Yankee Candles...opinions

[scifichik]

Sister and I were in "the city" yesterday and saw a Yankee Candle shop at the mall. Being from "the country" we hadn't had much exposure to their products, other than hearing friends rave about them, and were very excited to go see what the big commercial guys do.

We were very shocked and disappointed at the quality of the items we saw on those shelves! Does anyone know what type of wax is used to produce the container candles?

The tops were rough and very bubbled in appearance. On the clear containers, many looked like someone had randomly attacked the wax with a heat gun, and it looked like honey-comb pockets.

Had these been candles we made, they would have been in our "reject" box for sure, something that we would have only burned at home or used when the power failed.

I would have been embarrassed to purchase one of those and give it as a gift. I swear, we looked at nearly two dozen candles--regular items and clearance--and they all looked ugly.

We were thinking that maybe we just ran into a shop that had some "ugly candle fairy" who waved her wand around, but then visited a Kohl's store that also was selling Yankee. Different city, but same story on the candles.

Is this the standard for these candles, and maybe their popularity is based on great hot throw an not appearance?

[aviator girl]

Honestly I think people just don't notice those things. I never really did until I started making candles. I have to agree there are a lot of candles out there that have wet spots, yucky tops and aren't pretty at all but still sell. Actually made me feel better about my candles.

I used to buy lots of those candles years ago. Not too impressed with them anymore though. Haven't bought one in years so I don't even honestly know how well they really smelled to be honest.

Edited April 5, 2010 by aviator girl

[topofmurrayhill]

They use something called mottling paraffin for those apothecary jars. The aesthetics are a matter of personal taste, but people do use that kind of wax to intentionally get that effect. For instance, if you look at the 2530H wax under custom blends at www.candlewic.com (can't link to it right now because the site seems to be down), it's a paraffin intended specifically for making that sort of container candle.

I'm not any particular fan of Yankee, but I just wanted to offer a little insight into what you saw.

Edited April 5, 2010 by topofmurrayhill

[Candybee]

I love the mottled look and Yankee's parrafin candles are definitely mottled. There are candle makers that try to get the same mottled look as Yankee and suppliers that sell parrafin mottling wax. Some on this board have posted some great pics of their mottles.

[topofmurrayhill]

The site is back and here's the link. http://www.candlewic.com/candle-wax/PDS-2530h.pdf

I've tried this wax and one other mottling blend. Personally I think the look is pretty cool. The wicking for container mottles can be tricky though, because the wax burns kinda fast. Probably one reason people often aren't impressed with the burn of Yankee apothecaries.

Edited April 5, 2010 by topofmurrayhill

[Sharon in KY]

I love the mottled look and Yankee's parrafin candles are definitely mottled. There are candle makers that try to get the same mottled look as Yankee and suppliers that sell parrafin mottling wax. Some on this board have posted some great pics of their mottles.

I love that look to and always bought candles when I could. I think they have a nice looking store.

[TxSioux]

I love the mottled appearance, but have never been impressed w/ a burning Yankee Candle. I've never seen one of their candles that burned correctly & wasn't coated in deep black soot. Who knows, maybe I just run across a bunch of nimrods that really know how to screw up a candle! LOL Just goes to show what the general public is willing to accept if marketed well.

Susan.

[ah-soy]

I love the mottled appearance, but have never been impressed w/ a burning Yankee Candle. I've never seen one of their candles that burned correctly & wasn't coated in deep black soot. Who knows, maybe I just run across a bunch of nimrods that really know how to screw up a candle! LOL Just goes to show what the general public is willing to accept if marketed well.

Susan.

Just what I was gonna say. It's all in branding and marketing and they are THE big boys in the industry.

[carol k]

I've heard alot of complaints about yank's candles, since they sold out some years ago. I'm not a fan.

[grama]

I also like that mottled look of the container candles and have thought about trying some of the wax.

[jennyjo]

I don't have personal experience with Yankee, because I refuse to pay that kind of money for a candle. I have bought tarts and that's all. My sister bought them like crazy before I started making candles and I never once could tell she was burning a candle when I was at her house. I went to a birthday party a couple weeks ago and they had one burning...didn't smell it either. What's the point? I don't know...I like the look but if it doesn't smell, not worth it, IMO.

[Karen M]

I saw some Yankee candles in a Cracker Barrell Store this past weekend, I smelled several of them and the cold throw was very light IMO. Even my Mom said they were weak!

I have never bought a Yankee to burn so that I wouldn't know.

I used to buy Home Interior candles , they smelled good!

Now I just burn my own, much better!!

[IwantItgreen]

I've bought a lot of Yankees on sale and always liked them. I thought a black jar was normal tho' until I came here!

[xxxtennillexxx]

I've bought many Yankee candles and I really like them. The hot throw was really strong in all of the ones I bought. I didn't buy them b/c of the way they look, I think they just look like a regular ole candle, I bought them b/c of that HT. Before I started making candles I never really cared about anything other than the throw. I had never noticed a wet spot or frosting, never noticed an uncentered wick and didn't really care about the black soot on the jar as long as I could smell it as soon as I walked in my house. When I decided to make candles it was so I could save money and achieve that awesome throw. Sadly, I haven't done either! I get a pretty good HT but honestly it doesn't compare to a Yankee and I have yet to smell one that does. But, I'm having a great time working at it!

I have purchased Yankees at their outlet stores that have been way less than par for them. Not much of a HT at all, so now if I buy them, (rarely) I fork over the big $$ and get what I expect, an awesome smelling candle at a premium price.

[Maggie]

I used to buy Y candles all of the time. WHAT was I thinking? lol

My X DIL used to tell me to buy candles from craft stores because they were so much better. This was before I ever thought of pouring my own.

She was right!

I bought a few local handpoured candles and thought...again..WHAT was I thinking spending all of that money on candles that did not throw well at all. The only Y candle that threw well for me was Wisteria. And IMO their tarts aren't any better.

Y candles were not the reason I started pouring candles. I got an email from Missy's candles back in 2000 and thought...WOW this is something I want to try...so...ordered a kit and a few other things. Then I could not stop ordering wax, wicks and fragrance oils. Found supplier messageboards and OMG...I was hooked and have been hooked for 10 years.

[cybersix]

Bough two pillars time ago (here in italy they are not so famous, italians don't burn candles ) and was not really impressed. Really underwicked and so oily I was getting mad everytime I touched them. Not a great HT.

Now the few that were in the shop are gone, and I don't know where I could find any.. not that I care a bit about them...

[NewOrleansLady]

The only good HT I found in Yankee was the really strong ones like Home Sweet Home but the wicking and soot was enough for me to stop buying them all together. Had better luck with Colonial as far as HT went but the one that is the biggest rip off for your money has to be Pier 1. Their scents are delicious (in room sprays and votives) but those pillars are the biggest rip off for HT....absolutely nothing. I thought it was just me but my daughter told me the same thing. Fool me once shame on you......

[grama]

I use to buy some Yankee candles and don't remember about the hot throw, guess it was OK but what I do remember is I bought some pillars and those things burned terrible, in no time they had spilled over and burning very lopsided

[Candybee]

I still have a Yankee candle I bought several years ago. Its a pumpkin pie candle and the throw was super strong. But its got a ton of black soot on the top. I keep it to remind me that the pumpkin scent is the one I want to duplicate for my own candles. Haven't found an exact match yet.

[mzpickles]

Is this the standard for these candles, and maybe their popularity is based on great hot throw an not appearance?

I've never found their hot throw to be all that hot, you gotta be standing right next to the darn things to even smell them!

[lsbennis]

It always amazes me what good marketing can do for a so-so product. Yanks in my opinion are not a horrible candle but just middle of the road with a luxury candle price that peeps are more then willing to pay for.

[dnj]

About 6 months ago my sister took some of my candles in to work to sell for me. Well she sold everything I had and everybody loved them but 2 days later this one woman said oh Yankee candles are WAY better, they last longer...blah blah blah so my sister told her well just go ahead and spend all that extra money on those candles.

about 2 weeks later people were asking for more....including the complainer who said...hmmm your candles smell stronger and bought all my apple scented candles because just one small one filled her entire room with that yummy CS mac apple scent and took back the remark about the Yanmee candles being better.

I still have a LONG way to go to get that candle that I'm happy with but I'm damn sure mine smell wayyyy better than yanks.

I do like the mottled look too but not ready to try that wax yet to acheive that look. I prefer the smooth creamy look.

[annie123]

I bought a couple of YC a few years ago and for sure I got black jars after burning the candles. They are very expensive and not very well made but their labels are great.

I have had many of my customers tell me that my candles are better than Yankee...and that they didn't think that handpoured candles could be so nice...

I think that people buy the name and because it is expensive they think that they are getting the best it is our job to educate them on what a good candle is.

[chuck_35550]

You have to give Yankee credit for basically beginning the candle craze. There are a lot of really fine candles (votivo) that will soot like crazy but people only care about the great fragrances. The French make incredible candles and soaps but they still have the same fundamental problems with consistancy.

[dnj]

Soot on a candle never really bothered me all that much back when I used to buy them....was easy enough to clean up with a cleaning wipe.

The HT is most important and Yankee used to make a great smelling candle but it doesn't seem that way anymore.

But......they are a BIG business and I'm just a teeeeeny little guy so they must be doing something right.