www.sensationalsoycandles.com

I bought the Amaretto one - liked it so much that I gave some as Christmas presents. My family loved them, too.

I also like Yankee Candle.

I just get annoyed when I try to light a candle and its super hard because the wick is too deep. I usually can't find a long candle lighter so I just use a normal one. Thanks for the suggestions!

I like the Lighthouse candles...they're sort of a regional thing, so I'm not sure if you can get them outside of this area, though. They smell delicious!

if you don't have a long match around (i have a grill lighter type thing that i got at walmart that I use for my hard to light candles), light a piece of spaghetti or some other long pasta and use that

I like Yankee, I also have a bunch of Gold Canyon candles that I like a lot.

Have you tried the AWESOME Bic lighter that moves? You can put the tip at 3 different angles. It's made specially for jar candles so you don't have to tip them to light them. I have those lying around all over the house.

The rule with lighting a candle for the first time - burn it an hour for every inch from the wick to the outside (the radius.)

So, you wouldn't have to burn a tealite for hours :) but the bigger the candle, the longer you should burn it the 1st time.

Oh my gosh that is exactly what I was going to say. I am obsessed with Lighthouse Candles. It is a little place in Salt Lick. These candles are the best I have ever seen. They do not just burn down the middle. They burn all the way around. The directions that you can get even say that you need to burn them for long periods of time. They smell really good too. They are like 14 for a big one and i think 6 for the smaller ones. I used to like Yankee Candles until I found this place but I don't go there anymore.

Candle snuffers are your friend, they keep your wicks centered and eliminate that "wax blown out all over the place" problem. Also, make sure you are trimming your wicks to about 1/4" on all candles but tealights and 3-wicks (or bigger multi-wicks). From trial and error I've learned that if a jar candle measures over 3" across to leave the wick a bit longer for better burning.

More tips to make any candle happier (sure it's a bit of a shameless plug, but still good tips for candles in general!)
http://www.partylite.us/detail/lang_...candlecare.htm

burning one hour per inch is usually the best way to go, although if it is a 4in candle and is about to spill over after 2 hours, go ahead and blow it out. The wick is too big. this creates a "memory" melt pool for the wax and it is less likely to tunnel down the middle. also, once you blow it out, gently round the edges in with your hands. this is called "candle hugging." It helps keep the sides strong (you've probably seen the little slits that can all of a sudden become big slits and spill everywhere).

Just b/c you do this does not guarantee a good burn. I've seen candles from Pier 1 and other places with little bitty wicks that look like floss for a 3 or 4inch diameter candle. There is no way that candle was designed to burn right.

Most people who make their own candles or who started out making their own and then grew bigger will try very hard to make sure the right wick is in the right size candle. A LOT of factors go into picking the right wick for each candle size, fragrance and type of wax.

My general rules for picking a good candle: 1 - Make sure the wick is as close to center as possible. You can't really change that once the candle is made, so don't think you can fit is as it burns. 2 - The wick thickness should make sense - like above, if it's a piece of floss for anything larger than 2in, run far away. :eek:

3. If you are buying from some who makes their own (like me), go ahead and ask what kind of wax (parrafin, soy, etc) is used and what sort of testing is done. Just don't ask how you can do it yourself. I've spent years making and perfecting mine, so don't think i'm going to tell you all my secrets. :) If a chandler cannot tell you these basic things, they probably don't know what they are doing and don't care much about the quality of the candle.

and always remember to never leave a burning candle unattended (including while someone is sleeping) or with in 8-12 inches of something flammable (and that is a minimum).

happy burning!

Tyler candle co. makes great smelling candles. they sell them at gift shops around here. the lime light one smells the best and they are very strong. i gave a bunch out for christmas and everyone loved them. they also burn pretty evenly.

Believe it or not, the candles from Wal*Mart are GREAT. I have a Hazelnut Coffee one that fills up the room better then my Yankee Candles plus they are cheaper too! The bad thing is, my school sells Yankee Candles as a fund-raiser. I support my school which is good, but I spend waaay to much an candles (it is so hard not to!!):)

Has anyone used the jar warmers (they're like hot plates for candles)? I've never used one myself, but I would think they would make for the most even burn. But, like I said, I wouldn't know from experience.

Yeah :) Every company calls them something different, but mine is a Yankee Candle "tart warmer" (my mom, my fiance's mom, and my roommate are also big fans of these). It works with a tealight to heat up the wax, and it's great - the scent fills up the room better than anything else I have, and it's pretty!

My personal favorites are from the Old Virginia Candle Company. They are more aromatic than any other candle I've ever had.
http://www.oldvirginiacandle.com/