Candles have always been my go-to for introducing soothing scents in my home, and now that my husband and I are in an over 100-year-old house, this is more important than ever. That’s why I decided to take things one step beyond candles. I wanted to add a fragrance diffuser to the mix—and preferably one that wouldn’t detract from my home’s clean, minimalistic aesthetic. Enter the Aera Smart Diffuser, a powerful little fragrance diffuser with serious scent results. I was attracted to the diffuser’s compact size—it takes up the same amount of space as my large scented candles—and its customization. While I love a good scent, I don’t want it to smell like I ran through the house with a concentrated bottle of Febreze. And the smart diffuser’s “volume settings” (similar to a speaker, except for scent) ensure that. Plus, the app-enabled schedules and portable controlling take that one step further. So, I gave the Aera Smart Diffuser a go with the lavender capsule as scent number one. Even though it’s one of the best diffusers, it wasn’t the perfect match initially. The Area diffuser at full blast is way too powerful, and that lavender scent came on way too strong. But, that’s the great thing about this little diffuser: I adjusted the “volume” and put it down to the lowest level. This leveled out my living room fragrance, with subtle lavender hints versus heavy lavender overload. For a second test, I took the Aera Smart Fragrance Diffuser to my closet. This space has a particularly old musty smell since I haven’t painted or freshened it up yet. Plus, some of my sweaters went straight from moving boxes to shelves, which means I’m open to anything and everything that will introduce nice scents in here. Unsurprisingly, I chose the Aera “GOOD Riddance” Musty Odor scent (they also have GOOD Riddance Bathroom Odor and GOOD Riddance Pet Odor—not to mention dozens of other intriguing options). Like the living room, my closet was deodorized within minutes at full power. One of my favorite aspects of the Aera Smart Fragrance Diffuser is the app, available with the smart version of the product. I could control the diffuser remotely, and, even better, I created a schedule so that diffuser wasn’t wasting too much of my fragrance capsule while I slept. But, to that point, it’s good to know these capsules last up to 800 hours, or roughly one month straight. And since they’re incredibly strong, I definitely won’t be using this on full blast. Speaking of capsules, I’d definitely recommend Aera’s fragrance sample sprays before purchasing the full capsule. I wasn’t a huge fan of the lavender capsule and wish I’d thought about buying samples ahead of time, given each capsule is about $50.
Does the Aera Smart Diffuser come with a fragrance capsule?
Sadly it does not, which means you have to buy a roughly $50 capsule in addition to the $200 diffuser purchase. That said, Aera does run specials, so you may be able to find a free-capsule add-on if you’re lucky.
How long do fragrance capsules last?
Aera says its fragrance capsules, each 25 milliliters, last up to 800 hours at level five (there are 10 levels). I found levels two and three to be more than enough, which means it’s easy to conserve these little capsules for 800 hours (roughly one month), or more.
Is it easy to set up?
Set up for the Aera Smart Diffuser is incredibly simple, especially with the step-by-step directions included. Simply plug it in, set it up, and insert the capsule. You can insert it via touch or by using the insert button.
How powerful is the diffuser?
The power of this smart diffuser shocked me. I had no idea this small of a gadget could generate such strong scents! The diffuser has 10 levels, and I never needed more than a level three. Of course, my home isn’t massive, so if you’d want it to fill a huge living room with high ceilings, you may need to go higher.
How compact is it?
The Aera Smart Diffuser is slender as can be. It took up about the same amount of space as my large, decorative candles, and has a clean, white design that seamlessly blends in with my home décor.
Are the fragrances safe?
Yes! This is important to me since I have a dog. Not only are the fragrances made with 100% ethically and sustainably sourced fragrance and essential oils, but they’re also hypoallergenic with no residues and safe for families and pets, according to Aera.
Aera Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser vs. AromaTech Aromini
Aera may offer one of the best smart home diffusers, but it’s not the only one. AromaTech’s Aromini is a crowd-pleaser, with nebulizing scent diffusion that’s controlled via Bluetooth. This nebulizing technology lets users control scent-intensity levels, with a sleek and stylish black or silver build that’s tall and slender vs wide (like the Aera). There is one big difference between the products, though: price. The Aera diffuser runs for roughly $200, with capsules at $50 per bottle. The Aroma Tech Aromini runs for $325 (with the Bluetooth bundle), and oil blends are between $65 to $75 each. If you want to freshen up your home without compromising on aesthetics, the Aera Smart Diffuser is for you. It’s is compact, powerful, and clean, with long-lasting, safe fragrances that fill the room.
