Skip to main content

Can you run an air purifier and essential oil diffuser at the same time?

At first glance, air purifiers and essential oil diffusers seem like they would be natural opponents. One is designed to take particles from the air in your home, and the other is designed to add (pleasant-smelling) particles instead. If you’re running them both in the same room, it’s understandable to wonder if they’re canceling each other out.

Fortunately, it’s easy to clear this confusion up. Let’s take a look at some FAQs about these two home air devices and what you should know about using them both at the same time.

What’s the difference between an air purifier and an air diffuser?

An air purifier uses a filter or series of filters to remove unwanted particles from your home’s air. They are commonly used to get rid of airborne allergens, smoke, and dust, and they can also help remove bacteria and viruses from the air. The best air purifiers use true HEPA filters that can remove particles down to the size of 0.3 microns, and some newer models can remove particles as small as 0.1 microns.

A diffuser, on the other hand, adds scented oil particles to the air to give a room a pleasant smell or cover up unwanted odors. A diffuser has a container of water that is mixed with a few drops of essential oil. It then atomizes the water and sends it drifting out into the air. Smart versions can even be controlled by voice or app for on-demand use.

Raindrop Diffuser on a table.

Can I use an air purifier and diffuser at the same time?

That depends on what kind of air purifier you have. Many air purifiers include charcoal or activated carbon filter layers. These types of filters are specifically designed to remove odors from the air. If your air purifiers has these filters, you shouldn’t use it in the same room as an air diffuser. Otherwise, just make sure the devices aren’t close together, and they should be fine working in unison.

If your air purifier’s main goal is to remove odors, then you might want to turn it off while running the diffuser. There’s no harm in using them both at once, but they might work against each other.

Can a diffuser be an air purifier?

No, not in the traditional sense. Diffusers don’t have filters to remove particles from the air and can’t clean the air in the same way that a purifier can.

Is an air purifier better than a diffuser?

Not necessarily. Air purifiers are more focused on health benefits than diffusers. They remove allergens that can cause problems with asthma, for example, and can reduce infectious airborne particles. Many can also help remove odors in the air rather than trying to cover them up with new scents.

A diffuser, meanwhile, is simply designed to add scents to the air. They are smaller, more limited devices, but are also more affordable and easier to place wherever you want around the house.

Levoit Dual 200S air purifier on living room table.
Levoit

Can you use essential oils in an air purifier?

If your air purifier has a humidifier section, then you can try adding a couple of drops of essential oils to the humidifier before running it. Without a humidifier, there’s no way to use essential oils in a purifier.

Can I use a diffuser and a humidifier at the same time?

Yes, you can. They are both adding water to the air, although humidifiers are generally more efficient at it.

Editors' Recommendations

Tyler Lacoma
If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not…
The best air purifiers for mold issues
A Levoit Core 300 sitting on a console table.

Air purifiers can be an important appliance in your home if you have any issues with breathing or allergies — or you just care about having better air quality. Not all air purifiers are the same, though, and it's essential to make sure the one you buy will be best for treating the most common issues with air quality. This list will tackle the problem of clearing mold in your home and the purifiers that are best suited to do so.

Mold can be a common issue with homes depending on the average humidity in your environment, so you'll want to keep an eye out on your humidity levels if you start to see traces of a mold outbreak. With that said, the reason that mold is so annoying is that not only does it cause a smelly area, but it can also trigger basic to serious respiratory diseases.

Read more
Top ways smart tech can save Thanksgiving dinner
zoom thanksgiving setup guide

Thanksgiving is approaching and, for many people, that means hosting the big event. While some may find hosting the holiday meal to be stressful and chaotic, you’re not worried. Because you’re a smart cookie, you know you can use tech and gadgets to streamline everything and have your kitchen run like a Gordon Ramsay-approved assembly line. If you need ideas on how to make things easier and more efficient, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the top ways smart tech can help you plan, organize, and execute the best Thanksgiving dinner.

Read more
How to program your smart hub to scare the pants off of you
Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights strung up on a house at night for Halloween.

Halloween is just around the corner. Smart devices are getting more compatible than ever now that the Matter standard is rolling out, and there are new releases for everything from the latest Nest video doorbell to the new Echo Dot 5th-gen smart speaker. That makes it a great time to celebrate the season with a few spooky additions to your home.

Your smart hubs now have more options than ever, and we’ve got plenty of ideas to help you get started with your scares -- whether you want some mild spooks for the kids or plan to make your friends furiously terrified. Let’s get started!
Set your porch up for a maximum scare

Read more