FlinQ rechargeable LED candles: cosy without the fire risk
Most Dutch rental contracts and student houses frown on open flames. Here's whether these are a decent substitute.
FlinQ rechargeable LED candles, set of 3
4.6 out of 5 from about 570 ratings on Amazon.nl.
The problem they solve
Gezelligheid without candles feels a bit wrong in a Dutch living room in November. But lots of student housing and rental flats don't allow real candles, and they're not great with curtains, cats or a smoke alarm right above the sofa.
These are three pillar candles in real paraffin wax with an LED "flame" that moves. From the sofa, they look surprisingly close to the real thing.
Using them
The remote switches all three on at once, which is the bit you end up loving. It also has a timer (so they switch themselves off), a dimmer and a flicker mode.
They recharge over USB instead of eating batteries, so they're cheaper to run if you use them every evening.
The downsides
You still have to remember to charge them, and the charging cable setup is fiddly. Up close, the flame obviously isn't real. Fine for a cosy room, but don't expect a perfect illusion.
€29.99 for three is not cheap compared with battery LED candles. You pay extra for the remote, the rechargeable batteries and the real wax look.
Who they're for
Renters, students, families with small kids or pets, and anyone who wants the candle feeling every evening without blowing out candles before bed.
Good
- Real wax, moving flame, looks good from a distance
- Remote with timer and dimmer
- Rechargeable, no batteries to buy
Not so good
- Charging is a bit fiddly
- Flame looks fake up close
- Pricier than basic LED candles
My short video about it (also on TikTok and Instagram).
How I put this together: "Researched pick" means I haven't put it through long-term use myself. I've gone through the product specifications and a large number of buyer reviews, and I compared it with similar products. When I've used something myself, the page says so. Nobody paid for this review. More on how I earn money.