We love giving the gift of a candle — and if that gift is sometimes to ourselves, that’s OK! — but candles, especially the ones that feel worthy of giving as a gift, can be wildly expensive. Which is why, when we come across a great candle at an affordable price, we want everyone to know about our great find. So we’ve rounded up the absolute best candles to give as gifts, all under $25.
- Related: See all our favorite gift ideas here
To separate the wheat from the chaff, we created guidelines for what constitutes a winning “cheap” candle; to qualify, a candle has to meet three criteria. The first is the candle has to be at least 3 ounces, which is a standard votive size, and offer a burn time of at least 20 hours. The second is that the suggested retail price has to be $25 or less — sale prices don’t count here, these are true under-$25 candles! And lastly, it had to feel giftable.
Then, we considered what factors go into selecting a scented candle, and provided that information in an easy-to-scan format. Those details include the candle’s price, naturally, but also its primary scent notes, the container type or candle style and the candle’s size and burn time. Ahead, for all your gift-giving needs, you’ll find giftable candles that meet our exacting standards.
Scent(s): Coffee, cedarwood fir, jasmine, orange blossom, vanilla, patchouli
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 7.8 ounces/50 hours
Scent(s): Bergamot, grass, jasmine, patchouli, clove
Container Type: Ceramic
Size/Burn Time: 7 ounces/40 hours
Scent(s): Sea Salt, fresh
Container Type: Cement
Size/Burn Time: 5 ounces/20 hours
Scent(s): Grapefruit, orange, mandarin, black currant, plum, orange flower
Container Type: Tin with lid
Size/Burn Time: 6.5 ounces/45 hours
Scent(s): Bergamot, cedarwood, ylang-ylang and orange blossom
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 16.9 ounces/44 hours
Scent(s): Moss, lime, sea mist
Container Type: Glass jar with lid
Size/Burn Time: 9 ounces/36 hours
Scent(s): Lavender, lemon
Container Type: Glass jar with lid
Size/Burn Time: 12 ounces/60 hours
Scent(s): Rum, coffee
Container Type: Tin with lid
Size/Burn Time: 7 ounces/50 hours
Scent(s): Bergamot, aloe
Container Type: Glass pillar
Size/Burn Time: 10.5 ounces/70 hours
Scent(s): Cardamom, citrus, palo santo, violet, saffron, smoke, wood, sandalwood, amber
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 8 ounces/40 hours
Scent(s): Cinnamon, maple, vanilla, brown sugar, chestnut
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 12 ounces/35 hours
Scent(s): Lemon, pink citrus, wildflowers, solar musk, blonde woods
Container Type: Glass pillar
Size/Burn Time: 16.75 ounces/118 hours
Scent(s): Tropical fruits, sugared citrus
Container Type: Mercury glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 5 ounces/25 hours
Scent(s): Lavender, jasmine, vanilla, rose
Container Type: Tin with lid
Size/Burn Time: 14 ounces/65 hours
Scent(s): White sage
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 8 ounces/45 hours
Scent(s): Pineapple, green hyacinth, jasmine, rose, balsamic, vanilla
Container Type: Textured glass
Size/Burn Time: 6 ounces/40 hours
Scent(s): Smoke, vanilla
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 7.6 ounces/45 hours
Scent(s): Cinnamon, apple; lemongrass, eucalyptus
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 7.2 ounces/45 hours
Scent(s): Cactus flower, orange
Container Type: Ceramic
Size/Burn Time: 7 ounces/35 hours
Scent(s): Fresh linen
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 6 ounces/45 hours
Scent(s): Sandalwood, amber, musk, jasmine, peach, rose, pineapple, lemon, floral, lily
Container Type: Ceramic
Size/Burn Time: 9.5 ounces/46 hours
Scent(s): Teakwood, rose; lavender; orange blossom, vetiver
Container Type: Tin with lid
Size/Burn Time: 10 ounces/70 hours
Scent(s): Goji fruit, Tarocco orange
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 8 ounces/55 hours
Scent(s): Cake
Container Type: Glass
Size/Burn Time: 11 ounces/50 hours
Scent(s): Nutmeg, vanilla bean, cinnamon crust
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 6 ounces/35 hours
Scent(s): Citrus, peach
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 16 ounces/100 hours
Scent(s): Cedarwood, warm vanilla, oak, patchouli
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 7.2 ounces/57 hours
Scent(s): Sage, orange, grapefruit, lavender, oakmoss, amber, tonka bean
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 14 ounces/65 hours
Scent(s): Teakwood, tobacco
Container Type: Glass with lid
Size/Burn Time: 7.2 ounces/40 hours
Scent(s): Cardamom, ylang-ylang, coconut
Container Type: Glass
Size/Burn Time: 9.5 ounces/48 hours
Scent(s): Jasmine
Container Type: Glass
Size/Burn Time: 15 ounces/70 hours