These Are the Best Fall Candles We Smelled This Year

Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara is Apartment Therapy's News & Culture Director. When not scrolling through Instagram double-tapping pet pics and astrology memes, you'll find her thrift shopping around Boston, kayaking on the Charles, and trying not to buy more plants.
updated Sep 23, 2021
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Cute autumn home decor arrangement. Tiny wooden cabin balcony with heather flowers in pot, lavender in bottle vase, candlelight flame, soft beige plaid waiting on comfortable garden furniture chair
Credit: Getty Images/ Helin Loik-Tomson

It’s officially autumn, and as the weather starts to cool down, there’s something so cozy about lighting a candle. For those of us without a working fireplace, it’s an easy stand-in for that homey hearth, with the added bonus of making your place smell amazing. When it comes to fall scented candles, there are a lot of options out there, but it’s my personal mission to bring you the best of them.

I reached out to a variety of candle brands across the price spectrum, from big retailers to small-batch producers. Then, because everyone is different, I asked some friends to help me smell them — over 50 candles total! Below, you’ll see the top picks from the bunch, plus a few wild cards worth noting.

Dappled Wood Candle
$36

Scent notes: Sandalwood, toasted walnut, sweet hay
Comments: “Beautiful woodsy notes. Makes me think of a chilly night in front of a fireplace."

$36 at Otherland
Pumpkin Picking Candle
$30

Scent notes: Pumpkin, nutmeg, ginger, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, tonka bean
Comments: “Autumnal,” "Subtle pumpkin scent."

$30 at Homesick
Fresh Fall Morning Candle
$26

Scent notes: Citrus zest, sage, Red Delicious apples
Comments: “Fresh laundry,” “Like expensive hand soap.”

$26 at Bath & Body Works
Ghosting Candle
$26

Scent notes: Tobacco, cardamom, mandarin, Guaiac wood, amber
Comments: “Wood/spice,” "A subtle warming scent."

$26 at Anecdote Candles
Assam Tea Candle
$38

Scent notes: Black tea, moro orange, pink pepper
Comments: "Nice but faint," “Smells like the lobby of the St. Germain Hotel."

$38 at Apotheke
Tapestry Candle
$36

Scent notes: Burnt maple, smoky oud, vetiver
Comments: “No idea what I smelled but I liked it," "Kanye West in a candle."

$36 at Sephora
Pumpkin Spice Latte Candle
$26

Scent notes: Pumpkin pie spice, espresso, whipped cream, cinnamon
Comments: “It's PSL szn!" "I'll take mine extra hot, no whip."

$26 at Bath & Body Works
Autumn Adventure Candle
$26

Scent notes: Cedarwood, citrus, mint
Comments: “Sexy, expensive cologne,” “Soapy in a good way,” "Old Spice but make it bougie."

$26 at Bath & Body Works
Basic Candle
$26

Scent notes: Pumpkin, cardamom, valencia orange, cinnamon, ginger root
Comments: "Vanilla and tree bark," “This candle smells exactly the way you want a pumpkin spice candle to smell — not too sweet, and quite layered for something called basic.”

$26 at Anecdote Candles
Cardamom Milk Candle
$40

Scent notes: Frothy milk, cardamom, praline woods
Comments: “Yes, yes, yes — smells like Turkish coffee," "Non-intrusive," "Smells like milk."

$40 at Otherland
White Barn Frozen Lake Candle
$26

Scent notes: Lavender, eucalyptus, juniper berries
Comments: “Classic, clean," "Fresh after a shower," "Like walking on the beach holding hands with the one you love."

$26 at Bath & Body Works
Farmers Market Candle
$26

Scent notes: Ginger, meadow grass, clementine, sandalwood, nutmeg, vanilla orchid
Comments: “Freshness,” "Moscow Mule."

$26 at Anecdote Candles
Threshold Applewood + Amber Candle
$12

Scent notes: Apple, nutmeg
Comments: “Very warm, very fall. The wood wick adds a nice crackly touch.”

$12 at Target
Vanilla & Ghost Pepper Candle
$20

Scent notes: Vanilla, violet, tonka bean, cedar, cinnamon
Comments: “Light with a little spice at the end."

$20 at P.F. Candle Co.
Apotheke Charcoal Candle
$44

Scent notes: Cedarwood, sandalwood, smokey amber, oud
Comments: “Smells like it should be burnt on an altar next to some sticks and moss harvested from your walks in the woods. Also you’re a witch.”

$44 at Nordstrom
No. 14 Woods Candle
$36

Scent notes: Cedarwood, patchouli, pine needle, sandalwood, teakwood
Comments: “I like that this one is woodsy without being pine-y — while that’s a scent I love, it does feel more wintery than autumnal. This one has more of the scent of fallen leaves and fresh soil, which is perfect for crisp fall evenings. It’s like taking a morning walk on a quiet trail. I also like that it smells natural and not at all perfume-y. While I love scented candles, some can be overpowering. Not this one! I’ve taken to lighting it during the day while I work, since it’s a relaxing scent that doesn’t ever feel like it’s taking over.”

$36 at Outdoor Fellow
Spruce Candle
$20

Scent notes: Snow powder, blue spruce, cedarwood, citrus
Comments: “Zesty!” “Fresh,” “Smells almost soapy but I’m into it”

$20 at P.F. Candle Co.
Hashish Ceramic Candle
$68

Scent notes: Black currant, green apple, wormwood, patchouli, moss
Comments: “More adult than other apple candles,” “I wanna be this guy someday.”

$68 at Jonathan Adler
Fairytale Candle
$26

Scent notes: Pomegranate, orange blossom, vanilla bean, warm amber
Comments: “Soothing,” “Put me in a bathtub.”

$26 at Bath & Body Works
Hinoki Sanctuary Candle
$25

Scent notes: Hinoki cypress, cedar, gin botanicals
Comments: “Smells like you're sitting near a brook," "Very Christmas-y."

$25 at Just Bee
No. 1 Fireplace & Clove Candle
$36

Scent notes: Cedarwood, clove, patchouli, woodsmoke
Comments: “I’m such a sucker for anything that reminds me of curling up next to a fireplace or a fire pit on a chilly fall night! This one nails the smoky scent but also has a little hint of sweetness from the clove, which is a nice addition that also has kind of a festive feel (so this candle is a great pick for winter, too). It has as rich scent and honestly? I wish this was a drink because it would probably taste incredible. (Note: It is not. Do not drink the candle wax.)”

$36 at Outdoor Fellow
Bourbon Pop Candle
$46

Scent notes: Davana, cognac, plum, leather accord, birch tree, cedar wood
Comments: “Surprisingly spicy,” “Very leathery,” “It smells like mezcal.”

$46 at Jonathan Adler
Apple Orchard Candle
$34

Scent notes: Red apple, mandarin leaf, cinnamon sticks, pear, pomegranate, sugar cane
Comments: “Definitely that feeling of driving a few hours upstate to pick a half-bushel. Plus, you can add personalization right on the jar for an added fee.”

$34 at Homesick
Cozy Cabin Escape Candle
$31

Scent notes: Toasted pecans, marshmallow, agave, brown sugar, tonka, vanilla bean, musk
Comments: “Like nut brittle," "Good vanilla, but don't smell the nuts."

$31 at Yankee Candle
Sicilian Fig
Cylinder Soy Candle - 10 oz.
$25

Scent notes: Fig
Comments: "Gentle and clean," “Androgynous," "If '80s throwback has a smell, this is it."

$25 at Mixture
Autumn Hayride Candle
$34

Scent notes: Fresh hay, warm amber, clove, maple bark, nutmeg, birch, tonka, oakmoss
Comments: “A faint maple syrup smell," "Like that Mary Jane candy."

$34 at Homesick
White Barn Palo Santo Candle
$26

Scent notes: Palo Santo, warm amber, soft musk
Comments: “Woodsy and fabulous,” “Like a sexy Santa."

$26 at Bath & Body Works
Golden Harvest Strata Glass Candle
$58

Scent notes: Pumpkin, allspice, clove, nutmeg, gingered cinnamon
Comments: “So much cinnamon but in a good way,” "I think this could scent my whole house."

$58 at Anthropologie
Woodland Road Trip Candle
$31

Scent notes: Mandarin, jasmine, white rose, Douglass Fir, white vetiver, sage, vanilla bean
Comments: “Lovely," "Granny's sweater."

$31 at Yankee Candle
Pumpkin & Sweet Vanilla Aurelie Glass Jar Candle
$32

Scent notes: Pumpkin, vanilla, pie
Comments: “Nice twist on regular pumpkin," "Vanilla cupcakes."

$32 at Anthropologie
White Birch Candle
$25

Scent notes: Eucalyptus, mint, pine, smoke
Comments: “Very green, love it," "So many pines," "Very woodsy."

$25 at Just Bee
Tobacco + Cedar
Cube Soy Candle - 5 oz.
$18

Scent notes: Tobacco, cedar
Comments: “Like a cowboy in the Old West just took his monthly Sunday bath and is headed out on the ol' town to visit the nicest saloon."

$18 at Mixture
Trick or Treat Candle
$55

Scent notes: Coconut, pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, cumin, maple, musk, vanilla
Comments: “Subtle pumpkin," "Vanilla more than pumpkin."

$55 at Glasshouse Fragrances
Speakeasy Candle
$28

Scent notes: Juniper, gin, red currant, balsam, oak, cypress, cedar
Comments: “A juicier wood scent — definitely some forest berries in there, like you're strolling through Sweden in the winter."

$28 at Arôme
Fireside Candle
$35

Scent notes: Black amber, lavender, musk
Comments: “Peppery," "Cake frosting."

$35 at Mala
Seven Miles Candle
$78

Scent notes: Gardenia, ylang ylang, orange blossom, vetiver, cedarwood, musk
Comments: “Smells like fresh denim,” "Lovely floral and very granny in a good way."

$78 at Aerangis

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