Candles - are some better than others?

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

i’m not a fan of candles but want to get some in stock in case of power cuts.

Are shorter altar style candles safer (more stable) than long thin ones (we don’t have candlesticks so would have to stick them to plates or inside cups)

Do any last longer than others?

Thanks for any tips from the more organised mners.

Yes some are better than others. The better quality candles with beeswax in them burn cleaner and better than the cheap ones.
the tapers are good for burning but really need to be in candle sticks. Can often find old candlesticks quite cheaply in charity shops and antique shops. I’ve got some brass ones and some enamel ones.
the pillar candles are more stable if you haven’t got candle sticks. I’ve got some in jam jars.
the loveliest candles are St Eval ones but not cheap

The best candles I have found are the Ikea ones by far. I order in bulk and get delivered (I love candles anyway) also lookout on marketplace for used wedding candles (usually Ikea) so can get real bargains

We’re now using LED candles with their own batteries. I find they throw out more light. Test candles in the dark - a single candle is very dim. For flame candles I like the short wide ones with multiple wicks. Tealights are fairly stable but burn out very quickly. Lanterns for candles are a good safety measure. When I was a child we had a paraffin lantern for powercuts but it seems like such a faff these days. DH had one of those rechargeable camping lanterns for a couple of years but eventually it stopped recharging.

We have flameless candles and a lantern, and beeswax piller candles.

Yes chunky ones best in a little holder or on a plate

I buy big chunky ones and put them in a candle lantern. They last forever. I often light them at home for ghe ambience. Also much safer as my cats like to mess with candles and burn their whiskers.

I get the big chunky ones in bulk from IKEA and they have numerous lanterns too.

I also get the 8 hour tealights from Amazon. They (obviously) burn for 8 hours.

Thanks all. I’m trying get prepared on a small
budget so I hadn’t planned on forking out for lanterns too (no pets or young kids here). I will look out for some decent quality chunky ones. I like the idea of partly used wedding candles too.

Cheap....

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/168744495077?_ul=GB&rb_itemId=168744495077&rb_pgeo=GB&var=468045375099&ff=11&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339059258&toolid=10044&customid=CjwKCAiA2MDXBhBUEiwAD-YB-9Ar8V6fzQ6V4j6LxgoPwJUJZbNXd_BOa0xibq15agY3k1wgu1gpYxoCj4YQAvD_BwE&gclid=CjwKCAiA2MDXBhBUEiwAD-YB-9Ar8V6fzQ6V4j6LxgoPwJUJZbNXd_BOa0xibq15agY3k1wgu1gpYxoCj4YQAvD_BwE&wbraid=Cj4KCAiAtbvXBhBqEi4Adpe0zoOSiAAo84XQPj8nN7cjmwkfngL_hyr7V3E4Oy8K-clmrBmzt04J5bSyGgK6EA&gbraid=0AAAAADA7Q_KIoZlIkhp21YRB3wg8xVwbv&adtype=pla&loc_physical_ms=9045664&loc_interest_ms=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20506529270

On a small budget, chunky pillar candles stood on a ceramic plate or an old metal baking tray are a stable option, no lantern needed. A few safety basics make a big difference: keep them well away from curtains and anything hanging, never leave one burning when you leave the room or go to sleep, and use a torch rather than carrying a lit candle around. Also worth checking your smoke alarm has a working battery, as mains-wired ones rely on their backup battery when the power is off.

Here is one of my cats doing her best to set fire to her whiskers/tail. They just can't leave candles alone hence the lantern.

I looked into this and decided that 8 hour tealights were the best bet (I can't remember exactly why - something to do with how it's easy to use them without wasting any wax, whereas in larfer candles can get a tunnel effect around the wick unless you are very careful). Tealights are good value too. 8 hour ones are slightly taller than "normal" tealights. You can get big packs of them in lots of places - Poundland and similar.

Why not buy a solar torch/radio. I actually have a pannel we can charge the fridge/freezer off and a couple of lights or phones. Live rurally.

The 8 hr tea lights look good. Could I put one in a jam jar or is that not safe?