Best Tomato Candles to Try in 2025

If Pantone can pick a Color of the Year, I think it’s only fair that I get to name a Candle Scent of the Year… and for 2025, it’s tomato. My love of tomatoes comes from my mother – she’s a master gardener and she grows tomatoes in her backyard every summer. If I could bottle the scent of her tomato plants and turn it into a fragrance oil for my candles, I absolutely would.

I have always been brand agnostic when it comes to candles. I go through scent phases, and when I’m obsessed, I want to try every version out there. I’m in a tomato phase right now. I like a green, slightly earthy, sun-warmed tomato vine aroma. I’ve found four surprisingly different takes on the tomato candle, and I’m breaking them all down for you today.

If you have a favorite tomato candle, please leave me a comment! I am on a mission to try them all. I’d love a spicier version and although the Flamingo Estate candle has a black pepper note, it’s not as spicy as I wanted it to be. I’ve also been coveting the Loewe version for awhile, but I have never spent more than $100 on a candle so unless I find a good coupon code, I don’t think I’ll get to try that one anytime soon.

November 2025 Update: Unfortunately, the Anthropologie tomato candle is no longer available at all and the Jonathan Adler tomato candle is only available as part of a 3 candle set. Some brands only bring out their tomato candles on a seasonal basis so I will update this post if these candles come back!

The Anthropologie candle has a sweet take on the tomato scent. I was surprised that there were no rhubarb or citrus notes listed in the product description, because it is very fruit-forward. Some of the earthier, more herbaceous tomato candles feel like they’d only appeal to die hard tomato fans, but this slightly sweet version seems like more of a universally lovable crowd pleaser. 

It’s not quite as authentic or as garden fresh as some of the others in this roundup, but it’s still a genuinely lovely option. I also love the jar. I’m trying to burn through it quickly not only because I love the scent but also because I can’t wait to re-use the striped ceramic jar as a home decor piece. I’d repurchase this candle in a heartbeat, but unfortunately it’s no longer available on Anthropologie’s website. Fingers crossed they bring it back, maybe as a seasonal release.

This is a very bold, very earthy tomato candle… and I feel obligated to warn you that the hot throw is intense. After the first burn, I genuinely wondered if my living room would ever smell like anything else. It was a lot.

The earthiness here won’t be for everyone. It’s not just tomato vine; it also feels like there’s a soil note underneath it all. Some people will love that natural quality. I think it’s fine, but I was hoping that more of the basil and rhubarb notes would shine through. I actually planned to trade this in a candle exchange, but I decided to give it a second chance after I used it under my candle warmer. I realized that the scent is okay at a much lower intensity. On the lowest heat setting, it took about 10 minutes to release fragrance, and even after a couple of hours it stayed manageable. In small doses (and under a warmer on the lightest setting) it’s perfectly enjoyable. Truly a testament to how much I love my candle warmer.

Scent-wise, this is my least favorite in the roundup, but the vessel is hands-down my favorite. The porcelain jar’s face design makes this a statement piece and I love the glossy red interior. Plus, the matching red candle wax really makes this candle stand out. I don’t see a lot of luxury candle brands experimenting with colored wax the way that JA does in their Muse line.

This was the candle I was most excited to try, but I don’t think I would ever re-purchase. It’s too earthy and too strong for my taste.

*This candle is no longer available as a single candle so if you want it, you’ll have to buy the Jonathan Adler Muse Couleur Votive Set, a trio of candles including the Tomato candle (Tomate) as well as the Sea Salt (Sel de Mer) and Grapefruit (Pamplemousse) candles. The candles are smaller, but still come in the same porcelain face jars. I bought this set for my mom for a gift and she loved it. The Sel de Mer candle is one of the best sea salt candles I have ever tried. It’s just as bold as Tomato, but beautifully balanced and never overwhelming.

The Malin + Goetz Tomato Candle has the mildest tomato scent of the group. It’s airy, light, and softly green. It captures the realistic smell of tomato leaves beautifully, but if you’re looking for a candle with a strong hot throw, I would not recommend this one.

Burning it was essentially the opposite of the Jonathan Adler experience. It didn’t make much of an impact in a large room, so I reserve it for smaller spaces or I use it under my candle warmer on a high setting. I definitely prefer this lighter, fresher profile to the earthiness of the JA candle, but if you want an authentic tomato scent with enough strength to fill a room, the Flamingo Estate Tomato Candle is the clear standout. Keep reading for my thoughts on that one.

The Flamingo Estate Tomato Candle feels like the truest, most accurate representation of an actual tomato vine. My mother grows tomatoes every summer and the moment I smelled this candle, I was transported straight to her backyard. This candle is green, herbaceous, and incredibly fresh. It is the perfect summer scent.

Where M+G is too light and JA is too overpowering, Flamingo Estate lands right in the sweet spot. The hot throw is excellent, and the scent is so well balanced: pure tomato vine without drifting too earthy or too sweet. Honestly, in a blindfolded test between this candle and a real tomato plant, I’m not completely sure I’d be able to tell the difference. It’s that convincing. This is absolutely a candle I’ll re-purchase.

I first tried the small version after receiving the Flamingo Estate Three Sisters Candle Set as a Christmas gift (thank you, husband!) It has mini versions of their Rosemary, Sage, and Tomato candles. Next time, I’m definitely upgrading to the full 8-ounce size.

My only gripe is a tiny one, but worth mentioning. Flamingo Estate candles are pricey, so I wish the packaging reflected that a bit more. The jar has a beautiful printed design on one side, but the opposite side uses a simple sticker label, and a couple of mine arrived slightly crooked or warped. It’s minor, but when you’re paying luxury-candle prices, the aesthetics matter.

What scent should I try next? 

This buyer’s guide was several months in the making and I had a lot of fun putting it together. Not only will I keep adding tomato candles to this post as I try more, but I also want to pick a new scent to explore. If you have a scent that you would like to see in a future buyer’s guide, let me know! You can leave me a comment or send me an e-mail (candlecultureblog@gmail.com).