The best Anti-mosquito candles, compared.
Top pick: CKB LTD terracotta citronella pots Best value: Zuvo citronella tea lights, 25 pack – The only tea light here with 4 hours stated, at about £4.90, with 4.2 from 317 reviews. Saved burns are often shorter. Updated October 2026.
An anti-mosquito candle is a citronella-scented wax candle for a patio, barbecue or camping table in the UK. You buy it for lemon-scented light on a still evening. Listings often imply it will also deter mosquitoes, flies and midges. It is not a skin repellent. The checks stay the same when the models change. Smell the candle once the wick is lit. No citronella smell means no reason to expect a repellent effect. Read a numeric burn time as a maximum, and do not treat long-lasting as a number of hours. Tea lights blow out and need a holder. A glass jar or a metal tin shields the flame, though the vapour still leaves on a breeze. Buyer comments help when there are enough of them to show no smell, a short wick or smashed glass. A listing with no oil percentage cannot inherit a result from a candle of known strength. How to read a listing is set out in the [anti-mosquito candle buying guide](/hub/pest-control/anti-mosquito-candle/sub/anti-mosquito-candle-buying-guide).
An anti-mosquito candle is a citronella-scented wax candle for a patio, barbecue or camping table in the UK. You buy it for lemon-scented light on a still evening.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you burn it?
CKB LTD lists terracotta citronella pots, model CKB-FF254, at £19.79, with three items on the specification and a size of about 8.8 x 8.8 x 6.5 cm. The star line is 4.5 from 2 reviews, which is the highest rating in this set and the thinnest file. Both saved reviews describe small rustic pots for a table, a citronella smell that is present, and a clean light. Neither gives a burn time or a counted bite result, and the page asks how long each candle burns without answering. The bullets say the wax helps deter flying insects, which is a claim rather than a measurement, and two happy unboxings cannot show the no-smell or short-wick failures that turn up in the large tea-light files. At £19.79 this is the top of the price band here, above Good Housekeeping UK's May 2024 snapshot of high-street outdoor candles around £8 to £16. Buy it as a small decorative pot if the look is the point. Do not buy it because 4.5 looks better than 4.3 from 9,563 reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a small rustic pot for a table and you are paying for the look, not for a proven burn time.
Less suitable: You want evidence from more than two reviews, a stated hour figure, or a spare pack under £5.
Specifications
Common questions
How long does each candle burn?
The page asks and does not answer. No hours are in the specification.
Does the listing show that it works against mosquitoes?
The bullets say it helps deter flying insects. The page asks whether it works well against mosquitoes and does not answer. There are 2 reviews.
What do those two reviews describe?
Both describe small rustic pots for a table, a citronella smell that is present, and a clean light. Neither gives a burn time or a counted bite result.
TTRWIN QF-HWXM-2 is two soy candles in iron cans at £9.99, about 255 g each in the bullets, listed at 4.4 from 21 reviews. The bullets name citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, peppermint and cedarwood, and they claim 60 hours. One saved review refers to 30 hours, and the listing does not explain the gap, so the 60 hour line is a claim to test against the tin in front of you, not a measured patio result. The specification says outdoor, while the bullets also talk about indoor aroma, and the page asks about indoor use without answering. A lid is useful for storage and for putting the flame out, which an open tea light does not give you. Twenty-one reviews are enough to notice the hour clash and not enough to treat 4.4 as a settled record. Choose the pair as a lidded table candle if you like the scent list. Do not choose it because the star line looks higher than a 25-pack with thousands of reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a lidded tin for a sheltered table and you will treat 60 hours as a bullet, not a guarantee.
Less suitable: You want a review file in the thousands, or a printed hour figure that the saved reviews already match.
Specifications
Common questions
What scents does the listing name?
Citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, peppermint and cedarwood.
How long does it say the candles burn?
The bullets say 60 hours. One saved review refers to 30 hours. The listing does not explain the difference.
Can they be used indoors?
The page asks and does not answer. The specification says outdoor. The bullets also talk about indoor aroma.
Across 9,563 amazon.co.uk reviews, the Price's CPTL25A pack is 25 outdoor citronella tea lights at £3.01. Buyers treat it as spares for a table, and the file is large enough that the failures show up beside the praise. Saved texts mention a lemon smell and the low price, and they also report burns of about two hours, a weak scent once the wick is going, short wicks and damaged packaging. The listing says long burning and does not print hours, while Price's own site says up to about four hours for its citronella tea lights, so that maker figure is not a line on this page. A bullet says citronella helps deter insects outdoors, and the specific-use field says aromatherapy, so the listing does not agree with itself. In this set it is the top pick when you want a spare pack under £5 with a review count you can actually read. It is a weak choice if you need a printed burn time on amazon.co.uk, or a jar or tin that shields the flame.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want spare outdoor tea lights under £5 and will read the short-burn reviews before you trust the title.
Less suitable: You need a burn time printed on the amazon.co.uk page, or a container that stands up to a breeze.
Specifications
Common questions
What burn time does this amazon.co.uk file state?
It says long burning and does not give hours. The page also asks what the burn time is and does not answer.
Does the listing say they repel insects?
A bullet says citronella helps deter insects outdoors. The specific-use field says aromatherapy. A question about repelling insects is unanswered.
What comes up most in the saved reviews?
The listing line is 4.3 from 9,563 reviews. Saved texts praise the price and a lemon smell, and also report about a two-hour burn, weak scent once lit, short wicks and damaged packaging.
Zuvo 90735C is 25 citronella tea lights in aluminium cups at £4.90, listed at 4.2 from 317 reviews, with 4 hours on the title. That printed burn time is why it carries the best value mark here: it is the only tea light in the set that states hours, and it stays under £5. Saved UK reviews include burns around four hours and also burns of about 2.5 to 3 hours, plus one under 2 hours 30 minutes, so you should treat four hours as a ceiling. The seller says one tea light is not enough and that you should cluster them. The bullets say indoors and outdoors, while the specification says outdoor. The page asks whether they are safe for pets and does not answer. Take this pack when you want spares that print a number. Leave it if you would rather have Price's larger review file at £3.01, or a lidded tin for a breezy table.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 25-pack under £5 that prints a burn time you can compare with the reviews.
Less suitable: You want the largest review file in the set, or a jar or tin that shields the flame.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say these can be used indoors?
The bullets say they are for indoors and outdoors. The specification field says outdoor. A question about indoor use is on the page and is not answered.
How long does the listing say each tea light burns?
The title and the size field say 4 hours. Saved UK reviews include both burns around 4 hours and burns of about 2.5 to 3 hours, and one under 2 hours 30 minutes.
Does the listing say they are safe for pets?
The page asks the question and does not answer it. Reviews do not settle it.
Price's CGLB4 is four yellow citronella candles in glass jars at £11.95, listed for outdoor insect-repellent use, with 4.1 from 3,088 reviews. The glass is the point of the format: it shields the flame better than an open tea light when a breeze crosses the table. The file does not state burn hours, and the page asks that question without answering it. Across the first 50 saved texts, smashed jars on arrival are a repeated problem, including cuts from broken glass. Scent and insect comments in those texts are mixed, so the star line is not a count of fewer bites. Buy the four-pack only if you will check every jar before you light it and you accept that risk at this price. Skip it if you wanted a metal tin, or a 25-pack of spares under £5.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a shielded jar for a sheltered table and you will inspect the glass before lighting.
Less suitable: You need a stated burn time, a metal tin, or a pack that reviewers do not associate with broken glass.
Specifications
Common questions
Can they be used indoors?
The page asks and does not answer. The specification says outdoor.
What burn time is stated?
None. The page asks and does not answer.
What do reviewers report about the glass?
The listing is 4.1 from 3,088 reviews. Across the first 50 saved texts, smashed jars on arrival are a repeated problem, including cuts from broken glass. Scent and insect comments are mixed.
1ABOVE sells 25 outdoor citronella tea lights, made in Italy, at £4.25, with 4.1 from 579 reviews and no burn time on the file. Saved texts split between a real citronella smell and burns of about three to four hours, and units with no smell, short wicks, or bites that continued. The indoor and outdoor field says outdoor, and the page asks about indoor use and pets without answering either question. You pay £1.24 more than the Price's 25-pack and you still do not get a printed hour figure, though 579 reviews is enough to show the no-smell complaints. It is a reasonable second spare pack if that listing is the one in stock. It is a weaker buy if you need a stated burn time, or a container that copes with wind on a British patio.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want another 25-pack in the under-£5 band and will light one before you expect any effect from the scent.
Less suitable: You need a printed burn time, or a shielded candle for a breezy table.
Specifications
Common questions
Can they be used indoors?
The page asks and does not answer. The indoor/outdoor field says outdoor.
Are they safe for pets?
The page asks and does not answer.
What do the reviews say about smell and burn?
The listing is 4.1 from 579 reviews. Saved texts split between a real citronella smell and burns of about three to four hours, and units with no smell, short wicks, or bites that continued.
Pest strike lists a 355 ml soy citronella candle at £12.99, with 4.1 from 15 reviews and a rank in camping candles. The specification says one item, while several saved reviews describe a pair of tins and two wicks, so you cannot tell from the page alone what will arrive. No burn hours are stated: the copy says long lasting, and the page asks for the burn time without answering. The seller does tell you to trim the wick and not to leave the candle lit, which matches ordinary candle practice and is not a bite result. Indoor and outdoor use are both on the listing, and questions about indoor use and other scents are unanswered. Fifteen reviews cannot show how often the one-item line is wrong, so consider it only after you have checked the live picture and the pack count. It is a poor default next to a 25-pack under £5 or a tin whose count is not in dispute.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have checked the live pack count and you want one soy container candle for camping kit.
Less suitable: You need a stated burn time, or a listing whose item count matches the reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
What burn time does the listing give?
None. It says long lasting. The page asks for the burn time and does not answer.
Is it one candle or a pair?
The specification says one item at 355 ml. Several saved reviews describe a pair of tins and two wicks. Those accounts are not the same as the spec.
Does the listing answer indoor use and other scents?
It lists indoor and outdoor use. Questions about indoor use, burn time and other scents are unanswered.
AXXTAN003 is four yellow glass votives at £9.25, with 3.3 from 12 reviews, the lowest star line in this set. The bullets claim soy wax and say the candles help deter mosquitoes, flies and insects, while the material field only says wax, and no burn hours are printed. The title says long-lasting, and the page asks the burn-time question without an answer. One saved review says two of the four candles had no wick and could not be lit, which is a defect rather than a matter of taste. Insect comments in the short set disagree, and 12 reviews are too few to average that disagreement into a result. Indoor and outdoor use are both claimed. At £9.25 you are close to TTRWIN's two tins and well above a 25-pack of tea lights, without the review weight of Price's glass jars. Leave this pack unless a later listing shows wicks in every glass and a burn time you can check.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already like this glass size and you can return a candle that has no wick.
Less suitable: You want a review file you can trust, a stated burn time, or a pack reviewers do not flag as unwikkable.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the burn time?
The title says long-lasting. No hours are stated, and the page asks the question without an answer.
Does the listing say they repel insects?
The bullets say they help deter mosquitoes, flies and insects. The page also asks whether they repel insects and does not answer that question separately.
What is wrong in the short review set?
The listing is 3.3 from 12 reviews. One saved review says two of the four candles had no wick and could not be lit. Insect comments disagree.
Eight amazon.co.uk listings were scored on 20 October 2026 from the star rating, the review count, what you can check for the price, and whether the listing agrees with itself. This is not a bite test and not a laboratory burn test. None of these listings prints an oil percentage. The top pick is the highest total. Best value is the strongest value score among packs that print a burn time and stay under £5.
Stars
35%Stars are the amazon.co.uk rating divided by 5, then scaled to 35 points. They are not a bite score. A 4.5 from two reviews cannot outrank a 4.3 from thousands on this block alone.
Review volume
30%The review count is scored up to 30 points: 30 at 2,000 or more, 26 at 500 or more, 22 at 200 or more, then lower bands down to 2 points under 10 reviews.
Value
20%Up to 20 points for what the pounds buy you to check inside this set: a printed burn time, the pack size, and a container. Best value also has to state hours and stay under £5.
Listing and sentiment
15%Up to 15 points for hours that are actually stated, indoor and outdoor lines that agree, and saved review failures such as no smell, a short wick, smashed glass, a missing wick, or a specification that disagrees with reviewers.
Start with the job, then the smell, the container and a numeric burn time. An anti-mosquito candle is for lemon-scented light on a sheltered UK patio, barbecue or camping table. It is not a skin repellent, and it does not replace 50% DEET, clothing and a treated net on a malaria-risk trip. Shelf prices in this capture run from about £3.01 to about £19.79. The top pick is a widely reviewed 25-pack of tea lights. The best value is the 25-pack that prints a burn time and stays under £5.
An anti-mosquito candle on amazon.co.uk is a citronella-scented wax candle for a patio, barbecue or camping table. You do not put it on skin. Shoppers buy it for lemon-scented light on a still evening, and the listings imply it will also deter mosquitoes, flies and midges. That implication is not a bite result. In a 1996 field count, candles made with 3% citronella cut Aedes bites by about 42% versus no candle, and people were still bitten. Plain candles also reduced bites a little.
Tea lights blow out and need a proper holder. The vapour still leaves on a breeze. A seller in this set says one tea light is not enough and that you should cluster them. A glass jar or a metal tin shields the flame. It does not keep the scent in place.
A 4.5 from two reviews is a different fact from a 4.3 from thousands. Stars do not count bites. No smell, a short wick, smashed glass and a missing wick show up when the review file is large enough. A short file cannot show those failures.
GOV.UK guidance says citronella products give short-lived protection and are not recommended for malaria-risk travel. The first choice on skin is 50% DEET. NHS advice adds covering clothing and a treated net, and does not list candles. The candle is optional atmosphere.
A scent you can smell when the candle is lit comes first. Reviews on the cheap tea lights often say there is no citronella smell, and a few say only the top of the wax is scented. No smell means no reason to expect a repellent effect. A numeric burn time is a maximum, not a promise. Zuvo states 4 hours on the title, and saved reviews often report about 2.5 to 3 hours. TTRWIN's bullets say 60 hours, and one saved review refers to 30 hours.
Evidence weight sits beside the stars. Price's tea lights are 4.3 from 9,563 reviews. The glass jars are 4.1 from 3,088. The terracotta pots are 4.5 from 2 reviews, which is the highest star line and the thinnest file. Two happy unboxings cannot show the failures in the large tea-light files. None of these listings prints an oil percentage. Soy wax, a high star line, or the word natural does not supply one. A 1996 field count used candles of known 3% strength and still left people bitten.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want lemon-scented light on a sheltered table and you will accept a local, uncertain effect on flies. Price's citronella garden candles, pack of 4, at about £11.95, put the flame in glass, with 4.1 from 3,088 reviews. The file does not state burn hours, and smashed jars on arrival, including cuts, recur in the saved reviews. Skip the jars if you wanted a metal tin or a spare pack under £5.
You want a 25-pack and you will read the no-smell and short-burn reviews before you trust the title. Zuvo citronella tea lights, 25 pack, at about £4.90, are the only tea lights here with 4 hours on the title, at 4.2 from 317 reviews. Saved reviews often land nearer 2.5 to 3 hours, and the seller says to cluster them. One light is not the plan for a table.
Bites on skin, a malaria-risk trip, or midges in still air need a named skin repellent and covers. A candle is optional atmosphere, not the kit. If you still want a lidded tin for a sheltered table, TTRWIN citronella tin candles, set of 2, are about £9.99, with a 60 hour bullet and 4.4 from 21 reviews. One saved review refers to 30 hours. Do not pack the tin instead of 50% DEET.
The top pick is Price's citronella tealights, 25 pack, at about £3.01. It is the highest score, led by review volume: 4.3 from 9,563 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest file in this set. The amazon page does not print burn hours. Saved reviews report burns of about two hours, a weak scent once lit, short wicks and damaged packaging, and a tea light still needs a holder. The best value is Zuvo citronella tea lights, 25 pack, at about £4.90. It is the only tea light here with 4 hours on the title, and it stays under £5, at 4.2 from 317 reviews. Saved reviews often land nearer 2.5 to 3 hours, so four hours is a ceiling, and the seller says one light is not enough. None of these scores is a bite test or a laboratory burn test, and none of the listings prints an oil percentage.
Zuvo citronella tea lights, 25 pack
The only tea light here with 4 hours stated, at about £4.90, with 4.2 from 317 reviews. Saved burns are often shorter.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK and study sources used for this comparison. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured for these eight listings. Last checked 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines captured for these eight products on 20 October 2026. We did not run a bite test or a laboratory burn test.
