Scented candles that look more expensive than they are

Scented candles don’t come cheap – or do they? Let’s face it, as much as we would love to have a home filled with boujie fragrance brands like Diptyque and Byredo, not everyone can drop over £50 on a decent-sized candle.

While we still adore the fragrances of big name brands if the budget stretches, we’ve also come across a number of gems that don’t break the bank but still deliver when it comes to fragrance and throw. From high street hits to scaled-down versions of more expensive jars, here are our top picks of scented candles.

The best scented candles for £20 or less

George Home

Modern Cottage Debossed Ceramic Scented Candle – set of 2, £10, George at Asda

These candles from George are giving us big Diptyque energy in the way they look. The fragrance of these is called Country Garden, and has notes of apple, cedarwood, jasmine, musk, orange flower, raspberry, with a burn time of 40 hours.

Zara x Jo Malone

Amalfi Sunray Candle, £6.99 (was £15.99), Zara

The whole collection of Jo Malone Zara candles is worthy of your attention, but if we had to pick just one, we’d opt for Amalfi Sunray, which fills the room with a burst of citrus-infused sunshine as soon as you light the wick. Check out Zara’s own-brand candles too – we’ve tried a few and there’s not a bad one in the bunch so far.

Mini Capri Blue Jar Candle, £16, Anthropologie

Anthropologie’s signature Capri Blue candles pack an impressive fragrance punch for their price. These versions come in highly aesthetically pleasing tins that will look great on any mantlepiece, and carry notes of either tropical fruits and sugared citrus, or orchids, jasmine and gardenia.

Cork lid Scented Candle, £3.99, H&M Home

Yes, the high street really is awash with great, cheap scented candles if you know where to look. H&M’s in-house home line has an amazing offering which rotates year round – our current fave is this chic rich mahogany scent, which will leave you with change from a fiver.

Neom

Complete Bliss Scented Candle, £18, Neom Organics

Another mini version of larger jars that veer into spenny territory, Neom’s candles are legendary for their ability to fill a room in record time. The travel candles come in a choice of four fragrances and last at least 20 hours – try Complete Bliss to lift your mood, or Tranquility if you want to relax and unwind before going to sleep.

AromaWorks

AromaWorks Lemongrass & Bergamot Candle, £10.49 (was £13.99), Holland & Barrett

Those looking for all natural but still relatively cheap scented candles, AromaWorks is the answer to your prayers. Each of its blends, from Lavender & Petigrain to Mandarin & Vetivert comes with very high praise indeed – one reviewer even says that they’re the best candles they’ve ever smelt in this price range.

Muji

Tin Candle, £4.95, Muji

No your eyes are not deceiving you – you can stock up on these small but mighty tin candles from Muji for less than £5. We love the creative pairings on offer, from this green tea and water mint scent to the quirky jasmine and olive and cosy green log fire. As an aside, its aroma diffusers are also excellent.

Marks & Spencer

Calm 3 Wick Candle, £17, Apothecary at Marks & Spencer

The Apothecary brand at M&S has recently gone viral for having a fragrance similar to one from Le Labo. So if you want to fill your home with a fragrance that smells more expensive than it is and creates a calm environment, try starting with this one. It’s got gentle notes of lavender, clary sage, sweet orange and cedar wood.

The White Company

Seychelles Signature Scented Candle, £20, The White Company

Among the most expensive candles in our round-up, but we couldn’t justify leaving it out. Seychelles is a bestseller for The White Company, thanks to its ability to invoke memories (imagined or otherwise) of an Indian Ocean island, with notes of bergamot, orange and amber combined with warming coconut, vanilla and almond. It’s seriously blissful stuff.

Oliver Bonas

Patchouli Scented Candle, £19.50, Oliver Bonas

With homeware this gorgeous, it makes sense that Oliver Bonas would come up trumps when it comes to scent, too. Its range rotates fairly regularly, but the current core line of candles includes fig, bergamont, rose and patchouli – they’re a joy to look at and to smell.

Aldi

Pomegranate Candle, £3.49, Aldi

You’ve probably already encountered these Jo Malone dupes online, but if you’ve not actually purchased one, we’d implore you to give one a go before you dismiss them. At £3.49, they’re one of the cheapest scented candles on the market and the scents are surprisingly subtle, yet armed with staying powder. You can’t go wrong with Pomegranate, but the zestier Lime Basil & Mandarin also has a place in our hearts.

Champneys

Champneys Calm Candle, £7 (was £14), Boots

Create a sense of calm with this Champneys candle, currently half price at Boots. The Calm candle smells of geranium, cedarwood and eucalyptus. If that doesn’t take your fancy, there’s also a Slumber and Awaken candle on offer.

Nivea

Nivea Sun Scented Small Candle, £6.90, Nivea

Why wouldn’t you want a candle that smells of sunshine and summer? This candle joins the perfume and diffuser from Nivea, creating a lovely summery scent with fresh citrus cocktail and sunny floral notes.

Yankee Candle

Wild Orchid, £7.49 (was £9.99), Yankee Candle

Yankee Candle is the original scented candle favourite for many, and while the large and medium jars can often come in over £20, the small jars are cheaper if you want a burst of fragrance in your home. Saying that, many of the bigger jars are currently on sale on the Yankee Candle website for less than £20, so it’s worth checking them out here.

Grind

Espresso Martini Candle, £15, Grind

If you love the smell of fresh coffee in the house, you’ll love this candle from coffee shop brand Grind. It smells of their signature Espresso Martini and is made from 100 per cent vegan soy wax.