18 of the Best Scented Candles to Make Your House Smell Heavenly (2024)

Sydney Meister

RELATED

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."

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.

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?

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!

5. Yankee Candle Home Sweet Home Candle

Best Cozy Candle

The Facts:

• Premium-grade paraffin wax
• Hand-straightened wick for ideal burn

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.

Siblings

7. Siblings No. 13: Palo Santo, Marshmallow Cream & Burnt Sugar Candle

Best Eco-Friendly Candle

The Facts:

• 60-hour burn time
• Compostable packaging, eco-friendly coconut wax blend
• Lets you DIY your own candles

Siblings' candles are the ultimate foolproof DIY—the brand touts that if you can make coffee, you can make their candles, and after testing them firsthand, our editors agree. All it takes is a microwave, a clean, heat-proof jar and a few minutes' time to create an exquisitely scented candle. (The brand also sells solid brass jars you can use repeatedly, which are just the right size for each bag of wax.) We're particularly fond of No. 13, a blend that provides a sophisticated take on roasting marshmallows over a campfire, with a hot throw that easily fills smaller spaces—like offices and bathrooms—without overwhelming them.

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.

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.

10. Illume Baltic Beach Candle

Freshest-Smelling 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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

18. 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.