Air fresheners are useful, and many people like using them, but is it ever acceptable to gift them for Christmas? If you're on a gifting budget this year, then there's at least one attractive feature – air fresheners are almost always cheaper than reed diffusers or candles, so they are tempting as stocking fillers.
We'll say outright, though, that not all air fresheners are gift-worthy. As a basic rule, avoid gifting anything that is sold in a supermarket or Boots that your gift recipient can pick up as part of their weekly food shop. Sorry, Glade/Febreze – reliable and popular you may be, but Christmas gift material you are not.
However, if you know the person you're buying for likes pleasant room smells, and especially if you've seen them use room fresheners before, there are now plenty of gifting opportunities that straddle the territory between odour neutralisers and home fragrance. Here are our top picks from this category (which we ourselves would quite like to receive as gifts).
Yankee Candle Water Garden Fragrance Spheres | £4.99 £3.74 at Yankee Candle UK
Yankee are our firm affordable home fragrance favourite, but the fragrance spheres option is even more affordable than the candles. The spheres work as odour neutralisers and home fragrance in one, and we really like the Water Garden scent, which is a fresh floral composition with lily-of-the-valley and woody notes. A fuss-free, nicely packaged stocking filler.View Deal
Airwick Air Freshener Essential Mist Aroma Kit Apple & Cinnamon | £19.96 £9 at Amazon
This is such a clever air freshener/room fragrance crossover from AirWick – part freshener, part essential oils diffuser, it has an attractive design and produces a fine mist quite similar to much more expensive devices. The scents are pleasing and quite strong – perfect for getting rid of unpleasant odours while enjoying an aromatherapy-style experience. View Deal
Neom Organics London Mist Spray | £20 £16 at Amazon
Another multi-purpose product, the Neom Organics room spray is aromatherapy treatment, air freshener, and home fragrance in one. It can be sprayed as and when for mood enhancement or to refresh a room. Our favourite scent is 'De-stress', which combines lavender, jasmine, and rosewood. And the packaging is totally gift-worthy. View Deal
Molton Brown Home & Linen Mist Orange and Bergamot | £26 at Beauty Expert
This will delight either Molton Brown fans or those who love sparkly, citrusy scents. What we really like is the fact that this can be sprayed on fabrics and linens, so can be sprayed on sheets, towels, and upholstery for a long-lasting refreshing effect. View Deal
Diptyque Baies scented oval | £42 £33.60 at Selfridges
Now, this is quite expensive, but it's so pretty and nice-smelling that it will wow a room fragrance connoisseur. Think of it as an air freshener and room decoration in one – it looks great hung on a bedroom or bathroom door and smells like roses and berries. View Deal
