With the cold Winter nights well and truly here, there is nothing nicer than staying in, creating some mood lighting with a few candles and opening a bottle of wine with a partner. And while this may sound pretty low-fi for all the techies out there – never fear, it doesn't have to be with this smart new candle with a tech twist.

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Even if you're not a techie, but simply don't like the mess of wax candles, having to re-light them constantly in windy weather, or have pets or kids that might accidentally tip them over, the Smart Candle may be your solution.

Available in a range of shapes, sizes and coloured flames, the Smart Candle uses double A battery-powered LED technology to create a candle-like light source. How could this possibly replicate the ambience of a candle you may ask? Well, we were dubious too, but after testing it out, the LED light actually flickers randomly in the same way a candle light would, thus creating candle-like ambience.

The Single Votive Smart Candle we looked at comprises of a plastic candle-shaped insert with a bulb shaped like a flame that sits inside a tall frosted glass holder. The flame is a regular amber-coloured light. And because the holder is taller than the "candle," the "candle" itself is not visible at eye-level, so the effect is quite realistic. If you were to peer over the candle – it is obvious it is not a real candle, though.

Price-wise, the company says the Smart Candles are quite competitive, claiming that one rechargeable Smart Candle will last as long as it would take to burn 1050 tealights. If this is indeed the case (sorry guys, we didn't have time to burn 1050 tealights concurrently with the Smart Candle!) the $10 + GST price tag for the Single Votive Smart Candle (including the double A batteries) sounds pretty reasonable.

Overall a neat little product that, though originally designed for the hospitality industry, can work very well for the home and patio too.

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Single Votive Smart Candle | $10 + GST | 4.5 stars | www.smartcandle.com.au
For: Well priced; creates pretty similar ambience and light to a wax candle
Against: The "candle" itself doesn't look all that real if you look in the glass
Verdict: An economic and convenient alternative to burning wax candles