Nothing shows just how much pride you take in your vehicle like keeping it clean and smelling fresh.
While most stores sell generic air fresheners for a few bucks, these products have a tendency to not last very long, which means you will be replacing them frequently or not getting the powerful scent you desire.
Even though higher quality air fresheners can run you a bit more money, the expense is well worth it to keep your car smelling great for a longer period of time. And when factored in with how much you need to replace cheap air fresheners, you honestly do not spend that much more at the end of the day.
Top 3 - Luxury Car Air Fresheners
To save you the trouble, I have tested 6 higher quality air fresheners for your vehicle (so you don’t have to) and will discuss them in this article, in no particular order.
Some things I have considered when testing these include the overall scent strength, aesthetic appeal, length, and cost per refill.
Best Luxury Car Fresheners - High End Options!
1. Bath & Body Works Scent Portable Air Freshener
This particular set comes with 1 clip-on container and 4 scent refills. You can buy individual refills at any Bath & Body Works store or purchase refill packs online. The Mahogany Teakwood scent is my favorite, but feel free to mix & match!
First and foremost, the scent smells amazing. It dispersed fairly quickly in my entire car in about 30 minutes. The black clip that houses the fragrance refills is fairly bulky (and hard to miss) but when clipped onto a visor, it still looks sleek.
I noticed the fragrance started to fade after about 2 weeks, but given that the pack came with 4 refills, that equates to about 2 months minimum of a fresh smelling car. When you factor in the price of the set plus the scent length, that comes out to around $17/month.
One downfall of this air freshener is that you aren’t able to control the scent strength. But the convenience of changing the refills and the wide availability of scents makes this one of my favorites.
2. Ceeniu Smart Air Freshener
Now this is technology at work if I’ve ever seen it. The Ceeniu Air Freshener is considered a “smart” product because it only diffuses the fragrance when your car is turned on by detecting the vibrations. It automatically shuts itself off after 7 minutes of no detection.
Unlike other clip-on fresheners, this one needs to sit in your cupholder & requires batteries. I didn’t mind it though, the diffusion of the scent wasn’t noisy and after a while I forgot it was even there. You can also change how powerful the scent is, which will help extend the time between refills.
The 45 mL scent container lasted me an entire month and honestly had more in it by the time I switched. The initial investment of $80 seems steep at first, but that’s only because you purchase the diffusion device. Refills only cost about $20 after that.
The price per month will depend on how often you run it and how strong you set the scent, but it could be anywhere from $10-$20 a month. Ceeniu has “cologne” and “perfume” scents, so there’s plenty of options to choose from & it would make a great gift for either men or women.
3. Sex Wax Mr. Zoggs Air Freshener
Among the more affordable brands, this pack of 4 different scents really pack a punch. I noticed the smell of the product straight through the packaging.
They have an option to hang them from your rearview mirror, but I chose to open mine and place it under my driver’s seat instead. You could also place them in a cup holder if you had one big enough.
These are really no nonsense air fresheners. You simply open it up and when the smell is gone, you throw the whole package away and open a new one. While they aren’t very aesthetically pleasing or have a wide variety of scents, they are strong and long lasting.
Each one of them that I used (the coconut & the strawberry) lasted a little longer than 3 weeks before I noticed the fragrance starting to fade. I did place one in my master closet just because it smelled so good.
These are a budget-friendly alternative to other high end air fresheners, but the only issue I have is the lack of variety with scents, though you can order 4 packs of your favorite one after you have tried them all out.
4. Bliss Fragrance Diffuser
This is one of the more ornamental air fresheners that I tried and I loved it. It looks like a cute little charm hanging from your rearview mirror.
The small bottle at the bottom holds the fragrance oil, which is then wicked up by the rope and absorbed into the wood, then dispersed throughout your car. Because this process can take awhile, I didn’t really notice the scent until about the 2nd or 3rd day of hanging this in my car.
The fragrance I received was called “Millionaire” and there are 3 other scents to choose from. But because it is a simple diffuser, I learned you can actually fill it with any essential oil of your choice so you aren’t limited to only buying refills through the company.
Seeing that essential oils are becoming more affordable, you can easily keep your car smelling luxurious for around $5 a month after you purchase the initial diffuser. The slider ball on the top rope can be moved down for a less intense scent.
5. BMW Air Freshener
This is quite an interesting air freshener because of the way it looks and the way you apply it. It clips right to your car vents and is shaped like a long, stretched out air filter.
While it is marketed for BMW’s, it would still be a great car air freshener for Mercedes, Audi, Chevy, etc. As long as you have slatted vents, it will fit.
This starter kit comes with the permanent vent clip and 1 scent stick. I noticed that the scent was very natural and not overwhelming, however it still only lasted about 2 weeks at the “high” settings, so it could perhaps last longer if you dialed it down.
The replacement scent sticks come in packs of 3 and cost about $14. That equates to about $8-9 a month for continuous fragrance (on the high setting) after you have purchased the starter kit.
The minimalist design of the scent holder is my favorite part. Even though it is noticeable, it’s sleek and modern enough to look like it is part of the car itself.
6. Vilicci Car Air Freshener
This is another essential oil diffuser but the scent that comes from the Vilicci brand is without a doubt exquisite.
The essential oils inside the air freshener are diffused through the cork-wood cap on top. It can be hung on your rear view mirror. You should agitate the bottle weekly by turning it upside down so that the perfume inside the vial continuously soaks the diffusing cap.
The biggest benefit of this (and other) essential oil diffusers is that once the fragrance runs out, you can refill with your personal choice of oils. But I would highly recommend refilling with Vilicci scents because it will make your car smell better than most on-market essential oils.
The starter kit bottle gave me the perfect amount of scent for about a month and a half. If you don’t want to refill the glass bottle with your own perfume, you will need to purchase another vial from Vilicci. But that still only equates to around $7.50 a month for a car that smells like luxury.
Things to Consider
As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, I test these air fresheners for several different variables. Before making your decision, consider which of these aspects are most important to you.
Strength of Scent
While some people may prefer a strong aroma, others may be put off by it. Consider who will be in your car and whether or not a very pronounced scent will give them a headache. If you prefer a light scent, opt for an air freshener that has the ability to be turned to “low”.
Also remember that some scents won’t mask other undesirable odors such as cigarette smoke or spoiled food. If you are sprucing up your car to sell it and just want to up its “curb appeal” to potential buyers, a stronger scent may be the way to go.
Aesthetic Appeal
An air freshener in your Mercedes may smell nice, but that factor can be offset by a bulky or visually unappealing product. This might not be as big of an issue for some people, but others may want something that not only smells nice, but looks great in their car too.
If you really like the scent of an air freshener but can’t stand the sight of it, consider tucking it underneath your driver's seat.
Refill Availability & Overall Price
While most of the air fresheners that take refills don’t cost very much, consider how easy it will be to obtain them. Can you buy them from the store in town or do you need to order them? While it is a miniscule issue, for some people that ease of obtaining refills may be a selling point.
I’ve done my best to calculate monthly costs for upkeep of most brands, but these will vary based on your own needs. While $80 up front may seem steep for a diffuser, consider the yearly cost for refills after you’ve let it run for some time.
A Note on Essential Oils & Diffusers
While essential oils and diffusers tend to offer a more “natural”, pleasant, and longer lasting scent, they do have one downfall and that is the oil film.
Oil film occurs when you continuously run an oil based product for a decent amount of time. You may start to notice a slightly sticky “fog” on your car windows, especially if you have an electric diffuser.
This sticky residue makes every little bit of dust and dirt more visible, even more so if you smoke or vape inside your care.
One way to combat the accumulation of oil film is to clean your car’s interior windows with a product that is water repellent, such as RainX. This will make it more difficult for the film to build up on and will make cleaning your interior windows much easier in the future.
Another way to combat this is to move your scented diffusers away from your windows. I prefer to place mine underneath my driver's seat or passenger's seat. That way my car still smells amazing, but the air freshener is out of sight and I am less likely to have to deal with oil film on my windows.
