The Spruce / Marcus Millán
Flameless candles create a familiar cozy ambiance without the same safety concerns of traditional candles. These imitation candles are often battery-powered and last much longer than wicks and wax.
Plus, they’re spill-proof, as you don’t have to worry about kids or pets knocking them over and creating a waxy mess—or worse, a burned carpet. Many are often made to look realistic, too, with taper, tealight, real-wax options, and more.
There are a few key factors to consider when choosing a flameless candle for your home. For one, you’ll want one that has a long battery life. Features like adjustable brightness and flickering capabilities can also make the candle look more realistic.
Of course, the style and size should also be compatible with your space. We researched the market for the best flameless candles to work in any setting, assessing for design, features, and power capabilities.
Best Overall
Angelloong Flickering Flameless Candles
Adjustable brightness
Works indoors and outdoors
Elegant design
Can be easy to lose remote
The Angelloong Flickering Flameless Candles stand out as our best overall pick thanks to the long battery life, realistic design, and customizable features. We love that the set has a realistic flicker and soft, warm glow.
Plus, the faux black wick and melted exterior give each candle a waxy effect. We appreciate that the brightness can be adjusted and that there are various timer options—for four-, five-, six-, and eight-hour periods—so you don’t have to worry about manually turning them on and off.
All these settings can be adjusted on the remote, which may be prone to getting lost if not kept in a designated spot. However, we like that the remote allows you to place the candles in hard-to-reach areas and still customize the settings.
The candles also work outdoors and have over 500 hours of battery life, perfect for al fresco dinners and entertaining. The flameless candles work great grouped together or scattered throughout the home for a cozy mood.
Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 6 inches | Material: Plastic, resin | Power Source: AA batteries | Light Type: LED | Lifetime: 500+ hours
Best Value
HiDawn Flameless Pillar Candles
Warm glow throughout candle
Waterproof
Long battery life
Can melt when outdoors
The HiDawn Flameless Pillar Candles with Remote are another feature-packed pick, where you get a bang for your buck. We love that the set comes with nine candles of various heights, perfect for decorating at intimate dinners, relaxing baths, and everything in between. The warm glow cascades throughout each candle, making them look all the more realistic.
We appreciate that there are lots of features you can personalize with these candles, too. The remote control allows you to adjust the brightness, timer, and flickering—so you don’t have to turn each candle over to pick your desired setting.
Plus, they have an ample 550-hour battery life. One note is that although the candles can be used outdoors, the manufacturer cautions against keeping them in direct sunlight because they could melt.
Dimensions: 2.2 x 4 inches up to 2.2 x 9 inches | Material: Plastic | Power Source: AA batteries | Light Type: LED | Lifetime: 550 hours
Best Scented
August Grove Vanilla Scented Flameless Candles
Rustic design
Subtle vanilla scent
Made from beeswax
Require three batteries each
Still want the subtle aromas of a candle, without the flame? The August Grove 3 Pieces Vanilla Scented Flameless Candles fit the bill, emitting a pleasant vanilla scent that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
We like the rustic birch tree bark design, which adds character and earthiness to the trio. It’s a unique style compared to other flameless candles. The beeswax construction also makes the candles look very realistic.
We appreciate that the candles come with a remote control, so you can easily adjust the brightness, power, and flickering mode. These candles have fewer timer capabilities compared to others on this list, with options for four- or eight-hour periods.
Each candle also requires three batteries. However, their unique features make them a strong option, especially for holiday decorating.
Dimensions: 3 x 4 inches, 3 x 4.875 inches, and 3 x 6 inches | Material: Beeswax and plastic | Power Source: AAA batteries | Light Type: LED | Lifetime: Not listed
Best Tea Light
Homememory 24-Pack Flameless LED Tea Lights
Multiple color options
Large pack
Melting-edge design
No timer or remote functions
The Homememory 24-Pack Flameless LED Tea Lights are a quality set perfect for any event where you want lots of tea lights without monitoring their flames. We love that the tea lights are ready to use right out of the box, as batteries are included.
The 200-hour battery life allows them to be used at length for events, holidays, or even every day. The lights offer a warm, realistic flicker as well, which we appreciate.
We also like the melted-edge design, which enhances the candle-like waxy look of the product. One note is that the lights can’t be adjusted for brightness, nor do they have timers, and they must be manually turned on. However, this tends to be the norm for flameless tea lights, given their petite size.
Dimensions: 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.3 inches | Material: Plastic | Power Source: Lithium coin batteries (included) | Light Type: LED | Lifetime: 200 hours
Real wax on top
Remote-controlled timer and brightness
Slim profile
Can be wobbly
This set of taper candles from Symple Stuff is the ideal option to imbue your space with elegance and charm. We love that the taper effect is clear in its slim profile—made even more realistic with a real wax covering and faux-wax drips. We also like that the brightness can be adjusted to your desired ambiance.
Plus, the lights have two-, four-, six-, and eight-hour timers so you can set them on and go without having to worry about them dying.
We appreciate that you can also choose to have the candles on normal or flickering settings. These candles are more prone to wobbling because of their slim design—just like any normal tapered candle—so you may want to reinforce them with some candle adhesive before placing them in a candle holder.
Dimensions: 9.6 x 0.78 x 0.78 inches | Material: Wax covering | Power Source: AA batteries | Light Type: LED | Lifetime: Not listed
Best Rechargeable
GenSwin Rechargeable Flameless Glass Candles
Elegant glass jar
Plug-in charger
Customizable features
More fragile
If you don’t want to fuss with changing batteries, we like The GenSwin Rechargeable LED Flameless Flickering Glass Candles as well. Each candle has a charging port and is fully charged within three hours. We love the glass jar too, as it makes the candle look even more realistic.
We also appreciate that the brightness, flickering, and timers can all be adjusted using the included remote control, saving battery life and allowing for a more personalized experience.
One note is that because of the glass construction, the candles are prone to breaking if they topple over—so they may be better suited for households without pets or kids.
Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 6 inches | Material: Glass | Power Source: Corded electric, rechargeable | Light Type: LED | Lifetime: Not applicable
Final Verdict
The Angelloong Flickering Flameless Candles are our best overall pick. They’re long lasting, realistic looking, and easy to care for. The set also has customizable brightness and flickering effects. We also love the Homememory 24-Pack Flameless LED Tea Lights for their strong battery life and melted-edge design at a reasonable price point.
How We Picked the Flameless Candles
We shortlisted these flameless candles based on their battery life, features, and design. Many of the lights were selected for their ability to adjust brightness, light mode, and timer functions so that the ambiance can be more personalized. Others were selected for their ability to withstand outdoor areas, or offer a unique design like a candle jar, rechargeable batteries, or scented wax.
What to Look for in a Flameless Candle
Candle Type and Style
There are various candle types, including tapered options, tea lights, pillar candles, and more. Some styles are made to look more like actual candles and can be coated in wax—like our best taper pick, the Symple Stuff Unscented Flameless Taper Candle. Others are made of plastic and can be used more easily outside, like our best overall pick, the Angelloong Flickering Flameless Candles.
Realistic Flame Brightness and Appearance
Flameless candles are notorious for sometimes appearing tacky. However, many modern options look more realistic thanks to wax coating, melted-edge designs, and more. For instance, our best scented pick, the August Grove 3 Pieces Vanilla Scented Flameless Candles, has a beeswax construction and tree bark design.
The flame brightness can also make a candle look more realistic, as well as a flickering effect. The candle flame should have a warm glow and an adjustable brightness can make the flame look more natural in different settings.
A Low-Maintenance Power Source
Power sources like rechargeable batteries can make it easier to consistently use a set of flameless candles. The GenSwin Rechargeable LED Flameless Flickering Glass Candles have a USB charging port that you can easily plug into a wall adapter.
Since the majority of flameless candles typically still use AA or AAA batteries, you’ll want to pay attention to the battery life. A battery life of 200 hours or more typically bodes well and means the flameless candle can last through multiple events, festivities, or casual days at home. If you don’t want to fuss over constantly purchasing disposable batteries, you can always invest in a set of rechargeable batteries, too.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This roundup was written by Shagun Khare, a freelance interior design and home decor writer specializing in areas such as lighting, candles, and lifestyle. She has been in the design space for over three years and has been writing for The Spruce since 2021, where she covers home trends, decor shopping, and expert-backed design advice.