10 Best Plug-In Air Fresheners 2024 in the United States

Introduction

Have your home or office smelling fresh and clean with an air freshener. We reviewed the top-rated and best plug-in air fresheners you need to try.

Is your bathroom an airless space? Does your pet bring a bad smell along with it as it pads through your house? Do you dislike the cooking odors that emanate from your kitchen? Or is it your workplace that needs freshening up? Plug-in air fresheners are a great way to create a more pleasantly-scented space anywhere.

Available in a range of scents from fresh linen to summer delight, the best plug-in air freshener can solve your odor problem quickly. Many plug-in air fresheners also have adjustable strengths you can set to your personal preference and the needs of your room. To find the one that’s right for you, check out our MSN top ten list. You’re sure to find a great plug-in air freshener that you’ll enjoy.

The best plug-in air fresheners have several advantages over their candle and spray counterparts. While candles and sprays also combat offensive smells, plug-in air fresheners emit their aroma automatically, instead of being spritzed from a bottle. They are also simpler than burning a candle. Plug-in air fresheners are placed into an outlet and left to scent your space. For fire safety, it is best to unplug them every so often to avoid overheating.

When choosing the best plug-in air freshener for you, consider your room size. Many air fresheners indicate what size room they can cover or whether they are intended for in-car use.

The main types of plug-in air fresheners sold in stores are wax warmers and heated oils. Both come in a range of available scents. Check out our MSN top ten list of the best air fresheners for you.

Wax Warmers

Wax warmer plug-ins use an electric heat source – usually a bulb - to warm the scented wax. In contrast to scented candles, there is no flame, eliminating a fire hazard and avoiding soot in your home. However, wax warmers can get hot, and should therefore be kept away from pets and children. The wax does not evaporate; instead, heating the wax gives off the scent. This means that when there is no more scent, it is time to change the wax. Wax warmers are a great choice if you like the gentle smell and ambiance that the bulb and the wax create together. Mindful Design makes an exquisite plug-in wax warmer air freshener.

Mindful Design Wax Warmer Air Freshener

Heated Oils

These plug-in air fresheners contain scented oils, including essential oils, which are heated to release scent into your space on a steady, constant basis. Heated oil plug-ins often allow you to choose the scent’s intensity. These plug-ins can last from 30 to 60 days, depending on your usage. You can buy refills as needed. They may also come with a nightlight. An example is Glade’s Exotic Tropical Blossoms Plug-In Air Freshener. There are refills in various scents such as Monoi blossom, elderflower, and coconut milk, that can be bought for a reasonable price at Walmart.

Glade’s Exotic Tropical Blossoms Plug-In Air Freshener Refills

AirWick also sells refills that are very popular and give your home the fragrance of fresh linen. They’ll make your home smell great whether or not you just did the laundry!

AirWick Essential Oils Plug-In Air Freshener Refills

Safety

Air fresheners have come under scrutiny for being a source of unhealthy inhalation. According to the EPA, VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemicals that evaporate at room temperature. VOCs are found in things like paint, cleaning supplies, pesticides, and air fresheners. Some VOCs like formaldehyde can irritate the eyes, skin, and throat. According to a 2018 article in the Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine, “Prevalence of diagnosed MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) has increased over 300%, and self-reported chemical sensitivity over 200%, in the past decade. Reducing exposure to fragranced products could help reduce adverse health and societal effects.”

According to ScienceDirect,

Air freshener exposures, even at low levels, have been associated with a range of adverse health effects, which include migraine headaches, asthma attacks, breathing difficulties, respiratory difficulties, mucosal symptoms, dermatitis, infant diarrhea and earache, neurological problems, and ventricular fibrillation.

While Poison.org says that using air fresheners in moderation is usually fine, the site acknowledges concerns about repeated air freshener exposure. Scents are under regulatory protection, which means the makers are not required to disclose all of their ingredients, making it near impossible to assess their safety. Even scents labeled “green” or “organic” can still be damaging.

Some air freshener manufacturers are being proactive about safety, which is commendable. Febreze, for example, has a “No, no, no list” that bans the worst VOCs like phthalates and formaldehyde. Check it out here.

Glade abides by IFRA – the International Fragrance Association’s standards, which restricts the usage of 170 substances. Glade states that they have their own additional requirements in addition to IFRA’s.

These safety steps are reassuring. Without further research, it remains a personal choice whether to use an air freshener, which company to go with, and which product to choose. We recommend checking whether a company uses VOCs before purchasing a plug-in air freshener.

Price

Plug-in air fresheners are affordably priced, retailing between $3 to $6 at supermarkets. Refills will run you about $3 to $5 so you can keep your plug-in air freshener working long term without spending a lot. For example, this Febreze refill pack contains two refills for $9.70.You can arrange to have it delivered right to your door along with the rest of your groceries.

Febreze Air Freshener Refill Pack

Summary

Plug-in air fresheners offer a welcome alternative to messy, dangerous candle burning or spray-based air fresheners. They provide an inviting scent to your work, home, or car. Some companies have addressed serious safety concerns regarding the use of plug-in air fresheners, so be sure to look into that aspect before purchasing. If you choose to buy a plug-in air freshener, check out our top ten list for the best options out there. For all the rest of your purchasing needs, we have recommendations for those, too!