$30 seems to be that price point at which many of us back off when it comes to buying candles. It can seem hard to justify spending any more than that on something that smells nice.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my luxury candles, brands like Diptyque are some of my absolute favorite candles. But let’s be honest, who really has the budget to be buying $60+ candles all the time?
We decided to put together a list of candles that we love, that can all be found under that $30 mark (MSRP – please double check current prices before buying anything on the list).
These are still all very good candles that I do get frequently, but they won’t break the bank like some other candles will.
Another consideration that many other websites don’t consider is that being under $30 can be quite vague when you consider candle sizes as well. Because of this, we only included candles $3 per ounce or under. This way you won’t be getting a miniature candle that only burns for 10 hours for that 30 bucks!
Now to the fun part. Our best smelling candles list!!
(These are in no particular order)
First up we have a very popular candle and those people that frequent stores such as Anthropologie will know this one well. It is essentially ‘the scent of the store’. This candle is a scent from Capri Blue called ‘Volcano’. It has an intriguing and unique scent that I just love. The Capri Blue candles are all quite popular and for good reason. They smell great. They look great. But most importantly on top of all that? They are reasonably priced.
Note: Recently I have heard some mixed stories from sellers on Amazon with this candle and I’m recommending that you buy from the official Capri Blue website instead to ensure the quality. As a bonus, Capri Blue has the most jars of the Volcano scent to choose from. Just in case you aren’t a fan of the traditional blue one pictured above.
Ah, what would a best smelling candles list be without an appearance from Voluspa? Often times I categorize these candles as luxury priced candles when really most of them are not bad when it comes to prices. It’s hard not to think of these as luxury candles when they look so great though.
Each scent is available in a variety of different containers that all have stunning designs from wide 3 wick tins covered in floral patterns to the one pictured above which is colored glass with embossed patterns wrapped around it.
The pick above is French Cade Lavender from Voluspa’s best selling Japonica collection. It has notes of french cade wood, verbena, and Bulgarian lavender.
Light this by the bath and be transported to a wondrous spa in your very own home. It is beautiful!
Madison Valley Soy Candles are one of the newer candles that we have tried and it was quickly apparent how good their candles were. Soy candles are more popular than ever these days, they burn cleaner and last longer so it’s really not a surprise to see.
Madison Valley takes their 100% soy candles claim seriously, they make their candles from soybean-based vegetable oil only. They don’t blend their candles with other waxes, they use natural essential oils to fragrance their candles and they are USDA certified organic, kosher, and vegan.
That isn’t to say they don’t perform well either. These were some of the best burning candles that we have gotten in a long time and they are truly a bargain.
Oh, and did I mention they smell good too? Cranberry Apple is to die for *drool*
Another candle that has an ECO friendly aspect to it is this Verbena and Lemongrass candle from Paddywax. The jars these candles are contained in are actually recycled wine bottles! That’s not the only thing that makes these candles wonderful though.
The most important part for most people is the scent and with this candle, it delivers in that department. This scent of verbena and lemongrass gives you a refreshing citrusy fragrance throw that can fill up an entire living room.
It is a fairly strong yet pleasing aroma and the candle even carries when unlit. I have yet to find a problem with the burn quality in this collection from Paddywax so that is an extra plus.
Rewined is another company that uses recycled wine bottles as their jars but these ones actually look like bottles of wine and are scented after them! The rose scent from the ‘blanc’ collection is one of the best I’ve smelled EVER.
They did a great job with the fragrance here, it’s quite fruity and floral and it throws very well. I found myself just cold sniffing this candle whenever it was near me without even thinking (yea I’m a weirdo).
Pair the impressive scent with a spectacular look and solid burn quality and you’ve got a winner here.
Pure Integrity Soy Candles don’t have labels or any of the gimmicks that some of the other popular candles do but one thing they do have is an extremely well-made candle.
I LOOOVE these candles.
Once you try one of these you realize just how expertly crafted they are. The 16 oz candle which is pictured above has two wicks to ensure an even melt pool all the way to the bottom. They use a 7 step pouring process to ensure a strong fragrance not only when you first light the candle, but all the way through. And speaking of fragrance. They got the scents just perfect!
A favorite of mine and also many others’ is the Vanilla Soy Candle of theirs. It is truly amazing, no cheap smells, just a honest smelling vanilla candle.
We have a similar candle to this already on the list but I wanted to add another cheaper alternative. Just because this one is cheaper does not mean it’s worse! Like Pure Integrity above, this candle may not be flashy but it means business. The lemon verbena candle by Mrs. Meyer’s gives off a strong, clean, and crisp scent. It can throw quite a bit of scent and adds a bit of freshness to any room around the house. I’ve had no issues with the burn quality of these candles so far.
Archipelago Botanicals may be the last on this list but they are one of our absolute favorites. These candles have intense, complex scents that can easily fill entire rooms. If you have guests over when these candles are lit, you can be sure that you will be receiving comments on them. Even upon cold sniff these candles throw a good deal of fragrance!
One of my favorites – along with many others I know – is the ‘Havana’ candle. It takes inspiration from the sights of Cuba and blends notes of ylang-ylang, tobacco flowers, and bergamot with hints of sugar cane and grapefruit for a woody, yet citrusy aroma that is just right. The tin version of this candle is a nice pick as it is less likely to arrive damaged when compared to its glass counterpart.
As you may have noticed throughout the list, naturally, most of the candles are creeping up close to the $30 mark we set. You really do get what you pay for with candles a lot of the time.
With some exceptions, they last longer, they smell better, and they most definitely look better. That isn’t to say that there aren’t very good candles that are under $20.
Keep an eye on the blog updates as we’ll be doing a similar list for those candles that don’t break the $20 price point but are still amazing.
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Have a great day =D You guys are the best!
I absolutely love soy candles! I like soy candles from Kushley. They don’t have a super strong scent, but they’re actually meant for getting rid of smells. You can get a large candle for only $22 and it lasts for a really long time. I highly recommend it. Here’s a link: https://www.kushley.com/collections/candles
No chemicals! 100% soy wax!! Best smelling candles and tarts. We also have tart warmers and essential oils 🙂
Just about everything is a chemical. What you probably mean is non toxic, and even that’s not true, as much as the soy lobbyists would love for people to believe. If it’s burning, there’s some degree of toxicity to it. Also, before you say soy is the only way to go, research about the way the wax is made from the little soyabeans. Sprayed with hexane. Coconut wax is an amazing alternative.
Don’t soy candles burn faster than non soy candles?
Soy needs less heat to warm up the wax which means they can do with a smaller wick. The smaller flame from these wicks means that wax is being consumed at a slower rate. Not all wicks in soy candles are smaller, and not all of them burn the same though, so this is more of a general rule. At least that is my understanding!
Thanks for the list. $30 is definitely the top of my range. Soy candles are the better choice for sure. Environmentally friendly and a much healthier alternative for the air in your home – especially in the winter!
What is the candle brand with the most throw? Thanks!
Hi Erica! Thanks for the comment. It’s hard to pick one brand that is always consistent with great throw. Some brands have certain scents which have great throw while other scents are nowhere near as good.
Some consistently strong brands are Archipelago and Capri Blue from this list but you also can’t go wrong with ones from NEST, Bath and Body Works, and Votivo. Those are just a few off the top of my head that stand out. 😉
Hey Candle Junkies,
I’ve got something special for you. If you love coffee AND candles (and who doesn’t), you’ll love this one. https://eastcoastcandles.ca/shop/coffee-bean-tin/
I am looking for a candle from Illume called Market Roast also from the brand Pure.Clean.Soy. It used to be sold in Target, do you know where could I find it?
Thank you:)
You should try Gold Canyon candles… made from paraffin so no hot wax to burn little fingers, it is indeed the strongest fragrance on the market, the very first candle company to use double wicks which are also self-extinguishing at the bottom of the jar, you get a clean burn, so no tunneling in the middle = more burning for your $, and longer burn times. I’ve tried many, many, many candles over the years and I won’t burn anything else now. Oh, and the jars? totally reusable when you’re done with the candle! 🙂
Gold Canyon = dessert without the calories. http://www.myhousesmellsgreat.mygc.com or http://www.goldcanyon.com
I absolutely love soy candles. They don’t have a super strong scent, but they’re actually meant for getting rid of smells. Soy candles are the better choice for sure. Environmentally friendly and a much healthier alternative for the air in your home – especially in the winter. If these candles are packed with beautiful high quality printed Custom Candle Boxes it increase the beauty of candles.
This iconic fragrance candle comes in a decorative glass jar. I thought Volcano candle is the incomparable Candle all over the world. But after reading your reviews I have discovered that I was wrong. I found another candle named Pure Integrity Soy Candles here.
Thanks for these reviews.
Volcano is an excellent candle, but yes there are some others that are just as good! 😉
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