There’s something romantic about a dripping candlestick, but that’s not true of real life. There’s nothing romantic about dripping candles on a table, counter, or fireplace. Lately, I’ve only been buying candlesticks that don’t drip wax. I want to be able to light candles for dinner on a weeknight and just enjoy them, without worrying about them dripping everywhere. Does anyone agree?
Study shopping
We wanted to do this test to find out which are the best dripless candles on the market. Yes, there are some variables—color is a fun factor and soy vs. beeswax vs. coconut. But what we’re really looking for is a taper candle that burns cleanly, lasts a long time, and is truly drip-free. Without further ado, here are our results from the candles we tested (just in time for fall dinner parties!)
Candlesticks | Bubble Chandelier | Dining Table with Stand | Vase with Handle | Artificial Leg
“The Test”
We measured the candles out of the box, placed each candle in a candle holder in the study, lit each candle with a match, and let it burn for 4 hours. We studied them to see if there were any drips, then measured them again at the end to calculate the burn rate. Note: All of the candles were drip-free as they said, but the price point and burn rate were slightly different.
Some brands included a wick in their length and the actual candle measurement was a bit shorter than advertised. Some were narrower in diameter requiring a candle adhesive dot to secure them to the candle holder. I also noticed that almost all of them burned faster than advertised – almost all of them lost over 50% of their height over the course of 4 hours!
They all performed well, though, but if you’re looking for the best value for your money, pick up Amazon’s Viyffo Taper Candles in White. If you want the most color options, pick up Walmart’s Hyoola Dripless Taper Candles. And if you want the candle that puts me in the best mood this season, pick up McGee & Co.’s Light Gray Taper Candles.
Here are the candles from left to right in the picture:
Price per candle: $2.00 Price per hour per candle: $0.20 Composition: 100% paraffin wax and cotton wicks Color options: 28 colors Country of Origin: Made in Europe Size: 12″ high (11.75″ wide) Candle “convenience”: Smooth, non-wobbly base Advertised burn time: 10 hours Burn rate: 51% (finished at 5.75″ tall)
Price per candle: $1.75 Price per hour per candle: $0.23 Composition: Paraffin Wax Color Options: White Country of Origin: Unknown Size: 12″ tall Candle “Convenience”: Soft, wobbly base Advertised Burn Time: 7.5 hours Burn Rate: 57% (finished at 5.125″ tall)
Price per candle: $2.83 Price per hour per candle: $0.28 Composition: 100% soy wax with wax coated wick with extra plain cotton wick (two candles are attached at the wick) Color Options: Sandstone or Light Grey Country of Origin: Made in Canada Size: 12″ tall Candle “Fit”: Decorative, non-wobbly base Advertised Burn Time: 8+ hours Burn Rate: 54% (finished at 5.5″ tall)
Price per candle: $3.58 Price per hour per candle: $0.38 Composition: Unknown wax with wax coated wick Color options: Black or Silver Country of Origin: Made in Germany Size: 12.2 inches (measured at 11.75 inches) Candle “convenience”: Smooth, non-wobbly base Advertised burn time: 10 hours Burn rate: 50% (finished at 5.875 inches)
Price per candle: $2.00 Price per hour per candle: $0.33 Composition: Paraffin wax with plain cotton wick Color options: White or cream Country of Origin: Made in Vietnam Size: 10.6″ tall Candle “Convenience”: Soft, wobbly base Advertised Burn Time: 6 hours Burn Rate: 53% (finished at 5″ tall)
Price per candle: $2.50 Price per hour per candle: $0.25 Composition: Vegetable wax, beeswax, paraffin wax Color options: 4 shades in 8 colors Country of origin: Unknown Size: 10″ tall Candle “convenience”: Soft, oscillating base Advertised burn time: 10 hours Burn rate: 59% (finished at 4.125″ tall)
Price per candle: $2.83 Price per hour per candle: $0.28 Composition: 100% soy wax with wax coated wick with extra plain cotton wick (two candles are attached at the wick) Color Options: Sandstone or Light Grey Country of Origin: Made in Canada Size: 12″ tall Candle “Fit”: Decorative, non-wobbly base Advertised Burn Time: 8+ hours Burn Rate: 58% (finished at 5.1″ tall)
Price per candle: $1.42 Price per hour per candle: $0.18 Composition: Soy wax, beeswax, paraffin wax Color options: Ivory or white Country of origin: Unknown Size: 10″ tall Candle “convenience”: Soft, wobbly base Advertised burn time: 8 hours Burn rate: 60% (finished at 4″ tall)
Price per candle: $3.25 Price per hour per candle: $0.41 Composition: Paraffin wax, extra long wick with half wax and half cotton Color Options: 15 Country of Origin: Made in USA Size: 10″ tall Candle “Convenience”: Smooth, non-wobbly base Advertised Burn Time: 8 hours Burn Rate: 53% (finished at 4.75″)
Price per Candle: $7.49 Price per Hour per Candle: $0.94 Composition: Unknown Wax Color Options: Antique White Country of Origin: Made in USA Size: 6″ tall Candle “Convenience”: Soft, wobbly base Advertised Burn Time: 8 hours Burn Rate: 46% (finished at 3.25″ tall)
And of course we can’t forget the candle holders… from tiered gold candlesticks like the ones I used here, to modern black iron candle holders, or even this stunning copper set (a girl can dream, right?), there are so many great options available. My advice is to choose a finish you love and mix and match freely!
Gold Geometric Cone Candle Holders $15, Silver Candlesticks $12, Booker Cone Candle Holders – Set of 4 $62, Brass Wright Cone Candle Holder $18, Tan Marble Cone Candle Holder $18, Marble Candle Holder $42, Set of 3 Aluminum Cone Candle Holders $25, Flora Wood Cone Candle Holder $22, Layla Cone Candle Holder $99, Black Cast Iron Cone Candle Holder $18, Antique Brass Candle Holder $22, Aluminum Cone Candle Holder $47
