The 11 Best Air Fresheners of 2023

Best Overall

Pura Smart Fragrance Diffuser

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The Pura Smart Diffuser allows you to personalize your air-freshening experience from your smartphone or tablet. Just plug it into an outlet, adjust the settings, and then sit back and relax while a light, pleasant scent disperses through your space.

This user-friendly device calls on low heat diffusion to create microscopic droplets of fragrance. It holds two cartridges at once, so you can switch between scents with a quick tap, depending on your mood. It can also be paired with Nest fragrance oil cartridges.

What's more, you can schedule when you want it on and off, adjust the scent intensity, and even use it as an ambient night light. The diffuser itself and the refills are pricey, but it might be worth the investment for the high-quality, customizable design.

Price at time of publish: $70

_{Type: Plug-in diffuser | Amount: 1 ounce | Scent Duration: 4 hours}

Best for Bathrooms

Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray

4.8

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Poo-Pourri earned a 4.8 out of 5 score from our home tester. This bathroom freshener pre-emptively coats the toilet water with a scented-oil barrier to prevent odors from escaping. We're pleased to report that it definitely works. 

The concept is undoubtedly clever, and we appreciate the all-natural formula. That said, while the directions on the bottle are clear, one potential drawback is that you can't necessarily expect every person to read them and use it as directed.

Price at time of publish: $8

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 0.3–16 ounces | Scent Duration: 1 hour}

Best for Smoke

Febreze Odor-Eliminating Air Freshener Spray

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Febreze is your best bet when trying to clear the air of a smoky smell. Just spray it in a sweeping motion throughout the space you're trying to freshen up, and be amazed by the instant results.

The brand has a patent on its reliable deodorizing technology. Instead of masking smells, it neutralizes alkaline and acidic particles in the air (i.e., the stinky ones) with a chemical reaction. The scent can be a bit strong, but it dissipates within an hour or two.

We note that the ingredients list "fragrances," which could include phthalates, Please check the label for complete ingredients information.

Price at time of publish: $20

_{Type: Aerosol spray | Amount: 8.8 ounces | Scent Duration: 1–2 hours}

Best for Cars

Febreze Car Air Freshener Vent Clip

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The Febreze Vent Clip is the best car air freshener. This handy product makes it easy to give pet, kid, and stale-food smells the boot—just attach it to your car's air vent, and let it share its clothesline or Hawaiian scent. The manufacturer claims that it lasts up to 30 days.

This air freshener attaches to a vent; we like that you can adjust the intensity using the little dial. However, we should note that each clip only lasts about a month on the lowest setting, so you'll need to switch them out relatively often.

We note that the ingredient list includes "fragrances," which could include phthalates, Please check the label for complete ingredient information.

Price at time of publish: $13

_{Type: Air powered | Amount: 0.06 fluid ounces | Scent Duration: up to 30 days}

Best Natural

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Room Refresher Spray

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If you're partial to natural formulas, this one's for you. Mrs. Meyer's Room Refresher boasts a blend of thoughtfully selected, plant-derived ingredients. Sprayed in a non-aerosol manner, it instantly freshens up your indoor air and leaves a light lavender scent in its wake.

We like that this product doesn't contain any parabens, phthalates, or artificial colors, and the non-aerosol bottle doesn't use propellants. It's also Leaping Bunny Certified as cruelty-free. We note, however, that the effects seem to vary, from long-lasting to needing re-spraying several times per day.

Price at time of publish: $16 (pack of 3)

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 8 ounces | Scent Duration: 30 minutes}

Best Continuous

Air Wick Plug-In Scented Oil Starter Kit

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Interested in something that continuously emits fragrance into your home? Check out this plug-in option from Air Wick. The diffuser uses little essential oil cartridges, warming the scent and releasing it upwards and outwards. For maximum scent distribution, make sure you plug this in with the product facing upright.

The scent—which the manufacturer describes as "aromatic lavender essence rounded off with gentle chamomile and precious woods"—is somewhat strong, but you can choose from five intensity settings. It's super budget-friendly, too—the starter kit only runs you a few bucks, and the refill cartridges are even more affordable. To replace a cartridge, you simply insert a refill into the plug-in until you hear a click. The refills should be compatible with any similar Air Wick warmer.

When we looked to see when "fragrances" weree listed as ingredients, we were directed to the manufacturer's website, which lists many chemicals under "fragrance component."

Price at time of publish: $3.50

_{Type: Plug-in diffuser | Amount: 0.7 ounces | Scent Duration: 60 days}

Best Spray

Caldrea Linen & Room Spray Air Freshener

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We also like Caldrea Linen & Room Spray. The natural formula is made without parabens, formaldehyde, or artificial dyes, leaning on a blend of essential oils to freshen up your rooms and fabrics with a light fragrance without leaving behind stains.

This is one of the few products we evaluated that expressly state that they can be sprayed on laundry. In fact, we note that buyers have effectively used this as a fabric softener!

It doesn't offer a continuous scent experience and doesn't circulate around your space. Still, this spray is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a once-in-a-while air freshener in the $10 range.

The ingredients list notes several natural products but also lists "fragrance," which could imply the presence of phthalates.

Price at time of publish: $12

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 16 ounces | Scent Duration: 2 hours}

Best Gel

Renuzit Gel Air Freshener

4.5

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Renuzit makes our favorite gel air freshener. This freestanding cone can be placed anywhere—no outlet or batteries needed. It releases fragrance with a twist of the cap, and you can adjust the intensity as needed.

The solid, biodegradable gel is made of 98 percent naturally sourced ingredients. It comes in over two dozen scents, ranging from fresh rain to calming lavender to apple-cinnamon. You have to replace the cones often, but you can get a set of 12 for around $15.

This product lists "fragrance" among its ingredients, which could indicate the presence of phthalates.

Price at time of publish: $14 (pack of 3)

_{Type: Freestanding gel mister | Amount: 7 ounces | Scent Duration: 5–7 days}

Best Plug-In

Glade PlugIns Scented Oil Air Freshener Starter Kit

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Glade PlugIns is a great set-it-and-forget-it option. This plug-in diffuser warms the essential oils within the easy-to-replace cartridges, and you can adjust how much you want released into your home.

Each cartridge lasts about 50 days. This is impressive, considering that the starter kit is less than $20 and comes with five refills. The only drawback is that the device takes up an entire standard wall outlet, leaving no room to plug in anything else below or above. However, the product does rotate to fit horizontal outlets. However, we note that the product must remain upright so oil won't fall out of it.

The ingredients list "fragrance oil," which could indicate the presence of phthalates.

Price at time of publish: $19

_{Type: Plug-in diffuser | Amount: 3.4 ounces | Scent Duration: 50 days}

Best Automatic

Glade Automatic Spray Refill and Holder Kit

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We're also big fans of Glade Automatic Spray. This freestanding air freshener uses two AA batteries and can be placed virtually anywhere in your home. You can set it to dispense a burst of fragrance once every nine, 18, or 36 minutes. (A few more timer settings would be nice, but we appreciate the adjustability.) You can also press a button to spray the scent whenever you please.

Considering that each refill lasts 60 days, when set for 36 minutes, this is a pretty decent deal for under $15. The refills also are a snap to change, with an easy-open latch.

We do have a problem with the way the manufacturer says they "believe in . . . ingredients that are authentic" and then decline to mention them, saying only "air freshener." We strongly recommend reading the product label for full disclosure.

Price at time of publish: $12

_{Type: Automatic spray | Amount: 6.2 ounces | Scent Duration: 60 days}