Candles or tea lights?

[Ridcully82]

This is such a stupid thing to be thinking this much about, but thought this the right place to get opinions,and anything obvious I'm missing: I have a few candles, and some tea lights, and was going to get some back ups as think chances are we're going to have some either planned or unplanned electric shortages, and also as an alternative to background light (have log burner too) if just watching telly/ chatting, so not needing bright light. Have one usb charged lantern,and torches for moving about.

So long story short. Ambient lighting: candles or tea lights (or am I waaayyyy over thinking this🙃😜(

Tea lights, they can go into old food jars so they can be burnt safer than a naked flame!

Paraffin lamps

I’ve just bought some flameless candles that flicker and are remote controlled with a timer too (Amazon)

Better half mentioned those previously,but I forgot them when thinking about options! And never used paraffin lamp so will look at practicalities. See,knew this board would have the angles covered 😁👍
Thank you

These are batteries, nice effect too 🙂

We have solar camping lamps - they charge really well on the window sill - we already use these at night to reduce putting the lights on. We also have some battery sensor lights in hall and bathroom for night visits to the toilet. These we go a few yrs back as DH doesn't like the sound of the light going on in bathroom and because we use to leave a hall light on for the children in case they woke

Aldi solar garden lights on offer just now - fairy lights, that kind of thing. Bought a few and some mini wall hooks just in case I need to have friendly looking ambient light around the house.

I have a mix of both and proper holders for both.

Tall candles tend to burn for longer. And I think personally, give a better light.

Tea lights are easier to store, and usually easier to buy.

I have seen (especially after the Texas snowstorm last year) ideas on how to use 2 terracotta plant pots and 4 tea lights to make an indoor heater.

Apart from giving light, I can also use tea lights in my food warmer thing for the table (bought years ago when we used to have people over for dinner...) - which if the power was out, I could use to heat through a small pot of something (very slowly!).

(I'd probably actually use my camping stove, but if we're stuck, it's an option).

So I am keeping a good mix of both.

And a solar lantern we already had will be used as well - we actually had that on last night.

@Shtfday

Are you happy with your solar light(s)? If you are, can you remember which they are? I've been looking but can't decide which ine(s) to buy!

I know you asked Shtfday, Toomuch, but while I can't remember where we got the actual solar lantern we have, I have a couple of decathlon rechargeable camping lanterns and charge those either directly off a decathlon solar panel or charge a power bank with the panel and then charge lanterns (or phones/iPads etc) from the power bank. DSis has the 2 panel version which is ok but I have the 3 panel version which charges is relatively fast to charge banks etc - I just don't charge smart devices (phones/iPads) directly due to variations in charge as clouds pass over or other shadows etc. Cause problems in the long term.

We have these ones www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B083KDNMJF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I’ve 2 solar lanterns, not too bright though.
several hundred tea lights (bulk buy as I use oil burner)
a couple of boxes of dinner candles appropriate candle holders for both.
a hurricane lamp.

I’ve also got an assortment of scented jar candles so if the lights go out my house will be honking 🤣

Tealights fit nicely into the Gu cheesecake glass dishes. The terrible drawback is that you have to eat a good few of the cheesecakes so that you have enough little dishes 😂

I use the smaller Bon Maman jam jars for 2" candles, and I have a few fat pillar candles as well. I also have flameless candles and a supply of batteries together with some camping lights with variable numbers of LED lights.

There are a good few handheld torches in the box together with one of those big torches that go in cars for emergencies (since DH's stroke we don't have a car so I nabbed the light) together with spare sets of batteries.

Hopefully I've enough to cover various situations.

I have two very heavy-based glass hurricane lamps that take church candles.

Relatively slow burning, good flame height but impossible to knock over.

Plus 200 tea lights for emergencies 😊

I do have candles, but I'm stocked up with tealights as I have a few tealight decorative tealight holders that I regularly use in the winter. As mentioned, you something like a jam jar could be used, or even small saucers if you get caught out.

I've got both, and some tealight food warmers. If you are short of containers use a metal saucepan, or a lasagne dish.

We have bought a small solar panel, a power bank and some rechargeable lights.

We have been really impressed with how much power we get from the solar panel and hopefully this will continue into the winter.

@Shtfday have you a link or photo of the type of solar light you use please?

www.amazon.co.uk/Fulighture-Flashlight-Collapsible-Resistant-Emergencies/dp/B083KD2XNT/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1LLM2925VEEP8&keywords=solar+camping+lamp&qid=1663434671&sprefix=solar+camping+lamp%2Caps%2C64&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Like these

I've gone for 8 hour tea lights and one each of these UCO lanterns:

shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/uco-mini-candle-lantern-kit/

Hoping that the teenagers will be a bit safer with these. They will be for use downstairs and not in their bedrooms.

We've got torches for the bedrooms, but I'm expecting that without screens we will be together in the lounge!

We've been buying candles recently of varying kinds and again I've been surprised at the increased cost, irrespective of the store they're available in.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B091YKG88Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've got 3 of these plus some smaller other ones - they give a good amount of light and last a fair while too - a full evening.

The poster that mentioned it, I made a plant pot heater! It actually gets REALLY HOT and I was very pleasantly surprised. Got ash the bits from b and q, was about £15 but could be much cheaper going to iron mongers.

I got sucked into a YouTube rabbit hole there and ended up looking at 'how to make lard candles.'