17 of the Best Scented Candles to Make Your House Smell Heavenly

editor@purewow.com (PureWow)
·10 min read

Sometimes, all you need to brighten your mood after a long, hard day is the warmth of a great candle. After all, is there any better feeling than lighting a brand new floral scent on a breezy, blue-skied day? If you ask us, nothing says "spring" quite like a peony-scented fragrance flickering in your window. The best scented candles have nice, long burn times, a strong enough throw that you’ll easily be able to smell them without being overpowering and containers that will look pretty on your counter. While everyone has their own scent preferences, there are a few brands we felt stood out from the pack as winners after doing our scented candle homework—and they’re all on our list below.

What to Look for in a Scented Candle

Scent: First, and probably most importantly, you want to look for a candle scent that you not only like, but one won't irritate you if burned for an extended period of time. This is an especially important point for those with allergies, who may be sensitive to certain fragrances. Options with natural essential oils may be less aggravating, and beeswax candles, which are largely free of toxins, can cut down on chemical reactions.

Throw: This refers to how well the candle's scent will circulate around your room. For the best throw, look for candles with paraffin wax.

Burn time: Some candles, like those made with soy wax, have a higher density than others and burn at a cooler temperature, making them burn down slower and consequently, last longer.

Container: Many candles can double as décor if their containers are visually appealing. Others can still be recycled, since you can repurpose their vessels after the wax has fully melted down.

Wax type: As we've mentioned above, the type of wax a candle is made with can affect everything from its throw and burn time to the amount of pollutants it gives off in your home. We've outlined the most popular types below.

  • Paraffin wax: Paraffin wax is a great choice when you want a candle with a great throw, as it's able to pack more fragrance inside.

  • Soy wax: Soy wax is made from the oil of (what else?) soybeans. If you're constantly running out of your favorite scents, this might be a better candle option for you, since this type of wax burns cooler and slower than others

  • Beeswax: Beeswax candles are natural and sustainable, and, as a result, have less toxins than other candles. As an added bonus, it burns longer than paraffin and drips less, so you'll have fewer accidents with your furniture and rugs.

The Best Candles at a Glance

RELATED: The Best Essential Oil Diffusers to Make Your Home Smell Amazing

1. Jonathan Adler Pop Candle

Best Overall Scented Candle

The Facts:

  • Made from a soy/paraffin blend for a cleaner burn and stronger scent

  • Burns for approximately 40 hours

  • Comes in a reusable vessel

This pick comes highly recommended by our editor Abby Hepworth, who loves stocking up on it. “I love the unexpected scent options, like Tomato (fresh and summery, like a greenhouse) and Champagne (bright and fruity). But what I really love best about these is that the scent isn’t overpowering,” she says. And as someone with a scent sensitivity, that’s saying a lot. Abby explains: “A lot of scented candles start to give me a headache after a while because they’re too strong, but I can keep this guy lit for hours and just enjoy."

From $36 at Amazon

2. Homesick State Candle

Best Soy Wax Candle

The Facts:

  • Has a burn time of 80 hours

  • Made from all-natural soy wax

  • Hand-poured in small batches in the U.S.

You know that wonderful feeling when you catch a whiff of something that just smells like home? That’s what Homesick’s state candles are all about. There are 51 specially curated scents (California gets two, one for the northern regions and one for the southern ones) meant to evoke your roots. The brand also makes city, country, holiday and memory collections, so you can fill your home with nostalgia every time you light one.

From $34 at Amazon

3. Diptyque Baies Candle

Best Designer Candle

The Facts:

  • Delicate, subtle scent

  • Adored by celebs

Walk into any upscale shop (or chic Parisian woman’s home) and this is the candle brand you’re likely to see burning. The company, which has been around for more than 50 years, is known for its delicate-but-complex scents, which are handmade to perfection in small batches (hence the lofty price tag). This particular scent marries blackcurrant and Bulgarian rose for a fruity and floral fragrance. Oh, and did we mention Beyoncé, Meghan Markle and Kate Hudson are all dedicated fans?

Buy It (From $38)

4. Capri Blue Volcano Candle

Best Hostess Candle

The Facts:

  • 85-hour burn time

  • Fresh fruity scent

Whether or not you’ve ever bought this candle, you’ve probably smelled it before. Capri Blue’s Volcano is a favorite at neighborhood boutiques and larger retailers (ahem, Anthropologie) thanks to its subtle-but-rich scent of “exotic citrus and sugary notes” that works year-round. The price point is perfect for a housewarming or hostess gift that your recipient is sure to love, too!

$30 at Amazon

5. Yankee Candle Home Sweet Home Candle

Best Cozy Candle

The Facts:

  • Premium-grade paraffin wax

  • Hand-straightened wick for ideal burn

Yankee Candle is pretty much the OG of scented candles, and for good reason—its fragrances are nothing short of delightful. This cozy scent has notes of apple, cinnamon spice, cherry, musk and more that will be perfect for your next Netflix binge sesh.

$28 $17 at Amazon

6. Le Labo Santal 26 Candle

Best Expensive Candle

The Facts:

  • 60-hour burn time

  • 100 percent soy wax

  • Made in the U.S.

Le Labo’s scents are known for their earthiness and lasting power. This option incorporates notes of amber, musk, vanilla and sandalwood for the perfect combination of masculine and feminine. It burns for up to 60 hours, too, thanks to its 100 percent soy wax, which is denser than regular paraffin wax and therefore burns a bit longer.

Buy it ($80)

7. Voluspa Chawan Bowl Candle

Best Pretty Candle

The Facts:

  • 50-hour burn time

  • Clean burn

You’ll get a great piece of décor and a candle all in one with this purchase. As an added bonus, its embossed glass canister is both reusable and gorgeous. In fact, it’s so pretty, you might just want to save it as a knick knack holder after. This candle’s unique coconut wax blend supposedly burns 90 percent cleaner than a soy wax one, according to the company.

$35 at Amazon

8. Zoe Tang Terrarium Candle

Best Terrarium Candle

The Facts:

  • Soy and paraffin wax

  • 30 to 35-hour burn time

This adorable candle not only smells good, with scents like pine and vanilla or jasmine and white tea, but its faux hand-poured cactus or poppy design is sure to spark up a conversation with your guests. Make it the centerpiece of your dinner table or put it on the bathroom counter for a fabulous finishing touch.

Buy It ($26)

9. Nest Wild Mint and Eucalyptus Candle

Best Spring Candle

The Facts:

  • Sage-tinted wax

  • 50 to 60-hour burn time

Nest candles are known for their superior ability to diffuse, so when you light this fresh-smelling wild mint and eucalyptus-scented candle, it’s sure to invigorate your home with restorative energy. Plus, its sage-tinted wax and frosted glass vessel will make a fabulous accent for your spring décor.

BUY IT ($46)

10. Illume Baltic Beach Candle

Most Fresh Candle

The Facts:

  • 48-hour burn time

  • Gift box included

With notes of grapefruit and apricot, you won’t be hearing complaints as far as this candle's fragrance is concerned. And that’s good news, since its 48-hour burn time means you could, in theory, keep it lit for two days straight (supervised, of course).

Buy it ($24; $12)

11. White Barn Mahogany Teakwood Candle

Most Fragrant Candle

The Facts:

  • 3-wick style

  • High-intensity scent

There are some candles that seem to burn for hours before you can even get a whiff of them—but let’s just say this mahogany teakwood scented candle isn’t one of them. With its rich scent and sleek canister, its throw is intense in all the best possible ways.

$23 at Amazon

12. Tocca Valencia Candle

Most Relaxing Candle

The Facts:

  • 60-hour burn time

  • Paraffin wax blend

The Tocca candle will whisk you away from chilly winter temps and transport you to beautiful Valencia, Spain (well, in your mind anyway). In short? Its vibrant floral notes with orange blossom and bergamot are vacay-worthy in any season.

Buy it ($42)

13. Thymes Pine Needle Candle

Best Holiday Candle

The Facts:

  • Cruelty-free

  • Paraffin wax

A hugely popular holiday scent, this frasier fir-scented Thymes candle will ignite nostalgia in even the biggest candle Scrooges. At just 6.5 ounces, it’s relatively small, yet it packs a big punch with its pine tree scent. It’s wax is also cruelty-free.

$30 at amazon

14. ALLSAINTS SUNSET RIOT SCENTED CANDLE

Best Bathroom Candle

The Facts:

  • 50-hour burn time

  • Made in Brazil

Everything about this AllSaints candle is perfect for creating a spa-like bathroom, from its calming woodsy base to its top notes of fresh juniper berry. We also like the minimalist concrete vessel, which would make for a great toothbrush holder after its soy wax burns down.

BUY IT ($45)

15. Boulangerie Jar Candle

Best Jar Candle

The Facts:

  • 35-hour burn time

  • Dessert-inspired scents

This one, while subtle, is almost good enough to eat, and you just might be tempted, considering the fragrance options, such as espresso and angel food, are largely inspired by French desserts. It’s made with soy wax and comes in a quaint little jar that will look great for those with rustic design elements in their homes.

Buy it ($18)

16. Amber Stone Ceramic Candle

Most Unique Candle

The Facts:

  • 3 different scents

  • 75-hour burn time

This decorative pick is hard to ignore, in large part because it's topped with amber stones and fossilized tree resin for a dynamic, light-reflecting effect. With three scents to choose from, including Neroli Sweetgrass, Sicilian Rose Matcha and Palo Santo Rosewood, you’re sure to find one that will appeal. Not to mention that its vibrant ceramic vessel jar allows for a 75-hour burn time and you can repurpose the stones as décor after the candle is done.

BUY IT ($36)

17. Mrs. Meyer’s Basil Candle

Best Cheap Candle

The Facts:

  • Garden-inspired scents

  • Recyclable jar

  • Soy wax

Mrs. Meyer’s is known for its clean, garden-inspired scents, which smell as close to its namesake fragrances as possible. For example, this basil-scented candle will have you asking yourself, “What did I cook using basil today?” each and every time you come in and out of the room. It won’t break the bank, and when you’re finished using it, you can add the glass jar to your kitchenwares.

$8 at Amazon

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