Reed diffuser vs candle – ever wondered which scent you should purchase for your home? Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of each, so you can make the right decision for your home and lifestyle.
If you’re reading this, chances are you want your living space to smell good.
Because you know if your home smells good, you’ll feel good.
I’m with you on this! I always feel relaxed whenever there’s a wonderful scent in my home.
But, how do you choose between a reed diffuser vs candle? There are so many options in the market, and it can feel a little overwhelming when you’re shopping for a scent.
That’s why I’ve created this guide to help you choose between a reed diffuser vs a candle.
Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of each, so you can make the right decision for your home and lifestyle.
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Table of Contents
Candle
Candles come in many shapes, sizes, and forms. Popular candles include scented candles, soy candles, and aromatherapy candles.
In this post, I’ll be talking about scented candles.
Scented candles get their scent from essential oils or artificial scents mixed into the wax. The aroma from the essential oil is diffused when the heat from the flame melts the wax.
These days, you can find a variety of wax types like soy, paraffin, and beeswax. While these candles may share similar scents, each wax type has unique burn properties.
When you’re shopping for scented candles, make sure to purchase high-quality ones that burn slowly and evenly. These candles will usually give off a sweet scent within an hour of lighting.
Although lighting a candle seems easy enough, maintenance is required to ensure your candle lasts longer.
Here are 5 easy tips to care for your candle:
- Always trim the wick and check for debris.
- If it’s your first time burning a candle, it should burn for 1 hour for every 1 inch in diameter of the candle size.
- Don’t burn candles for more than 4 hours (or longer than the manufacturer’s instructions).
- When burning a candle, keep the flame away from fans, air conditioners, and open windows.
- Store candles in a cool, dark, and dry place.
Pros of candles
Here are 4 reasons why candles are so well-loved:
Provides an intense scent
A candle provides a steady intense scent when burned for more than 1 hour. Depending on the size of the candle, its scent can fill up an entire room.
Offers a relaxing ambiance when lit
One of the best things about a candle is that it offers a relaxing ambiance when lit. Thanks to its soft flickering light and sweet fragrance, lighting a candle can make an entire area feel cozy instantly.
Doubles up as a beautiful home decor piece
Candles are usually poured into beautiful glass jars, which double up as elegant home decor pieces. This makes candles look great even when they’re not lit.
Cons of candles
While candles are amazing for the reasons above, they are not for everyone. Here’s why:
Potential fire hazards
You have to keep an eye on a candle every time it’s lit. A burning candle must also be placed in safe spots around the room.
Candles are potential fire hazards, so you have to be extra careful especially if you have kids and pets.
Requires maintenance to preserve its quality
Candles require some maintenance to preserve their quality. If they are not maintained, they may display uneven burning, tunneling, and sooting. Candles with poor designs may show these signs as well.
May cause allergies
If you have allergies, strong fragrances may trigger your allergies to flare up. Since candles may emit fine soot into the air, this can also lead to allergies.
Candle recommendations
Reed diffuser
Like candles, reed diffusers allow aromas to continuously diffuse into the air. They also come in different shapes and sizes.
However, all reed diffusers have 3 main components – fragrance oil/essential oil, reed sticks, and vessel.
First, the fragrance oil is placed inside the vessel, which is usually a glass jar or bottle. This is followed by the reed sticks so that one end is submerged in the fragrance oil and the other is exposed to the air.
The reed sticks will absorb the oil and allow it to travel along its length. Once the oil reaches the top, it evaporates and releases the scent into the air.
Depending on the amount of oil in the vessel, a reed diffuser usually lasts between 1-6 months.
How to use a reed diffuser
Are you new to reed diffusers? This is how you can set up a new reed diffuser:
- Set up the reed diffuser on a flat surface. Avoid delicate areas like wood or marble as the oil may leave stains.
- Pour the fragrance oil into your vessel until half full. You don’t need to do this if the oil is already inside the vessel.
- Stick the reeds into the vessel so that the bottom of the reeds are submerged in the oil. Not sure how many reeds to put in? Start with 6 to 8 reeds for a scent that’s not too light or strong.
- Let your reeds absorb the oil for a few minutes.
- After that, flip the reeds upside down so that the bottom of the reed sticks are now in the air and the dry ends are submerged in the oil.
- Spread your reeds out to let air circulate between them.
- Wait up to 24 hours to let the fragrance fully diffuse.
- If you find that the scent is getting weaker, flip the reeds once a week. Avoid doing this too frequently, otherwise, the oil will run out quickly.
Pros of reed diffusers
Reed diffusers are a popular choice because they are convenient and safe to use daily. Let’s take a look at the benefits of using reed diffusers.
Safe to use all the time
Reed diffusers are flameless, which means they’re safe to use all the time. You can place them anywhere in your home and leave them overnight without any worries.
Offers consistent aroma in small spaces
Reed diffusers provide a consistent aroma in small spaces like bathrooms, hallways, and entryways.
Able to adjust the intensity of the fragrance
You can adjust the intensity of the fragrance by adding or removing the reeds. How? Simply add more reeds if you want a stronger scent or remove some reeds if you want a lighter smell.
Reusable
Once the oil runs out, all you have to do is purchase a new oil refill and pour it into the bottle.
Cons of reed diffusers
No ambiance
Unlike candles, reed diffusers do not provide that soft glow a candle light has. That being said, reed diffusers come in beautiful bottles and jars, which are great home decor pieces.
Limited reach
Reed diffusers have limited reach, therefore they work best in small spaces. You may not notice the fragrance if you place a reed diffuser in a large area.
Reed diffusers recommendations
Similarities between reed diffusers and candles
Candles and reed diffusers share a few similarities:
- Energy saving – both do not require electricity to produce scents
- Come in nice vessels – both come in beautiful bottles or jars, which can be used as home decor
- Mood booster – both diffuse wonderful fragrances that can boost moods and relax the senses
Comparison between a reed diffuser vs candle
Now that you’ve read about the pros and cons, let’s take a look at the comparison between reed diffusers vs candles.
Long-lasting scent
Winner: Reed diffuser
Reed diffusers can be used over a long time hence their scents last longer.
Scent intensity
Winner: Candle
Generally, candles emit stronger scents than reed diffusers. A candle’s scent can also fill up an entire room whereas a reed diffuser’s scent is less intense in larger areas.
Ability to adjust scent intensity
Winner: Reed diffuser
Candles do not have the ability to adjust the intensity of their scents. Once the flame is put out, a candle stops emitting its scent.
Safety
Winner: Reed diffuser
Since a reed diffuser is flameless, it can be used any time without supervision. It’s usually the go-to option for mothers.
Affordability
Winner: It’s a tie!
Both luxury and budget candles and reed diffusers are widely available in the market.
Ambiance
Winner: Candle
Nothing says cozy or romantic like a dim candlelight glow.
Conclusion
So, is a reed diffuser better than a candle? Well, it’s definitely safer and more convenient than a candle.
However, the best option is the one that fits your lifestyle.
Before you decide which to purchase, these questions below can help you to make up your mind:
- Do you live with children or pets?
- Do you prefer a strong fragrance or something long-lasting?
- Which room is this fragrance for and how big is the room?
- Is setting the mood or creating an ambiance important to you?
Since my husband and I have no children and we love strong scents, we prefer candles over reed diffusers.
Plus, with our open-concept apartment, we need something that can fill up the entire space.
There, you have it – everything you need to know about reed diffuser vs candle! Which is your pick? Let me know in the comments below!
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Thank you for this detailed comparison, I found it super helpful! I would like to start using home fragrances, but I wasn’t sure whether a candle or a reed diffuser would be a better option for me. I was having a hard time finding an objective comparison of the two (most of what I found was from people trying to sell or promote one option over the other), until I found your post. It’s clear, informative, and helpful, and I really appreciate it. After reading this, I can see that both candles and reed diffusers have their different strengths and downsides. Because of this, I think I will probably try a bit of both to see what works better for me.
Thank you again!