I saw some at Plow & Hearth last year that I remember thinking were much nicer than most.

i'm new here (came from the Holiday Decorating site). i bought some flameless pillar candles from improvementscatalog.com and they are so nice that i just put in an additional order for more! these are the "Glitter Pillar Candles" (#s 419542 and 419559) which are made with genuine wax shells, so they look amazing. they also flicker quite realistically. the glitter is more of a shimmer, not blatant. i think you would like them.

Sorry, the ones I was remembering are scented. :(

This year, I have bought them at Target (with timers), Walmart (without), Lowe's (without) and Dollar General (very cheap and cheap looking) and they have all performed well. BBB and Kohl's recently advertised some with timers, but they sold out in my area.

I'd like to know what is nicer about the front gate and or QVC ones? I've been thinking about picking up a set at Costco, but if the other ones have significant advantages then maybe I should consider them instead.

I got a bunch at OSH which are super nice. THey have realistic wicks, real wax coating, and no fake-looking drips. They have timers. I also got a pair of nice ones from World Market!

Here is a link that might be useful: world market candles

This post was edited by tinan on Tue, Nov 27, 12 at 0:54

I got some at Costco - 4 for $15 and they have timers and come with the batteries. But they are "vanilla" scented.

Olivesmom, If you watch the video, you will see the difference. Luminara candles have a mechanical flickering flame. When lit, they look almost like real candles.

I like the looks of the Luminara candles Fun2BHere posted, altho I've never seen them in person.

Since you're wondering which candles are nice, I'll mention some that were a disappointment to me. I bought a large pack at Costco a year ago, intending to use the votives in glassybabys (gorgeous handmade glass holders made here in Seattle). Their light was very yellow and was not bright enough to illuminate the multi-layered glass vessels. Since it was Costco I was able to return them without a problem. This year's stock is probably very different, so my experience may not be relevant

I have the qvc ones and love them . They are made pretty heavy duty and flicker more like a real candle than the other ones I have. My daugher has been sleeping with one in her bed for two years now. She says she likes it under the covers so she can check on her doll Shortcake that ends up lost under the covers everynight. They are also a brighter light than my other batterie op candles.

I bought my first one a couple weeks ago from Garden Ridge just to see how realistic it really looked. I was so mad when I turned it on. The "flame" was at the bottom of the candle. Apparently the glue didn't hold. DH has taken it apart and trying to repair it.

I just bought some made by Eveready, and they're nicer than some I've bought and returned. My gripe with most all of these candles is the horrible neon orange glow of the bulb. The Eveready ones are a much softer light, but they do have a vanilla scent. They have a whole line of these, so you may find unscented ones.

When I was searching, I saw that the Pottery Barn candles are rated quite high, and they weren't that much more expensive than something from Target.

I know which one "not" to get. About a year ago I got a large one on clearance (big red flag) at Penneys.

It has three "wicks" but they are so tiny I cannot tell if it is on until I look directly from above. I have it put away right now because I have Christmas decorations in its place, but it's probably going to Goodwill or will be tossed after Christmas.