Kringle Candle VS Yankee Candle: What Is The Difference?

If you’re a candle lover you are always on the lookout for another great candle brand. Trying new fragrances, understanding more about the company and the materials they use, it’s all part of the process. So in this article I’ll be comparing Kringle Candle vs. Yankee Candle. It’s likely that you’ve heard of them, and you might be wondering what the differences are between the two.

It may come as a surprise to you to learn that these two companies are indirectly linked. Although they operate as separate entities, their beginnings are a lot more alike than different. It will be hard to choose one company over the other because they both like to create value for their customers. Your decision will likely boil down to how each product is made and the scent options that are available.

Read on to learn more about the kinds of candle products created by each company and which ones you might like best.

What Are Kringle Candle and Yankee Candle?

If you are unfamiliar with these candle companies, here’s a short rundown of each one.

Kringle Candle

Founded by Mike Kittredge III and his father, Michael J Kittredge II in 2009, Kringle Candle is a Massachusetts, USA – based candle company. As I’ve written about, Mike Kittredge III jokingly stumbled into the family candle business 11 years after his father had sold the bulk of his ownership of Yankee Candle Company.

Unlike Yankee’s candles, the first collection of Kringle candles used only white wax in oval pillar glass jars. Over time, they expanded their offerings to include candles made with colorful wax in traditional Yankee Candle jars as well. 

All Kringle candles are still made in the USA with ingredients and supplies sourced from within the States. They have a flagship store in Massachusetts, and it is possible to wholesale their candles and sell them out of your own store.

Yankee Candle

Founded by Michael J Kittredge II in 1969, forty years prior to the release of Kringle Candle, Yankee Candle is still based in America but has a growing international presence. They even opened up a factory in Europe, which acts as the company base for candles that are shipped overseas.

Although Michael J Kittredge II sold a large portion of the company back in 1998 and passed away in 2019, Yankee Candle has continued to hold a strong portion of the candle market and does not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. 

In addition to their own retail locations, Yankee candles are licensed to be sold in retail stores owned by other companies as well.

Kringle Candle vs Yankee Candle: Brand Comparison

Although company foundations were very much alike, and there is still a connection between these two companies, their product offerings are different in a few ways. 

Product Catalog: Kringle Candle vs Yankee Candle

Both companies have an expansive product catalog, but Yankee Candle has a lot more options than Kringle Candle. Here is a list of what each company has to offer along with short description when necessary.

Kringle Candle

Kringle mostly carries candles with some flameless scenting options. Their candle categories are the Kringle Candle, Country Candle, 3-Wick Candles, and the Vineyard Collection. And each candle category comes in different forms or scent subcategories. Flameless products include melts, air mists and firestarters. 

Kringle Candle Collection

These candles are created with Kringle’s signature white wax, but the wax type varies. They use paraffin wax, soy blends, and 100% soy wax. Using highly concentrated fragrance oil, this collection is available in 2-wick large and medium jars, 3-wick tumblers, wax melts, DayLights, and tea lights. DayLight candles are twice the size of tea lights and are suggested to be a great way to test out a fragrance you’ve been wanting to try. 

Some of the best-selling Kringle candle fragrances are: Apple Cider Donut, Cozy Cabin, Fresh Lilac, and Rosemary Lemon. 

Country Candle Collection

I’ll write more about the large jars in this collection later, but Country Candle sizes also include: medium 2-wick glass jars, DayLight candles, and wax melts. Some heart-warming fragrances include Blueberry French Toast, Warm Apple Pie, Balsam & Cedar, and Coffeeshop.

3-Wick Candles

Made with a soy wax blend and natural cotton wicks, these 14oz tumblers burn for up to 45 hours and come in a range of subcategories: 

Clear Glass – scents like: Black Pepper & Gin, Agave Pastel, and Desert Oud.

Boujee – Sassy and sultry scents like, Boss Lady, Bae, Savage, and Extra.

Donut Collection – Six donut scents including Boston Cream, Cinnamon Sugar, Blueberry Maple.

Farmhouse – Home scents like Caramelized Pecans, Garden Mint & Melon, and Tulips.

Spice Line – For the culinary herb enthusiast: Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, and more.

Zen – Japanese-inspired designs and fragrances, like, Bonsai, River, and Cherry Blossom.

Vineyard Collection

For the wine aficionado, this collection covers red, white, and blush wines, like, Cabernet, Riesling, and Pink Champagne behind colorful glass. Each one is 26oz, made with four wicks, burns up to 90 hours, and comes with a lid.

Yankee Candle

Yankee’s catalog is far more complex, but they have also had more time to expand their product lines over the years. 

Signature Candles Jar Candles

Tumbler & Pillar Candles 3-Wick Candles Yankee Candle Minis

Samplers Votive Candles Personalized Candles

Candle-alternative products include: 

• Sleep diffusers
• Scent Plugs
• Scentlights
• Wax Melts & Warmer
• Scenterpiece Warmers with Easy MeltCups
• Gel Tins and Warmer
• Reed Diffusers
• Room Sprays & Dispensers
• And various car fragrance accessories

Ingredients Used: Kringle Candle vs Yankee Candle

Both companies are a bit vague about their fragrance oil compositions. It seems that Kringle primarily uses natural scent ingredients, but they don’t claim to use pure essential oils.  

Yankee Candle has released over 600 fragrances over the years and indicates that they use “premium fragrance ingredients” but that is all.

Both companies use 100% natural fiber wicks that sometimes incorporate varying amounts of cotton and paper fibers, depending on the fragrance and wax type.

Kringle Candle sources their glass jars from Ohio and New Jersey, USA. It is possible that the Yankee Candles that are made in the USA are also made with glass from local suppliers. 

Pricing:  Kringle Candle vs Yankee Candle

Kringle candles seem to veer on the higher end of the pricing curve. For instance, here is a comparison of one three-wick candle from each company.

Kringle Candle vs Yankee Candle Three-Wick Price Comparison

	Kringle Candle	Yankee Candle
Scent	Lemon Lavender	Sage & Citrus
Typical Price*	$25.50	$24.50
Wax Type	Soy wax blend	Soy wax blend
Weight	14 oz tumbler	18 oz tumbler
Dimensions	3.5in x 4in	4.75in x 4.75in
Burn Time	Up to 45 hours	Up to 50 hours

Although the Kringle Candle sticker price is only one dollar higher, their 3-wick candle is four ounces less than Yankee Candle’s even though they are both using a soy wax blend and premium scent ingredients. 

Kringle’s Country Candle vs Yankee’s Jar Candles

The original Yankee candle was in its apothecary shaped glass jar, founded in 1969. In addition to the glass jar, it’s signature characteristics included colored wax, a single wick, and strong, nostalgic scents. 

In 2017 Kringle Candle began to sell their Country Candle line which is reminiscent of the first Yankee candle with regards to jar shape, wax colors, and scent selections, but the Country Candle has double wicks.

Kringle Candle clearly marks their Country Candles as being made using original Kittredge family candle recipes. So they aren’t trying to hide the fact that this product line is very much like Yankee Jar candles.

It’s also possible that even after his death in 2019, the family still has a stake in Yankee Candle Company since Michael J Kittredge II only sold 90% of the company. So the Country Candle line might be considered a close cousin to the Yankee Jar Candle.

Since they’re so similar, it’s only natural that we compare these two candle types to see which one will come out on top.

	Kringle Country Candle	Yankee Jar Candle
Weight	24 oz	22 oz
Number of Wicks	2	1
Burn Time	Up to 150 hours	Up to 150 hours
Dimensions	6.6 in x 4 in	6.6 in x 4in
Container	Recyclable, sustainable glass made in USA	Recyclable glass
Wick Type	Cotton fiber blend	Cotton fiber
Wax Type	Food grade paraffin wax	Paraffin wax
Fragrance Oils	Maximum potency; natural ingredients	Premium fragrance ingredients
Typical Price*	$33.95	$27.99

*Prices can vary by season and location/online platform where the candle is purchased.

Here are three fragrances from each comparison that you might like:

1. Kringle Country Candle: Peppermint Twist

Probably most fitting for the winter season, Peppermint Twist is just the right amount of peppermint mixed with the earthy mintiness of eucalyptus with hints of citrus aroma. The middle, strongest note incorporates more mint fragrances including wintergreen and spearmint. They all stand on a musky vanilla base.

Pros 

• Strong fragrance but not overpowering
• Nice throw – fills multiple rooms
• Clean burn

Cons

• Not for those who dislike minty fragrances

== Check Price on Amazon ==

2. Kringle Country Candle: Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir Country Candle is a romantic, sweet berry fragrance that begins with a sparkling airyness, apples, and citrus fruit. The most dominant scents are more citrus notes, dewy florals, and lush tart raspberries. All of these scents are mellowed out by sweet, powdery violet blooms.

Pros

• Even, clean burn
• Fruity berry scent
• Great wine lover gift idea

Cons

• Not for those who dislike berry smells

== Check Price on Amazon ==

3. Kringle Country Candle: Country Love

This is a light, subtly sweet floral candle fragrance. Country Love starts off smelling like a fresh floral bouquet with hints of grass and leaves. Most prevalent is light floral herbs mingling with hydrangeas and roses. A light powdery musk is the base note.

Pros

• Excellent throw
• Even wax pool
• Amazing floral fragrance

Cons

• You will may not stop buying this one

== Check Price on Amazon ==

4. Yankee Jar Candle: Kitchen Spice

This sweet and spicy fragrance reminds me of a warm kitchen on Thanksgiving morning. What first hits my nose is fresh cut oranges mixed with spicy cloves. The main body of the fragrance is a combination of peppery ginger, sweet cinnamon and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Lastly, almonds and powdery musk round out the fragrance.

Pros 

• Lovely, delicious fragrance
• Warm, memorable scent
• Long burn time

Cons

• Scent not as strong as it used to be

== Check Price on Amazon ==

5. Yankee Jar Candle: Clean Cotton

Imagine running outdoors and running into cotton sheets hanging on the clothesline. Do you smell the grass and dewy air? You might also smell a garden rose, tart citrus notes mingled with fresh cut river lilies. This candle scent ends with the smell of wet bark and cedar. It’s an unforgettably clean fragrance.

Pros 

• Unisex fragrance
• Long burn time
• Clean burn

Cons

• Fragrance not as strong as it used to be

== Check Price on Amazon ==

6. Yankee Jar Candle: Silver Birch

A brisk morning walk on an Autumn morning. The smell of wet leaves and pine rest on spicy clove and minty eucalyptus notes that are supported by patchouli and pine. It’s a crisp scent that reminds you of a mound of fresh leaves.

Pros 

• Fresh, natural scent
• Clean, long burn
• Nice throw spreads throughout the house

Cons

• Scent not as strong as it used to be

== Check Price on Amazon ==

Over the years customers have mentioned that Yankee Candle scents are not as strong as they used to be prior to the company being sold, so a lot of them choose Kringle Candle instead in order to burn more fragrant candles. 

But Yankee candles still burn longer than most brands. That being said, Kringle candles are double-wicked for a more even burn and their candles last for the same amount of time, but with two additional ounces. So even though burn times are the same, Yankee lasts longer using less wax.

Kringle’s labels are easy to remove for container reuse and customers feel that their fragrances are a lot more potent. But I can’t ignore the fact that the typical price of a Kringle Country Candle is at least five dollars more than a Yankee Jar Candle.

If I were to choose based on the scent factor alone, I would be okay with paying a little extra for stronger fragrance and largely the same amount of burn time. All other factors being pretty much the same, I think that Kringle Candle wins this duel for me. 

Also, this is just one candle size. Both companies offer a variety of sizes for you to consider.

Choosing The Company You Like Best

Because there are a lot of similarities between these two companies, choosing one over the other might take some time, or better yet, experimentation. The only way to really know which one you’ll like best is to try them both. 

But I’d like to be as helpful as I can for those who only want to choose one, so here are some things I would consider about each company before making a choice:

Choose Kringle Candle if:

• You are looking for stronger fragrances with good throw
• You want to try out sophisticated culinary scents like herbs or wine
• You don’t mind paying a little extra

Choose Yankee Candle if:

• You are less concerned with product ingredients
• You are looking for colorful long lasting candles
• You want to experience memorable fragrances

Both of these companies offer solid products that their customers look forward to experiencing. And they offer smaller sized candles that you can try out without needing to commit to the large-sized ones. 

And then again, you could always choose one of each, and then make your final decision after burning them in your home and making a mental note of your likes and dislikes for each.

Read more:

• A​re Yankee Candles Toxic