Cars eventually go through a phase where the interior begins to retain bad smells and this can be a tad off-putting.
I’ve had my fair share of bad car odor which ended up getting so bad that I had to leave the windows and doors open overnight to get rid of the smell and air out its interiors.
To make your job easier, I have selected 6 effective and great smelling car air diffusers that I found to be worth the money. These nifty must-have devices are mostly priced under $25 and are quite easy to use.
So, read on to find out more about the popular car air diffusers on AliExpress and whether or not they will make a great addition to your car.
Let’s go!
- Yesplease Electric Auto Air Diffuser
- 72km Bear Pilot Car Vent Diffuser
- Rechargeable Car Air Diffuser
Luxury Car Perfume on AliExpress
What are the different types of car air diffusers from Aliexpress?
There are 3 primary types of car air diffusers available in the market. Vent clips, plug-ins and ones that use rechargeable batteries. They all help with getting rid of bad odor in the car, but not all of them offer the same benefits.
- Vent Clips - One of the most common types of car air diffusers is the vent clip. These are rather popular because they are super easy to install and use. Simply open the packaging and clip the diffuser onto the air conditioning panel of your car. These diffusers tend to use essential oils that slowly dissipate when the air conditioning unit is turned on. The benefit of using a vent clip is that they last longer than the other two on this list, but the drawback is that they are not as effective as plug-in or rechargeable diffusers.
- Plug-In - Plug-in diffusers are my favorite because they work by plugging its power cable (USB) into a power port (cigarette lighter) of your car. Plug-in diffusers are popular mainly for their ability to run on a blend of water and essential oils as well as stand alone essential oils. Since they require a power source, these car air diffusers come with adjustable speeds and can be used as a form of humidifier during the winter.
- Rechargeable - These diffusers are similar to the plug-in models in terms of design, but they run on battery power and you wouldn’t have to keep it plugged in at all times. Rechargeable car air diffusers are nice to own, but require a bit of maintenance, and one of the major drawbacks is the bad battery life. However, if you can get past that then it’s a highly versatile diffuser that can be positioned anywhere within the car.
Baseus Car Mini Aroma Diffuser
One of the best looking devices on the market is the Baseus mini aroma diffuser. It’s a really tiny air diffuser that’s designed to prevent harmful bacteria from breeding within your car.
I personally loved this diffuser because of its pill shape design and the fact that it is capable of lasting up to 5 months at a stretch on a single piece of cylindrical incense, which literally blew my mind.
It’s quite effective against stale odor, smoke, food and sweat, and I was able to notice a near instant change in the scent of the car unlike some other brands that take a few seconds to kick in.
For something as cheap as $8, it’s actually quite well made. The Baseus mini diffuser has an all metal body and uses a magnetic clip that sits tightly on the air conditioning vent and you can choose from one of three aromas, fresh, citrus and flower depending on what appeals to your senses.
Yesplease Electric Auto Air Diffuser
Another car air diffuser I like is the electric auto air diffuser from Yesplease. I found this kit to be quite a treat because it not only includes the air diffuser, but also the USB cable along with not one or two, but three different essential oil aroma bottles that can be replaced at any time.
The canister is supposedly made from an aero-space grade alloy that is heat resistant which is a good thing considering there is a battery pack sitting right behind the canister. Each vial of essential oil lasts for up to 60 days and from my experience, all three vials can last up to 6 months if used properly.
One of the main reasons why I wouldn't mind spending $20 on this air diffuser is because it has a built-in auto shut-off function that instantly turns the diffuser off the moment you step out of the car and lock the door.
The two air speed settings are a god-send because at least it lets you decide whether you want the aroma at full blast or if you’d prefer something subtle and mild.
72km Bear Pilot Car Vent Diffuser
72km is a popular car accessories brand on AliExpress and you can find a wide variety of custom and weird products here. One that really caught my attention was their bear pilot rotating propeller air diffuser.
I was taken aback, this literally has to be the cutest mini air diffuser available out there and for $8.15, I ended up picking two for myself, I mean, who wouldn’t? It doesn’t use any liquid or oils, so there’s no spillage, but it comes with essential oil fragrant tablets that are similar to the cylindrical incense that Baseus uses.
The 72km diffuser is relatively easy to use, simply lift the bear from its magnetic holder to replace your tablet and slide the device back into the air conditioning vent.
There’s no battery powering the propellers, instead the air that blows out of your AC vent circulates through the diffuser and rotates the propellers automatically thus giving you that effect. If you like simple and easy to use diffusers, then you should definitely consider buying the 72km bear pilot for your car.
Rechargeable Car Air Diffuser
Some battery operated air diffusers are not good whereas some others are insanely effective. This rechargeable air diffuser that I found falls in the latter category and considering that it’s priced under $10, it’s definitely one of the best kits around for budget buyers.
The aroma diffuser features a unique turbo fan design and comes with three 10ml vials of essential oil that are imported from France. I liked the fact that the canister where the essential oils sit is tightly sealed and the only thing that’s exposed is the incense stick that soaks in the essential oils.
It’s easy to use and there are three speed modes that you can toggle between simply by tapping on the button at the top. I found the AI chip in the diffuser to be very responsive as it recognised when the car was in motion and turned off automatically when I stepped out of the car.
The only drawback though is that it does not have any holder or suction pad that locks it in place and it will move around the place unless you have a cup holder large enough to fit it in.
CaCao Pilot Car Air Diffuser
After falling in love with the diffuser from 72km, I wanted to see if there were other similar designs out there from different brands and to my amazement, there were pages and pages full of these cartoon-like cute air diffusers.
The CaCao pilot car air diffusers are available in 4 unique designs and have the same level of functionality as the bear pilot diffusers from 72km. They come with a magnetic top and propellers that move when the AC is turned on.
Though they look like flimsy toys, the body is actually made from ABS plastic and is extremely durable. For $12, I got the Little Ryan diffuser along with 2 sachets of essential oil tablets making it truly a great buy.
If you have kids, then this diffuser is a great ornament to have. The only problem though is that after using it for a while, the locking system loses its magnetism and once that happens, you’d have to buy a new one as these can not be repaired.
Key features to consider when buying a car air diffuser on AliExpress
Since not every car air diffuser is the same, there are some key features that you should look for when buying one off AliExpress.
- Diffuser modes - If you’ve opted for either the rechargeable or plug-in air diffuser, then you will have to get one that offers different speeds or diffuser modes. Choosing a diffuser with intermittent speed will help consume essential oils at a slower pace than those without. Diffusers with adjustable speeds can save you money, time and oil.
- Oil or Incense Sticks - There are generally two kinds of oil that you get to use in an air diffuser, actual oil that can be refilled into a canister within the diffuser and tablets or incense sticks that you replace after a couple of weeks. Oils are risky because they can spill and if there’s excessive heat built-up then they can also catch fire. Tablets and incense sticks are the safest option as they are safe to use and do not have any harmful or damaging ingredients.
- Size of the car - One of the most important things you should take into consideration is the size of your car. Large interiors would require bigger diffusers or electric diffusers that either run on batteries or via a USB power source. These are capable of eliminating repulsive smells from all over the car unlike the vent clips that work better in smaller cars due to their low output and smaller size.
- Auto Shut-Off - Finally, if you’re going to leave the diffuser in the car for a prolonged period of time then it’s a good idea to buy one that has an auto shut-off feature. This will not only turn off when you step out of the car, but it helps save oil, so you don’t spend extra money on buying a refill.
What are the benefits of using a Chinese car air diffuser?
There are numerous benefits to using a car diffuser, some of the key benefits I found are:
- Car diffusers eliminate any lingering odor inside the car and will keep the inside of the car smelling fresh.
- Many of these diffusers use essential oils that have added benefits like stress relief and mood-improving abilities.
- Car diffusers double up as humidifiers and can drastically improve the air quality inside the car. This is essential especially if you’re living in an area with dry climate conditions.
- Diffusers last much longer than traditional air fresheners and you wouldn’t have to worry about changing the oil or incense for up to 30 days at a time.
FAQ’s
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are a type of natural oil that is extracted from plants using a process called distillation. They have been used for centuries to treat a variety of health conditions and make beauty products more effective.
Some common uses for essential oils include treating anxiety, depression, stress headaches, sinus infections, colds and flu symptoms, asthma relief, wound healing (both minor and major), boosting the immune system, fighting cancer cells, eliminating bad odor from clothing or pets' fur coats etc.
How long do car air diffusers last?
This depends on the type of air diffuser you’re using. Vent clips don’t last very long especially if you’re driving constantly with the windows up and the AC on. Plug-in and rechargeable diffusers last slightly longer and would require a refill once every month or two.
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