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I am a firm believer that the way your apartment/home/dorm smells is just as important as how it looks. Hence why I am obsessed with home fragrance — I'm Real Homes' resident expert, after all. In my eyes, a reed diffuser is one of the safest ways to scent your home. Plus, it's easy! You don't have to worry about a flickering flame getting out of control, black marks on your walls, or about where you're going to put your reed diffuser either. And you need only flip the reeds every time you want a scent boost. But, the all-important question is: Which reed diffuser do you choose?
Quick Menu: 1. Our top 3 2. By scent 3. By room 4. What to consider 5. FAQs 6. How we test
Yes, I've tested a bunch of reed diffusers (as well as scented candles and essential oil diffusers) and the scents featured in this guide are my ultimate favorites. The ones I would buy again and again — and the ones my house guests always comment on. I live in a two-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of the city, along with a pet, so making sure my home doesn't always smell like pollution and wet dog (what a combo!) is a priority.
From the likes of Nest New York, Rituals, and even Archipelago Botanicals, here are the fragrances to scent your home with this summer 2023. P.S. At this time of year, I prefer to go for floral, fresh, or fruity fragrances to fit the season (and the temperature outside).
Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Size: 1.6 oz./7.7 oz. Scent: Oriental Refill available? Yes Price: $21.50
I've been obsessed with this Rituals reed diffuser for almost a year now, and its strong oriental notes of rice milk and cherry blossom always wow me. Plus, it makes a pretty good year-round fragrance and you can buy refills for it so you need only buy the ceramic vessel once. There's no need to flip your reeds regularly as the diffuser will stretch its aroma from one side of your room to the other. Plus, the smallest size lasted me way longer than the recommended five weeks and the fragrance sits inside a luxurious white ribbed container that looks so luxurious on display. The smaller size is nice and affordable though the larger option really makes a statement.
Size: 5.9 oz. Scent: Floral / Fresh Refill available? No Price: $58
Impressively scented to be floral and fresh, this is one of my favorite candles that also happens to come as a reed diffuser. I really rate it for use throughout spring and summer and honestly, when I say that I cannot get enough of this scent, I truly mean it. This blend of rosewater, geranium, and salted amber is perfect for enjoying in an entryway or a bedroom, and its striped frosted glass bottle screams luxury. It's cruelty-free and it comes in recyclable packaging, though bear in mind it's not refillable *cries.*
Size: 5 oz. Scent: Fresh Refill available? Yes Price: $55
Again, this Molton Brown scent is one of my favorite candles. I am yet to try it in reed diffuser form, but if it's anything like the candle then I can guarantee you'll be obsessed as It's the perfect fresh fragrance that's anything but underwhelming — and it's ideal for any room, and any time of the year. Even better? It comes in a glass bottle and its packaging is made from 50% recycled material, plus you can buy refills. It would make the perfect, fail-safe gift as it's a scent that most people will enjoy.
Size: 3.5 fl. oz. Scent: Woody Refillable: No
Our editor-in-chief is obsessed with this reed diffuser. In fact, she says it hits the nail on the head for her. "I am not a floral person and prefer more musky masculine scents. Its scent isn't too overpowering (which is another pet peeve of mine) but it's subtle and earthy." It'll be sure to give your apartment a cozy feel. It lives in a chic amber glass bottle and is a low-maintenance fragrance for the colder months.
Size: 5 fl. oz. Scent: Woody Refillable? No
I am obsessed with this woody fragrance from The White Company. So much so that it makes a recurring appearance in my apartment every single fall. It makes your home smell like you have a fireplace, and no matter how large your room is, its scent will reach every corner. It will forever be my favorite reed diffuser for the colder months, and I love it for my living room or bedroom. You can also recycle its glass vessel after use.
Size: 5.9 oz. Scent: Woody Refill available? No
This woody and smoky fragrance offers a pleasantly mysterious scent and fills the air with notes of labdanum, patchouli, cedarwood, charred birchwood, and a hint of black truffle. We can vouch for the fact that it masks unpleasant odors and has a spicy, almost cologne-like aroma. It's also cruelty-free and alcohol-free, though you'll want to use it in a larger room as it's pretty heavy. Its luxurious-looking vessel speaks for itself, and though you can't buy refills, it can be recycled. And it comes with a stopper. You know by now that Nest New York reed diffusers come in eco-friendly packaging.
Size: 5.07 fl. oz. Scent: Warm Refillable? No Price: $82
I currently have this diffuser sitting in my entryway and its serious yet still luxurious fragrance always impresses my guests. It's a little warm, a little fresh, and a little woody. In fact, I think it's the perfect scent to slowly take your home from winter to spring. For when the sun is making an appearance but temperatures are still freezing. It came with a bottle stopper and it sits in a subtle green glass vessel that's recyclable. In fact, the brand's ethos is sustainability and it arrived in eco-friendly packaging. The only annoying thing is you can't refill the vessel once it's finished.
Size: 3.38 oz. Scent: Sweet, floral Refill available? No Price: $60
If you love a sweet fragrance then I can recommend this incredible long-lasting diffuser that has a gorgeous floral yet slightly sweet aroma, fueled by rhubarb, sour juniper berry, and fresh muddled rosemary. It's the perfect non-invasive floral scent that never smells cheap. I really love it for use in my entryway or living room, and its cruelty-free and vegan fragrance ticks all the boxes. It's simply the perfect reed diffuser for your home for spring and summer, plus it's housed in an elegant black glass vessel with black silk reeds you'll rarely need to flip. The only thing is you can't recycle the vessel, and it's not refillable.
Size: 7.85 oz. Scent: Fruity Refill available? Yes Price: $49
As approved by a previous member of the Real Homes team, this powerful diffuser is long-lasting, sweet, and refreshing without being overwhelming. It's scented with everything you love to eat in the summer, including mango, tangerine, passion fruit, and pomegranate. Its aroma manages to reach each corner of a room, and we think that its minimal bottle lends itself to the fragrance. Oh, and it's recyclable and refillable. I'd avoid it in colder months, but it's really great for scenting a bedroom or dorm room as it's super uplifting.
Size: 3.38 oz. Scent: Floral Refill available: Yes Price: $43.50
Subtle enough for your bedroom, I love using this reed diffuser to help lull me to sleep. Though I do move it out of my room before I sleep if the reeds have recently been flipped as our dog sleeps on our bedroom floor. It's scented with lavender and balanced with jasmine and rosewood and I like to think of it as a low-key fragrance that's never too in your face. It's 100% natural if that's your thing, and its fragrance is pretty much a year-round scent. I recommend placing it somewhere your guests can see its classic yet luxe-looking container, and maybe sticking to smaller rooms if you want its scent to be noticeable. Its vessel isn't recyclable, but refills are available — yasss.
Size: 5.9 oz. Scent: Fresh Refill available? No Price: $60
I'll admit that I wasn't immediately sold on this reed diffuser — until I moved it into my bathroom. This fragrance perfectly fits this space and it's strong enough to banish odors as they come. It's super fresh yet anything but boring thanks to the addition of wild mint. The eucalyptus is also noticeable and helps it strike the perfect balance. My bathroom is windowless, so I didn't use all of the reeds, but its luxury-looking vessel definitely looks on point 24/7. I probably wouldn't use it anywhere else, but if you were looking for another room, it would probably be fine in an airy kitchen.
Size: 3.38 oz. Scent: Citrus Refill available? Yes Price: $43.50
This is one citrus-based fragrance I can't get enough of. The Neom diffuser offers a welcoming and uplifting boost that's scented with neroli, mimosa, and lemon essential oils. It's refreshing but not too powerful and works best in smaller spaces (I found that it's perfect for kitchens and bathrooms). Again, its fragrance works all year round but is particularly fitting for spring and summer. Its vessel isn't recyclable, but you can buy refills.
1. Is it refillable? With candles, once they’re gone, they’re gone. Not so with reed diffusers, which can be topped up with new fragrance oil when it runs out. Just make sure that when you buy a diffuser refill you discard your old reeds and buy new ones as they’ll be saturated with all the scent they’ve soaked up from the first round of oil and won’t soak up any more.
2. Think about scents you normally like If you don’t know what you like, choosing a fragrance can be the hardest part of shopping for a diffuser, but looking for individual scent families is a good place to start. Florals are fairly self-explanatory, though some of them might get a bad rap for being too strong. For a more unexpected home fragrance, consider something from the woody or spicy families, or on the other end of the spectrum, a fresher, "greener" scent.
3. Check its size I've listed the size of each reed diffuser above. The larger the diffuser, the longer it will last. And don't forget that the more reeds in the fragrance, the quicker it will empty. Plus, the more often you flip the reeds the quicker the fragrance will need to be refilled or replaced, too. It's worth bearing this in mind when looking at the price of a reed diffuser — when will you next need to pay to refill or replace it?
4. Consider its design Make a point to buy a reed diffuser that will fit in with your home decor, because it will have to be placed in the center of a room. Also, be sure to check if its vessel is recyclable after use and if not, then you might want to ensure refills are available so you won't have to throw away the whole vessel.
5. Does it come as a candle or a room spray too? If you like your home to smell the same throughout, then be sure to check whether the reed diffuser you have picked comes as a candle, a wax melt, or a room spray, too.
If you are searching for a great all-around pick, then the Rituals The Ritual of Sakura Reed Diffuser is my favorite option. It's powerful and works in pretty much any room — though it is way too luxurious to leave in a bathroom or kitchen. You can also buy refills, so you only have to buy the vessel once!
Fragrance Bedroom Household Fragrance Stick Buy this reed diffuser from