Diffusers are excellent tools to deodorize your home while enjoying a relaxing scent. It does so by ejecting tiny air molecules into the air. Since it has a diffusing action, we can’t help but wonder, can you use a diffuser as a humidifier?
In this post, I will discuss this part and how you can diffuse your favorite essential oils safely. We will also provide some tips on how to use your diffuser as a humidifier if you need to fix your home’s humidity levels.
Humidifiers vs. diffusers
It’s important to know that humidifiers are different from diffusers. Each of these devices is designed to perform specific functions, but you can find them both in models with combination features.
Humidifiers are made to restore healthy humidity levels in the air. It propels tiny water molecules out of the unit to fight off dryness. In turn, this will help ease discomforts like dry skin, chapped lips, and breathing issues.
Moreover, humidifiers only use water. It doesn’t emit any scent or intends to deodorize the air. Others are compatible with water softener cartridges, but their only purpose is to clean the water on the tank.
On the other hand, a diffuser is used for essential oils and aromatherapy. Like humidifiers, it propels the oil particles into the air. This is for the purpose of spreading the scent, which can help ease respiratory irritations. It’s also a good way to give your home a nice and calming odor.
- Usage. As mentioned, humidifiers add moisture to the air while diffusers add fragrance to a room.
- Purpose. Humidifiers help a lot in easing scratchy throat, sore sinuses, stuffy nose, dry skin, and chapped lips. Meanwhile, diffusers can also soothe stuffy noses when used with mint oils. Nevertheless, it doesn’t increase the humidity of the room.
- Size. Diffusers have smaller tanks to hold concentrated amounts of oil or aromatherapy. Meanwhile, humidifiers often come in gallons for longer operation for each refill. With this, diffusers are easy to move around.
Can you use a diffuser as a humidifier?
How about using a diffuser as a humidifier? Technically, this is possible since diffusers also eject molecules into the air. It will help add moisture into the air, especially during winter. In general, here are the points to which humidifiers and diffusers differ:
However, it’s important to know that diffusers don’t have the same features as humidifiers. For example, it doesn’t have a built-in humidistat. It means that your diffuser will keep diffusing water whether your air is already too humid or not.
Aside from that, diffusers are small and can’t hold a lot of water. If you’re dealing with extremely low humidity levels, you may need to refill the tank many times each day.
Moreover, using your diffuser as a humidifier will shorten its lifespan. The longer it runs, the more wear and tear it will experience. Nevertheless, this part depends on the quality of the diffuser you bought.
On the other hand, some humidifier models are designed with an essential oil tray, so it doubles as a diffuser while working as a humidifier. So while you humidify your home, you also get to enjoy the nice scent of your favorite oils.
However, these oil trays are small and won’t emit too much scent. If your goal is aromatherapy, you’re better off purchasing a diffuser. Humidifiers with oil trays only use small amounts of essential oil at the same time, which means that the scent is very subtle.
What are the best oils to diffuse in your home?
Technically, you can diffuse just about any essential oils you like. But if you’re dealing with respiratory issues, the following are the most common options:
- Lemon. This is a refreshing scent that will help soothe respiratory irritations without being too overwhelming.
- Peppermint. If you have nasal congestion or respiratory irritations, peppermint essential oil is a good choice to diffuse. This helps ease respiratory issues, not to mention that it freshens up the smell of your home.
- Lavender. Do you want a relaxing scent? Lavender is the quintessential choice. It can help you fall asleep faster and even ease anxiety.
- Wild orange. If you’re feeling sluggish, you can diffuse wild orange to liven up the mood. It’s also known to boost your immune system.
- Tea tree. Tea tree oil helps ease congestion, but it must be diluted using carrier oils like lavender. This way, the oil won’t irritate your eyes.
- Jasmine. If you want a relaxing, floral scent, you can diffuse jasmine oil in your home. It has a mild scent and is even thought to be aphrodisiac.
You’re free to dilute these oils if you have a sensitive nose. Also, you should be careful with your choice of oil, as some are harmful to pets.
What are the best diffusers humidifier combos?
If you’re looking for a diffuser that can also work like a humidifier, you’ll never go wrong with the models below. Take note that these are portable units only and most suitable for small to medium-sized rooms:
Sierra Modern WiFi Essential Oil Diffuser & Humidifier
If you’re looking for a diffuser that also doubles as a humidifier, you’ll never go wrong with the Sierra Modern WiFi Essential Oil Diffuser. This has an ultrasonic vaporizer that helps create a 360-degree mist, whether you’re diffusing oil or humidifying your home.
Moreover, this has a 400 ml tank that can run for up to 12 hours for each refill. The best part is that this diffuser is compatible with Google Home and Alexa. You can control its settings on your mobile phone, so there’s no need to babysit the unit all the time.
Aside from that, you can make schedules to allow the diffuser to work at specific times. This applies the same if you’re using the device as a humidifier for your room.
You can also choose the mist level that you like to suit your needs. And if you want to keep things colorful, there’s also an unlimited mode on the lighting that will keep changing color.
I also like the ambient lighting of the Sierra Modern diffuser. You can change its color and select the brightness to suit the visual comfort that you prefer.
Aside from the diffuser, you’ll also get a power cable and an instruction manual.
Pure Enrichment PureSpa Essential Oil Diffuser & Humidifier
Another diffuser that works as a humidifier is the Pure Enrichment PureSpa model. This has a two-liter capacity that uses an ultrasonic vaporizer. It utilizes high-frequency vibrations to diffuse both oils and water.
The two-liter tank will last for up to 50 hours of continuous misting when used on a low setting. Meanwhile, high settings will last for 22 hours on every refill. Aside from that, this is rated for 350 sq. ft. of space, which is suitable for most rooms and living areas.
Moreover, Pure Enrichment PureSpa has a Color Choice Technology, which provides a mood light. You can choose from four ambient colors to match the aesthetics of your home.
I also like that it comes with a 5-year warranty, not to mention that the unit is ETL-approved for guaranteed safety.
In addition, the water tank of the Pure Enrichment PureSpa is removable and easy to refill. On top, it has a 360-degree nozzle to ensure optimal mist diffusion. There are also easy-to-use buttons at the lower part of the device to adjust mist and light settings.
Although this is a two-liter unit, it remains sleek and doesn’t consume too much space. It fits on top of most shelves and nightstands.
BlueHills Essential Diffuser & Humidifier
My last pick for this roundup is the BlueHills Essential Diffuser & Humidifier. This is a 2.5-liter unit with very aesthetic housing. It’s also equipped with seven different LED light options to suit your preference. Don’t worry because this light feature can be turned off as you wish.
Aside from that, this has a high mist output, which can adjust using the soft-touch buttons at the bottom. It’s also equipped with a safety auto-switch to prevent the unit from overheating once it runs out of power.
While working as a diffuser, the BlueHills Essential Diffuser also works as a humidifier. For each refill, this diffuser/humidifier can run for hours. It also has a timer to help you set a specific runtime, whether you’re using it as a humidifier or diffuser.
I also like that this is easy to fill, and since the tank is large, you don’t have to refill it constantly. BlueHills also has excellent customer service in case you have concerns over the diffuser you received.
Overall, this is a great diffuser and humidifier combo. However, it tends to get noisy when used on the highest setting, which is understandable for a diffuser of this size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the oil diffuser the same as the humidifier?
A: An oil diffuser isn’t the same as a humidifier. Diffusers are intended to draw tiny oil particles into the air, while humidifiers are only used to eject water molecules into the air. The good thing is that there are humidifiers equipped with a diffusing feature, but it’s not as powerful as a full-sized diffuser you can find in the market.
Q: Can you run a diffuser all day?
A: It’s not wise to blast your diffuser all day long. It’s best to run it for 30 minutes about two to three times a day. This way, there wouldn’t be too much oil in your home. Take note that excessive diffusion will cause the oil to get into furniture and other surfaces. In the long run, this can cause damages to the items.
Q: Do diffusers cause mold?
A: While diffusers are different from humidifiers, they can still trigger mold growth. If you fail to clean your oil diffuser, the tank may harbor mold and bacteria. The same goes even if you’re using it as a humidifier. The trapped moisture will allow mold spores to proliferate. When this happens, your diffuser will do more harm than help, especially in terms of respiratory problems.
Q: Do diffusers cause dampness?
A: Diffusers can cause dampness if used as a humidifier. If you run water in a diffuser, it can lead to dampness if not regulated. Take note that diffusers don’t have built-in humidistats, which means they will keep running even if your room is already over-humidified.
Q: Can you put essential oils in a humidifier?
A: Standard humidifiers should never be loaded with essential oils. The humidifier shouldn’t be used as a diffuser unless the model is designed with a separate essential oil tray. If you add oil into a humidifier that’s not designed for diffusion, the wick filter will become clogged. Overall, the unit will fail and become damaged.
Final words
Can you use a diffuser as a humidifier? This is possible, but you should know that it comes with a few downsides.
First, diffusers don’t have humidistats that will detect your home’s humidity level. Also, diffusers are often small and not suitable for whole-house humidification.
But overall, if you choose a diffuser with the right balance of features just like those mentioned above, you can make it work as a reliable humidifier.
Home Air Quality is founded by Bernard K to provide information on Indoor Air Quality in Homes and enlighten people about what they need to know about creating and maintaining a comfortable and healthy home environment.
We believe that “Quality air brings a healthy life.”
