Let There Be Light
Vessel Candela Lamps
By Barbara Bowman

Candles are a standard go-to gift. That’s why the twist-on-the-old-favorite Candela line from Vessel is a breath of fresh air. The small, portable, rechargeable, battery-powered lamps radiate the soft glow of a candle without smoke, mess from wax spills or danger when left unattended. Perfect for the outdoors on a breezy evening or indoors when you're reading in bed, these little pillars of light remain lit for five hours and fully recharge within sixteen. As a safety feature, they turn on automatically during a power outage, so there’s always a convenient light source at hand. Each lamp also has an on/off switch.

We tried the Candela four-lamp set with recharger in a dark room. Although small in size, we were surprised at the amount of light they threw off without being blaringly bright, and the romantic quotient so often associated with candles still remained. When accessing the battery and bulb, it was easy to disassemble and more importantly to reassemble. And the sleek and modern design looked good even in a more traditional setting. This set set retails for $89; a wide variety of additional lamps range in price from $35 to $399.

Vessel, the home décor company that combines smart design with function, was founded in 1997 by former product designers Duane Smith and Stefane Barbeau. With products predominately available online, Vessel just opened its first store in front of its studio in the Rose Kennedy Greenway area of Boston. With a mission statement to create “products that can be put on a pedestal, but also taken down to use every day," this company has created a lovely gift or addition to your own home.

Vessel, 125 Kingston St. (at Essex), Boston, MA 02111, 877-805-1801, www.vessel.com. Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.

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(Published: 12/01/05)