14 of the Best Looking and Smelling Candles to Burn in Your Apartment (Now That You Can!)

This article is part of Your *First* Apartment, a collection of stories designed to help you settle into your very first post-dorm space.

A good candle can set the vibe of a whole room. It casts a gorgeous glow, can really tie together your decor, and makes your space smell amazing. While you can’t burn a candle in an on-campus dorm, you absolutely can in an apartment of your own — which is why I’ve set out to find the very best candles for your new home. I scoured forums and blogs, asked all of my cool friends for their favorite brands, and tapped my own candle-sniffing experience from four years as a lifestyle editor. Then, the Dorm Therapy team set out to try them all.

From jar candles so design-forward they could replace your decorative coffee table book, to uniquely scented pours from brands you might have yet to discover, here are the most stylish, most fragrant, and overall best candles to buy for your apartment. 

Note: A reminder that if you haven’t had candles for a while, you’ll want to practice good candle safety, like only lighting them when you’re home and keeping them on sturdy surfaces and away from curtains or other loose decor — and if you don’t want open flames in your new place, you can always use a candle warmer!

From quirky pours designed to look like a matcha latte to tapers so colorful they’ll bring personality to any surface, these candles stood out as most likely to make your friends ask how does your home smell so good?

Smell House has some of the most undeniably cool scent profiles, and Juice Hoax smells just like walking into a smoothie shop filled with apples, bunches of kale, and fresh mint. Packed in a neon green 14.5-ounce jar, this double-wick candle will make your whole kitchen smell like you keep your fridge fully stocked with fresh produce. The “shortie” size is especially cute for reusing the jar to hold trinkets or Q-tips when you’re done. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

Especially when starting a new chapter in a new place, it can feel really comforting to have a reminder of home. I was surprised at how nostalgic my “Boston” candle instantly smelled, its scent of “spiced tea” hitting on specific core memories of college and instantly taking me back to wandering those cobblestone streets on the weekends. There’s a custom scent for nearly every state and city (I’m totally sending one to my long-distance childhood bestie), but if you’re looking for more of a fresh start, there’s even a New Home candle that smells of fresh linen, clean air and endless possibilities. —Rachel Otero, Social Media Director  

I’m not normally a vanilla candle person, but this isn’t a normal vanilla candle. It’s way more nuanced than the sugary scent I’m used to. It’s warm and spicy, with a subtle sweetness — beyond comforting! I’ve almost burned through it all, which is sad, but it did take a while because Boy Smells candles have a slow, even burn. I don’t have to keep it lit for long before the soft fragrance fills my living room! Needless to say I’ll be repurchasing when it’s done. Boy Smells has redone their packaging since I bought this one, so I’ll be keeping this vessel once it’s empty and using it to store makeup brushes! —Alexa Casanova, Apartment Therapy Shopping Writer

You don’t have to be a Swiftie to love the scents of these candles, but it helps! Literie’s Your English Teacher candle, which seemingly represents Taylor Swift in this duo, smells exactly like walking into your favorite bookstore. The cedar scent is light yet woodsy, and the hint of suede adds a smooth depth. I also like that the minimalist label and white candle can blend into almost any aesthetic. The apparent candle version of Travis Kelce, Your Gym Teacher, isn’t what I’d usually go for — it’s described as having notes of basil and tomato and has illustrations of pizza slices on the front — but it smells much fresher and brighter than I thought it would. —Collette Reitz, Deputy Editor, Special Projects

The branding of Anecdote’s candles is honestly my favorite part — from the label to the box, everything feels so intentional. The witty name and description (“smells like early nights and steady paychecks) make the candle feel like it has its own fun little personality, which I love. The scent is nice and subtle, not overpowering at all, and perfect for burning for hours on end while you apply for jobs, work from home, clean your apartment, or do any of those classic “adulting” things. —Eugenia Gutierrez, Audience Growth Assistant

I don’t even need to light Otherland’s candles to experience the scents, which are sweet but not sickly, and impressively fragrant. I tried Coconut Slushie, Nectar Pop, and Stone Fruit, all of which instantly got me in the mood to go on a tropical beach vacation. My favorite is Nectar Pop, which has made my room smell like a tropical paradise from the moment I got it. —Laney Crawley, Dorm Therapy Intern

I just love the look of Loam candles, from the loopy lettering to the frosted green vessels; they make any surface they’re perched on more interesting. Luckily, they smell incredible, too: They’re made in small batches in Los Angeles and, from Herb Bed to Community Garden, they’re “inspired by a life lived in the garden and experienced through the natural world,” per each box’s branding. With notes of rose petal, cardamom, clove, and black tea, Midnight Moon is one of my favorites. It doesn’t have the strongest scent throw, but that’s part of what makes it so great — it subtly fills your space with a delicate spiced floral aroma that’s just delicious. This candle makes me want to get off my phone. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

I keep telling everyone that the Aphrodite candle from 6pm Candle Co. smells like shopping in an expensive store on a Sunday afternoon. You probably won’t leave with a major purchase, but you feel inspired and glamorous just even setting foot inside. The scent is strong but not overpowering, with slightly spicy notes of black cardamom and cedar. But the wooden wick is really what sends this candle over the top: It crackles in the most soothing way. Just be sure to follow the care instructions of trimming the wick appropriately and ensuring you burn it for three hours the first time (I’m not complaining). Otherwise, the flame could get a little unwieldy and the candle won’t have as much longevity. —Jamie Birdwell-Branson, Senior SEO Strategist

Many of Emme’s candles are inspired by Asian fragrances, and this Ube option is a personal favorite. Contained in a sleek, glossy black jar with a minimalist label, this candle is sweet but not cloying with an earthy, starchy vanilla fragrance. Honestly, I could inhale this scent and listen to the soft crackle of the wooden wick all day long. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

If your space is lacking some witchy vibes, do yourself a favor and pick up a Bijou candle. Each one is named after a different woman, whether she’s a pop culture icon (Dolly Parton), a movie character (Amélie), or, in this case, the star of ‘90s TV show Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I love this incense pillar candle’s 140-hour (!) burn time, bright purple wax, and an aroma I can only describe as rich Fruit Loops. None of Bijou’s candles skimp on scent or throw, and this one fills my whole living room with a moody mix of patchouli, musk, and bergamot. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

If you’re all moved in and your dining table is still looking a little lackluster, adding some funky taper candles from the Ukraine-based company Fire Rabbit should do the trick. These leopard print candles come in the neon yellow and hot pink of my Y2K dreams, and the packaging is just as cute. Other options, like the splatter paint-inspired Pride Candles and sweet heart-patterned Love-Is-Love candles, offer just as much personality. Though they all come unscented by default (great for lighting while you eat), you can email Fire Rabbit to have one of three fragrance combos added to your order: mint/eucalyptus, leather/tobacco, or sandalwood. Since they are made in small batches, they’re customizable. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

I’ve tried to take a sip out of this candle several times thinking it was my actual iced matcha — and it looks so good, I almost wish I could. It smells like sweet boba tea with nice toasty vanilla notes, and truly, it looks good enough to drink. The matcha and milk wax blend together in a beautifully realistic way and the hand-placed (that’s why these can only be made in tiny batches) gel ice cubes float perfectly barely above the surface. It’s just so fun to look at, which is something all of Candier’s candles have in common. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

Brooklyn Candle Studio sells some of the truest-to-name scents I’ve sniffed. Last summer, I bought their Green Tomato candle (it was limited-edition, like many of theirs, but may be similar to Tomato Vine) and my kitchen smelled like a sun-ripened tomato for weeks — not longer, only because I burned through it so quickly. Though I’ve never been to Hawaii, their Maui candle smells to me like sitting in a bathtub next to an open window, with a warm, salty breeze wafting in. It comes in four sizes: a 4-ounce tin, a 7.5-ounce jar, a 13-ounce two-wick vessel, or a 27-ounce three-wick vessel, ranging from $22 to $95, so you can choose whichever size or price point is best for you and your home. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects

I love the effortlessly cool apothecary vibes of P.F. Candle Co.’s amber glass jar candles. Smoked Cherry is perfect if you want to imbue your space with a subtle musk tinged with cedar, cherry, cardamom, and bergamot . Best paired with lots of mood lighting and a vinyl record spinning in the background. —Sofia Rivera, Editor, Dorm Therapy and Special Projects