The best tiki torches, for a summer patio after dark
A row of torches is the classic summer patio light. Height, build, how much fuel it holds and how you put it out decide which set.
By Sawyer V. · Published
A line of torches along a patio edge is the oldest summer party light there is, and on a July evening nothing else looks quite like a real flame. It is also the one light on this site that is actually on fire, so it gets the most careful ranking.
Four of the five below burn fuel; one is a solar LED flame for yards where an open flame is not welcome. Five below, one to skip.
Wreath & Watt earns a commission on qualifying purchases made through the Amazon links on this page. It costs you nothing and it does not change the order of the picks — here is exactly how we are funded.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  TIKI Simply Metal torches, 4 pack, 65 in, bronze, easy install65 or 50 in, metal, 4-piece pole, fiberglass wick, snuffer | The best-built flame torch | 8.8/ 10 | |
| 2 |  Matney stainless steel outdoor torches, set of 4, 5 ft4 torches, 5 ft, stainless steel | Stainless rather than painted steel | 6.0/ 10 | $66.99Amazon #ad · Price as of October 26, 2026 · Disclosure |
| 3 |  TIKI bamboo torches, 4 pack, 57 in, citronella57 in bamboo, easy-pour wide-mouth canister, citronella | The bamboo option | 6.0/ 10 | $32.99Amazon #ad · Price as of October 26, 2026 · Disclosure |
| 4 |  TomCare solar flame torch lights, 4 pack, 43 in, 99 LEDs, flickering flame43 in, 99-LED flickering flame, solar, waterproof | The flame look without a flame | 7.3/ 10 | $49.99Amazon #ad · Price as of October 26, 2026 · Disclosure |
| 5 |  TIKI Cabos metal torch, 65 in, bronze, singleOne 65 in metal torchSkip this | Skip | 6.5/ 10 | $31.99Amazon #ad · Price as of October 26, 2026 · Disclosure |
Scores are our own weighting of published manufacturer specifications, explained in full on how we research. They are not test results. We have not tested these products.
The picks in full
#1 — The best-built flame torch
TIKI Simply Metal torches, 4 pack, 65 in, bronze, easy install
65 or 50 in, metal, 4-piece pole, fiberglass wick, snuffer
8.8
/ 10
The pick. Metal, adjustable, snuffer included, burn time published.
Published specifications
- Torches
- 4
- Height
- 65 in full size, or 50 in mid size
- Build
- Metal, 4-piece pole with easy-install lever
- Wick
- Long-lasting fiberglass
- Snuffer
- Metal, included
- Burn time
- Up to 5 hours per 12 oz fill of TIKI BiteFighter fuel
Our scoring
- Build
- 10 / 10
- Height options
- 10 / 10
- Fire safety
- 6 / 10
- Spec completeness
- 9 / 10
Good
- Two heights from one pole: 65 in or 50 in
- Metal, with a snuffer included — the right way to put a flame out
- Burn time published
Watch out
- A real flame: it needs clearance from anything that burns
- Fuel not included in the listing title
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B09MV84P7R), verified 2026-09-11.
#2 — Stainless rather than painted steel
Matney stainless steel outdoor torches, set of 4, 5 ft
4 torches, 5 ft, stainless steel
6.0
/ 10
The material pick. Stainless and 60 in, with the fuel figures the old set published no longer stated anywhere.
Published specifications
- Torches
- 4
- Height
- 5 ft (60 in)
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Form
- Cylinder
- Canister capacity
- Not stated in the listing
- Wick
- Not stated in the listing
- Snuffer
- Not stated in the listing
Our scoring
- Build
- 9 / 10
- Height options
- 7 / 10
- Fire safety
- 4 / 10
- Spec completeness
- 4 / 10
Good
- Stainless steel rather than painted or powder-coated steel, which is what rusts at the ground line
- 60 in published, taller than the 53 in set it replaces
- Four torches is the quantity that actually lines a patio edge
Watch out
- No canister capacity published, so burn time per fill is unknown
- No wick or snuffer detail — on a fuel torch the snuffer is the safety item
- Stock was down to 13 when we checked
#ad · Price as of October 26, 2026 · How we are funded
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B0D47PTYHM), verified via the Creators API 2026-10-02. Replaces the discontinued Legends Direct 53 in set (B08959NK38), whose published 20 oz oil lamp, fiberglass wick and snuffer no live metal set here carries.
#3 — The bamboo option
TIKI bamboo torches, 4 pack, 57 in, citronella
57 in bamboo, easy-pour wide-mouth canister, citronella
6.0
/ 10
Best bamboo: four 57 in torches with a canister you can actually pour into.
Published specifications
- Torches
- 4
- Height
- 57 in
- Build
- Bamboo, weather resistant
- Canister
- Easy-pour wide-mouth, refillable
- Fuel
- Sold as citronella torches
- Snuffer
- Not stated in the listing
- Burn time
- Not stated in the listing
Our scoring
- Build
- 7 / 10
- Height options
- 5 / 10
- Fire safety
- 5 / 10
- Spec completeness
- 7 / 10
Good
- 57 in of published height, in a four pack
- A wide-mouth canister is the difference between refilling it and spilling it
- The only bamboo torch here, for anyone who does not want metal on the lawn
Watch out
- Bamboo is a natural material; store it dry over winter
- No snuffer and no burn time in the listing
#ad · Price as of October 26, 2026 · How we are funded
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B06XNN825B), verified via the Creators API 2026-09-24. Replaces the discontinued 60 in Royal Polynesian 4 pack (B078W8MQNJ).
#4 — The flame look without a flame
TomCare solar flame torch lights, 4 pack, 43 in, 99 LEDs, flickering flame
43 in, 99-LED flickering flame, solar, waterproof
7.3
/ 10
Best without fire: a solar flame for a yard where an open torch is not welcome.
Published specifications
- Torches
- 4
- Height
- 43 in
- LEDs
- 99 per torch
- Power
- Solar, automatic dusk to dawn
- Charge and runtime
- 6-8 hours to charge, 10-12 hours of light
- Weather
- Waterproof
- Stake
- Reinforced ground stake
Our scoring
- Build
- 7 / 10
- Height options
- 4 / 10
- Fire safety
- 10 / 10
- Spec completeness
- 8 / 10
Good
- No fuel and no flame — safe beside children, pets and a dry lawn
- Charge time and runtime published
Watch out
- An LED flicker, not a real flame: convincing across the yard, less so up close
- 43 in, shorter than the fuel torches
#ad · Price as of October 26, 2026 · How we are funded
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B07RBPLRPV), verified 2026-09-11.
#5 — skip this
TIKI Cabos metal torch, 65 in, bronze, single
One 65 in metal torch
6.5
/ 10
Skip. The Simply Metal set is also 65 in TIKI metal, and it comes in fours.
Published specifications
- Torches
- 1
- Height
- 65 in
- Build
- Metal, bronze finish, weather resistant
- Wick
- Long-lasting wick included
- Snuffer
- Included
- Burn time
- Not stated in the listing
Our scoring
- Build
- 9 / 10
- Height options
- 6 / 10
- Fire safety
- 6 / 10
- Spec completeness
- 5 / 10
Good
- 65 in metal, from TIKI, with the wick and snuffer named
- Bronze reads warmer against planting than a painted finish
Watch out
- Sold as a single torch; lining a patio takes four
- No published burn time
#ad · Price as of October 26, 2026 · How we are funded
Specs from the Amazon listing (ASIN B078PR1QJG), verified via the Creators API 2026-09-24. Replaces the discontinued Urban Metal 65 in single (B071XSMVGR).
How we ranked these
Build and the safety kit first — a snuffer to put the flame out and a pole that stands firm. Then height, fuel capacity and what the listing publishes.
| Torches | Pack | Height | Build | Fuel | Snuffer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TIKI Simply Metal | 4 | 65 or 50 in | Metal | 12 oz fill, up to 5 h | Metal, included |
| Matney | 4 | 5 ft | Stainless steel | Not stated | Not stated |
| TIKI bamboo 4 pack | 4 | 57 in | Bamboo | Easy-pour wide-mouth canister | Not stated |
| TomCare solar | 4 | 43 in | Solar LED | None | Not needed |
| TIKI Cabos | 1 | 65 in | Metal | Not stated | Included |
TIKI's 5-hour figure is for a 12 oz fill of its BiteFighter fuel, per the listing.
Source: Manufacturer listings on Amazon.com, verified September 2026.
How long a fill lasts
The arithmetic
- TIKI Simply Metal: a 12 oz fill = up to 5 hours (listing)
- An evening from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. = 5 hours
- A 16 oz canister (an assumption — measure yours): 16 / 12 x 5 = about 7 hours
TIKI publishes the only burn time here: up to 5 hours per 12 oz fill. No other fuel torch on this page publishes a canister size, so plan on about five hours a fill and keep the can on the patio. The scaling above is our arithmetic at TIKI's rate, not a spec.
How many torches a patio edge takes
The arithmetic
- Example: a 24 ft patio edge (an assumption)
- One torch every 8 ft: 24 / 8 = 3 gaps = 4 torches
- That is one 4 pack
A 4 pack lines a 24 ft edge at 8 ft spacing. A bigger patio takes two packs, so plan the fuel for 8 torches, not 4.
Metal or bamboo
Metal holds up to weather and stands on a steadier pole; the Simply Metal set’s 4-piece pole has an easy-install lever and sets up at 65 in or 50 in. Keep the taller setting for the edge of the patio, away from where people walk. The TIKI bamboo four pack is the classic bamboo look at a published 57 in, sold as citronella torches, but bamboo is a natural material: store it dry over winter.
A flame without the fire
The TomCare torch imitates a flicker with 99 LEDs, charges in 6 to 8 hours of sun and runs 10 to 12 hours, per its listing. At 43 in it is shorter than the fuel torches, and it is convincing from across the yard rather than up close. For a family yard or a dry summer, it is the safe pick. The solar trade-offs are on solar vs plug-in outdoor lighting.
Why the single TIKI Cabos is the skip
The TIKI Cabos is a single 65 in metal torch in a bronze finish, wick and snuffer included. Lining a patio takes four, and the Simply Metal set is also 65 in TIKI metal, sold in fours.
The rest of the patio
Torches are the flame layer. The string-light layer is on patio string lights and how to hang patio string lights; the path out to the yard is on solar path lights.
Questions
›How long does a tiki torch burn?
TIKI’s listing gives up to 5 hours per 12 oz fill of its fuel. No other fuel torch here publishes a canister size, so that is the only figure to plan from.
›How far apart should tiki torches be?
There is no fixed rule. At 8 ft spacing, a 24 ft patio edge takes four torches. Keep them out of walkways and well clear of anything that burns.
›Are there tiki torches without a flame?
Yes. Solar flame torches like the TomCare use 99 LEDs to imitate a flicker, with no fuel. They are shorter, at 43 in, and the safest choice around children and pets.
›How do you put out a tiki torch?
With the snuffer; the TIKI torches here name one and the others do not publish it. Let the torch cool before refilling it.
Sources
- TIKI Simply Metal torches listing (ASIN B09MV84P7R) — 4 pack, 65 in or 50 in, metal, 4-piece pole with easy-install lever, fiberglass wick, metal snuffer, up to 5 h per 12 oz fill of TIKI BiteFighter fuel
- Matney stainless steel torches listing (ASIN B0D47PTYHM) — Set of 4, stainless steel, 5 ft, cylinder form; no canister capacity, wick or snuffer published
- TIKI bamboo torches 4 pack listing (ASIN B06XNN825B) — 4 pack, 57 in, bamboo, weather resistant, easy-pour wide-mouth refillable canister, citronella
- TomCare solar torch lights listing (ASIN B07RBPLRPV) — 4 pack, 43 in, 99 LEDs, flickering flame, 6-8 h charge, 10-12 h runtime, reinforced ground stake, waterproof
- TIKI Cabos torch listing (ASIN B078PR1QJG) — Single 65 in metal torch, bronze, long-lasting wick and snuffer included, weather resistant
- Burn-time and spacing arithmetic — Burn time scaled by reservoir size at TIKI's published rate, and torch spacing, are stated assumptions — our arithmetic
We have not tested these products. Every figure above comes from a published manufacturer specification or from arithmetic shown on this page, and anything a maker does not publish is printed as unavailable rather than estimated. How that works, and what we will not claim, is set out on how we research.