The $16 Holiday Find I Buy 6 of at a Time (I Use Them Year-Round!)

You simply cannot underestimate the coziness of candlelight. My husband and I light candles year-round, but we especially love doing so as it gets darker earlier and earlier. We never worried too much about the safety of our candles burning — we’re responsible adults, after all, and we place them out of harm’s way. Then we got a puppy. 

Having a tiny tornado running around our home made us think twice about having small flames flickering around our living room, but we didn’t want to lose the coziness. Luckily, there was an easy solution: these battery-operated taper candles we found on Amazon.

I scooped up these flameless, battery-operated taper candles a few years ago, and have been in love with them ever since. This complete set includes six candles for $18.99, along with a remote control that not only turns them on and off, but can also put them on a timer, control the brightness, and change the mode from flickering (like a real candle!) to steady light. The candles themselves are also covered in wax, and I love that there’s a wick as well. Even though these aren’t the real deal, I appreciate that they come close! 

Each candle needs two AAA batteries to operate. In addition to the remote control, there’s a button on the bottom of each candle to turn them on and set them to steady or flickering light. I bought the ivory version to stick with a classic look, but they also come in a variety of colors, from ones that look like miniature evergreen trees to black candles dripping with red wax (perfect for Halloween!).

Turning on our taper candles each night has turned into a routine — especially during the fall and winter. I initially got them for the holiday season, but we love them so much that we now keep them out all year long. I’ve moved them around, too — when they’re not on the mantel, they’ve graced my entryway and my dining table when I’ve hosted friends, and I’ve even brought them with me to other dinner parties I’ve co-hosted! Nothing beats true candlelight, but sometimes having a flameless option can save stress. No one has to worry about knocking over a tall candle as we’re passing the bread basket! 

I should note that these candles do require a holder. I bought this set of six gold taper candleholders, and they’re perfect. I love that they come in three different heights, so grouping your candles couldn’t be easier. For a festive touch I’ve also tied ribbons around the stems, which makes them even cuter! 

If you want a more realistic flickering candle look, here’s a tip: Turn each taper on individually so that they flicker at different times. When you use the remote control to turn them on, they all flicker in unison, which is a little too perfect. To make these candles last as long as possible, we don’t turn on the candles unless we’re in the room to enjoy them. It takes 12 batteries to light all six candles, and we want to use that battery life wisely!

All in all, these flameless candles have become a mainstay in our home. The warm glow and ambiance they create is second to none, and we love having them out year-round. Whether you’d like to cozy up your space for the colder weather or replace your real candles with a safer alternative, these battery-operated ones won’t disappoint. 

Buy: GenSwin Flameless Taper Candles, $15.99