I used to think LED candles were a little tacky. I certainly wouldn't have dreamed of having any in my home until I encountered them at work. And yet here we are, a few years later, and I am proudly announcing that I have an LED candle in every single room.
I remember the day my editor asked me to curate a buying guide for the best flameless candles, thinking, 'How can I find 'the best' when I think all LED candles are somewhat questionable?' But oh, how very wrong I was. That project changed my opinion entirely.
From the first set of battery-powered candles I tested, I haven’t looked back. I now have a flameless candle in every room and won't stop singing their praises until everyone is aware just how good they are.
My editor's recommendation: LED Candles
LED candles are the home accessory I wouldn't be without, to make a home cosy and ambient without the hazard of real flames, especially now that the darker evenings are rolling in.
This affordable accessory is the easiest way to change the atmosphere of any space. I use LED candles in my bathroom to cast soft lighting while soaking in the tub, to avoid the bright overhead lights and create a relaxing environment.
I have several with flickering flames in my living room to enhance my layered lighting scheme. A set of three is enough to make my kitchen cosy, and in my bedroom, they add ambience when the main light feels too bright. I even have them styled on a shelf to make my hallway feel welcoming.
Because there's no flame, you have zero worries about what may be near, meaning there is no area out of bounds - they are definitely not one of the things you shouldn't put on your mantlepiece.
Of course, you can still find unrealistic yellowing LED designs with frightfully unrealistic wax drips down the sides, many of which still haunt my nightmares. Thankfully, there are so many amazing ones available to outweigh the bad.
RRP: £19.99 | Remote or switch: Switch | Battery life: 600 hours | This set of three flameless candles won our pick for the best overall flameless candles on our buying guide because they ticks all our boxes, both looking the part and playing the part – plus, they're thoroughly realistic thanks to the TruGlow innovative technology which uses hand-poured real wax to create a perfect finish.
RRP: From £49.64 | Remote or switch: Remote | Battery life: 500+ hours
Choose the Amagic Flameless Candles if you are searching for realistic flameless candles with a quiet luxury feel. The already-burned faux wicks look convincingly real. Not only do these flameless candles have a unique melting effect, but they're also made of non-toxic, unscented real wax, which only adds to the authentic feel they bring to your home.
RRP: £29.99 | Remote or switch: Remote | Battery life: 600 hours | Generally speaking, the more wicks on a candle, the more luxurious it looks in a home. Not only is this large candle statement-worthy, but it's also made of real ivory wax that's impressively thick. This is essentially a real candle without the hazards of a real flame.
RRP: £26.99 | Remote or switch: Both | Battery life: 600 hours | After having this set in my own home, it is easy to see why these decorative shell candles are best-sellers on all sides of the globe. With a nod to coastal charm, the embedded shell decorations make these candles worthy of displaying in their own right.
RRP: £22 | Remote or switch: Switch | Battery life: 200 hours | Sleek and simple, you can always rely on The White Company for a classic home essential. Of all the flameless candles that we've tested, this is the one that tricked most people into thinking it was the real thing – thanks to the real wax outer and warm ivory shade. Other little touches enhance the authenticity, for example, the candle flickers and glows irregularly, just like real candlelight.
RRP: £59.99 for a set of 8 | Remote or switch: Remote | Battery life: 200 hours | Ideal for a mantlepiece, dining table or hallway display, these tapered candles are the safe way to introduce candlelight. Best of all, they are remote-controlled so you can adjust the ambience from afar without having to fiddle with each candle.
I'm now a complete convert to the world of flameless candles because I can see how good the modern designs are. Many are remote-controlled, set on timers and offer different flame settings – flicker or static.
Many are made using real wax, namely Lights4fun’s collection of TruGlow® candles and TruGlow AIR® designs. They are not the tacky, unrealistic candles of old; these are now so realistic you'd be hard-pushed to tell the flames aren't real.
Even Marks & Spencer is a huge fan, announcing earlier this year that they are exclusively stocking Lights4fun LED candles in flagship M&S stores to join the online offering. This first in-store partnership gives customers the chance to see firsthand just how realistic modern flameless LED candles are – if you're still not convinced, I implore you to go see them in real life.
Now we know these aren't just any LED candles, these are now Marks & Spencer LED candles – admittedly still made by the experts at Lights4Fun but with the M&S seal of approval.
My LED candles are the most versatile home accessory I own; they really can transform the look and feel of any room. They really come into their own at this time of the year as we look to reset our homes for autumn and, dare I say it, begin to plan ahead for breathtaking Christmas decorating ideas.
