Kringle Candles Review: Are They Good?


According to their website, Kringle Candle is a company that produces ultra-fragrant candle goods rooted in tradition with a modern twist. But are Kringle Candles really any good?

Well, this company is definitely rooted in tradition. Its founder is the son of the man who founded the well-established Yankee Candle Company. Over the past eleven years, they have grown a loyal customer base that can attest to the quality of these candles. Not only are their candles highly aromatic, their scents are both nostalgic and contemporary.

If you would like to learn more about how this company came to be and how they’ve remained a favorite for this long, keep on reading.

Kringle Candles Review

All About Kringle Candle Company

In 2008, Michael J. Kittredge III was playing around and made a candle on an heirloom stove. It’s possible that he did so jokingly because his father, Mike Kittredge, had run the family’s candle business for close to twenty years before selling 90 percent of it for hundreds of millions of dollars in 1998.

Initially Michael J. Kittredge III had no intentions of owning a candle business and his father had long since left that life behind. But after completing a college project in 2009, he began to discuss with his father the possibilities of starting his own candle brand.

They found a property in Bernardston, Massachusetts, that was not only their manufacturing facility but a retail space to test out their own products in real-time directly with their customers. In late 2009, they began developing their business idea. By October 2010, their flagship store opened its doors.

Mike Kittredge passed away in 2019, but his legacy has remained deeply rooted in the traditions of Kringle Candles. 

The company is continuing to do well. Their flagship store is still open, surviving the pandemic. But the Kringle Emporium, which sold everything from home decor items, to specialty foods and gifts, and of course, candles, is temporarily closed. The Farm Table, their restaurant located at the flagship Kringle Candle store, is also temporarily closed, but you can buy their oils, vinegars, and sauces online.

Updated June 2022, They are now open Friday-Sunday Only.

Later on I’ll also mention a candle collection possibly connected to the restaurant.

All of their candles are still made in Bernardston, MA; they just celebrated their eleventh year in business. Michael J. Kittredge III still designs, formulates, and tests new candle fragrances.

Kringle Candle Product Lines

Kringle Candles are described as being a delicate balance between art and science with the primary goal of creating memorable fragrances. The company uses authentic Kittredge family recipes to compose each scent. They pride themselves for making highly concentrated fragrances that throw far and burn clean. 

Since Kringle candle lines are made of glass, they can be recycled or used for some other purpose once the candle is done. Each candle jar has an easy peel label, making the transition from candle to other use a faster process.

Below I will share more about the products they offer grouped by collection. 

Kringle Candle Collection

The original Kringle Candle is most often created using a fragranced white non-toxic paraffin wax but some fragrances are made with a soy wax blend. All of their candles are made with natural cotton fiber blend wicks. The company states that the use of white wax allows their candles to glow even more brightly. 

Two wicks allow for a wider, more even wax pool. Also, the fragrance is so highly concentrated that it lasts until the very end.

The Kringle Collection is available in seven fragrance categories: Autumn, Floral, Fresh, Fruits, Gourmet, Holiday, Warm & Woodsey.

The Kringle Collection Size Options

Large 2-wick jarMedium 2-wick jarDayLightTea Light Candles
SIZE22oz14oz1.5oz0.5oz
IDEAL SETTINGLarger roomsSmall to medium roomsSmall areasCompact spaces
BURN TIMEUp to 100 hoursUp to 65 hoursUp to 12 hoursUp to 4 hours
DIMENSIONS4”W x 6.78”H4”W x 5”H2.25”W x 1.13”H1.5”W x 0.75”H

Country Candle Collection

In 2017, Kringle Candle added the Country Candle to their product line, reminiscent of the first Yankee Candles, poured into apothecary-shaped glass jars using familiar scents and non-toxic paraffin wax. In addition to being highly fragrant, these candles are also dyed a color that coordinates with its fragrance. Wicks for Country Candles are also made with a cotton fiber blend.

The Country Candle line is the strongest link between the two companies. It features proven Kittredge Family scent recipes that have been equally popular for Kringle Candle as they were for Yankee Candle.

The Country Candle Collection is available in six fragrance categories: Autumn, Floral, Fresh, Fruits, Gourmet, and Holiday.

The Country Candle Collection Size Options

Large 2-wick jarMedium 2-wick jarCountry DayLight
SIZE24oz16oz1.5oz
IDEAL SETTINGLarger roomsSmall to medium roomsSmall areas
BURN TIMEUp to 150 hoursUp to 90 hoursUp to 12 hours
DIMENSIONS4”W x 6.6”H4”W x 5”H2.25”W x 1.13”H

Three-Wick Candle Collections

These candles are made with a biodegradable soy wax blend plus signature concentrated fragrances and natural cotton fiber wicks. The tumblers used in this collection are sourced from Ohio, USA.  Each candle is 14oz, 4 x 3.5 inches, burns up to 45 hours, and comes with lids.

Kringle Candle recently released a 3-wick spice line of candles, which seems to connect to their restaurant. Available culinary spice scents are: anise, basil, bay leaf, cayenne, ginger root, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

Vineyard Collection

Similarly, there’s a vineyard collection with red, white, and blush wine aromas. These happen to be 26 oz, 5 x 5 inch, 4-wick candles in tinted glass corresponding with its wine type. A deep red, almost black glass color for reds like Pinot Noir. An earthy green glass tint for white wines like Chardonnay, and light pink glass for blush wines like Rosé. They burn up to 90 hours.

Seasonal Favorites

For the upcoming Halloween season, the company released a collection of sixteen candles made of a soy wax blend that was dyed black. As of the writing of this article, they have all sold out, which is a testament to how serious their customers are about grabbing up Kringle Candle’s seasonal collections as soon as they’re made available. With scent titles like, Sleepy Hollow, Wolf’s Bane, Nightmare, Candy Corn, and Fright Night, it’s obvious why Halloween lovers were quick to wipe out this inventory. You can still find Spellbound in small quantities elsewhere

If you are intrigued about upcoming Holiday 2021 scents, keep an eye out for their Christmas selections.

Flameless Products

Kringle has you covered if you prefer flameless fragrance products as well, with wax melts, air mists, and fire starters. I was intrigued about the fire starters. They’re actually little cups filled with wax that you can put inside a fireplace, fire pit, campfire, and so on, and then light with a match. It’s created to start the fire, or rather help it grow more quickly. 

Top 7 Original 2-Wick Kringle Candles

There are over sixty signature Kringle Candle scents.  They’ve recently done a glass jar overhaul, increasing the inner diameter by ¾ inch. Now it throws 25% more fragrance than single wick jars and creates a wider wax pool for even burning.

Here are some of my favorite large, 2-wick, 22oz candle fragrances:

1. Sea Salt & Tonka Kringle Candle

Made with a biodegradable soy wax blend combined with natural fragrance oils and placed in a sustainable glass jar, this fragrance reminds me of the salty sea.

Initially, you’ll smell fresh lemon citrus fragrance mingling with sea salt. Next is sweet almond and creamy vanilla notes from the tonka bean, bringing warmth to all three fragrance layers. Your scent experience ends with woody cedar and powdery spiced amber and musk. 

It’s a complex but gentle fragrance.

Pros

  • For those who prefer soy candles
  • Soft, spicy, sweet fragrance
  • Can fill an entire room

Cons

  • You’ll love the scent so much that you will have to keep buying this fragrance

== Check Price on Amazon ==

2. Fiji Kringle Candle

Made with 100% food-grade, non-toxic paraffin wax and potent natural fragrance oils, Fiji will transform your home into a remote island.

You’ll first be met with fruity kiwi, dewy muguet and citrusy tangerine notes. Next are a combination of floral and fruit notes. Subtle, powdery sweet orchid, melon-like pear aroma, and complex frangipani blossoms. Lastly, bottom notes of musky amber with sweet vanilla and pineapple round out the fragrance.

There are also hints of a fresh waterfall in the background.

Pros

  • Burns clean
  • Highly concentrated fragrances
  • Truly transports you to an island vibe
  • Nice throw

Cons

  • Not for those who dislike fruity candles
  • Made with paraffin wax

== Check Price on Amazon ==

3. Watercolors Kringle Candle

I’m not sure how this name came about but the Watercolors 2-wick candle is another fruity-floral combination. But instead of tropical fruits, you’ll first smell fresh cut apple slices and tart but syrupy currants. 

The most dominant scents are pungent but sweet jasmine blooms, garden roses, along with earthy musk. Bottom notes holding everything together include rich, woody sandalwood, cheerful, sugary sweet pea blossoms, with a hint of berry.

Pros

  • Soot-free burn
  • Complex, concentrated scents
  • Favorite of men and women alike

Cons

  • Not for those who dislike woodsy candles
  • Made with paraffin wax

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4. Stardust Kringle Candle

This holiday favorite will keep getting better the longer you burn the candle. Your fragrant experience begins with grassy citrus and floral notes, then dominated by spicy nutmeg, complex jasmine and orchid blooms, withe resinous amber. 

In the final note smooth benzoin, woody complexities of sandalwood, along with subtle musk play a stardust harmony that both men and women have come to love. 

Pros

  • Biodegradable soy wax blend
  • A favorite holiday scent
  • Pleasing fragrance, doesn’t overpower the room
  • Superb room coverage

Cons

  • Not for those who dislike resinous candles

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5. Over the Rainbow Kringle Candle

Like a cool summer’s day, Over the Rainbow smells like an outdoor picnic by the sea. Refreshing saltwater notes mingle with sweet melon ball salad, and then you’d smell a tinge of lush blades of grass.

Pros

  • Clean burn
  • Delightful melon scent
  • Uplifting

Cons

  • Not for those who dislike the smell of melons
  • Made with paraffin wax

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6. Far, Far Away Kringle Candle

I guess if you close your eyes, this fragrance can take you Far, Far Away. To me, this fragrance is both uplifting and grounding. Its citrus notes are bright, refreshing, and freeing but also a little grassy or leaf-like. Then there’s sharp rosemary that smells like an evergreen tree along with cool, minty sage. Kinda like a walk through the woods while passing fragrant wildflowers.

The final note smells like a combination of wet tree bark, smoky leather, and moss-covered stones.

Pros

  • Even, clean burn
  • Invigorating citrus fragrance
  • Complex fragrance

Cons

  • Not for those who dislike woodsy smells
  • Made with paraffin wax

== Check Price on Amazon ==

7. French Lavender Kringle Candle

One of my favorite fragrances, French Lavender, is one of the most calming fragrance candles to burn by any company. But this fragrance blend has citrus, grass, and mint undertones that make it an even gentler, relaxing lavender fragrance that I’ve ever smelled. 

It smells like running through a lavender meadow in the middle of the afternoon while peeling a tangerine with a gentle breeze tickling your eyelashes. This is definitely not your run of the mill lavender candle.

Pros

  • Sweet, calming fragrance
  • Nice throw; fills the entire room
  • A modern classic you’ll want to buy over and over again
  • Clean, even burn

Cons

  • Made with paraffin wax

== Check Price on Amazon ==

Customer Opinions About Kringle Candle

Most customers are beyond pleased with Kringle Candles; here is some feedback.

Customer Raves

  • Many customers feel that Kringle Candles have carried over the traditional high-quality candles that they felt Yankee Candle used to create. 
  • Kringle Candle creates wonderful scents that burn cleanly.
  • Their fragrances permeate rooms throughout the home.
  • You can easily remove jar labels, which is super for when you want to repurpose them later.
  • Customers feel that they have a consistent experience with Kringle Candles. With some companies, you don’t really know if your new candle will smell like the old one of the same fragrance that you just finished. But with Kringle Candles, there don’t seem to be any surprises in candle performance.
  • The jar shape of the original Kringle Candles makes them easy to light and seems to help them to burn more evenly.

Disappointed Customer

  • Some customers shared that Kringle Candle fragrances aren’t as intense as they think they should be considering the amount paid for the candle.

Final Thoughts

All in all, Kringle Candles creates positive experiences for their customers. Traditionally, their candles are made with paraffin wax but they have been incorporating more and more soy wax candles into their collections. Even when they use paraffin wax, it’s food-grade and non-toxic, so that might lead to less apprehension about trying their original candles.

I think that their burn times are reasonable in comparison to the price. If you are new to Kringle Candles, you may want to start with their French Lavender fragrance. It’s a familiar scent with a twist that you will likely enjoy.

If there are males and females in your home, you might want to try the more unisex fragrances, like, Watercolors for everyday use and Stardust during the holidays.

Also, if you enjoy supporting family owned and operated businesses, you might want to consider Kringle Candle, but as always, the choice is yours!

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Grace Young

I love candles! I have personally tried over 100 brands of candles. The total burn time of these candles is over 5000 hours. I also talk about essential oil diffusers and reed diffusers. Essential oil diffusers and diffusers are also an important part of the scent in my home.

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