The Best Car Air Fresheners, According to Frequent Drivers
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Our editors independently select the products we recommend. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links.
A bad smell in an enclosed space can be tough to endure, especially when that space is a car. Yet cars can be very prone to holding in those bad smells — gym bags, food (rotten or otherwise), spills, and foul things tracked in on shoes are just a few of the culprits that can make a car smell so bad that it’s borderline unusable.
Today's Top Deals
Yet it wasn’t until 1952 when the first car air freshener was invented — unsurprisingly, it was the iconic Little Tree. A milk truck driver complained to chemist and perfumist Julius Sämann about the stench of sour milk in his truck, and Sämann combined some of his fragrances with a special blotter material shaped like an evergreen tree.
The Little Trees are still going strong today, and they have been joined by several varieties of car air fresheners, from oil diffusers to vented containers of scented gel and aerosol sprays of every scent imaginable. There’s no one tried and true method of winning the battle against foul car smells — and, luckily, finding an effective car air freshener at a good price is an easy task.
What the Experts Say
“Car air fresheners offer a variety of scents and shapes, so it’s easy to find one that appeals to you,” said Anne Mauler, VP of Marketing at Soapy Joe’s, a family-owned and operated car wash chain in San Diego County, California. “Look for air fresheners that use high-quality scents and oils instead of caustic chemicals. If you’re in California, one way to know is to check the packaging for a Prop 65 warning on the label. Our air fresheners are made from wood pulp and use a biodegradable wrapper, which helps with the sustainability of this high-frequency item.”
Every style of car air freshener has its pros and cons, so landing on one is largely a matter of personal preference. Our experts delivered a range of their favorite versions; here are some of the best options.
BEST DIFFUSER
Aera Go Car Diffuser
Buy Now
Diffusers are very much on the high end of the price scale for car air fresheners, but they have distinct advantages. They’re refillable, and there’s a wide range of scents available. The amount of scent released by a diffuser is also adjustable depending on the driver’s sensibilities or on the intensity of the odor.
“It’s pricey but works like a charm, and the range of scents you can buy are quite pleasant,” says
Collin Morgan, head of testing for Hearst Autos, which includes Car and Driver and Road & Track. “New Car Smell smells like, well, just that. The diffuser has different power settings, which emit more or less scent, depending on where you set it. I like mine at the third dot, while max strength will knock your socks off. Better than Little Trees, IMO.”
BEST CLASSIC
Little Trees Car Freshener, Black Ice, 10-Pack
Buy Now On Amazon $9.70
Speaking of Little Trees, it’s impossible to assemble a list of the best car air fresheners and not include the ultimate iconic rearview mirror accessory. It’s not just because they’re basically synonymous with car air fresheners, either. Little Trees are cost-effective, with 3-packs available for under $5 and variety packs of 24 starting at just over $20 — less than a dollar per Tree. When it comes to a variety of scents, Little Trees are unmatched.
One thing to note: Because they’re not known for their longevity of scent, Little Trees are far more effective in coupes and other smaller vehicles than in minivans or SUVs. But at this price point, keeping a steady supply on hand for somewhat frequent replacements is easy and economical. Julius Sämann’s stroke of genius is still a solid car air freshener choice over 70 years later.
BEST ODOR BOMB
Meguiar's Whole Car Air Re-Fresher (New Car Scent)
Buy Now
At first glance, an “odor bomb” may seem like a particularly hostile practical joke, but it’s actually a single-use device that emits a mist that penetrates all areas of the vehicle, including the air vents. This is the ideal freshener to deploy when buying a used car from a smoker or recovering from a catastrophic food-related spill like sour milk.
“All you have to do is open the top, push the tab down, and leave it inside the car while it is parked and running,” says professional auto detailer Nate MacLellan of Plymouth, Michigan. “After an hour or two, just open the car windows to let the interior vent for about 20 minutes, and your car will have a new fresh scent.”
BEST ECO-FRIENDLY
Drift Car Fresheners
Buy Now
There is a scrolling ticker at the bottom of Drift’s website which displays the potentially harmful ingredients they have left out of their products, starting with formaldehyde and dichlorobenzene — it’s a lengthy list. Can an air freshener that prides itself on being vegan, cruelty-free, GMO-free, and pet- and kid-safe actually be effective? Professional auto detailer Jack Riggins of Troy, New York, says the answer is yes.
“I personally use this air freshener for the price point and longevity,” Riggins says. “The scents are very strong and last a long time, and I like that you get to pick a couple of different styles of the air freshener.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Air Fresheners
Could Hanging an Air Freshener From My Rearview Mirror Get Me a Ticket?
Don’t laugh — several states have laws prohibiting hanging anything from a rearview mirror, except a disabled parking permit. Enforcement, however, is a different matter. Illinois, for example, prohibits police from pulling over cars just for having something hanging from their rearview. Some municipalities, like Ann Arbor, Michigan, have enacted similar rules. Strange as it may sound, it’s worth looking up the laws in your state before hanging up that Little Tree.
Are Car Air Fresheners Affected By Temperature?
Generally speaking, an air freshener will disperse more freely in warmer temperatures, whether it’s a cardboard-based one like a Little Tree or a gel- or liquid-based one. A powered diffuser or an odor bomb will be immune from these climate changes, of course. For cold temps, since alcohol is a prime ingredient in many of the liquid- or gel-based fresheners, they are usually immune from actually freezing, but they’ll disperse at a considerably slower rate.
Proceed to Checkout
More Top Deals from SPY
Best of SPY
