To find the best fall candles, we spent hours researching what to look for in wicks, wax, and burn time. We also spoke to two candle experts—Dara Weiss, CEO and co-founder of L’or de Seraphine, and Eduardo Valadez, U.S. director of marketing for Diptyque—for tips on how to pick a fall-appropriate scent. “When choosing a scent, just go with [what] you like,” says Weiss. “Notes of vanilla, amber, cedar, patchouli, and frankincense are great to make your space cozy!” You can also look for a scent that reminds you of a certain feeling or situation. “For me, the fall season evokes the scent of a wood-burning fireplace, so I like to go for spicy or woody scents that make me feel warm,” says Valadez. Here are the best fall candles. Who it isn’t for: People looking for a sweeter candle. The P.F. Candle Co. Golden Hour Candle has a scent of bergamot, hay, and golden poppy that’s earthy, warm, and perfect for fall. This is one candle in a series of four—all scents are inspired by California scenery and come in tin containers that are meant to be reused. The vessels have a ’70s vibe and come in soothing earth tones. Note that these candles are designed for small- and medium-sized rooms, as the scent doesn’t “throw” enough for a larger space. Put it on a coffee table, bedside table, or the back of your toilet to add a little charm to any corner of your home.
Size: 10 ouncesBurn Time: Up to 60 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Soy wax
Price at time of publish: $30 Who it isn’t for: Someone looking for classic pumpkin spice or caramel apple fall candles. This vegan candle from Instagram-favorite candle brand Otherland is made from a blend of coconut and soy wax and comes in a trendy, reusable vessel. With notes of pink peppercorn, salty saffron, and white suede, this fall-scented candle will fill your home with a sophisticated, unique scent. It smells spicy and warm, and the brand describes it as a “rebel’s take on the classics”—i.e., not your typical pumpkin spice or caramel fall candle.This candle can also be bundled into a set of three for yourself (or a lucky recipient—this would make a wonderful host gift!), so you can try a few scents from the fall collection to see which you like the best.
Size: 8 ouncesBurn Time: 55 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Coconut and soy
Price at time of publish: $36 Who it isn’t for: People who don’t like pumpkin spice-scented candles.Housed in a textured glass vessel, this pumpkin spice candle is hand-poured in Arkansas and is the perfect scent for anyone who’s a fan of all things fall. The glass container can be repurposed into a small vase or catchall for jewelry once the candle is finished. Plus, the affordable price tag means you can buy it for yourself without any guilt.With fragrance notes of maple, pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, cherry, and balsam, this sweet and spicy candle will fill your home with all the fall scents—just in time for sweater weather.
Size: 6 ouncesBurn Time: 40 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Proprietary wax blend
Price at time of publish: $17 Who it isn’t for: People looking for a super decorative candle.Brooklyn Candle Studio describes this candle as a spiced chai tea—it has top notes of black pepper and cardamom, middle notes of balsam and cedar, with base notes of dry amber and cedar wood. Essentially, it smells like a cozy, upscale ski resort in the best way possible. This candle comes in a minimalist jar that could easily be reused as a storage container once you’re done with it, thanks to the handy lid. Best of all, all of Brooklyn Candle Studio’s candles are vegan, cruelty-free, phthalate-free, and petroleum-free.
Size: 7.5 ouncesBurn Time: 50 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Soy
Price at time of publish: $28 Who it isn’t for: People looking for a more traditional pumpkin or cinnamon fall candle.Boy Smells is a candle brand that takes traditional scents and adds a twist in the best way. Take Cedar Stack, for example. This woody, spicy scent is a mix of cedar, sawdust, and cinnamon leaf with notes of tobacco and white musk, and then juniper berry and orange peel for a hint of deep sweetness. The combination of scents makes it a fun yet sophisticated choice for a fall candle. The wax in this candle is a mix of coconut and beeswax (which burns longer than other waxes because of its density), with a cotton wick and a generous 50-hour burn time.
Size: 8.5 ouncesBurn Time: 50 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Coconut and beeswax
Price at time of publish: $36 Who it isn’t for: People who want a candle at a lower price point.This long-burning candle (up to 80 hours!) from Harlem Candle Co. pays tribute to Duke Ellington and has an alluring mix of scents that come together to create a spicy, sophisticated candle. It has top notes of bergamot, cinnamon, and clary sage; mid-notes of lily of the valley, rose, and lavender; and base notes of patchouli, amber, and musk. The 12-ounce size is suitable for medium to large rooms in your home, like a living room or dining room. This candle would also make a wonderful present around the holidays—just package it up with a pretty ribbon, and it’s ready for gifting.
Size: 12 ouncesBurn Time: 80 hoursWick Type: Not listedWax Blend: Soy
Price at time of publish: $48 Who it isn’t for: People who want a highly decorative candle.The Wood Cabin scent from Keap Candles smells just like you’d expect, based on the name. With a deep and woody scent, this candle will bring all the best smells of fall into your home. The highlights in this earthy, cozy candle are cade juniper, cedarwood, wet moss, nutmeg, palo santo, and burnt pine. The candle comes in a reusable glass tumbler, which happens to be the perfect size for a post-work cocktail. It comes packaged in a chic, simple black box, making it super giftable for all occasions. Plus, all of the brand’s packaging is biodegradable and plastic-free—a win-win for you and the environment.Product Details:
Size: 7.4 ouncesBurn Time: 45 hoursWick Type: Cotton and paperWax Blend: Regenerative palm
Price at time of publish: $55 Who it isn’t for: People who typically choose candles with decorative jars.Inspired by the forests of the Pacific Northwest and described as smelling like “a roadtrip to Portland,” this refreshing candle combines grapefruit with a base of oakmoss, amber, and sandalwood, which makes it both earthy and fresh. It comes in two sizes, a travel tin that’s 3.4 ounces and a 7.8-ounce size that’s perfect for your living room. All of Anecdote’s candles are cleverly named and make wonderful housewarming or hosting gifts. They’re all hand-poured and use a coconut-soy blend and phthalate-free fragrance oils for a clean burn. The larger size has a burn time of up to 50 hours, while the travel tin burns up to 35 hours.
Size: 3.4–7.8 ouncesBurn Time: 35–50 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Coconut and soy
Price at time of publish: From $14 Who it isn’t for: People looking for a lower-priced candle.Inspired by the spirit of New Orleans, the Aerangis Aging Spirits is a smokey-scented candle with notes of bourbon and toasted oak. It comes in two different sizes, so you can buy the smaller 3.5-ounce version if you want to try it out before committing to the larger (and pricier) 8-ounce version. As a bonus, the dust cover that comes with the candle is made of biodegradable paper with wildflower seeds in it. So when you’re done with the candle, you can clean it out, soak the paper overnight, and then plant the seeds in the candle vessel with fresh soil.
Size: 3.5–8 ouncesBurn Time: 25–50 hoursWick Type: Not listedWax Blend: Plant-based
Price at time of publish: From $38 Who it isn’t for: People looking for a spicy or woody scent. The Noa Lux Fall Festival candle is one of the sweeter scents on this list, rather than smoky, woody, and spicy. It’s a mix of toffee, apple, caramel, and vanilla, so its scent is reminiscent of going to an autumn fair with your parents and biting into the first caramel apple of the season. This clean-burning candle uses wooden wicks made from FSC-Certified wood and phthalate- and paraben-free fragrance oil. It comes in an iridescent tumbler that can be reused as a pencil holder, vase, or toothbrush holder—there are so many ways you can use it when you’ve finished burning the wax.
Size: 12 ouncesBurn Time: 60 hoursWick Type: WoodenWax Blend: Coconut apricot
Price at time of publish: $48 Who it isn’t for: People looking for a minimalist candle.L’or de Seraphine is known for its highly decorative ceramic candles that make a beautiful canister when you’ve finished burning them. These candles are also known for their sophisticated scents, and No. 3 Monroe is no exception. With notes of sandalwood, vanilla, amber, and musk, this candle smells like a fancy hotel—trust us. This warm and woody scent would be great to set the scene in a living room for fall. The floral container comes with a matching ceramic lid which is great for preventing dust from getting into the candle when it’s not in use, but it also makes it especially useful as a container when you’re finished with the candle.
Size: 6.4 ouncesBurn Time: 45 hoursWick Type: Not listedWax Blend: Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) palm wax
Price at time of publish: $32 Who it isn’t for: People who don’t want to make their own candles. Siblings candles are extremely eco-friendly: You make a DIY candle in the vessel of your choice (or buy a reusable vessel from the site if you don’t have anything you want to use), which vastly saves on the waste that happens when people throw away the jar after they’re finished burning the candle. The kit comes with everything you need to make your candle, including the wax, wick, and wooden stick that holds the wick in place while the wax is drying.The coconut wax blend is infused with essential oils and fragrance, which make a surprising scent combination that is herbaceous and refreshing but still warm and ready for sweater weather. The top notes are mint and basil; the middle notes are cannabis, Sichuan pepper, and pine; while the bottom notes are sage and cedarwood.
Size: 10 ouncesBurn Time: 60 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Coconut wax
Price at time of publish: $26 Who it isn’t for: People looking for a budget-friendly candle.There’s a reason why Diptyque is a mainstay on any list of best candles. This classic French brand makes the epitome of luxury candles thanks to a unique blend of high-quality wax and scents, plus a long burn time (60 hours) compared to the size of the candle (6.5 ounces). One of the most fall-appropriate candles is Feu de Bois, which smells exactly like all the good parts of a wood-burning fire. This powerful smoky scent recreates the feeling of being curled up in front of a roaring fire, even if you live in an apartment or house without a working fireplace. While this candle may be one of the most expensive on our list, the quality definitely makes it worth the price.
Size: 6.5 ouncesBurn Time: 60 hoursWick Type: Not listedWax Blend: Not listed
Price at time of publish: $72 Who it isn’t for: People who are looking for an eye-catching jar. A bedding brand might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re looking for a fall candle, but Brooklinen’s latest collection includes a warm, relaxing scent that will instantly make your home feel cozier this fall (and beyond). The Interlude scent has notes of fuji apples, patchouli, sandalwood, and vanilla, which work together to create a scent that’s part floral and part woody. The 8-ounce candle is made with soy and coconut wax, and it has a burn time of 60 hours. Though the vessels aren’t the most decorative or eye-catching, they have an understated design that lets your decor take center stage.
Size: 8 ouncesBurn Time: 60 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Soy and coconut
Price at time of publish: $35 Who it isn’t for: People looking for a luxury candle. The main appeal of WoodWick candles is the wooden wick that crackles when lit, giving the ambiance of being in front of a fire. Plus, this candle comes in at 16 ounces, which means it’ll last a long time. It also has a wooden lid that ensures the candle stays free of pet hair and dust when not in use. The scent combination is unique and, as its name implies, has a warm and cozy smell. With top notes of quince, pear, red fruit, and iced ginger, middle notes of orris, pink pepper, blackthorn, and blackberry, and base notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, and tonka bean, this candle is part light fruit and partly woody and smokey.
Size: 9.7 ouncesBurn Time: Not listedWick Type: WoodWax Blend: Paraffin and soy
Price at time of publish: $18 Who it isn’t for: People who want a neutral color candle. A collaboration with designer Matilda Goad, this pretty candle from Anthropologie is right in line with the scallop trend and comes in a colorful ceramic jar. The Golden Saffron Stonefruit scent is a mix of saffron-infused cinnamon, ambered autumn plum, crisp pomegranate, and blackberry fruit—a combo described as “spice berry” making it very fall-appropriate.
Size: 12.5 ouncesBurn Time: 35 hoursWick Type: CottonWax Blend: Coconut
Price at time of publish: $32 Who it isn’t for: People looking for a super decorative candle.This scent from Milky Candle Co. is a little spicy and a little masculine (hence the name). The scent profile is a mix of black currants, dark musk, tonka bean, eucalyptus, amber, sweet anise, saffron, and blackberries. The wax is made of a soy blend and has a burn time of about 35 hours. Thanks to the smaller size of the container, this pick is a good choice for your bedside table or bathroom. The cement vessel looks great in any setting, regardless of your decor style, but we think it will look especially nice in a minimalist space.
Size: 6 ouncesBurn Time: 35 hoursWick Type: Not listedWax Blend: Soy blend
Price at time of publish: $29 For instance, you may want to avoid paraffin wax if you prioritize eco-friendly products. Paraffin is cheaper, which makes for more affordable candles, but it’s not very friendly to the environment as it comes from crude oil. Soy wax typically isn’t very expensive, and it can provide a longer burn time. But the most sustainable types are beeswax and coconut wax. Thanks to its density, beeswax burns very slowly. You can also look for blends that combine different types of waxes, which can help make some candles burn longer.
Wick Type
When shopping for candles, look for cotton, lead-free, or wooden wicks. “A toxin-free, natural fiber wick affects the speed at which the wick, and therefore the candle, will burn,” says Valadez. Proper candle care around the wick is essential to make sure that the wick burns the wax evenly. “Extinguishing the candle with a lid or snuffer and trimming the wick before each use will both prevent smoke and misaligned melting, extending the life of the candle,” says Valadez.
Burn Time
Many brands will often list the estimated burn time of each candle in hours. But as noted above, extending your burn time is reliant on the wax in the candle (as well as the quality of it), and proper candle care. “To ensure your candle burns evenly each time you light it, and to prevent the wax from hollowing around the wick, we recommend burning the candle for two to three hours the first time you use it to make sure the entire top surface of the wax has melted evenly,” says Valadez.
Take Our Word for It
This article was written by Hannah Baker, a freelance writer and editor with a decade of experience researching and writing about home products. She’s written about products for Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes and Gardens, Apartment Therapy, Brides, MyDomaine, and Drew and Jonathan Reveal, to name a few. To make this list, she considered each candle’s size, wick type, wax blend, and burn time. She also spoke with experts at two candle brands: L’or de Seraphine and Diptyque.
