The clocks went back this weekend, so the candles come out earlier now. That brings a small question with a big effect on your fingers. What is the easiest way to light a tealight sitting deep in a glass holder? For many homes, the answer is an electric candle lighter. Here is how it compares with matches, and how to use either one well.

Why an Electric Candle Lighter Suits Tealights

A tealight sits low in its cup. Put it inside a glass holder and the wick is even further down. With a short match, your fingers go in close to the heat.

An electric candle lighter has a long neck. Instead of a flame, it makes a small electric spark at the tip, called an arc. You hold it beside the wick, press the button, and the wick catches.

There is also no used match to drop. Tower Hamlets Trading Standards advises keeping the melt pool, the circle of liquid wax around the wick, free of matches and debris.

Is a match better for some candles?

A match is fine for a wide, shallow candle where the wick is easy to reach. Strike it away from you and light the wick. Then shake it out and let it cool on a saucer, never in the wax.

Rechargeable Candle Lighter: Getting the Most From It

Most electric lighters charge by USB. A few habits keep yours ready for a dark evening.

• Charge it fully before the first use.
• Keep it in the same drawer every time.
• Wipe soot off the tip with a dry cloth.
• Use the safety lock if it has one.

Hold the arc at the side of the wick, not down in the wax. Count to two. If the wick looks long, trim it first, so the flame starts small and steady.

Lighting Candles Safely on Dark Evenings

Whatever you light with, the same rules apply. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service says to keep matches and lighters out of reach of children. It also warns that tealights get very hot and can melt plastic, including baths and TVs. Stand each one in a heat-resistant holder.

That matters in December. Our Advent Calendar holds 24 tealights, one for each night from 1 December. Each has a four-footed base for a steady flame.

Quick answers

How does an electric candle lighter work?

It uses a charged battery to make a small spark between two points at the tip. You hold that spark beside the wick for a second or two, and the wick lights. There is no gas to refill.

How do you light a tealight in a deep holder?

Use a lighter with a long neck, so your hand stays clear of the glass. Hold the tip beside the wick for two seconds. Then leave the holder where it is while the flame settles.

A good lighter is a small thing. But it makes lighting up each evening easier and tidier. If you would like a reason to light a tealight every night in December, the Glow Advent Calendar has 24 of them, in 12 Christmas fragrances.

Related reading

• Candle Safety at Home: Simple Habits for Winter Evenings: the everyday rules worth knowing.
• Scented Tea Lights: Why Small Candles Smell So Good: why a tiny candle can fill a room.
• Candle Care Kit: How to Put Out a Candle the Right Way: the other end of the evening.