Our Favorite Tapered Candles | Reviews by Wirecutter
Understated elegance: The Floral Society 12” Dipped Taper Candles
Top pick
The Floral Society’s 12-inch tapers (sold in pairs) are a classic size. They’re low-drip, and they come in 10 earth-toned colors.
Why it’s great: The Floral Society 12” Dipped Taper Candles have wicks with a tight, flat braid, and they produce a strong flame. During testing, these dipped candles burned evenly without dripping, and we noticed very little rippling (a wavy texture that can occur when candles are dipped instead of molded). The candles have a flat base that helps them sit level in holders, and the muted colors coordinate easily with any decor and style.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: These are by no means cheap candles. They come only in pairs, so you’ll have to buy a few sets if you’re using more than two when setting the table. You may also have to wedge this candle into a standard-size holder, which could make it tippy.
Height: 12 inches
Wax: paraffin
Quantity per set: two
Color options: 13, including parchment, smoke, clay, and saffron
Average cost per candle: $9 at the time of publication
Estimated burn time: 10 hours
Sweet aroma: Lomar Farms Pair of 100% Beeswax Tapers
Top pick
Lomar Farms beeswax tapers are deep-hued, honey-scented, and long-lasting. But they’re sticky, so store them well.
Why it’s great: The rustic-looking Lomar Farms Pair of Hand Dipped 100% Pure Beeswax Tapers are a deep-golden color, and they have a luscious natural honey scent. The pair we received produced an even, fast-burning flame (even though they’d arrived with frayed wicks). And they didn’t drip at all during the first two hours of testing, even with an air purifier generating air movement.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: These were the stickiest of all the wax candles we tested. When you store them, wrap them in tissue or paper to prevent dust from sticking to them.
Height: 11 inches
Wax: beeswax
Quantity per set: two
Color options: gold
Average cost per candle: about $9.50 at the time of publication
Estimated burn time: 11 hours
Plant-based pastels: Maison Balzac 4 Chandelles
Top pick
These taper candles are made from plant-based wax, and they come in bright pastels.
Why it’s great: Maison Balzac offers some of the most beautiful pastels we’ve seen in dinner candles. These hand-poured chandelles (French for candles) are made of a plant-based stearin wax, derived from palm oil that is RSPO-certified. Shiny and hard, they’re resistant to scratches and not at all sticky to the touch, and they produced drips that were easier to dislodge from surfaces.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: These candles claim to burn for nine hours, but our testing suggested they’ll burn only for six — a bigger deviation than with many of our other candle picks. And your mileage may vary depending on the room’s airflow. Although these tapers dripped a bit, we found the wax easier to clean off surfaces compared with the wax of other candles.
Height: 9⅘ inches
Wax: plant-based stearin, RSPO-certified
Quantity per set: four
Color options: eight (with only mint, bleuet, pink, caramel, and red available in the US)
Average cost per candle: about $8 at the time of publication
Estimated burn time: six hours
A touch of gloss: Danica Candles Hand Dipped Taper
Top pick
These tapers (sold in pairs) are charming, if prone to dripping, and they come in vibrant colors.
Why it’s great: The Hand Dipped Taper set from Danica Candles features two elegantly proportioned, old-fashioned-looking tapers that, at 13 inches, are slightly longer than standard. The beeswax-and-paraffin-wax blend is satin-smooth to the touch, and it allows the candles to achieve their incredibly vibrant colors, according to Danica co-founder Cindy Laustsen. The candles shine with a hint of gloss while carrying what seems like an inner glow (we think this may be due to the successive layering of the translucent tinted wax).
Flaws but not dealbreakers: During testing, these candles dripped a lot on one side, resulting in some fascinating drip art. But this isn’t necessarily a flaw — some people enjoy the one-of-a-kind drips made by old-style candles.
Height: 13 inches
Wax: beeswax and paraffin
Quantity per set: two
Color options: 14 (including pastels, like tea rose, and vibrant colors, like cobalt)
Average cost per candle: $4 at the time of publication
Estimated burn time: 8½ hours
Versatile and accessible: Anthropologie Classic Taper Candles, Set of 2
Top pick
Paraffin wax gives these tapers their vibrant color and pretty sheen. But be ready for some dripping.
Why it’s great: Anthropologie’s Taper Candles use a dyed paraffin wax that gives them a beautiful pigment extending through the entire candle. The flame is strong and stable, and it makes the color glisten. The candles come in a wide range of colors and are often available in-store, so they’re easy to check out in person.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: These candles dripped during the first half-hour of burning, mostly onto the holder and the table beneath it, so they could create some extra clean-up.
Height: 11¾ inches
Wax: paraffin
Number in set: two
Color options: 16, including pastels, jewel tones, and neutrals
Average cost per candle: about $7 at the time of publication
Estimated burn time: six hours
Bargain bundle: Yummi 12” Handcrafted Taper Candles, Set of 12
Top pick
These affordable, classic-style tapers come in 45 colors, and they burn with minimal dripping.
Why it’s great: Yummi’s 12” Handcrafted Taper Candles are high-quality yet affordable, and they come in a staggering number of colors (via the company’s retail site) and multiple lengths, including extra-tall 18-inch candles.
Yummi applies the colors as a tinted, satiny paraffin coating over a white core, as opposed to tinting its candles all the way through (see our candle construction section). But the coating is thick and evenly applied, so the white core should stay concealed, even when the candle is burning.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Yummi candles are sold only by the dozen. Because the company is based in Canada, it takes longer for orders to arrive (it took two weeks when we had them shipped to Los Angeles). And, compared with return processes for our other picks, Yummi’s return process is more complex for US-based customers. These candles are more easily available at Amazon, but in slightly fewer colors.
Height: 12 inches
Wax: paraffin
Quantity per set: 12
Color options: 45, including ice blue, harvest gold, and sage
Average cost per candle: from about $2.75 at the time of publication
Estimated burn time: 7½ hours
