There’s something about lighting a candle that instantly makes a room feel cozier. And while lit candles are certainly nice to look at, the smell they give off is just as important. You want the scent to be prominent (but not too prominent), long-lasting, and of course, amazing — and the best scented candles on Amazon deliver on every count.
Scent is a super personal thing — one person's favorite fragrance could be another person's headache. To help you find a scent you'll love, I included a variety on this list, from woodsy birchwood pine to bright lemongrass eucalyptus. And if you’re looking to gift a candle, you can’t go wrong with a classic smell like warming vanilla.
Beyond scent, pay attention to the size of the candle. Tea lights and votives are your smallest options, while multiple-wick candles are usually larger. Many candles are sold in jars (or travel tins), which makes for minimal setup or cleanup, while pillar candles, tea lights, and others may require some type of tray or holder. Another consideration is the wax that the candle is made from; paraffin is the most common, but other materials like soy wax are growing in popularity as a more natural option.
Get your home smelling amazing with these seven highly rated candles on Amazon.
1A Classic Vanilla Candle With A Super Long Burn Time
The French vanilla scent of this candle from Yankee Candle is so delicious that you’ll be thankful for its tremendously long burn time (up to 150 hours) so you can enjoy it again and again. The 22-ounce candle is made of paraffin wax and features a natural fiber wick. And with more than 1,800 reviews on Amazon and a 4.4-star rating overall, it’s safe to say that reviewers are wild about this pick.
If vanilla isn’t your thing, this candle comes in a bunch of other food-inspired scents (from salted caramel to pumpkin pie), many of which are available in jar, tumbler, and pillar formats in small, medium, or large sizes.
What Amazon reviewers are saying: "If you're a fan of vanilla cakes, ice creams, and puddings, your mouth WILL be watering from this unbelievable [...] scent which fills several rooms. It's so good I often hesitate to light the candle, knowing that it's going to TORTURE me with its delicious smell. I think once this candle has been used up, I will definitely buy another one. This candle alone has earned Yankee Candle a customer for life."
2A Natural Soy Wax Candle With Three Self-Trimming Wicks
The Chesapeake Bay candles certainly deliver; the energizing Awaken + Invigorate citrus scent will awaken your senses, while the eucalyptus aroma will invigorate your space. The result is a wonderful smell that has Amazon reviewers beyond pleased. They give this pick an impressive 4.3-star rating after more than 3,200 reviews of all the different scents and formats of the candle.
The coffee table candle is made from a natural soy wax blend and features three self-trimming wicks. It can burn for about 24 hours, the essential oils that accent the signature scent smell lovely, and the frosted jar allows the light of the flame to shine gently through. The 11-ounce candle was designed and poured in the U.S., and comes in a variety of other sizes (small, medium, and large) and scents like Refresh + Rejuvenate, Joy + Laughter, and Confidence + Freedom.
What Amazon reviewers are saying: "I made my mom a gift basket for Mother’s Day this year & decided to include this candle for it. At first I was wary of doing it because my mom is SUPER picky about scents.[...] So I bought this candle based on reviews & what it should smell like, hoping for the best. I’m glad I did - she absolutely loves it! So now I’m thinking about getting one for myself!!"
3A Pine-Scented Votive Candle With A Gorgeous Gold Design
The birchwood pine scent and gorgeous gold etching combine to make this NEST votive candle the ultimate cozy pick. And while the 2-ounce votive may be small in size, it certainly delivers when it comes to smell. The candle is made of a blend of soy wax and paraffin wax, and despite its smaller size, it has a pretty good burn time of about 20 hours.
Choose from other sizes and styles (three-wick, classic, and luxury). And if pine isn't your favorite, there are 24 additional luxe scents to choose from, including Japanese black currant, vanilla orchid & almond, and apricot tea.
What Amazon reviewers are saying: "If you're a fan of simple woodsy wintry pine forest scents, you'll love this. I ended up buying the Classic candle size after using up this one. And a great perk with Nest candles is you can reuse their pretty glass holders - I use this one for my perfume samples!"
4A Tea Light Set With 6 Different Scents
At about $22 for 90 candles in six different scents, this tealight candle set from Exquizite is undoubtably worth your money. Each candle has a burn time of about three to four hours and smells like apple cinnamon, lilac, lavender, French vanilla, black cherry, or rose. And though the candles are small, they're also mighty — Amazon reviewers have commented that you can actually notice the fragrance filling the room when these candles are lit, even with their tiny size.
Also be sure to check out the 64-piece winter scented tea light set for cozy scents like peppermint and gingerbread.
What Amazon reviewers are saying: "These little guys are awesome. Tealights are small so you don’t expect them to last a long time but these ones surprised me. [...] The aromas of all the candles are on point. The fragrance is light but aromatic. It’s not going overpower and make you head for the hills."
5A Scented Pillar Candle With Stylish Packaging
Pillar candles aren’t always scented, and even when they are, they can be pretty lackluster. But in the case of this tobacco and vanilla bean-scented pillar candle from Decocandles, there's nothing lackluster about it. The 3- by 6-inch pillar candle is hand-poured in the U.S., and is made from a soy wax. The burn time isn’t specifically listed, but one Amazon reviewer wrote that it burns for about 90 hours. Overall, reviewers give this pick a standout 4.6-star rating and say that it makes a great gift, especially because of its chic packaging.
You can choose from other scents (including mango and a "mélange of spices and evergreen") and different sizes and formats (including 6.7-ounce and 9-ounce jars).
What Amazon reviewers are saying: "These candles smell amazing and are packaged with thought in mind. Great to see a company put so much care into the way they package their product and the quality of product they produce."
6A Cult-Favorite Travel Candle
If you haven’t heard of the Capri Blue Volcano travel candle, it’s time to jump on board. This cult-favorite candle is highly adored, and for good reason — it smells delicious. The Volcano fragrance is described as “tropical fruits and sugared citrus,” and the candle itself is made of a soy wax blend. The 8.5-ounce candle has up to 40 hours of burn time.
As if the candle wasn't already amazing, you can't ignore the tin it comes in — the gorgeous bright blue color and pretty design will certainly stand out in your home or on the road.
What Amazon reviewers are saying: "This is the scent that Anthropologie always has burning when you walk in the store. It's captivating. I try to always have one around. They last a good long while too. I have looked for something less expensive that I liked just as much, but it can't be found."
7A Candle That Eliminates Pet Odors
Pet owners will adore this candle from One Fur All because it does double duty by both neutralizing pet odors and scenting your home. And with a solid 4.2-star rating on Amazon, reviewers say that the candle actually works as advertised. The 8.5-ounce candle is made from soy wax and has a burn time of up to 60 hours. If pumpkin spice isn’t the scent for you, this pick comes in a whopping 15 other delicious smells, too, from hot cocoa to Mediterranean Sea.
What Amazon reviewers are saying: "I have multiple dogs in the house and am always concerned that it smells like that to visitors even cleaning everyday. I have use other candles and melts that add a pleasant smell to the underlying odor, but One Fur All Pet House Candles do better. [...] We recently had a house full of people (many of them pet parents) over for Christmas dinner and it was actually commented "Your house smells really nice. How do you keep the dog smell out?" I laughed and told them I was just wondering if the candles were working. I guess I got the BEST answer."
Bustle may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from Bustle's editorial and sales departments.
