Tealights have been a common household item in my family home since early childhood. There would always be a big pack of IKEA ones under the kitchen sink, or (for some strange reason) in the shed. As trips to IKEA became more and more infrequent, however, we switched to the Sainsbury's variety, and though a little more expensive, we found them to be of exactly the same quality and size. In fact, they're probably manufactured in the same factory. On first sight, these tealights seem rather unimpressive, but if used artistically and numerously, they can create a warm, romantic, and inviting atmosphere in any room of the house.

FORM:
The design and construction of the product(s) can only be described as poor to average. The tealights are ruggedly put together with little care or attention. Some will fall apart in the packaging and others might bend or twist whilst being transported - all due to the fact they come in a transparent plastic bag that won't protect the tealights against scratching or dinting. Subject to pressure, they will crumple relatively easily - the metal casing, that is. They are each made from a white paraffin wax of reasonable quality. The wax won't overflow the silver metal, unless it has been punctured. Manufactured in China, the tealights each measure 1.5 (depth) x 3.8 cm (diameter), though I found this can fluctuate slightly because of their poor build quality.

USE:
As I said before, you can use this product (on mass) in any room of the house, but they seem to resonate best in the bathroom, set round a steaming bath. In the living room you might like to line the mantelpiece with a row, or decorate the coffee table. just remember to keep the little tealights away from plastics (especially bags) and electrical equipment. They seem to last for about 2-3 hours depending on the condition of the wick and wax. They do have quite a long wick (allowing for easy lighting with a standard lighter or short match), but this can sometimes be severed, or buried within the paraffin. For their size, I have to say they burn very well indeed - though the variation

Generally speaking, I don't have much to complain about besides the products build quality. They're a tacky product, but that is justified by the price you pay, and the amount you get. You can get a pack of 50 for under £3.00, that's under 6 pence per candle. Averaged, they burn delightfully, and in an otherwise darkened room you care little for their physical make-up and more for their orange flame. If you're in IKEA is suggest buying theirs, but these variety are just as good.

RATING: 3.2/5