I’ve been testing flameless candles made with real wax and I’m sharing my honest thoughts on each one.

Why I Use Flameless Candles

I love a real candle but sometimes I want pillar and taper candles that aren’t going to be a mess to clean up or cause a fire hazard. They’re also technically the most non-toxic option because there’s no smoke. My partner is a doctor of biochemistry and he avoids burning anything in the home because of the health risk.

They’re now made with real wax and have very realistic flickering flames that mimic the real thing. Up until today, flameless candles were all made with plastic and looked super fake. Not anymore yippee! Even though they’re not totally plastic free, real wax flameless candles are still the best low plastic option.

• No fire hazard
• No soot
• No health risk
• Low plastic real wax options available today
• Saves money over the long run
• No cleanup

Benefits of Flameless Candles

Flameless candles give you the glow without the two biggest downsides of real candles: indoor air pollution and fire risk.

Cleaner indoor air. Burning candles release soot, ultrafine particles, and gases like nitrogen dioxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are linked to inflammation. A Danish field study found that burning a candle for just over two hours produced about two-thirds of the ultrafine particles measured in a home’s air. Paraffin and heavily scented candles tend to be the worst offenders. An LED candle burns nothing, so it adds none of this to your air.

No fire risk. U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 8,200 home fires started by candles each year from 2012 to 2016, causing about 80 deaths per year. More than a third started in bedrooms, and most happened when something that could burn was too close to the flame. December is the peak month.

Safer around kids and pets. No flame, no hot wax, and nothing to knock over and burn a curious paw.

What I Looked For in Every Flameless Candle

To compare apples to apples, I judged every candle on the same criteria:

• How real it looks
• Real wax on the outside versus plastic
• Rechargeable batteries or charge by USB
• A daily timer or remote

I tried Luminara Moving Flame Pillar Candle

Luminara invented the moving flame candle and they’re the priciest option on this list. Instead of a flickering bulb, a magnet inside the candle makes a flame-shaped piece sway randomly, while an LED shines onto it like candlelight. The shell is hand-poured, unscented wax with a melted top, so it looks and feels like a real pillar. I personally feel like it moves a tad TOO much as if there’s wind constantly blowing. It looks a little crazy if you look at it and it’s sitting nearby, but from afar it really does look like a real flame. The built-in timer runs 5 hours on and 19 hours off, so it turns on at the same time every evening without a remote.

Price: $89.99 for a set of 3 with remote

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I tried DRomance Flameless LED Candles

DRomance is one of the most popular budget flameless candle brands on Amazon, and its real wax pillars are an easy way to get a cozy, candlelit look without the soot or fire risk. I love that you can adjust the brightness from low, medium and high. This was a rare brand that that offered real wax flameless candles in an exact 2 inch diameter. If you look fro above they have a melted center look to them. The classic set comes with three unscented white pillars in staggered heights of about 4.6, 5.8, and 6.8 inches. Each one has a 3D wick that flickers like a real flame, and the included remote lets you turn them on and off and set a timer, so they light up at the same time every evening. DRomance also offers a huge range of styles, including ivory dripping wax pillars, window tapers, color-changing candles and waterproof outdoor pillars. That makes it a handy one-stop shop if you want a matching look all over your home.

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I tried Vinkor Real Wax Pillar Set (best value)

Vinkor’s 9-piece set is the best budget flameless candle option on Amazon. It’s the easiest way to fill a fireplace, mantel, or lanterns without spending too much. You get nine real wax pillars from 4″ to 9″ tall, plus two remotes that dim the candles, switch between flicker and steady light, and set a 2, 4, 6, or 8 hour timer that repeats every 24 hours. Because this is such a large set it’s great for big displays.

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I tried GenSwim Real Wax Flameless Tea Light Candles

These really do have the look of real tea lights! They’re restaurant-grade tea lights that are UL certified and use coin batteries that are already inside each of them. They’ve got some subtle flickering action that makes them look very realistic. These are great for baths and setting an ambience for dinner without the formality of pillar or taper candles.

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I tried Homemory Real Wax Flameless LED Votive Candles

Homemory’s real wax flameless LED votive candles have a dripping wax look to them. Votives are slightly taller than tea lights, and are great for when you want something a little more substantial looking than tea lights but not as tall as a pillar candle. GenSwin’s are 2″ x 3.2″ votives that have a real wax coating, a 3D flickering flame, and a remote with a timer. I love how they have a daily timer and come on at the same time every evening. They look as if they’ve been burning for a few hours already with a waved edge all around. I use these in the bathroom as a nightlight so I don’t have to turn on the bathroom light when I have to go in the middle of the night.

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I tried AFINETH Extra Large Candle 3-Wick

Instead of a super expensive huge candle, you can get a flameless one that will never run out. AFINETH Extra Large Flameless Candle is a single, chunky 6 x 6 inch pillar with three flickering LED wicks, made to look like one of those big three-wick candles you’d see on a coffee table or mantel. It has a real wax shell in a soft ivory color, so it glows from within like an actual candle instead of looking like flat plastic. A remote and timer are included, so you can set it once and have it turn on by itself every evening. Because it’s one large statement candle, it works well as a centerpiece on a dining or coffee table, in a fireplace, or on a tray with a few smaller pillars around it. There’s also a taller 6 x 8 inch version if you want more height. Like most budget flameless candles, the flame is a flickering bulb rather than a moving flame, but with three wicks, the glow fills a space much better than a single pillar.

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Celestial at Home Rechargeable Wax Tapers

Tapers are the hardest flameless candle to get right, and there’s not a lot of options. Celestial’s set of three 11.5″ tapers charges by USB-C in about 3 hours. They have a real ivory wax coating, a soft silicone flame tip, and a warm 2700 to 2900K glow. The remote switches between steady and twinkle modes and sets a 6, 8, or 12 hour timer. They’re UL certified and are rechargeable USB-C so no need for batteries. These are perfect for setting the mood for dinner parties, centerpieces and candelabras.

Price: $53 for a set of 3

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Luminara Outdoor Pillar

If you’re looking for an outdoor pillar for patios, porches or lanterns, check out Luminara. Regular flameless candles have a wax shell that can warp in the sun and short out in the rain. Luminara’s outdoor pillar is built to be waterproof, windproof, and sun-resistant, with the same moving flame as its indoor candles. It’s propped up with some holders on the bottom so it’s not touching the ground.

Price: About $59.99

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How to Make Flameless Candles Look Real

• Group different heights. Three pillars in staggered sizes look far more natural than one candle alone.
• Put them in holders. Glass hurricanes, lanterns, and votives hide the base and soften the light.
• Choose a warm light

FAQ

Sources

• Aarhus University research on candle smoke and indoor air
• Candle emissions and indoor air quality studies