Is a 1 Litre Reed Diffuser Refill Worth It? Cost Per Week Compared

Updated 27 October 2026

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Written by IVNA London

A 1 litre refill is usually worth it if you already love the scent, use several reed diffusers, or refill often, because it lowers the cost per week. It is not worth it if you want to try new scents, or if the oil will sit open for many months and fade. If you also want a fragrance that properly fills the room, see our guide to the strongest smelling reed diffusers.

How do you work out cost per week?

Use this simple calculation for any reed diffuser or refill you are considering buying:

Cost per week = price ÷ weeks it lasts in your room

For a refill, first work out how many bottle fills you get from it, and then estimate how many weeks each fill lasts in your particular room.

A worked example (illustrative)

	Buy new each time	1 litre refill
What you buy	A new 100ml reed diffuser	1 litre of refill oil
Fills	1	10
Weeks per fill (example)	8	8
Total weeks	8	80

Plug in real prices from the brands you are comparing to see the difference for yourself. The refill almost always wins on cost per week, because you are not paying for a new bottle, box and fibre reeds every single time. Please remember that these figures are for illustration only.

What are the catches?

Freshness: once the bottle is opened, the fragrance slowly changes, so keep the lid tight and store it somewhere cool and dark.
Commitment: ten fills of one scent is a lot to get through if you enjoy variety in your home.
Fibre reeds: you still need fresh fibre reeds for each refill, and our guide explains how to refill a reed diffuser properly.
Storage: a big bottle of fragrance oil must always be kept safely away from children and pets.

When does a big refill make sense?

You already run several reed diffusers around the house in the same scent.
You have finally found "your" scent and plan to keep using it for a long time.
Your reed diffusers sit in warm rooms and run out often, so you are refilling regularly anyway.

What should you check on a cheap refill?

Supermarket and discount refills can be tempting, so check that they are made for reed diffusers and carry a proper safety label. Look for reviews that mention strength too, because a cheap refill that smells of nothing is poor value at any price.

Quick answers

Is it cheaper to refill or buy a new reed diffuser?

Refilling is usually cheaper per week, because you are only paying for the fragrance oil itself.

How long does 1 litre of reed diffuser oil last?

It gives you roughly ten fills of a 100ml bottle, and how many weeks that adds up to depends on your room and your fibre reeds.

Where can I find cheap reed diffuser refills?

Many brands and retailers sell them, so compare them on cost per week and customer reviews rather than bottle price alone.

Refill or buy new?

A refill only saves money if you would use it all before it fades, and you still need fresh fibre reeds every time you top up. If you would rather start clean with new fibre reeds and a scent matched to the room, that is easy too. Try the Mayfair Library reed diffuser for a living room or the Kew Morning reed diffuser for a hallway.

Our 200ml reed diffuser refills come with a fresh set of fibre reeds and cost £42, which is about £11.40 a month. You can also browse all our strong, long lasting reed diffusers, made from organic natural ingredients, with a plant based reed diffuser base and vegan.

You will find plenty more answers in our reed diffuser FAQs.

New to IVNA London? Every scent we make comes as a reed diffuser and a matching luxury scented candle, both handmade in England.