Air Purifier vs Diffuser: Check 5 Important Diffrences!

This article discusses the main differences between air purifier vs diffuser and their impact on indoor air quality. Also, you will learn how the HEPA filter squeezes airborne dust from your indoor air, and you will get tips on choosing the best air purifier.

Let’s dive in!

Quick Summary

HEPA filter air purifiers ensure healthy homes. It helps to eliminate airborne pollutants for clean, breathable indoor air.
Air purifiers and essential oil diffusers are two different devices. However, they offer several advantages when used with energy-efficient purifiers to deliver improved sleep, stress relief, and helping to focus.
Using an essential oil diffuser, you can enjoy a calming environment while being protected by an air purifier. These appliances provide calming aromatherapy for improved mental health and ensure the highest possible air quality.

Air Purifier vs Diffuser Comparison Chart

The table below summarizes the comparison of air purifiers and aromatherapy diffusers to improve air quality:

	Air Purifier	Essential Oil Diffuser
Another name:	Air cleaner	Aroma lamps
Function:	Air purification	Disperses content into the air
Additional component:	None	Essential oil to refill
Advantage:	Air cleaning Fights allergy	Stress repellant Relaxes the body Improved sleep
Disadvantage:	Throat irritation Bodily discomfort	Irritation Triggered health issues

What Do Essential Oil Diffusers and Air Purifiers Do?

Using an air purifier and essential oils diffuser leaves your home with clean and fresh air and a relaxing atmosphere.

Air purifiers make your home free from allergic reactions as it keeps dust, pet dander, and pollen at bay.

What Do Essential Oil Diffusers and Air Purifiers do

By ejecting scented mist, a diffuser improves indoor air releasing a lingering smell for a comfortable indoor experience.

Thus, an air purifier and essential oils diffuser serve complementary roles by removing pollutants while filling the air with a pleasing aroma.

Using Essential Oil Diffusers vs Air Purifiers: What Effects They Have on Air Quality

According to CDC, when you are faced with limited outdoor air delivery options you need effective filtration.

An air purifier reduces your worry about contaminated air as a HEPA filter can block 99.97% 0.3 microns of airborne tiny particles. When combined with an essential oil diffuser, the effect becomes significant.

Another study by EPA also showed the use of air purifiers in homes improves health markers. It helps to fight these problems like allergies and asthma, and cardiovascular.

WebMD in their research found the stress relief effect of little aromatherapy used indoors. While it warns against prolonged use of scented oil, experts agree essential oils have a remarkable effect on your well-being.

So, matching an air purifier and diffuser optimizes your home air, and relaxing benefits to your nervous system.

The Benefits of Air Diffusers for Your Home

Essential oils diffusers for aromatherapy are a necessity. The benefits of the essential oil scents diffuser for your home are discussed below.

Keeps insects away

The aroma lamp keeps your house smelling great and keeps bugs away. A no-bug night means a blissful night’s rest.

Combating airborne bacteria

Airborne bacteria travel around your home to cause harm. In counteracting these harmful allergens, a nebulizing diffuser helps release essential oil particles.

Helps Prevent Mold Spores

Most homes breed mold spores and harmful particles. But using essential oils’ active chemicals can prevent cell membranes of fungal and airborne allergens from growing. The carefully sourced aromatherapy diffuser is an effective solution to mold spores thriving around you.

Humidifies Your Home

The handy spray of the diffuser nebulizer delivers a fine mist of medicinal matter to dispel any mold traveling through the air. This gadget is like a humidifier; it moisturizes dry air, making your environment humid and cool.

Is It a Good Idea to Combine a Diffuser and Air Purifier?

Yes. Combining both gadgets will make for a comfortable and safe home. Research shows that a purifier and essential oil diffuser are mutually inclusive.

What are the Best Air Filters that Promotes Better Health?

Though opinions vary regarding the best filter, experts agree that the best filter must detect the tiniest particle and clean the air.

Thus, two filters are vying for the first position. The two contenders are high-efficiency particulate air, HEPA, and Ultra-low particulate air, known as ULPA.

While HEPA can remove dust 99.99% of the time, ULPA can stop submicron particles 99.999% of the time. However, there are other areas where HEPA filters have the upper hand. Keep reading to find out.

Choosing a Great Filter for the Best Air Cleaning Performance

Air cleaners purify the air to protect you from airborne allergens. It does this using a filter and a fan. But you need to know the filter’s filtering capacity and velocity to choose the best, as shown in the table below.

	ULPA	HEPA
Filtration Efficiency:	99.999%	99.97%
Filtrable particle size:	0.12-micron	0.3-micron
Lifespan:	5-8 years	Up to 10 years
MERV rating:	20	17-20
Media velocity:	50% HEPA capacity	10.5 feet per minute

Note: HEPA has the advantage of velocity over ULPA!

The Best Way to Pick an Air Purifier

A quality air purifier is required to filter wide-ranging microbes in your home. Consider a device with a HEPA filter or similar efficiency to stop the tiniest airborne particles, including pet dander.

When it comes to deciding on the best air purifier, take into account the factors listed below.

Decide why you need the device.
Determine the ideal size for your home.
Are the gadget’s features beneficial?
How much room does the air purifier require?
What is the anticipated cost of maintenance?

Select the Best Air Purifier vs Diffuser

It’s crucial to select quality air purifiers and diffusers to stop allergic reactions, relieve stress, and improve mental health.

Warning! Though diffusers provide aromatherapy for humans, some scented oils could harm animals. Thus, speak with your doctor before applying for your pet's safety.

Here are some tips for picking suitable air diffusers and air purifiers:

Your need	Gadget	Application
Eliminate pollutants and other microorganisms	Air purifier	Clean the air
Help against respiratory condition	Air purifier	Sanitizes indoor air
Remove irritants: pet dander, allergens, dust, mold	Air purifier	Clean the air
Want better sleep	Both	Clean/refreshed air
Reduce stress/feel good	Both	Clean/refreshed air
Enhance mood	Diffuser	Refreshes the air

FAQ

Can a diffuser serve as a purifier?

No, each gadget serves different purposes. Thus, you can’t use a diffuser instead of an air purifier. The job of a diffuser is to release scented mist oil to balance negatively charged ions while air purifiers clean the air.

Is a diffuser the same as an air purifier?

No. The gadgets have different uses. However, they work to improve indoor air quality.

Which is Better, an Air Humidifier or a Diffuser?

Your need should determine what is better. While the gadgets serve as moisturizers, they differ in their purposes. While humidifiers use water, diffusers need essential oils to moisturize the surrounding air.

Is Essential Oil Usable in Air Purifiers?

Not really, except if an air purifier has a built-in humidifier. Otherwise, it can’t dispense essential oil. But such an in-built device renders a purifier ineffective.

Is it Proper to Use Both Air Purifier and Diffuser Together

Yes, but to avoid waste, you should alternate the uses. Given the cost of scented oils used in an oil diffuser, you want to avoid this.

Final Verdict

There is no winner in the battle of air purifier vs diffuser because they are responsible for completely different things. Air purifiers deliver remarkable health benefits by air sanitizing, and can prevent asthma and other airborne diseases. An essential oil diffuser freshens your home’s surrounding air.

Their combined use will make your air clean and safe. So, the verdict is a combined solution—an ultrasonic diffuser with essential oils and an air purifier.

Which device will you choose for yourself? Let us know in the comments below.

Daniel Glynde

Danny is a passionate writer who loves to share his knowledge about air purifiers. He’s been writing for 10 years, and he’ll share all that experience with Very Well Home viewers to help you make the best decision when it’s time to buy an appliance!