A Complete List of Candle Alternatives for Every Occasion
Published January 15, 2025
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7 Minutes Read
Key Takeaways
Need a change from traditional candles? We reached out to experts for the best candle alternatives for style and sustainability to fit every situation no matter where you call home.
Candles have a way of making any space feel warm and inviting, but sometimes they just aren’t an option. Maybe your roommate is sensitive to the smell, your curious cat gets too close for comfort, or your landlord doesn’t permit them in your lease agreement. Regardless of the reason, you may be in the market for some candle alternatives.
Whether you just moved into an apartment in Sedona, AZ, you’re living in a rental house in Sayville, NY, or want to buy a home in Seattle, WA, this expertly curated list of candle alternatives will cover every need for a different option without making it feel like a sacrifice.
1. Essential oil diffusers are a great option
For a candle alternative without potentially harmful chemicals often found in traditional candles, try an essential oil diffuser. “The Aura House’s cold air diffuser is a candle alternative our editors recommend time and time again,” shares the team at The Quality Edit, a comprehensive online guide to quality goods. “Unlike other diffusers, it doesn’t use heat or water, so their award-winning perfumer crafted scents stay pure and last all day. It also doubles as a chic décor piece.”
Helen, lover of natural beauty products and writer at Natural Beauty with Baby, loves nebulizing diffusers for the fragrance and health benefits of essential oils. “This heat and combustion-free candle alternative will fragrance your entire home and look beautiful without flame, fire, or hot oil exposing you and your loved ones to particulates. Just be sure to use child- and pet-friendly oils for a beautifully scented home with less fuss and less risk.”
Olive Roots, a Columbus, OH–based clean home fragrance company, offers concentrated diffuser oils in a variety of scents that are a great non-toxic, flameless option. “We are currently obsessed with the Juniper + Fern diffuser oil,” share owners Kristi and Josh. “It fills our living room with the invigorating scents of juniper berries, cypress, and moss.”
2. Linen and room sprays add a burst of fragrance anywhere
Mustard Seed Candles knows that while you may love your traditional candles at home, you may not be able to burn them – or take their comforting and refreshing scents with you on the go. “For us, scent is everything,” they share. “Our linen sprays are made up of three non-toxic ingredients that offer the same amazing scent as candles do. They’re versatile, great for use in linen closets, bedsheets, furniture, or even places like air vent filters and wool dryer balls.”
“Linen sprays are a great candle alternative,” adds Lauren from Chicago Wick Stop, a hand poured soy wax candle shop in Chicago, IL. “They are perfect for on-the-go in places like your gym bag or even your car. If you want more of a visual effect to your fragrances, a nice wax warmer or quirky ceramic melter by your favorite local artist can add to your décor, too.”
3. Wax melts provide a flame-free ambiance
“We all love the flickering glow of a candle,” shares Canadian soy candle and wax melt company Lux Candles and Melts. “However, When open flames aren’t an option—whether due to safety concerns, rental restrictions, or simply the desire for a worry-free ambiance—our wickless soy candles and soy wax melts are perfect candle alternatives. These options come in a wide variety of scents, sizes, and styles, and our warmers come in endless designs to compliment any décor. Many also feature timers for added peace of mind.”
“Wax melts can be a safe and economical candle alternative,” adds Little Bull Falls Soap Works, gift shop and homemade soap and candle company in Rothschild, WI. “If you miss candles, you definitely need to try out a wax warmer. From rowdy children to strict leases to curious pets, like our own curious cats, we use and sell soy wax melts to enjoy without the worry of an open flame.”
4. Opt for reed diffusers as a low-maintenance candle alternative
Reed diffusers are a great heat and flame-free option that add a unique decorative piece to your home. “Reed diffusers are very low maintenance and provide a continuous scent,” shares Allison of GP Candle Co., a Philadelphia, PA-based, women-owned and operated business committed to making a positive impact on the world. “Our reed diffusers last at least three months, and in some cases, much longer. You can adjust the level of fragrance you would like by the number of reeds you use. They elevate your home décor by adding a fun pop of color and pretty vibes to your home.”
“Reed diffusers are great for what I call proximity scenting,” shares Andrea of Oak & Vale, an artisan scented home products company using high quality, clean ingredients. “We have mini diffusers that are perfect for powder rooms or your desktop in your home office while keeping a small footprint.” Andrea suggests a few expert tips for using reed diffusers, including using a coaster underneath to protect your surfaces from potential oil drips and placing your diffuser within the path of a gentle air circulator, like a central air vent or small fan, to help the scent cover a larger area.
“Reed diffusers are perfect for busy households or spaces where an open flame isn’t practical,” adds Dawn of Tenfire, a handmade, small batch candle company. “They are safer than open flame candles, add style to a space, and are very low maintenance. Simply place the reeds in the fragrance oil to enjoy long-lasting, effortless aroma throughout your space.”
If you’re looking for a great forest-fresh scent, try Soap & Paper Factory’s Roland Pine diffusers. “The fragrance is packed with notes of fir and pine which is incredible for not only the holidays, but year-round experience,” they explain. “When you need a burst of freshness, just flip the sticks. This is a wonderful candle alternative for those with pets and kids, because they can be placed out of reach. It’s a cleaner and safer option for homes, offices, bathrooms, kitchens, and even closets.”
5. Find the right aromatics for a simmer pot
“The best candle alternative I have found over the years has got to be a good simmer pot,” shares Arica, homemaker and blogger of The Simple Homeplace. “I love adding tons of freshly sliced citrus fruits and other aromatics like whole cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves to a large pot of water and letting it simmer on the stove. My whole apartment smells amazing, and it really sets the mood for a cozy day.”
6. Use LEDs to mimic the ambiance of traditional candles
If the cozy lighting that candles bring is what you miss the most, LED lights might be your best option. “Battery-operated candles have become an impressive substitute, mimicking the comfy golden light and flicker that real candles share,” explains Sharon, expert horticulturist and writer of Gardening with Sharon. “String lights are another LED option that offers organic, quiet, and relaxed lighting. The string light display choices are limitless. They can be woven into garlands, wreaths, along ledges, or bunched together into a selection of different vessels.” They might even make a great addition to your indoor garden.
Sara from Wildflowers Floral Design and Events in St. Louis, MO also loves using LED lights in various forms for homes and events. “Glass containers filled with twinkling fairy lights are some of my favorite candle alternatives. They create a whimsical glow, and the glass gives them a stunning reflective effect,” she says. “As a lover of real candles, I’m impressed with the advancements in the LED candles. They’ve come a long way.”
“An excellent combination for renters in spaces where open flames aren’t allowed is pairing LED candles with another candle alternative that focuses on scent, like an essential oil diffuser,” adds Ragine of Blissful Belle and Co., specializing in soy wax candles. “It’s a great way to still add that soothing scent to relax with in your home.”
“While battery-operated candles look so real nowadays, you might still be missing the ambiance of traditional candles,” shares Kristyn, writer of the Limited But Livin’ lifestyle blog. “If that’s the case, consider adding textures and dim lighting to your space to help capture a similar aesthetic.”
Whether you’re adding some glowing vibes to your indoor or outdoor space, Koopower Lights has plenty of LED light options to fit your needs. “Designed with features like waterproofing, built-in timers for easy operation, and clip-on installation, our string lights provide warm, ambient lighting and charm to fit any setting.”
Image courtesy of The Marie-Marie.
7. Fill your space with the subtle and long-lasting fragrance of potpourris
“My favorite way to fragrance a room without burning or heating the scent is with MAD et LEN’s potpourris,” shares Nicole, founder of perfume store The Marie-Marie. “Handmade in the French Alpes and Morocco, these iron vessels contain stones, crystals, or amber resin and act as diffusers for their pure perfume oils. A few drops will charge your potpourri for months to a year. The lid allows you to control the scent like an on-and-off switch. In our apartment, we use them in the living room, closets, bathroom, and entryway. The colorful crystals bring magic to the quiet moments in life”
8. Consider eco-friendly DIY candle alternatives
Some candle alternatives are fun and easy to make yourself. Tulani, author and founder of TuTu’s Green World, a green lifestyle and education company, makes her recommendation on sustainable and safer alternatives to create at home:
“You can create homemade soy wax melts that are biodegradable and clean-burning. You can also make DIY scent jars by filling mason jars with dried flowers, herbs, and a few drops of essential oils. These fun ideas and crafts add natural fragrance to your home while teaching kids eco-friendly habits.”
9. Some unique alternatives, even if you can burn traditional candles.
If you love candles and you’re able to burn them in your space, chances are you’re burning them in almost every room of your apartment. Regardless, there are a number of traditional candle alternatives to explore to shake up your routine or provide healthier options for your home.
More eco-friendly alternatives
Rain from The Good Planet Company suggests looking at some eco-friendly alternatives to traditional candles. “Eco-friendly candles, crafted from materials like soy, beeswax, and coconut wax, have much lower environmental impact with more sustainable materials and practices,” she explains. “They burn cleaner, produce less soot, and are biodegradable. Beeswax even pulls negative ions from the air like mold, mildew and dust, leaving your air free of debris. Not only are they a healthier choice, but they also generally last longer than traditional candles.”
Mélanie, founder of Artisane Candle Atelier, a natural candle crafting workshop in New York, NY, affirms that beeswax candles offer a warm, natural glow that people love from traditional candles while being a more eco-friendly alternative. She also recommends wax melts, as mentioned earlier, which offer a similar scent experience and have the benefit of reusability.
Image courtesy of UP Candle Design.
Chic décor pieces
“Sculptural candles offer a unique combination of art and function,” shares Jurisa of UP Candle Design, a candle company that creates artistic sculptural candles out of organic wax. “These candles double as decorative pieces that enhance your space even when not in use. It makes them a perfect option for renters who can’t burn them or those who want a more aesthetic candle alternative. They are crafted with unique shapes and eco-friendly materials, providing a sustainable yet elegant way to enjoy ambient lighting.”
Clean ingredients
“If you suffer from negative physical reactions to scented home goods like candles, try to shop from brands that utilize paraben- and phthalate-free fragrances,” shares Bailey, owner of Bailey Bee small batch fragrance shop in Charlotte, NC. “These artificial enhancers are harmful to humans. The trade-off for a better quality product is usually only a handful of dollars more.”
Experience all the benefits of traditional candles with these alternative options
“Whether you prefer wax melts, reed diffusers, or room sprays, these are all great candle alternatives for dorms, apartments, and office spaces where you may not be able to light traditional candles,” summarizes Radek, creator of ScentWick Candles. No matter your situation, you can still enjoy all the perks of traditional candles with these amazing options.
