Container candles vs pillar candles
Jar candles and free-standing pillars use different waxes, burn in different ways and need different care. This side-by-side guide helps you pick the right one.
Two basic designs
Almost every candle is one of two designs. A container candle is poured into a jar, tin or ceramic vessel and burns inside it. A free-standing candle, such as a pillar or a taper, is made from wax firm enough to hold its own shape and stands on a plate or holder.
The design affects which wax can be used, how much fragrance the candle holds and how you should care for it.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Container candle | Pillar candle |
|---|---|---|
| Wax | Soft waxes such as soy and coconut work well | Needs harder wax such as beeswax or pillar-grade paraffin |
| Fragrance | Can hold more fragrance oil | Usually lighter scent |
| Burn | Melts edge to edge inside the jar | Melts a pool inside a wall of wax |
| Mess | Wax stays in the jar | Can drip if drafts or tunneling break the wall |
| Portability | Easy to move once cool, often has a lid | Needs a stable, heat-safe plate |
| Look | Jar design is part of the style | Wax itself is the decoration |
| End of life | Stop with about 1 cm (1/2 inch) left in the jar | Stop with about 5 cm (2 inches) left |
Container candles
Container candles are the most popular choice for scented candles because the jar lets makers use soft waxes with excellent scent throw. They are also tidy: the wax never leaves the jar. Look for thick, heat-resistant glass or ceramic. Thin decorative glass can crack if the flame touches the side late in the candle's life.
A lid is a useful extra. It keeps dust off the wax and slows the loss of fragrance between burns.
Pillar candles
Pillars are classic, sculptural candles, often unscented or lightly scented. A good pillar burns down its center and leaves a thin outer shell, which glows when lit. To get that effect, burn a pillar for about one hour for every 2.5 cm (1 inch) of diameter, so the melt pool spreads close to the edge without breaking through.
Always stand a pillar on a heat-proof plate that is wider than the candle. Even a well-made pillar can drip if it sits in a draft.
Votives, tealights and tapers
- Votives are small candles designed to melt completely, so they must burn inside a holder slightly wider than the candle.
- Tealights come in their own small metal or plastic cup and burn for a few hours. Place them in a holder, never directly on a surface.
- Tapers are tall, thin dinner candles that need a snug candleholder. Keep them out of drafts so they burn straight.
Which should you buy
- For fragrance, choose a container candle.
- For a dinner table or a decorative glow without much scent, choose pillars or tapers.
- For many small points of light, such as on a terrace, choose tealights in glass holders.
Whatever the style, never leave a burning candle unattended, keep it away from curtains and children, and place it on a stable, heat-resistant surface. Read candle fire safety for the full list.
