By Christina Rylan
Brand: Mainstay
Type: 11.5oz 3 wick candle
Fragrance: Apple Pumpkin
Cost: $5.00
Scent Strength: Light
Introduction to my review:
Full disclosure here… I usually bypass these candles every time I walk by them. The ones I’ve smelled in the past… not so great. This brand lines several shelves at Walmart consistently so they must be selling. They’re super inexpensive so that’s probably a huge factor… I wanted to find out for myself and was finally brave enough to buy a couple.
Walmart carries a few different sizes in this brand but I decided to stick with a medium size 3 wick candle. I figured 3 wicks would give better odds of a nice full melt pool plus (hopefully) give a stronger scent as well… and for 5 bucks…. great deal!!
Apple Pumpkin won me over and the one I decided to review first. It smelled really good and surprisingly authentic.
What did my Apple Pumpkin candle look like?
This candle was 11.5 ounces with a plastic clear lid. The label shows a picture of pumpkin and apples with the Mainstay logo at the top. A nice feature, it peels right off if you prefer your candles to be free of labeling. The wax color was a rich rust with 3 perfectly centered wicks.
What did my Mainstay candle smell like?
I was surprised how good this candle smelled on first sniff. It smelled just like its name… apples and pumpkin. Very nice. Wanted to note… when researching this candle online, I kept seeing references to Better Homes and Gardens but nowhere on this candle is there mention of it being a Better Homes and Gardens brand. Weird. 
Scent description from Walmart’s website:
“Apple whipped with warm apple butter and sweet cinnamon sugar are wrapped with maple syrup and brown sugar vanilla for a rich autumn sensation.”
Um, YUM!!!! That’s sounds mouthwatering! I was really hoping all that yummy-ness came out once burning. Nothing like an apple buttered, maple syrup, cinnamon vanilla sugar scent!! I wasn’t really making all that out from smelling it cold but you never know… the true test is after it’s lit.
I opted to burn this candle in a small powder room to see how it faired… and as predicted, it ended up being a good call. This candle was really lightly scented and would have been totally lost in a bigger room. What did I smell with my nose literally right up to the candle? An apple pumpkin scent… heavier on the apple. I didn’t really make out any of the other bakery oriented ingredients named in the description which I must admit was a little disappointing. I would have loved even hints of maple syrup or even some sweet cinnamon… but – it is what it is.
How did my Mainstay candle burn?
Unfortunately, this candle didn’t burn very well. The beginning started out okay with even flames but then they turned into little nubbies and from then on out… super slow and uneven burn. I was really disappointed.
Closing to my review:
All in all, this was just an *ok* candle for me. I think part of the reason I didn’t get that much scent was due to the wicks not burning correctly. The wax never really got hot enough to release the scent. That’s my guess anyway. I have one more candle I bought to burn – maybe that one will fair better. I’ll report back.
Based off this experience… I don’t think I’ll buy this brand again but we’ll see… I’ve been known to change my mind if the scent is appealing enough.
Happy candle hunting!
~ Christina
**Note – these candles are found at Walmart stores or various outlets online.**
Have you tried Apple Pumpkin from Mainstay? Review it with us. In the comment section below, review and star rate your experience… it’s easy!
I HAD BEEN BURNING THIS CANDLE THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS. I LIT IT TODAY AND WAS ALERTED BY THE FIRE ALARM THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. WHEN I GOT TO THE KITCHEN THE WINDOW LEDGE THAT THE CANDLE WAS SITTING ON HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT HAD GOTTEN SO HOT THAT IT ACTUALLY CAUGHT THE WOOD ON THE WINDOW LEDGE ON FIRE. IT ALSO MELTED AND CHARED THE HEAVY PLASTIC OF THE WINDOW FRAME AND ACTUALLY CRACKED THE WINDOW. PLEASE NEVER BUY THIS CANDLE.
Hi Alice. Wow! Sorry you had that experience. Another friendly reminder to always keep an eye on your burning candles. Flames do get out of control if you aren’t trimming them as needed. Luckily, I’ve never had an issue with this brand but I haven’t burned that many.
Mainstays giant no container three wick candles were the BEST! They scented my whole house, burned clean, lasted a decent length of time.However, I am unable to find these now. I buy the smaller non container candles. Now none of the candles are scented very well. Can’t smell them while burning or not even in a warming dish. Sad about this. I wish it could be as before.
Hi Gretchen,
I haven’t looked at Mainstay candles at Walmart lately. They don’t have the three wick candles anymore? I could have sworn mine still did. I’ll have to check.
I agree 100%! Very disappointed.