pumped delicately around the room.

There are three settings which allow you to choose how long you want the diffuser to expel the scent for and you have the choice of anywhere from half an hour to three hours. It’s easy to set up – although you might have to give the instructions a quick scan before doing so – and it looks stylish in bedrooms and living rooms alike. Use the USB lead to charge it up and then let it work its magic cordlessly.

Anatomē is a brand based on the apothecaries of old, which would use herbal remedies to support health and wellbeing. So of course its oil diffuser complies with that ideology.

Both an oil diffuser and a night light, this piece of kit is all about supporting your wellbeing. The ceramic vase-like container is aesthetic and unobtrusive and holds whichever essential oil you choose. There are three automatic timer settings which switch the device off after an hour, three hours or even eight hours of either continuous or intermittent use. The smart light setting dims after just half an hour to support and encourage sleep too. Did we mention it’s less than £100? Pretty good if you ask us.

Diptyque is a luxury brand that is famous for its stunning perfumes – we’re looking at you philosykos – so we weren’t surprised in the slightest when the electric diffuser arrived and it was stunning. A white outer shell frames the black and gold interior and we honestly thought we’d never seen an electric diffuser that was quite as beautiful.

The scent itself was also impressive, although we must say we found the set up a little confusing even with the instructions. Once we managed to get the diffuser working, it pumped the gorgeous scent around our living room, immediately elevating the space and giving it a luxury feel.

It’s expensive at £240, but it looks and smells amazing even if it did take a bit of brain power to get it going.

When it comes to homeware, The White Company knows what it’s doing. This electric diffuser has been made out of ceramic and pumps a hefty amount of fragrance into the space around it.

As well as making the room smell delicious, this diffuser also hydrates the air around it which gives the space a serenity that is so essential to our wellbeing. Choose how long you want it to diffuse for and then it will automatically shut off afterwards. Easy.

When it comes to finding budget home fragrance buys that look and smell more expensive than they are, Aldi’s hotel collection range is the place to browse. This lime, basil and mandarin fragrance is an affordable dupe for the Jo Malone scent with the same name. We noted that the brightening citrus scent detected is also underpinned by sweet, herbal tones. Our tester has been finding this reed diffuser fills the room with a lingering, summery scent, which has impressive staying power for just over £3.50.

This chic reed diffuser is presented in a black glass holder with luxe gold Acqua di Parma branding. Part of the Italian brand’s new signatures of the sun range, quercia filled our tester’s room with a fresh, uplifting scent with rich, warming wafts too. The woody, citrus and floral blend includes lemon, bergamot, geranium, oakmoss and patchouli. We’ve been keeping the diffuser on the mantelpiece as a decadent interior addition and enjoy picking up the sophisticated home fragrance notes throughout the day and evening. The cologne-style scent is immediately noticeable when we walk into the room, without being overpowering.

What’s different about this reed diffuser is the wooden top section, which brings a natural, rustic look to the holder and matches its reeds too. Scent notes include bergamot, leafy greens, rose, and cedar, so it adds a fresh linen fragrance to the room. Our tester found the diffuser effectively spreads fragrance throughout an area, and we could smell the crisp notes even when not sitting nearby. Five weeks in, half of the liquid had been used up, so we’d say it’ll offer around 10 weeks of fragrance.

Okay, this one’s expensive, but hear us out. Nothing says luxury quite like Le Labo santal 26 and we can attest that when we were trying this one at home, we wanted it on constantly.

It looks like a very chic science experiment, with a clear vial that sits atop a wooden, old timey radio like box. It needs to be plugged in to work, but just twist the silver dial to control how much of the delicious scent is distributed.

Yes, it costs £260, but oh is it worth it. Every time the scent disappeared, we found ourselves turning the little box back on again for another hit. Plus, the oil inside took a long time to go down and over a week of nearly constant use, we only had to top up once. That’s pretty good going.

You can sign up for an email notification when Le Labo’s home diffuser is back in stock.

This diffuser features a purple glass bottle and contrasting black reeds. The holder has writing on one side and is plain on the other, should you prefer a minimalist aesthetic. As well as the glass holder, all packaging is also completely recyclable, as it arrives without any cellophane. Our tester noted the fig scent is a heady combination of earthy, creamy, woody, and rich tones, and that’s a pleasing multi-faceted blend to be met with when walking into a space. Our tester has pets and found the diffuser successfully stopped the smell of damp dog spreading throughout the house after a rainy walk. We particularly liked the apothecary bottle-style shape of the holder too.

There’s no denying this colourful blue and green glass reed diffuser looks stylish, and our tester loves the look of the tall holder in situ on a shelf. It can also be repurposed after use, as a designer interior accessory to hold flowers, or other household bits and bobs. Our tester found the scent to be refreshing and invigorating with iris, suede and patchouli included in its blend. You do need to be careful not to knock the diffuser over, because the green lid just rests on top. But we didn’t mind at all, because of how beautiful its design is and the noticeably luxe fragrance.

This diffuser has a brown glass holder with gold detailing and wooden reeds, and its perfume oil has a spa-style aroma. The essential oil scent features geranium, cedar wood and eucalyptus and our tester noticed it has a pine scent much like a forest, offset against sweet, floral notes. As such, the blend does smell calming and offers the fragrance escapism of a spa treatment room – so, we’ve been keeping it in our bedroom for some unwinding relaxation.