Short answer: for a business, a cold air nebuliser pays off in almost every case. One device covers anything from a toilet to 1,600 m², adds no moisture, keeps the same scent level with scheduled times and staff only need to top up the fragrance. An ultrasonic diffuser only makes sense in a small office or treatment room used now and then.
Nebuliser and ultrasonic: the difference that matters on business premises
- Ultrasonic: mixes the fragrance with water and, with a vibrating membrane, creates a visible cool mist.
- Cold air nebuliser: no water and no heat. It breaks the undiluted fragrance into a very fine, dry particle that spreads through the room.
Everything else follows from this: how many devices you need, what happens with moisture, whether the scent lasts all day and who looks after it.
Coverage: how many devices your premises need
An ultrasonic diffuser is designed for one room. As soon as the space grows, you start adding devices, sockets and tanks that someone has to look after.
Nebulisers are chosen by size: PULSE for a 7 m² toilet, SENSE (80 m²), LUME (100 m²), FLOW (120 m²), ORBIT and ATMOS (600 m²), HALO (800 m²), WAVE (875 m²) and NOVA (1,600 m²). In an open 120 m² space, one FLOW does the job that several ultrasonic units can't.
Real coverage depends on ceiling height, whether the door opens onto the street and how many rooms there are. Better to go slightly over than right at the limit. The full table is in which diffuser your premises need by square metres.
Moisture on the premises: the problem you don't see
An ultrasonic diffuser puts water into the air. In a small office that is fine, but in a business it can cause trouble: clothing and textiles, paper and cardboard, a stockroom, screens and card terminals, a kitchen or back office that is already damp, or a private room with no ventilation. And a water tank in a public area is a device that can be knocked over.
A cold air nebuliser leaves no moisture, no film on products or surfaces, and doesn't heat the fragrance. If you are placing devices in customer areas, also read diffuser safety on premises open to the public.
Consistent scent: the first hour and the last
The customer who walks in at 10am and the one who walks in at 7pm should smell the same. With an ultrasonic diffuser, that depends on how much water is left, how many drops someone added in the morning and whether they remembered to switch it on. When the water runs out, it stops.
A nebuliser is scheduled by days and time slots from the app: more intensity at busy times, less when the space is full and off when you close. Tank size also changes things: ORBIT holds 800 ml, ATMOS and HALO 1,000 ml and NOVA 1,500 ml. LUME, ORBIT and WAVE warn you about the fragrance level before it runs out. And if the premises have ducted air conditioning, ATMOS and HALO connect to it and spread the scent through the vents.
Maintenance by staff: who takes care of it
| Task | Ultrasonic | Cold air nebuliser |
|---|---|---|
| Refilling | Water and fragrance drops, often every day | Fragrance when the tank is empty |
| Cleaning | Tank and membrane frequently | Every 3 months and when changing scent |
| Switching on and off | By hand, depends on who opens | Scheduled |
| Number of devices | One per small room | One per zone according to size |
| If it breaks | Repair or replacement at your expense | If purchased, at your expense; with the subscription, it is replaced |
In a business with several shifts or staff turnover, anything that depends on someone remembering ends up failing. With a scheduled nebuliser, the job comes down to topping up fragrance and a quarterly clean with isopropyl alcohol.
Cost: buying devices or paying a scenting subscription
An ultrasonic diffuser is cheaper to buy, but on business premises one is rarely enough, the fragrance is diluted in water and staff time adds up.
With a nebuliser you have two options:
- Purchase: for example FLOW for €79.99 or ORBIT for €149.99 (VAT included), plus 150 ml refills (€24.99 in the NATURAL line and €29.99 for the numbered fragrances and neutralisers) or 250 ml refills (€29.99 and €34.99).
- Scenting subscription: from €29.90 to €94.90 + VAT per month depending on the device, with device and fragrance included. No minimum term: cancel with 30 days' notice. Available in Spain and Portugal only.
| Device | Coverage | Monthly fee |
|---|---|---|
| PULSE | 7 m² | €29.90 + VAT |
| SENSE | 80 m² | €34.90 + VAT |
| LUME | 100 m² | €37.90 + VAT |
| FLOW | 120 m² | €39.90 + VAT |
| ORBIT | 600 m² | €54.90 + VAT |
| ATMOS | 600 m² (ducts) | €64.90 + VAT |
| HALO | 800 m² | €69.90 + VAT |
| WAVE | 875 m² | €79.90 + VAT |
| NOVA | 1,600 m² | €94.90 + VAT |
The 12 month figures, item by item, are in how much it costs to scent a business for a year. All prices are in the professional scenting price index.
When an ultrasonic diffuser is enough
- A small office or treatment room.
- Occasional use, a short while each day.
- No paper, textiles or sensitive electronics nearby.
- One person is in charge of refilling and cleaning it.
If the problem is a bad smell (kitchen, toilets, damp), neither one solves it alone: first you need to neutralise and then add scent.
For an overview of which diffuser to choose by type of business, read which aroma diffuser to choose for your business. If you are looking for home use, the comparison is in nebuliser or oil diffuser for home. And before buying, go through the 10 point checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Is a nebuliser noisy on business premises?
You can hear the pump on each pulse, but in a busy room it goes unnoticed. SENSE runs at 30 dB or less, ORBIT at 40 dB or less and ATMOS or WAVE at 45 dB or less. For quiet treatment rooms, see diffusers and noise.
Does it need installation?
Not for most models: they plug into a socket or use USB-C, and FLOW also runs on batteries. Only the connection to air conditioning ducts with ATMOS or HALO needs an accessible duct and the building's installer.
Can I use essential oils in a nebuliser?
It is not recommended: they are thicker and clog the nozzle. Our refills are perfumery fragrances formulated for cold nebulisation and are not diluted in water.
Can I change scent with the scenting subscription?
Yes, you can change fragrance whenever you like. When you do, it is best to clean the device so no traces of the previous scent get mixed in.
Does the subscription have a minimum term?
No. You cancel with 30 days' notice. The service is available in Spain and Portugal.
Not sure what fits your premises? See our service for businesses, write to us via contact or call +34 911 09 70 50, Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00.
