Allow me to introduce the AromaFuse. I thought I’d share a diffuser review this week, since we’ve been enjoying this beautiful diffuser, made by Plant Therapy. I want to give you some tips, show you the features, and share my very favorite holiday or winter essential oil recipe that you can use in your own diffuser, OR in a simmering pot or on the stove!
The AromaFuse is the newest in Plant Therapy’s line of essential oil accessories this year, and they sent me one to review AND are graciously sending a brand new Aromafuse Diffuser and a set of three of their best selling KidSafe line of essential oils to the winner of my Favorite Things Giveaway!
Enter to win one of these amazing diffusers, plus a LOT of other awesome gifts here! The 2016 Favorite Things giveaway has ended.
I’ve been a fan of Plant Therapy for several years now, and have purchased several of their oils. One of my favorites is their Germ Fighter, which is in their Kidsafe line. I like it so much, it’s usually my go-to even for aromatherapy uses. It has sort of a nice dusky low notes and smells a little like a nice men’s cologne. I’m such a fan of their oils, that I signed up to be an affiliate, which means that if you purchase through my affiliate links, you’ll get the same great deals, and a small commission will go toward supporting what I do here. I absolutely love when a company offers free shipping, and Plant Therapy offers 100% pure essential oils with free shipping on every order! (affiliate link)
My History with Diffusers
I’ve owned 3 different styles of diffusers, all of which have been approximately the size of a soda can or smaller, and have been in the under $50 category. I’ve had relatively good experiences with them, but the functions were limited to how long the diffuser would run and whether or not I wanted a small light. On the up side, they were convenient to put beside the bed or computer, due to their size. They held about 4 to 6 ounces of water, and could run for several hours on a full refill. My larger two looked sort of like plastic soda cans, and my smaller travel size looks like an egg.
The upside to these can shaped diffusers is the price. I think I paid around $25-30 for each of them. The downside to my larger models is that the lids were tricky to get on and off. The smaller one has so many layers in the cover/lid that mildew eventually set in and it’s very hard to clean. The first model I owned had a small plastic ring that sat down inside the diffuser before the lid went on, meaning there were several parts to fiddle with when refilling. If you put the inner ring on upside down, the diffuser spat water everywhere. Eventually my toddler lost the inner ring, so the diffuser was not useable unless I wanted to special order the replacement part. Neither model was instinctive to operate or put together. That’s a real downside for me, because I use them frequently for illness or at night…I need them to be easy to use. Also, because they stand up vertically, they are easier to knock over and they will spill. The finish on my vintage table has taken a beating and a bath several times.
The smallest travel model I own is spill proof, but it uses cotton wicks, so you have to change out the wick for every type of oil that you use. That’s a real inconvenience. It also only uses a few ounces of water, and the scent it puts off is not very noticeable. I rarely reach for this one due to it being so faint of a scent.
My Mom has a more expensive designer diffuser model that she uses by her bed. It’s pretty, but the bright indicator light interferes with her sleep, so she has to keep it covered by a towel. Which sort of undoes the style factor.
AromaFuse Diffuser Review
I have been enjoying the AromaFuse in our living room since it arrived. The first thing I noticed when I unboxed it was that it’s low profile and stylish. It sits lower than my other diffusers, and is nice and wide, making it easy to pour in water. It holds around 12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) of water. I love that it has a sleek mid-mod style…the cute little feet remind me of the vintage footstool fans (remember those?). I think it would fit in nicely with most decor.
What I really loved:
- the style
- wide easy fill top
- SIMPLE lid design- no tricky twisting voodoo or extra pieces
- EASY to see fill indicator- most others have a ridge in the plastic that is very hard to discern if you’re working in low light situations
- LOTS of setting options (see more below on these)
- Nightlight…or not!
- Really nice robust mist output
- Fills the room with scent-but not too heavily
- Adds some humidity to dry winter air
- Can diffuse for up to 10 hours
- Good variety of diffusion settings (see below)
To place the lid, simply align the large notch. Easy-peasy.
But don’t just take it from me…check out the other diffuser review posts on this baby. Here’s one from Samantha on the Plant Therapy website.
This is the fourth diffuser I have used and it is by far the supreme! I have the Young Living diffuser, Stadler Jasmine, and an off brand and this one is the best. It gives off a strong vapor cloud and is one of only two diffusers that has the safest setting of 15 min on 30 off, and 30 on 30 off. It is also an incredible deal especially if you wait for a coupon. It is gorgeous when it is on too. The legs are so pretty and the glow from the light is the perfect night light. I like everything about this diffuser!
Tips for Using the AromaFuse Diffuser
This diffuser is plug and play…it’s SUPER easy to use. When removign the lid, I suggest that you tap it a few times prior to removing it to prevent puddles on your tabletop. So much condensation collects on the underside of the lid while it’s running, and they’ll run right off onto your table when you remove the lid. It helps to give it a few taps and a jiggle or two and remove with caution if you’re on a water- sensitive surface.
Another tip- and this is from using other diffusers long term. Don’t let water sit in the diffuser for long periods. Dry it out between uses. Allowing it to sit with water in it for long periods can allow mildew to start growing inside, and it’s very hard to clean in all of the tiny nooks and crannies once that starts to happen. I suggest drying it out thoroughly and storing it with the lid off when not in use.
The directions are very clear and easy to read, and they offer some good tips as well, like suggeting that you wipe down the interior when you switch out oils. All in all, it’s a very simple little machine, and you should be able to enjoy it in less than 3 minutes right out of the box. It really is plug and play!
Settings on the Plant Therapy Diffuser
Which brings me to the settings, which really deserves to spend just a minute on. One of my favorite things about this diffuser is the wide range of settings. Most of my other diffusers offered only a few settings. On/off, and a few setting for staying on for different time periods which I found handy for nighttime use. The travel version offered one intermittent setting.
The AromaFuse offers:
- ON- the sandard continuous mist
- a 2 hour setting-it automatically shuts off after 2 hours of continuous diffusion.
- ON for 15 seconds, OFF for 30 seconds
- ON for 15 minutes, OFF for 30 minutes
- ON for 30 minutes, OFF for 30 minutes
I really love the option of intermittent diffusion for several reasons. Many aromatherapists recommend intermittent diffusion as the safest and most effective way to benefit from theraputic essential oil use. The other benefit is that your diffuser can run much, much longer on one refill using the intermittent setting. I prefer this setting if we’re all in a smaller room together, because it’s a nice refreshing boost of aromatherapy without building up to be overpowering. I’ll often run it on continuous for a little while, and then switch it over to the 15 second intermittent setting, simply because it runs for so much longer that way.
I also frequently use the 2 hour setting if we have a busy day, and I think I might forget to turn it off. It would also be handy for night-time use.
To turn the diffuser off, or switch between settings, you simply push the power button to toggle through the options. ON (one push), 2 hour (two pushes), 15 s/30 s (three pushes)…and so on. The 6th push turns it off. A tiny green indicator light shows you which option you’ve selected.
I know this is picky, but this is the one thing I’d improve on the AromaFuse, so it bears mentioning in my diffuser review. If I were to use the diffuser in my bedroom, I’d prefer that the indicator light be red instead of green. Red light doesn’t pose a problem with people who are very light sensitive sleepers like myself and my Mom.
Bright (left) and dim (right)…not a lot of difference, but still a very pretty feature.
And speaking of lights, there is one other setting that I forgot to mention. Beside the power button is the button that controls the light. The unit has a lovely soft glowing warm white light that is optional on two settings. Push once for a brighter light, and twice for a slightly more dim setting. The third push turns it off. Honestly, I can’t tell much difference between the bright and dim settings, but I really like the look of the light, and think it would make a nice nightlight.
Diffuser Review Summary
The Aromafuse is the nicest diffuser I have ever owned. It’s stylish and very simple to use. The variety of settings, volume of water/run time, and mist volume are all features that I would look for in a diffuser, and this one earns an A+++ in all categories. I highly recommend this diffuser. It would be my choice for use in larger rooms or family areas. Style wise, it fits right in anywhere in our home, and it sits low enough where I feel comfortable that our kids or cats won’t accidentally knock it over. In the $50 and under price range, this is the nicest diffuser that I’ve found!
You can order your AromaFuse Plant Therapy diffuser here and their 100% pure essential oils, and get FREE shipping on every order! (affiliate link)
Essential Oil Winter Woods Recipe
This fall, our family drove up into the Smokey Mountains and enjoyed a much needed long weekend. On our way home, we drove to Clingman’s Dome, and hiked up to the peak. The climate and altitude at the top of the mountain, and “the cool, wet conditions on Clingmans Dome’s summit make the spruce-fir forest that grows there a coniferous rainforest.” (source) I had no idea that the Appalatians were home to a coniferous rainforest!
A CONIFEROUS RAINFOREST, y’all! I admit that I had a homeschool science Mom geek out over that little factoid.
The views were spectacular, but I think my favorite part was the smell. From the moment we stepped out of our van, we were surrounded by the dense and woody scent of the fir trees…like SURROUNDED by the smell. And it wasn’t a faint hint…no. It smelled like Christmas trees, and pine needles and pine sap on your hands because you’re climbing the tallest tree in the yard. Like you were burying your nose in the pine-forest with every breath. It was heavenly.
I could have lived there, or at least taken a cozy nap in the pine scented forest. I wanted to take the smell home with me!
No amount of fake candle scent can compare. I wanted to relive the incredible scent that we experienced, and add in a little extra winter cheer, so I created this recipe using Plant Therapy essential oils…for the REAL smell of a pine forest, and I’ve been enjoing this in our diffuser this season. And you can enjoy it too with this simple recipe! One recipe of 10 drops is the perfect amount for your AromaFuse diffuser.
Winter Pines Essential Oil Blend Recipe
To pin or to print!
- 6 drops (or parts) balsam fir or your favorite fir or pine essential oil
- 2 drops tangerine essential oil
- 1 drop cinnamon bark or leaf essential oil
- 1 drop clove essential oil
- Add drops directly to your diffuser water and enjoy!
- Alternatively, fill a small pot with water, and orange peels, cinnamon sticks, and gathered pine needles. Add drops to simmering pot, and keep on very low heat to keep it steaming.
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