Yes, samples are a good idea, but you never really know how a fo is going to perform until you put it in your wax. Some fo's work really well for some peeps, while the same fo's suck for others. It depends on your wax/wick combo along with a few other variables. I happen to really like the Perfect Pear and it is strong in my wax, but I do understand that it's not the same for everyone.