There is nothing better than relaxing in your home with a beautiful aroma. Traditionally, we would light a candle to help ourselves unwind. And whilst a good candle is still a staple in our home, there is a new favourite in town - the wax melt. These wickless pieces of scented wax have gained popularity in the last decade as they offer an alternative to candles.
Best wax melts shortlist:
• Our favourite wax melt: Fresh Linen Highly Scented Soy Wax Melts - 16 Pack
• Best M&S wax melts: 20 Pack Library of Scent Wax Melts
• Best wax melts to gift: CoinnealCandleCo - Wax Melt Gift Set
• Best Yankee wax melts: Pink Sands
• Best mix of scents in a set: DERDUFT Scented Soy Wax Melts 4 Pack
Lots of fragrance fans prefer wax melts as they reduce the amount of smoke and naked flames in the home. If you opt for an electric wax burner you completely eradicate the dangers of fire completely. For more information, read our full how-to-use wax melts guide.
Many of your favourite aromatherapy candle scents will also come in a wax melt version. The best thing about wax melts is there is less waste. Wax melts can be used again and again until you can no longer smell the scent. Then it can easily be chucked in the bin. Melts typically come in less packaging too - which is great news for the planet.
We have found the best wax melts in the UK, that will have your home smelling sweet.
Our favourite wax melt
www.fosseliving.co.uk
Fresh Linen is one of our favourite smells in the world. Now you don't need to put on a full load of washing to fill your home with the glorious scent of clean washing. Each wax melt lasts around six hours, getting a total burn time of 96 hours per box.
Customer review: "You know when you've just got into a bed made up with freshly washed bed linen that's been blowing on the line , making the scent of your favourite fabric softener come to life? Well that's what these smell like. So clean and fresh .The heat of the tea light makes the aroma of the melt fill your room with a gorgeous fresh scent."
Pros
- Plastic free packaging
- lasts at least six hours
- Natural soy & rapeseed formula
Cons
- Only one scent per box
| Lead Notes: | Citrus, Galbanum |
| Heart Notes: | Orange Blossom, Jasmine |
| Base Notes: | Lily, Amber |
Best M&S wax melts
M&Swww.marksandspencer.com
These aren't any wax melts, they are M&S wax melts. The iconic British retailers have produced this pack of 20 melts. It includes five sets of four heart-shaped melts. The scents are: Pear Blossom and Freesia; Lime, Bergamot and Mandarin; Pomegranate; Seashells; and Blush Peony.
**Customer review: "**Beautifully packaged, delicious fragrances, reasonably priced. A lovely gift or treat for yourself."
Pros
- Approved by Cruelty Free International
- Suitable for vegans
- Great for gifting
Cons
- Unknown ingredients
| Ingredients: | Unknown |
Best wax melts to gift
www.etsy.com
These luxury stacking wax melt selections are presented in fully recyclable eco kraft pots. These hand-poured soy wax tealights are available on a separate listing. Available in two different sets and can even be ordered with a burner, making it the ideal gift to give.
Set 1
Small Pot: Earl Grey Tea & Cucumber x 6 melts
Medium Pot: Midnight Berries x 8 melts
Large Pot: Rhubarb & Rose x 10 melts
Set 2
Small Pot: Green Tea & Bergamot x 6 melts
Medium Pot: White Citrus x 8 melts
Large Pot: English Pear & Freesia x 10 melts
Customer review: "I’m a newbie to wax melts but after finding this lovely little shop I couldn’t be happier. The attention to detail in the products and also the packaging is amazing "
Pros
- Stunning designed melts
- Stackable packaging
- Hand poured
Cons
- Personalised tags cost extra
| Wax type: | Coconut |
4.
Pink Sands
Best Yankee wax melts
www.yankeecandle.co.uk
Yankee Candles are hailed for their ability to capture scents, and this one is no different. Pink Sand is one of Yankee Candles' best-selling scents. It is a beautiful mix of bright citrus, sweet florals and spicy vanilla notes. The wax melts and will burn for up to eight hours.
Customer review: " I had the pleasure of trying this wonderful product and I am very excited to tell you it's amazing! I really am impressed and I also highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. I'm ecstatic about this the least to say! I love the features about it and the way it works. I highly recommend this product. I've told all my family and friends about it."
Pros
- Affordable
- Relaxing
- True-to-life Yankee Candle
Cons
- Only one wax melt
| Ingredients: | Terpenes, Orange Oil, Limonene, Hexyl cinnamal, 5-Heptenal, 2,6-dimethyl-, Cyclamen aldehyde, Hexyl salicylate, Eugenol, Benzenemethanol, 4-methoxy-, 1-acetate.<br> |
Best mix of scents in a set
Best mix of scents in a set
This set contains six squares of highly scented wax for use in a tea light or electric burners.
These scents are a warm rose, fresh jasmine, sweet cherry and wild lavender.
Customer review: "I am really pleased with these melts. The first time I used one, I could smell the scent in every room which was much stronger than the Yankee Candle ones i have used in the past. Only slight negative is that I didn’t think the melts last as long as others I have bought but they were very good value for money and will definitely buy again."
Pros
- Highly scented
- Six squares of highly scented wax
- Multiple scent choices
Cons
- Two to three wax melts needed for a strong fragrance
Best fruity scents
If you are a fan of fruity scents in your home, this is the wax melt set for you. We cannot get enough of these refreshing powerful scents. Each heart will produce approximately six hours of gorgeous scent per heart.
This set contains: four Black Cherry, four Lemon Sherbet, four Coconut and four Mango.
Customer reviews: "These are excellent melts. The fragrances are beautiful and lots of great choice depending on your Mood! I use them with my electric burner and with a tea light! Think they work better with the electric burner but both work well. Packaged well. Just a lovely product! Smell doesn’t go away after a few uses, appears to last well even until the melt is nearly gone."
Pros
- Soy wax
- Supporting a small business
- Highly scented
Cons
- Small wax melts
Best sweet wax melt scent
Parma Violets is an age-old classic. These scents give us so much nostalgia and happiness when we fill our homes with them. They are packed full of fragrance and will produce 15 hours of essence when warmed.
Customer review: "Parma violets were my favourite sweets as a child as my Grandfather always gave them to me. The scent is a perfect match for Parma violets and has a great strength to it. Packaging is very pretty too."
Pros
- Smells just like the sweets
- Strong scents
- Nice packaging
Cons
- Not good if you don't like Parma violets
Best long-lasting wax melts
This scented wax melt is made from soy wax, which is biodegradable and environmentally friendly. These powerful little squares promise 25 to 30 hours of burning time.
Customer review: "I like all the fragrances a lot. I think the waxes lose strength after about 3 hours of burning but the pack is value for money and if you only use 1-2 cubes at a time it is worth buying and can use variety of scents for different rooms in the house :) great for after cooking!"
Pros
- Four different scents
- Made from 100 per cent natural soy wax
- Biodegradable
Cons
- Scent fades quickly
| Types of fragrance: | Sea Breeze, Lime, Moonlight, Mojito. |
FAQs
What are wax melts and how do you use them?
Think of them as the candle's younger and more sensible sister. Just like a candle, it will fill your home with a gorgeous scent but without the dangers linked to lighting an open flame. Candles are the cause of more than one thousand fires every single year. They offer a safer alternative as they can be heated by an electric melt burner, which doesn't require the use of fire at all. These warmers heat it enough to melt them producing the most wonderful fragrance.
Wax melts and burners come in all different shapes, scents, colours and sizes. It often makes them a great gift or a fantastic way of showcasing your style and personality in your home.
How long do wax melts last?
The burning time of each wax melt will differ. Usually, these will last more than six hours and can be used until you can no longer smell the scent. We have found some of the stronger scents will last multiple uses.
Hannah James is a Senior Parenting, Lifestyle and Home Product writer for Mother&Baby, specialising in product testing and reviews. As a mother of three, Hannah loves finding clothes that makes her feel fabulous and products that are great for large families.