The warm glow of a candle on a cosy winter’s night, or even a humid summer’s evening – and just about every day in between – is an undeniable delight.
Traditional wax candles, however, can be expensive and more importantly incredibly wasteful. Indeed, luxury candles of all sizes, shapes, scents and colours no doubt act as wonderful gifts. Most of us would dream to own candles by likes of Diptyque and Le Labo but would hardly want to burn them for fear of watching precious pennies melt away.
Candles like the aforementioned can come in at a whopping price range of £60– £265 and, no matter how much you love them, you’ll always be left with a sense of guilt or buyer’s remorse as soon as you light the wick. Likewise, getting into the habit of consistently purchasing unscented, decorative candles can put a big strain on your wallet.
Fear not, for gorgeous, ambient and romantic lighting can be achieved at a fraction of the price with no waste involved. The answer lies in flameless candles.
What are flameless candles?
An electronic, battery operated alternative to traditional wick candles, flameless candles are often used to elevate the aesthetics of both interior and exterior spaces.
How do they work?
The vast majority of flameless candles are battery operated and are simply turned on with the flick of a switch. However, larger sets often come with a handy remote control which allows you to adjust the brightness level, as well as turn them on and off.
Some models even have plastic flames which appear to flicker, as they are balanced on thin wire and lit from below.
How can I style flameless candles?
If you’re a lover of all things home décor, and are also an avid TikTok user, you’ll probably be familiar with the ‘we never use the big light’ trend circulating the most popular interior accounts on the app.
Not only does ambient lighting create an all-round relaxing and anxiety-reducing atmosphere, but it also accentuates and exaggerates vintage-inspired interiors in the best possible way.
“Flameless candles can be a great option to mimic a fireplace feature if you don’t have the facilities,” says Emily Caplan, a UK-based residential interior designer. “Another option for flameless candles is for dining, there are a lot of complaints about the mixing of dining aromas with a scent. This is the perfect happy medium, to keep the effect without compromise”.
Commenting on the ability of LED candles to transform a space, she adds, “flameless candles are an easy way to curate a cohesive look. You buy them in sets often and can place them around a room. You never have to worry about one burning out and affecting the integrity of the scheme.” Caplan highlights too that “they’re also a great option when you have children or pets around!”
What are the benefits of flameless candles?
In addition to safety, flameless candles are cheaper in the long run than repeatedly purchasing wax candles. With the ability to last forever (or at the very least, 100,000 hours), they are also a far more sustainable option for your home.
Plus, with the cost-of-living crisis continually looming over us, you can easily achieve that increasingly sought-after mood lighting vibe without spending any money on electricity.
Keep scrolling for a selection of the best flameless candles to elevate your home below.
Best faux fur throws to give your room a cosy and chic look
Best mushroom lamps to add a dash of 70s style to home decor
Best silk bedding sets for a truly luxurious night’s sleep
Best scented candles of all time for a cosy and fragrant home
Best bath salts for a relaxing and soothing soak
Best cordless lamps: Battery powered and rechargeable lamps to go wire-free
Best statement mirrors to decorate your walls
Best sofa covers to transform your lounge’s look and protect your settee
Best plants for bedrooms that purify the air and decorate your space
Hummingbird Pink Glass Flameless Candles with Remote, Flickering Battery LED Decorative Candles
At first glance, you’d never know that these posy and hummingbird adorned candles were electric.
Unbelievably realistic, each LED candle is powered by 2x AA batteries. One set includes three glass candles at 3x4, 3x5 and 3x6 inches each, as well as a super handy remote control for the utmost ease.
Though we’ve featured them here in an adorable pink combination design, these candles come in a range of other patterns – including lemons, abstract chevron, and even more flowers.
Buy now £23.89, Amazon
Flameless Flickering Taper Candles with 2 Remote Controls and Timer
Perfect for the dinner table, a romantic night-in or simply for a slightly more gothic interior, these flameless taper candles give us major fairytale vibes. Rather than appearing as a solid LED light, the bulb on these warm and ambient tapered candles flicker to mimic the real thing.
With added smart control features, you can use your 10-key remote control to adjust each candle to your desired brightness, and even set a timer. No more running downstairs in the middle of the night to anxiously extinguish an old candle, or to turn off a forgotten light to save electricity.
Buy now £29.99, Amazon
15 TruGlow® Ivory LED Candles with Remote Control
This 15-candlle set of various shapes and sizes – including votives, pillars, spheres and cones – is every interior decorator’s dream. Achieve the kind of romantic set up you only see in movies by placing alternating shapes together and on different levels to create some depth. Whether you’re spicing up a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, hosting a party or simply just adore the atmosphere these faux candles create, these are a top pick in our eyes.
The TruGlow candles by Lights4Fun combine hand poured real wax with innovative technology to create a realistic flame flicker. Add a pack of AA batteries and a LED Remote to your order to complete the full package.
Buy now £119.99, Lights4Fun
Pack of 3 Lavender Inclusion LED Candles
Once again, with the inclusion of real lavender in the base design of these candles – you’d never know they weren’t real. Unlike our first few options, these flameless candles are actually made from wax. They emit a warm, flickering light and can be controlled by the included remote.
Buy now £18.00, Dunelm
TruGlow® Pastel LED Pillar Candle Trio
Pastel, please! This trio of lights by the experts at Lights4Fun provide a wonderful pop of colour to any space, without being overwhelming. Like all the TruGlow models by Lights4Fun, avoid placing these candles alongside any direct heat, as that real wax could be in danger of melting. With the six-hour timer and constant ‘just-lit’ glow, your table setting will never feel dull again.
Buy now £19.99, Lights4Fun
Pack of 60 White LED Tealights
If tealights are a staple in your dinner party prep, never buy another set again with this pack of 60 white LED tealights from Dunelm. They measure just 3.5x4cm and are bundled in 12 packs of five. Battery operated and thus reusable, these subtle tealights are a fantastic way to create a stunning setting, safely.
Buy now £43.00, Dunelm
ÄDELLÖVTRÄD LED block candle, set of 3, white/indoor
Now these LED candles are a technological marvel. Rather than utilising a remote – which is, of course, very convenient – simply pass your hand over these motion detecting flameless wonders to turn them on and off.
When the battery needs charging, there’s a micro-USB port on the underside. No AAs with these candles. Using the timer, you can ensure that your faux candles illuminate at the same time every day and turn off automatically after six hours.
According to Ikea, the LED light source consumes up to 85 per cent less energy and lasts 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. This set includes three candles which measure 17x8x24cm.
Buy now £13.00, Ikea
Pack of 3 Silver Ombre LED Candles
These beautiful silver ombre candles are made from real wax and are even scented with a warming and fresh sandalwood. Whether you’d like to display the varied heights together or dotted around your home, you can control the candles remotely with several different light modes.
Buy now £8.99, The Range
LED Candle in a Large Basket
The ideal LED candle for a summer BBQ, this rustic basket design works wonderfully alongside herby foliage for a clean, stylish look. This larger model has three realistic looking wicks and a off-white colourway for a warmer vibe. The candle measures 15x13cm and requires three AA batteries.
Buy now £7.00, Dunelm
Fanna White Slim Column Battery Operated LED Candles
These striped, ivory white column candles define elegance. This dimmable set includes both batteries and a remote in the price, which is particularly impressive. With eight modes to choose from, as well as an eight-hour timer, these candles will glow however you choose all day, every day. Measuring a tall 5.5x20.5cm, these flameless wonders will add some effortless dimension to your space.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon
TruGlow® LED Shell 3 Wick Candle
She sells sea shells… right to your door. This stunningly realistic and large three-wick flameless candle by – you guessed it, Lights4Fun – makes us feel like we’re by the seaside, or at a coastal retreat. Made with hand-poured wax and real seashells, this candle would make a statement addition to your mantelpiece of bedside table.
Buy now £29.99, Lights4Fun
