Candles are a powerful way to transform the scent of your space, elevate your mood or enhance the ambiance of a room. The fragrance of a good candle can also remind you of fond memories or create a relaxing environment to unwind and relax. And the best candles can do all this and more.

But scent selection is really just one aspect of shopping for candles. There are many different types of waxes and wicks, and these factors impact the quality and length of time the candle will burn. Soy candles are generally considered to be among some of the most long-lasting candles on the market, but paraffin wax options are plentiful and often more affordable.

Natural materials, like lead-free cotton, are the preferred wick material, though you’ll need to keep these wicks trimmed for best performance. In addition, synthetic fragrances carry the candle’s scent an impressive distance (referred to as ‘throw’) but are inferior to the use of natural fragrances in the minds of many.

The best candles are an everyday luxury that offer hours of enjoyment, plus they make an excellent gift — for someone else or yourself. The below candles earn rave reviews online, and each one of them would be a great addition to kitchen, office, bedroom, bathroom or any other room that could use a lift.

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Brooklinen AM to PM Candle Set

• Burn Time: 50 to 60 hours
• Wax Type: Soy
• Size: 3.5 ounces each

This candle set from Brooklinen, best known for creating a cozy sleep environment with super-soft sheet sets, will help you start and end your day with the perfect scents. The AM to PM set includes Wake (ocean-inspired scent) and Magic Hour (sunny, floral scent) for getting your day going, and Dusk (think: woodsy cabin) and Nightcap (bourbon and blood orange blend) to set the mood for your evening routine. Each candle is 3.5 ounces.

Reviewers love the variety: “Each scent is really distinct and unique. The colors of each candle and design/packaging are beautiful too.”

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Diptyque Baies/Berries Candle

• Burn Time: 60 hours
• Wax Type: Paraffin
• Size: 6.5 ounces

There are plenty of luxury candles on the market, but few can hold a flame to renowned Diptyque. These French-made candles have become iconic in recent years and feature rich, captivating scents inspired by the famed Parisian perfume house.

Some of the most outstanding features of Diptyque candles include a hand-adjusted lead-free wick that helps these candles to burn to the very bottom of the wax. In addition, every captivating Diptyque fragrance is the result of only pure, natural ingredients — no synthetic products or chemicals are used. As one enthusiast expressed, this is the candle for anyone who wants to “set their olfactory cells on fire,” in a good way. Others say that this is “hands down the most expensive candle” they’ve purchased, but it’s long-lasting life and ability to fill a room with the scent justify the cost.

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Byredo Burning Rose Candle

• Burn Time: 60 hours
• Wax Type: Varies
• Size: 8.5 ounces

With a focus on unique and complex layering of fragrance notes, like the popular Burning Rose scent, Byredo candles offer you a unique sensory experience. This French-made candle uses black wax (the wax type varies by scent) and is poured into a mouth-blown frosted glass jar with a natural cotton wick.

For proof of this candle’s unique appeal, consider what one reviewer says: “This is a really nice candle with an unusual fragrance. The rose fragrance isn’t too floral, thanks to the notes of smoked wood. The candle burns evenly and I’ve found that after it’s been burnt a couple of times, the fragrance becomes more intense. The flame gives a lovely golden glow through the dark glass. I’ve become a convert to these candles.”

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P.F. Candle Co. Large Soy Candle, Golden Coast

• Burn Time: 60-70 hours
• Wax Type: Soy
• Size: 12.5 ounces

Soy candles are often sought-after since they burn cleaner and slower than petroleum-based paraffin wax candles. P.F. Candle Co. produces vegan soy candles that come in fragrances inspired by nature, like popular piñon wood, juniper and patchouli sweetgrass.

Other stand-out options include Golden Coast, inspired by California’s iconic coastline. Reviewers point out the fantastic, soft scent of this soy candle: “This candle has clear, notable smells that don’t get lost in the room, but it’s not overwhelming and too perfumey – it won’t leave you with a headache, just warmth and joy.”

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Boy Smells Kush Candle

• Burn Time: 50 hours
• Wax Type: Coconut and beeswax
• Size: 8.5 ounces

Green and bright with a touch of delicate florals, this best-seller from Boy Smells has notes of cannabis, suede, white musk, tulip and amber. And lest you think any one of those scents is too overpowering, happy reviewers say “it’s subtle enough to burn daily” and it “isn’t overpowering, in regard to the cannabis.”

Made from a blend of all natural coconut and beeswax with a braided cotton wick, Boy Smells recommends trimming the wick to 1/4” before each light and burning for no more than 3 hours at a time to maximize its longevity.

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NEST Fragrances Classic Candle, Apricot Tea

• Burn Time: 50-60 hours
• Wax Type: Paraffin
• Size: 8.1 ounces

If your candle criteria includes incredible throw, long burn times and the finest fragrances, then NEST candles are worthy of your light any day or night. Made in the USA with a highly-refined cosmetic grade wax, the NEST Classic Candle is 8.1 ounces and burns for a very respectable 50 to 60 hours.

Scents like Apricot Tea, Sicilian Tangerine or Pumpkin Chai are just a few of the nearly two dozen options that will transform the ambiance of any room. Keep in mind that NEST is more like a perfumery for your home, and the complex, long-lasting scents are formulated using synthetic fragrance oils. So if you’re looking for a natural candle, then this isn’t it. But if you want a serious scent experience, NEST is one of the most popular names in home candles.

After sampling NEST with a votive-sized candle, one reviewer says: “This little candle perfumed a large room. Honestly, it is sitting next to me unlit and the scent is strong. I’ve had it lit for 2 hours and it barely looks like it was used. So far I am very impressed and won’t be wasting my money on other scented candles.”

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Thymes Frasier Fir Candle

• Burn Time: 45 hours
• Wax Type: Paraffin
• Size: 6 ounces

For a fresh fall candle that easily transitions into warm winter nights, check out the Frasier Fir candle from Thyme. A seasonal favorite and a perennial top seller, you will enjoy long-lasting scent from this aromatic candle.

While you can ship for the candle in various forms, including a tin or glass votives, the ceramic-and-gold vessel adds to the aesthetics of this seasonal candle. A gold rim and etching to mimic the bark of a tree make this candle a great centerpiece for your coffee table or mantle. As one reviewer puts it, “The Fraiser Fir smell is the best per usual but this statement candle really makes a great statement and the container it comes in can be used for years to come!”

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Otherland Chandelier Candle

• Burn Time: 55 hours
• Wax Type: Soy and coconut blend
• Size: 8 ounces

Otherland takes a unique approach to candle creation. Each scent is designed to evoke a place or era in time, taking you on a journey through your olfactory senses. Dubbed a “statement candle,” you’ll love the evocative scents and bright packaging that make these candles stand out rather than blend in.

Chandelier, for example, is a bright, flowery scent that is balanced by musk for elegance. It’s versatile enough to light at any time of the day or night and has a discernible throw that will softly scent any room, as mentioned by plenty of reviewers: “This candle surrounds the room with warmth and smells the same lit as it does unlit.”

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Norden Ojai Ceramic Candle

• Burn Time: 80 hours
• Wax Type: Coconut and apricot
• Size: 12 ounces

Choose this SoCal candle to enjoy its layered fragrance notes and hand-thrown ceramic vessel. Norden, a purveyor of home goods inspired by regional favorites and global influences, produces candles with appealing scents — like Ojai, a blend of frankincense, patchouli, citrus and woody incense. You’ll appreciate the scent, which is a warm blend that won’t intimidate your senses, according to reviewers: “Love this candle — incredible. Slightly delicate scent which we like, not overpowering.”

Natural wax materials, in this case coconut and apricot, are blended with fragrance and hand-poured into the stoneware jar. Once the candle is gone (after a very respectable 80 hours of burn time), the stoneware is ready for repurposing.

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Cire Trudon Ernesto Candle

• Burn Time: 60 hours
• Wax Type: Vegetal Wax
• Size: 9.5 ounces

There is no question that Cire Trudon is an iconic candle with a hard-to-beat heritage. This French candlemaker has been in business since 1645, when Trudon opened the doors to its first Parisian storefront. By the 1700’s, the company was supplying candles to the royal court of France. Today, the company continues its legacy of fine candle making and exquisite scents, with options like the Ernesto being a top seller.

The Cire Trudon Ernesto candle evokes notes of rum, oak and tobacco. Unlit, it offers a soft scent that discerning noses will appreciate. When lit, the intensity of this candle justifies its spendy price tag and will have you hooked: “The throw is also amazing; it easily fills a room if not a small home or apt. If I could only have one candle for life, this would be it.”

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Brooklyn Candle Studio Sunday Morning Candle

• Burn Time: 50 hours
• Wax Type: Soy wax blend
• Size: 7.5 ounces

Make every day as easy as Sunday morning with this fragrant soy candle from Brooklyn Candle Studio. The minimalist candle in Sunday Morning scent is a great way to refresh your home and your mind, all week long. It features notes of pear, bergamot, jasmine, gardenia and has a fresh scent. Find proof of its chill vibes in reviews like this one, “I feel so relaxed every time I burn it. It puts me in such a calm, peaceful mood.”

Brooklyn Candle Studio uses soy blend wax, all-cotton wicks and fragrance blends infused with essential oils. You may appreciate knowing that the brand’s candle line-up is vegan, cruelty-free, phthalate-free, and petroleum-free for added peace of mind.

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Jo Malone Red Roses Candle

• Burn Time: 50 hours
• Wax Type: Paraffin and Soy blend
• Size: 16 ounces

An iconic candle in fine home goods, the Jo Malone London series is a classic choice with an assortment of elegant scents, like the Red Roses variation. Far from smelling stuffy and overbearing, this scent is a great choice if you want a floral infusion that will fill the room better and last longer than a bouquet of roses.

There are plenty of reviewers that vouch for the quality of these candles, with many comments similar to this one: “If you would like your home to swell fabulously then this is the candle. I have a Jo Malone candle in every room.”

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Le Labo Classic Candle, Santal 26

• Burn Time: 60 hours
• Wax Type: Soy
• Size: 8.6 ounces

Made from hand-poured pure soy wax and a cotton wick in Mississippi, this apothecary-style candle is popular for it’s tremendous throw and inviting scents. When shopping for Le Labo candles, it’s helpful to know that each name provides insights into the candle’s scent profile. For example, best-selling Santal 26 has top notes of santal (a compound extracted from sandalwood) and features 26 expertly blended fragrance notes for an iconic scent that you will want to fill every room of your house.

Fortunately, this is easy to do with Le Labo candles, which are notoriously fragrant and powerful, as this reviewer attests to: “Room is immediately enveloped in transcendent scents enrapturing the senses. Will be a regular burn.”

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Voluspa Japonica Archives Candle Set

• Burn Time: 15 hours each
• Wax Type: Coconut wax
• Size: 1-ounce each

If variety is the spice of life, this Voluspa candle set is an ideal way to add a different fragrance to every room of your home. These handcrafted candles are made in California from coconut wax and feature scents that ignite the senses, like Santiago Huckleberry, Yashioka Gardenia, Persimmon & Coral, Crane Flower and more.

Each 1-ounce candle in the Japonica Archives set has a substantial 15-hours of burn time. Happy reviewers agree that the “candles burn for a long time and remain fragrant.” The glass votives are also popular: “Not only are they fragrantly wonderful, the glass and the box make an awesome gift presentation for that someone special.” Whether you want to use this set for travel candles or to sample Voluspa scents, this is a worthwhile buy.

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Volcano by Capri Blue Candle

• Burn Time: 125 hours
• Wax Type: Soy blend
• Size: 50 ounces

This Volcano candle from Capri Blue may just transport you to your nearest Anthropologie, which burns these candles regularly in-store. But whether you’re a frequent shopper at Anthro or not, the powerful scent of this candle is hard to deny: “My favorite candle!!! The volcano smell is so yummy. This has become our go to fragrance in our home. I highly recommend it.”

One of the best things about this super-scented candle is its wide appeal, which many reviewers comment on: “It’s rare that I find a candle that my husband and I both love…which I have now. He said it’s not too “girly, fruity or foo-foo” and doesn’t give him a headache. I just love the smell and it immediately calms my mood when I walk into my house and smell it.”