The 11 Best Air Fresheners of 2024

Best Overall

Glade Automatic Spray Kit

$35 At Amazon $12 At Home Depot $12 At Walmart

There are so many decisions to make in life. With the Glade Automatic Spray, the air freshener isn’t one of them. This Glade product we tested is different from regular air fresheners as it only requires you to insert the refill and choose the frequency of fragrance release, eliminating the need for physically dispersing the product.

The convenience of this product was outstanding. You can set the device to release fragrance every 9, 18, or 36 minutes. However, you cannot customize it to add other time options. There's also a manual button if you need an extra spray of freshness. You just place your fragrance inside the canister, set your interval, and leave it be. This is a great choice for rooms that need constant refreshing, like the bathroom, kitchen, or living room where pets hang out.

This particular kit comes with the Clean Linen scent, but other refill options, such as Aqua Waves, are also available. The air freshener device looks modern and appealing—visually, it looks much like a speaker or smart home device.

One thing to note is that it makes a small noise when it dispenses fragrance, but it's not incredibly noticeable or irritating. Since it’s battery-operated, you’ll need to replace the batteries. While replacing batteries can be a pain, this makes the device convenient for locations that might not have an outlet nearby (such as a closet). 

_{Type: Automatic spray | Amount: 6.2 ounces | Scent Duration: Not specified}

Best Spray

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Room Refresher Spray

$7 At Amazon $7 At Home Depot $10 At Walmart

A spray can be ideal if you’re looking to quickly battle the stench—or introduce some fresh scent into your space. We tested and love this one from Mrs. Meyers, a brand you may already be familiar with from its line of cleansers, which is made with essential oils and free from phthalates, parabens, and artificial colors.

The sprayer has a black tab that can be locked, so the trigger won't work. This is great for households with children, so kids won't use it excessively or dangerously. We tested the geranium scent and found it pleasant and effective for quickly covering bad smells. However, it can be a bit overpowering if overused, so you just need a few small sprays for it to work.

As well as spraying it throughout a room, you can also spray it directly on fabrics that could use a refresh (although we recommend testing it on a small, out-of-sight area first to avoid stains or discoloration). 

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 8 ounces | Scent Duration: Not specified}

Best Adjustable

Renuzit Gel Air Freshener

$6 At Amazon $11 At Walmart $4 At Target

One thing we like about the Renuzit air freshener cones after testing them is their convenience: They do not emit flames or require an outlet or batteries. This makes them highly versatile. You can place them in several spaces, from bathrooms and closets to living rooms and entryways, but we found this air freshener works best for smaller rooms. 

Our favorite aspect of this air freshener is that you can adjust the intensity of the fragrance. For more scent, pull up the cone fully, and for less, twist it down. This level of customization ensures the scent will never be overwhelming and lets you change the intensity daily, depending on what bad smells arise.

The cones are available in a variety of fragrances. The scent of these air fresheners is strong without being overpowering. Each cone will last for three weeks before needing to be replaced. This budget-friendly bundle comes with 12 air fresheners, so you can disperse them throughout your space or have a supply on hand to refresh every three weeks.

_{Type: Gel cone | Amount: 7 ounces | Scent Duration: 3 weeks}

Best Gel

Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel

$25 At Amazon $20 At Walmart $26 At Ace Hardware

While there are some situations when you want an air freshener to make your home smell lovely, other times, your goal might be to remove foul odors, like the stink of cat litter, sweaty athletic wear that’s been sitting in the laundry room, or the lingering odor from the previous night’s dinner prep. If you want to eliminate odors, this gel absorbs and neutralizes smells. This feature makes it perfect for use in bathrooms, garages where trash accumulates between garbage days, and kitchens.

Fresh Wave Gel also works particularly well with pet odor. It’s available in a variety of scents. It comes in a two-pack, and refills are available. The gel in a single container lasts between 30 and 60 days. Since it’s in a container, you won’t need an outlet or batteries. And these gel containers can be used around anyone, pets included. They do not contain harsh chemicals or phthalates. 

_{Type: Gel | Amount: 15 ounces | Scent Duration: 30-60 days}

Best for Bathrooms

Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray

$8 At Amazon $20 At Home Depot $10 At Walmart

Sure, everybody goes, but that doesn’t mean you want to advertise it. When it comes to covering up bathroom odors, Poo-Pourri is a crowd-pleaser for a reason. This spray bottle can stay in your bathroom, but it’s small enough to put in your bag when you have to go outside your home. 

To effectively use this spray, it's important to apply it before using the toilet. Simply spray it into the bowl before sitting down, and the scent will trap under the water's surface. Multiple scents are available for Poo-Pourri, and its convenience is also a plus.

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 1.4 ounces | Scent Duration: Up to 70 uses per bottle}

Best for Kitchens

Febreze Fresh Lemon Scent Air Freshener

$12 At Amazon $7 At Walmart $5 At Target

As much as dinner may smell lovely while cooking, kitchens can become a source of unpleasant odors, whether due to lingering cooking smells (from foods like hard-boiled eggs or fried items) or trash buildup. That’s where this Febreze option—which has more odor-fighting ingredients than regular Febreze sprays—can come in handy.

The smell of this air freshener spray is lemony, which can be a bit overpowering to some, but there are tons of other scent options in the Febreeze Air line (though the lemon scent is specifically designed for kitchens).

To utilize the product, hold the canister in an upright position and spray in a sweeping motion, as per the manufacturer's instructions. Although the scent may seem potent initially, it eventually fades away while effectively eliminating the unpleasant odors you wish to mask. All in all, we recommend using this air-neutralizing spray to eliminate undesirable food-related odors.

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 8.8 ounces | Scent Duration: Not specified}

Best for Homes with Pets

Febreze Pet Odor Defense

$12 At Amazon $4 At Walmart

If you have pets, you know these adorable, beloved creatures can come with some odors, from the wet fur smell of dogs to the cat’s litter box. You’ll want to do more than cover up these sometimes atrocious odors. Like the Febreze kitchen spray, this spray geared toward pet smells is twice as powerful as regular Febreze. This spray is designed to neutralize odors rather than just mask them. This is particularly useful when dealing with pet odors, as you don't want to end up with a combination of unpleasant smells.

Using 100 percent natural propellant, the Febreze spray is incredibly effective at removing unpleasant odors. While it is advertised to help with unwanted smells from your furry friends, it can also be used in the bathroom, office, laundry room, or any other place around the home.

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 8.8 ounces | Scent Duration: Not listed}

Best Smart

Pura Smart Fragrance Diffuser

$45 At Home Depot $35 At Walmart $50 At Target

This smart plug-in fragrance diffuser from Pura allows incredible customization. First, the plug-in device has slots for two fragrances, so you can easily toggle between two scents. Each scent lasts for up to 100 hours. Many scent options are available, and the company has partnerships with brands you’ll recognize, like Nest, Tommy Bahama, and a wide array of candle companies. That makes finding a scent that you enjoy easy. If you want a fragrance to spread through multiple rooms, you may need to buy more than one device as scents typically fill a room but not an entire house.

After filling the device with two fragrances, your first step will be to download the app that controls this air freshener. This will enable you to schedule the release of scent, regulate the intensity, set program times when you are not present, and perform many other functions. Consider programming your device to turn on a few minutes before you arrive home or before you go to bed if it's in your bedroom. It's important to note that all scents are free from parabens and phthalates.

_{Type: Plug-in | Amount: 10 ounces | Scent Duration: Up to 100 hours}

Best Long-Lasting

Nest Wild Mint & Eucalyptus Reed Diffuser

$61 At Amazon View On Nestnewyork.com $60 At Nordstrom

Air fresheners can sometimes be complicated—there are things to plug in, apps to download, or batteries to change. That’s not the case with this reed diffuser from Nest, which is available in various fragrance options. A glass vessel houses the fragrance oil, and the number of reeds placed in the container determines how intense the fragrance is and how far it reaches. The more reeds you add, the stronger and farther the scent will spread. If you simply want to add fragrance to your living room, remove some reeds.

The Nest diffuser is also long-lasting, offering fragrance for 90 days. You can use a refill once the scent lessens after a month and a half. All Nest fragrances are free from parabens and phthalates. (If you’re eager to avoid certain ingredients, you might be interested in these all-natural DIY air fresheners too.) 

_{Type: Diffuser | Amount: 5.9 ounces | Scent Duration: 90 days}

Best for Linens

Drmtlgy Linen Mist and Room Spray

$14 At Amazon $15 At Walmart

This spray is designed to be used directly on linens. It’s particularly ideal for your sheets and pillow since both lavender and chamomile promote calmness. Using this pillow spray before going to bed can help you relax and fall asleep easier. The spray bottle is simple to use and distributes evenly.

In addition to spraying your bed sheets and pillows, you can use this spray on clothes straight out of the dryer. You can use it as a replacement for dryer sheets or as a combination. Alternatively, you can use it as a regular room freshener by spraying it in your living space. You can also use it on yoga mats, in the car, or other stinky spots. This air freshener does not contain parabens, sulfates, or formaldehyde. 

_{Type: Spray | Amount: 8 ounces | Scent Duration: Not listed}

Best for Car

DS & Durga Roadtrip Hits Auto Fragrance Set

View On Dsanddurga.com $60 At Saks Fifth Avenue $60 At Neiman Marcus

New York City-based perfume makers D.S. & Durga also offer a range of scents for cars. This set comes with five of their popular scents, which are also sold as perfumes and scented candles. There are various fragrances available, each with a unique scent. For instance, Concrete After Lightning captures the essence of the aftermath of a summer storm, while '85 Diesel contains hints of saffron leather and diesel smoke.

These scents for your car have a string, so you can easily hang them from your rearview mirror. They have a strong scent at first, but one that eases and mellows over time. The cards feature illustrations that match the name and scent of the fragrance, creating an appealing aesthetic.

_{Type: Card | Amount: 2.2 ounces | Scent Duration: Not listed}