28 Oct How does an ultrasonic essential oil diffuser work?
For centuries, we’ve been scenting our environments – with the aim to hide bad smells, to purify the air, to help with ailments or to simply create a pleasurable experience. However, HOW you fragrance your home is important to consider.
There are many options available – from reed diffusers and scented candles to diffusers and ultrasonic diffusers. And when there is choice, there is always confusion. Which type of diffuser is best?
The key to consider is the following: how big is the area you want to fragrance and what does it do to the air quality?
Diffusers and ultrasonic diffusers are a good option for bigger areas. For instance, our Aroma Bliss diffuser has a 300ml capacity which works well for a room up to 30 m2.
Also, both devices also make sure that the air quality is not harmed with artificial fragrances – instead they work with just water and pure essential oils.
Below we answer a few of the regular questions we receive about our ultrasonic diffusers range:
What is the difference between an essential oil diffuser and ultrasonic diffuser?
An ultrasonic diffuser is a type of essential oil diffuser; like all diffusers, it disperses essential oils into the air, but it does this without the use of heat or a fan. Instead, the ‘ultrasonic’ in ultrasonic diffuser refers to the vibrations of the small plate that is located within the diffuser, submerged in water, which creates waves at an ultrasonic frequency. This then allow the microscopic essential oil molecules to disperse into the air.
The effect is a cool mist that evaporates essential oils of your choice across the room, creating a home that smells the way you want it: relaxing, uplifting, energising, festive… It’s super easy to do; just add a few drops of essential oils to the water tank and the benefits of the essential oils will subtly enhance the air. Purchasing a diffuser is an all-natural way to get a beautiful fragrance across a bigger space through the power of nature.
How do ultrasonic diffusers make steam?
An ultrasonic diffuser doesn’t use heat, and as there is no heat present, it’s technically not steam that comes out of an ultrasonic diffuser. Instead, it’s a vapour or water mist that gets created when the water is hit by ultrasonic vibrations, at a frequency that our ears cannot hear. As there is no heat it’s completely safe to use around the home, even with kids around. It’s a great and safe alternative to scented candles or oil burners which require a flame and cannot be left unattended.
Also, our aromatherapy diffusers have an automatic switch off function when the water gets too low. It also has a timer, so you can leave the diffuser on for a few hours – even at night – creating a consistent release of your chosen essential oils into the air.
What is an ultrasonic diffuser used for?
It can be used for different reasons. Below we set out the most common reasons people use one:
1. To naturally fragrance a room without the use of artificial ingredients and perfume. Just by adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil blend, you can enjoy a beautifully fragranced room for hours and hours. In the run up to Christmas, we love adding our Noel blend with hints of orange, clove, frankincense and myrrh for a festive atmosphere.
2. To diffuse essential oils in a consistent way so that the benefits of the essential oils can be enjoyed by just being in the room where the diffuser is. Try our De-stress Blend for relaxing the senses or our Daybreak blend for that ‘get up and go’ feeling.
3. To humidify a room. As the vapour is just a water mist it helps to add moisture to the air, which can be quite handy in winter when the air is particularly dry.
4. To help purify the air. Some of our essential oil blends – such Prevention blend – have known antiseptic and antibacterial properties which can help prevent spreading of germs.
5. For people suffering from insomnia, using a diffuser with specific blend that helps unwind body and mind – such as our Goodnight blend – can help with improving sleep. Just put the device in your bedroom – you can then either switch it off when you’re ready to go to sleep or put the timer on so that it keeps dispersing the essential oils while you’re in bed.
Is it safe to use ultrasonic diffuser?
It is safe to use an ultrasonic diffuser because it doesn’t heat up and it has an automatic switch off when the water runs low. All you have to do is the following: plug in the diffuser, add water as per the instructions, then add a few drops of essential oils, close the diffuser and press the on button. Our range of diffusers also have mood lighting which can be set to a particular colour or can be switched off.
Is a reed diffuser not more effective than an ultrasonic diffuser?
Reed diffusers are great for small rooms such as bathrooms or small bedrooms, but the fragrance doesn’t travel that well across a bigger room (think kitchen or living room). Just like ultrasonic diffusers, there is no use of heat and reed diffusers are therefore a safe way of dispersing essential oil particles into the air without having to keep an eye on them, so they can be a great addition to any home. While ultrasonic diffusers will create a consistent fragrance across a big room, a reed diffuser cannot do that, but it is great for creating a ‘hint of fragrance’ when you walk by or as mentioned above, it works well when placed in a smaller environment. Explore our reed diffusers here for those smaller rooms in your home or have a look at our ultrasonic diffusers for larger spaces that require a bit more advanced diffuser technology.