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Comment by kebman | Hacker News Reader

I really hate these fake LED candles with a passion. Either put an actual candle on the table, or just put a small cosy light that doesn't flicker.

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I like quite them. With LED candles, there's no danger of fires if you forget about the candle, or if you accidentally knocking them over, or if something accidentally goes over the candle. There is no mess to clean up as the candle melts down the wax. There is no worry about wind blowing out the candle.

I don't like those small LED candles using disposable watch/button batteries. I use ones using standard AA batteries, which means I can use NiMH rechargeables.

Yeah, so switch it out with a continuous light instead of a flickering one. Why do you need the aesthetic of a candle light, that doesn't even flicker like a candle light anyway, and just turns out to this flickering annoyance that I'd much rather throw out of the window?

To each their own. I rate the “run for 6 hours each day” technology as a wonder of the modern age along with sliced bread and the Apollo program.

We have about a dozen of these things throughout the house, running everyday. Some on tables, some on counters, some on the wall in sconces.

They turn on and off on their own. Don’t have to worry about a cat knocking one over. We replace the batteries I think every 3 months or so. (Pair of AAAs.)

Yea, easy, safe way to add atmosphere and ad hoc nightlights throughout the house. Modern marvel.

Most of the LED candles on eBay just have a one shot timer. If you're looking for the "6 hours every day" candles, here's an example:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254879583371

My SO trialed a few different LED tealight ones to find some that "flicker right", ie not annoyingly (to her anyway).

She then drilled out parts of the core of some large candles using a hole saw, and put these LED candles in there.

So now she enjoys candles every evening without the fire risk, poor indoor air quality during winter season and the expense of new candles.

I respect her endeavour. Except why go through all that trouble when you can just get a continuous light that doesn't annoy anyone?

Seems to be that just about no-one are annoyed by continuous lights. And they can be cosy too. Moreover, with fancy new LED technology (sorry for the slight sarcasm) you can even have it in paper lamp shades, or whatever nicely done Art Nouveau creation you like.

Why? Ive known several people that died from candles including the actions of other people's usage of candles.

Not to mention that whenever I light a candle, my air filter spins up and my air quality monitor says pm2.5 peaks.

>> Ive known several people that died from candles

That can't possibly be true - unless of them all died in the same accident?

Two incidents, two families. Happens a lot with Mexican candles.

I still don't believe it. Mexican candles? This is a technology from ancient times; why would a candle made in Mexico in 2024 be any different from an American or Chinese or wherever candle?

Mexican candles probably aren't any different except they were involved in two fires the previous commenter was familiar with. Some cultures/religions use candles as part of their holiday observances.

https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety...

Mexican kids knock over the religious candles all the time. One tragic event happened when a friend's house was engulfed in flames after a candle was knocked into the curtains and she suffocated protecting her children from the smoke, I think one child had really bad breathing problems too.

Yeah my wife once fell asleep with a candle burning. It lit fire to the decorative candle holder and some kids clothes lying on the table. Luckily the IKEA table was fire-resistent so the fire extinguished itself but I came home to a home full of smoke and my wife asleep in the middle of it and it was the scare of my life.

Also bought smoke alarms for every room of the house after that (the hard-wired fire alarm in the apartment was heat activated only I guess)

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