You have come to the conclusion that you are not a big fan of single room air fresheners. You have tried all the solids, gels, sprays, and plug-ins, and none of them satisfy you. They are either too strong, too weak, or don’t do anything at all. The icing on the cake is that air fresheners only mask bad smells. They don’t do anything to fix the problem.
Some would suggest that you invest in an air purifier; others would recommend a home diffuser. Is either one better than the other? That depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Air purifiers and home diffusers are separate and distinct devices with different purposes.
More About the Air Purifier
An air purifier is a device intended to remove contaminants from the air in a given space. Consumers can choose single-room air purifiers or whole-home systems that are connected to a home’s HVAC unit. Both types do the same thing. As for how they work, there are three primary models:
- Filtration – The air purifier uses a series of filters to trap contaminants according to their size. A high-efficiency filter can remove upwards of 99% of the most common contaminants.
- Absorption – The air purifier uses a porous substance, like activated carbon or charcoal, to absorb contaminants at the molecular level.
- Ionization – The air purifier relies on electrical charges to attract molecules floating in the air. The idea is to attract contaminants and cause them to stick to a collector plate.
These three models by no means constitutes a complete list of possibilities. There are other ways to build an air purifier for the home. At any rate, air purifiers are generally recommended for people who suffer from asthma or allergies. Removing contaminants from the air helps to relieve the symptoms of both.
More About the Home Diffuser
A home diffuser freshens indoor air by diffusing essential oils. Like air purifiers, there are both single-room and whole-home diffusers. Devices like the Zephyr Fresh whole-home diffuser connect right to the HVAC system just like a whole-home air purifier.
Diffusing essential oils into the air can improve indoor air quality by making things smell better. As an added benefit, essential oils can be used for aromatherapy purposes. This can be helpful for those people who are struggling with depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health issues. It is simply a matter of choosing the right oils.
It is necessary at this point to mention why a whole-home diffuser might be the better option. If you go with a single room diffuser, you are looking at a tabletop device that diffuses a limited amount of essential oil in a very small area. The diffuser would not be any more effective than a plugin air freshener you purchase at the grocery store.
To get the maximum effect from essential oil diffusion, you need the oil diffused evenly throughout your home. That is what a whole-home diffuser does. It piggybacks off your HVAC system to consistently diffuse your favorite oil whenever the system runs.
The Choice is Yours
We have now gone full circle. We are back to the question of which device is better. Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you have problems with allergies or asthma, an air purifier might be your best bet. If you are looking to infuse your home with the lovely scent of essential oils, a whole-home diffuser is the way to go. In either case, you will do far better than you would by sticking with air fresheners and sprays that do not work all that well.