Fogging or ultrasonic diffusers: advantages and disadvantages

Mist diffusers, also called ultrasonic diffusers, are also frequently used in aromatherapy. Less effective than their nebulizer cousins, ultrasonic diffusers are nonetheless able to get by thanks to their low price and the beauty of the water mist they produce. Here is a presentation of these very popular diffusers.

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The technology

Fogging diffusers are much simpler to operate than nebulizers. The setup is simple: at the bottom of the diffuser is a small ultrasonic pellet, which emits very high frequency vibrations; above this pellet, the user of the diffuser pours cold water, into the receptacle provided; the user pours the essential oil to be diffused above the water. Upon contact with the vibrating tablet, the water will emit a mist of cold water (it is not steam), a mist that carries away the essential oil particles that are on the surface! Simple and effective.

Choose a mister if

  • You want to diffuse essential oils effectively, but you don't need excessive power.
  • You definitely want to "see" the broadcast: the haze that emerges is very visual, almost hypnotic!
  • You have between 30 m² to "infuse" to obtain therapeutic effects, 50 m² to have just a background smell;
  • You want a diffuser that makes very little noise, but powerful anyway.

The best misting diffusers

Elia Diffuser - 52,90

I love its very nice Japanese design and the quality of its diffusion. The Elia is a diffuser very similar to the Kaolia, but with a round design, slightly larger, and without a timer. A beautiful product.

Discover the Elia
Vela Diffuser - €48.90

I like its Zen design and sturdy design. Its light effects are sober (yellow light) and the diffusion effective. The glassware of the Véla is protected by the metal "cage" which gives this diffuser the appearance of a candle. This also makes it less fragile than a diffuser where the glassware is omnipresent.

Discover the Vela
Kaolia Diffuser - 44,90

I love its very Japanese look, its sturdiness and the simplicity of its design. It brings a touch of Zen to the decor with its square wooden base and grill letting out mist and light. It's powerful enough for a mister, so you can enjoy the benefits of essential oils in good-sized rooms.

Discover Kaolia

Benefits of misting

  • The first disadvantage of these diffusers concerns their therapeutic effectiveness. Indeed, unlike nebulization, the essential oil particles are not projected pure into the air, but coupled with heavy water particles in liquid form. The active ingredients of the aromatic molecules will therefore stay suspended in the air for less time before falling back down, thus decreasing the duration of the effects of essential oils. Beware: it's not as good as nebulization, but it still works well!
  • The second snag that can be found with this technology is the reliability of some products. There are many misting diffusers of poor quality and not very resistant (water and electricity...). A misting diffuser for less than 30€? Beware.

Disadvantages of misting

  • On the one hand, these diffusers can be very pretty, especially thanks to the mist that comes out of them: it induces a very nice visual effect (I use a misting machine at home for this reason alone!).
  • On the other hand, misting is stillan effective diffusion technology, and you can "infuse" a 30-square-meter room with one of these diffusers without a problem. And since misters are often cheaper than nebulizers, this technology can boast a truly optimal "diffusion area" vs. "price" ratio.
  • And finally, they make very little noise! A simple splash of water, which has nothing to do with the noise of the compressed air pump of nebulizers.
Rosae Diffuser + 3 Oils... Discovery pack See the product