Stylish Oil Burners for Exterior Use

A natural alternative to cold LED lighting for outdoors are oil burners. These lights illuminate your patio or garden with golden flames, and the natural oils used have pleasing scents. Burning citronella oil in your burners keeps unpleasant insects at bay in the evening. Learn more about modern stylish oil burner lights below.

Structure of Oil Burners

Oil burners employ a dense fiberglass wick, 12 inches (30 cm) long, that siphons the oil to the top. The wick itself does not burn, just the aromatic oil. Trim the wick when the oil gives off black smoke when lit. On average an oil lamp that holds a quart (1L) of fluid will burn for up to 35 hours. Lamps with a capacity of 12 to 16 ounces (300 to 400 ml) will burn from 10 to 20 hours.

Torch-Shaped Oil Burners

These oil lamps, with a cone-shaped oil reservoir and curved top, can be used all year round. Attach them to a stainless steel ground spike or push their pointed bases into firm garden soil, then light the wick. In winter, you can set several into a snowbank. Torch-shaped burners are finished in brushed stainless steel or brushed copper, and hold a quart of oil.

Slate Obelisk Oil Burners

At 12 inches (30 cm) or 24 inches (60 cm) high, these elegant slate oil burners stand sturdily on any tabletop, patio stones or atop a low wall. The natural slate finish is available in grays or terracotta brown. 12-inch obelisks hold 12 ounces of oil and the taller obelisks will take 16 ounces.

Bowl-Shaped Oil Burners

These bowls are styled with a flat base for secure placement, and a frame for mounting on a 60-inch (150 cm) stand. The stands come in black or natural wood finish, with flat bases to support the lamps on patios and decks. Bowl-shaped burners have polished steel or polished copper finishes. The lid curves upward in the center to send a narrow flame out the top.

Floating Oval Oil Lights

Add the romance of flame light to your swimming pool or garden pond with waterproof floating oval oil lights. The polished metal exterior, in either stainless steel or copper, reflects the flame off its surface and off the water below. These floating lights contain enough oil for 15 to 20 hours of burn time.

Columnar Oil Lights

These contemporary columns have perforated tops that allow the oil flame to cast beautiful shadows on your deck or patio. Each column, sold in pairs, stands 5 inches (13 cm) high, with a brushed copper or steel exterior. They hold enough oil for 15 hours of burn time each.

Hurricane Style Oil Lamps

A more traditional style, interpreted for modern tastes, the square hurricane oil lamp provides steady light. Choose a simple curved glass chimney under a broad cap. Hang these oil lamps on a support stand or place them on a table top.

Safety Tips for Oil Burners

Keep oil burning lamps out of the reach of children and pets. Always extinguish an oil burner lamp with a metal snuffer. Use only specially formulated oil burner oils. Never burn gasoline or kerosene in an oil burner light.