The Best Candles for Fall and Winter – Six Cozy Fragrance Picks to Enjoy in the Cooler Months

Burning the very best candles for fall and winter instantly sets the mood for cooler days, cozy evenings, and nights spent relaxing with friends over a beautifully curated, flickering tablescape until late. As the resident home fragrance tester here at Homes & Gardens, I'm rarely without one lit somewhere around my home.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, I've spent more than 5000 hours – that's 208 days – burning candles. I've tested everything from affordable options to sheer luxury picks, and know exactly what makes one truly worth the spend. I look for a clean, even burn without tunneling, a wick that doesn't fray and cover the vessel in soot, and a scent throw that fills a room. Accurate burn time is important, too, as are the materials used.

My criteria for separating the best home fragrances from the rest in this guide involve a thorough consideration of wax type, wick quality, and a gorgeous scent to match. And, with the holiday season just around the corner, a candle is a thoughtful gift you can never go wrong with – I buy them time and time again for friends and family to open, smell, and enjoy.

The Best Candles for Fall and Winter − At a Glance

Best Luxury And Mineral Wax Candle Brands

Best All-Rounder: Diptyque Pomander

Scent: Orange and spices.

If you've perused my guide to the best reed diffusers, you'll know that the French fragrance stalwart Diptyque sits among my favorites for all things home fragrance. Unsurprisingly, the Pomander Candle is no exception.

To me, this is a traditional Christmas in a candle, which is why it easily earns the spot of the Best All-Rounder for this time of year. Warming, spicy, and rich, it's bursting with holiday fragrance, with an inviting ambiance of just-brewed mulled wine. It evokes the feeling of sitting in front of the fireplace with family on Christmas Day, or settling down on the couch in the depths of winter with a hot drink and a good book. There's something about the scent that just feels comforting and nostalgic − it couldn't be more perfect as the nights draw in.

It's also worth mentioning that Diptyque candles do come at a higher price point than most, but you certainly get what you pay for. Looks, scent, and burn are all faultless, making it simple and easy to avoid candle tunneling, and the chic, signature vessels are my favorite candle jars to reuse around my house.

If you prefer something a little lighter, there are plenty of other gorgeous picks to try, too, like Baies, Roses, and Figuier, all of which are available to explore at Diptyque and pair perfectly with the gorgeous Diptyque Gold Snuffer.

Best for Freshness: NEST Wild Mint & Eucalyptus Classic Candle

Scent: Wild mint, eucalyptus, and basil.

Just because it's fall and winter doesn't mean every scent you choose has to be sweet or spicy. This candle from NEST is fresh and invigorating, blended with Thai ginger to clear your mind and awaken both your senses and your space. I find this particularly important during the depths of winter, when homes can begin to feel stagnant.

I first came across NEST at an event at Claridge's, in the heart of London, where I was lucky enough to meet with the Founder, Laura Slatkin. Since then, it's become one of my favorites for filling a room with a sophisticated scent, with equally elegant vessels to match.

Though this is a mint and eucalyptus scent, it's the herbaceous scent of basil that stands out the most to me. I use this kind of fresh scent to make my bathroom smell like a luxury spa year-round, but I probably wouldn't burn this particular pick in my living room or bedroom, where I opt for something cozier over fall and winter. To further the effects, why not pair it with eucalyptus in the shower to create a relaxing sanctuary, perfect for unwinding.

As NEST candles are free from formaldehyde, parabens, and phthalates, and made with 100 per cent lead-free cotton wicks, this would also be my suggestion if you prioritize picking non-toxic candles. It's both vegan and cruelty-free, too.

If you'd prefer to swap freshness for florals with a twist, the NEST New York Himalayan Salt & Rosewater Classic Candle, available at Amazon, is another of my favorites.

Best Natural And Soy Candle Brands

Best for Eliminating Odors: Voluspa Tomato Trellis

Scent: Sunlit bergamot, mint, rosemary, and tomato leaf​.

Fall and winter are notorious for musty odors. Between muddy footprints, rainy days, and firmly closed windows (although you should open your windows, even in winter), the freshness brought by the spring and summer months can soon become a distant memory. With the Voluspa Tomato Trellis Candle, however, it doesn't have to.

This is the first of its kind that I've tried − it works to actively eliminate odors by capturing and neutralizing odor molecules, rather than just masking them. I learned from the team at Voluspa that it's intended for use in a kitchen to neutralize kitchen odors and get rid of cooking smells, but as a certified tomato girl − I even have a tomato leaf perfume − I'd use it anywhere. Either way, it's a clever, deliciously fragranced way to hide Christmas cooking smells when the time comes.

I fell in love with this scent at the London Home Fragrance Show back in early July, so you can imagine my delight when it landed on my desk in a wooden crate, complete with pasta, tinned tomatoes, olive oil, dried chili flakes, wine, and even a live basil plant − all the ingredients to make a classic pomodoro pasta. Once I finished cooking, you bet I lit the candle to banish any lingering bad kitchen smells.

Beyond the scent, Voluspa candles are made with a vegan coconut wax blend for a clean burn, natural wicks, and are free of sulfates, phthalates, and parabens, and are handcrafted in California.

And if you'd prefer something more seasonal, I'm currently loving the Voluspa Spiced Pumpkin Latte Candle, too.

Best for Brightening Spaces: NEOM Happiness

Scent: Neroli, mimosa, and lemon zest.

In the past year or so, I've become a bit of a NEOM obsessive. The British wellness and natural beauty company boasts an impressive array of scents for different wellbeing concerns, and the Happiness luxury scented candle sits among the 'Mood Boost' category – and does exactly that.

Citrussy, zesty, and vibrant, you might think this scent is more suited to the summer months, but it's my first choice for an instant lift and summer feeling, even in the midst of winter. Blended with 10 essential oils, it's fun and fresh, and embodies the warmer, brighter weather we'll soon be sorely missing.

Made with 100 per cent naturally derived wax (it's one of the best non-toxic ways to make a house smell nice I've tried), and featuring a three-wick size option in the line-up, it should provide plenty of positivity to last you all fall and winter long. To get the full experience, always make sure you light all three wicks at once. Not only will this provide the strongest scent dispersion, but it will also ensure an even burn and allow the wax to pool fully, right to the edges of the vessel.

As I mentioned, this isn't the first thing I've tried from NEOM. I also love NEOM's Perfect Night Sleep Range, which helped me drift off and sleep better.

Best for Relaxation: Skandinavisk Fjord

Scent: Apple, pear blossom, orchard fruits, and redcurrants.

A far cry from the usual sweet or smoky wintry scents, this Skandinavisk Fjord Candle, available at Amazon, brings a Norwegian freshness – think crashing waterfalls, cascading forests, and rolling orchards.

I received this candle as a gift a couple of Christmases ago, and have since gifted one myself to my mother, who loved the scent so much she had to have one for herself. The unassuming yet tasteful vessel looks pretty among any fall mantel ideas, while the scent is one of the very best for those who like something a little unexpected, particularly when unwinding at nighttime.

I've regularly used it to make my bedroom smell good for sleep throughout fall and into winter, and I'm sure it would work just as well as one of the most welcoming fragrances for a guest bedroom, too.

What's more, with this candle you're supporting a good cause – Skandinavisk prides itself on creating beautiful and cruelty-free products, with FSC-certified packaging, a non-GMO Swedish rapeseed wax blend, and pure cotton wicks – ideal for those looking to be more sustainable at home. Once burned, you can recycle or reuse the jar, and pop the lid on your fire or bonfire, which I did before replenishing my supply of this candle almost immediately.

For these warmer months, the HAV, or Sea, Scented Candle, also available at Amazon, is another perfect pick, while the SKOG Scented Candle available at Amazon is another staple in my home throughout the colder months, with notes of pine needles, fir cones, birch sap, and woodland lily of the valley.

Best Affordable Candle Brands

Best Affordable Pick: WoodWick Golden Bourbon

Notes: Honey whiskey, saffron, peppercorn, and smoked woods.

I'm not typically a gourmand scent lover, but I know plenty of people are when it comes to fall candles and this time of year. It makes sense – 'tis the season for pumpkin pie, mulling spices, and sweet vanilla bakes, so why shouldn't you burn a candle to match?

That being said, this is one of the rare sweeter scents that I do enjoy. It's warming, with just the right hint of spice, and feels genuinely cozy as temperatures drop outdoors. It's not sickly, either, which is one of the main reasons I tend to stay away from this kind of fragrance profile.

It's the cheapest included in this guide, but that alone is not why it ultimately got the spot of 'Best Affordable.' It's the wooden wick which really earned it its stripes – it crackles as it burns (impressively cleanly, to add) to fill your home with the sound of a roaring open fire.

There's also a Wood Smoke WoodWick Candle, available on Amazon, which I'm keen to try, and an Evening Bonfire iteration, which sounds perfect for bringing the scent of a night spent in the backyard around a fire pit indoors.

Real-World Tips: Placement, Maintenance and Common Pitfalls

While testing candles for this guide, my lifelong love for candles has transformed into a professional understanding of getting the most out of them, guided by industry experts and my extensive vetting, year-round. These are my top tips:

• The best place to put your candle is in the center of the room, on a sturdy, heat-resistant surface. If I'm lighting mine on a wooden table, I always put a coaster underneath. Always make sure your candle is away from any flammable items, like curtains, paper, or other soft furnishings, as well as out of reach of pets and children. Your candle should also be away from drafts, air currents, windows, and vents.
• Always stop burning a candle when half an inch of wax remains, to prevent overheating or common fire risks in your home. Learn what to do with a candle when it's burnt out in our dedicated guide.
• Always burn your candle all the way to the edges on the first burn, to prevent tunneling. If my candle ever does tunnel, I wrap it with aluminum foil before lighting it, which helps melt and flatten the wax. If you have one, you can also use a blowtorch, with caution, to do this.
• Regularly trim the wick of your candle before burning to approximately 1/4 of an inch for a long-lasting, clean burn. You can do this with scissors, nail clippers, or a dedicated wick trimmer, available at Diptyque.

How We Test Candles

When testing, I always want to get a real sense of how these candles work alongside a day-to-day home life. For that reason, I tested and enjoyed each of these candles for over a month all around my house, assessing how well the fragrance disperses, how long (and how well) the candles burn for, and which placement works best for each, moving them between smaller and larger rooms to assess how they fare in different-sized spaces.

When testing to seasonally update this buying guide twice a year, in spring and fall, I always burn the top layer of each candle until it's entirely liquid, which helps to prevent tunnelling, and assess the scent, speed of burning, and appearance of the candle. I also note down any unique selling points – like natural ingredients, an unusual wick type, or a sustainable vessel.

I also spend time deep-diving into the wax type and burn time of each candle to ensure that prices, particularly those at the higher end, are justified, which is why we now include a value-to-burn-time metric in our buying guide.

Of course, we acknowledge that scent is subjective, and just because these are my favorites doesn't necessarily mean they'll be yours. That's why I also spend time researching other scent options from the same brands for inclusion. Chances are, if I've had a positive experience with a certain brand, another scent that suits you more from the same brand will be just as beautiful to burn, and you can shop from them comfortably with a professional recommendation and be guided on what to expect for quality and performance.

You can find more info on how we test products at Homes & Gardens.

FAQs

How to Find Great Deals on the Best Candles

Most of the time, the best reductions can be found during Amazon Prime Day, in July, Black Friday, on the last Friday in November, and Cyber Monday, the first Monday in December. So, keep those dates in your diary and add anything you're after to your basket ahead of time.

You can also bookmark our home fragrance buying guides, which I will be updating with deals as they drop throughout key sale periods, sign up for retailer newsletters and let them do the alerting for you, and create wish lists on Amazon.

What Do I Do if My Candle Wick is Too Short?

If you can’t light your candle wick because it’s too short, try to take a little bit of the wax away from around the candle. You could scrape this away, or soften up the surrounding wax using a blow dryer or candle lighter. Be careful doing this because you’ll have the flame at different angles.

Remove the wax around the wick using a Q-tip or tweezers, or by pouring. Then light the wick, and it should burn down like it used to. Let it burn for 30 minutes to establish a pool of melted wax around it.

Why is My Candle’s Glass Black?

This is an accumulation of soot, which can occur for several reasons. If your wax is paraffin, it’s probably that. The Harlem Candle Company reassures customers that all candles can produce soot, especially if they aren’t maintained and trimmed.

They explain, 'Incomplete combustion occurs if that balance is upset and wax is drawn into the flame faster than it can be burned. When this happens, the excess wax is released as soot instead. You might see soot being produced in the form of black smoke, which slowly settles on the sides and around the rim of your candle jar.’

It's nothing to worry about, but it might be a little tricky to clean when it comes to removing the wax from your vessel for reuse around the house.

Why Is My Candle Tunneling?

Candle tunnelling is a real pain, but luckily, it tends to be avoidable. If you have a draft, cheap wax, or don’t burn your candle until the whole surface is a liquid, it might not burn evenly.

Make sure that the first burn of your candle makes a pool of wax up to the edge of the container. Try to do this every time you use the candle, and make sure to trim the wick. If you keep up your candle maintenance routine, you should be fine.

I've also put together a guide on the best essential oil diffusers on the market if you prefer flame-free scenting.

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