How to Choose a Menorah: Size, Indoor vs Outdoor, LED vs Oil vs Candle

To choose a menorah, decide three things in order: what it is for, where it will stand, and how far away people will see it from. For the mitzvah of lighting at home, choose an oil or candle menorah with eight lights in a straight, level row and a separate shamash. For a window, storefront, lobby or public space that needs to stay lit for hours without supervision, choose an electric LED display menorah. Then pick the size by viewing distance: about 12 inches for a home windowsill, 24 inches to 3 feet for a storefront or lobby, and 6 to 12 feet for a courtyard, synagogue entrance or city plaza. Use aluminum outdoors, because it does not rust, and plan the base and wind anchoring before you order.

Step 1: Decide what the menorah is for

Most buying mistakes come from asking one menorah to do two jobs. There are two distinct purposes.

• Fulfilling the mitzvah. In mainstream Chabad practice, which this guide follows, the Hanukkah lights must be real flames fed by oil or wax. Electric and gas lights do not fulfill the obligation.
• Publicizing the holiday. A display menorah in a window, on a building or in a public square shares the message of Hanukkah with everyone who passes. Electric light is well suited to this because it can run all evening, in weather, with nobody watching it.

Many households and nearly all institutions end up with one of each: a flame menorah for the blessing and an electric one for visibility. Some display menorahs accept both, which is covered below.

Step 2: LED vs oil vs candle

Oil

Olive oil with cotton wicks is the ideal fuel, since the Hanukkah miracle took place with olive oil in the Temple. Pre-filled vials remove most of the mess: each night you drop in the right number and light them. Oil gives a steady, clean flame and a long burn, which helps on Friday afternoon when the lights must be kindled before Shabbat and still be burning after nightfall.

Candles

Candles are fully acceptable and are the simplest option for children, guests and travel. Check that the candle diameter matches the cups on the menorah, since a loose candle leans and drips. Eight nights take 44 candles. Standard thin candles are fine on weeknights but are generally too short for Friday, so keep a set of larger ones.

Electric LED

An LED menorah is the practical choice wherever flame is not allowed or cannot be supervised: a shop window overnight, an office, a hospital, a care facility, a dormitory, or any outdoor site. On Menorah.net’s electric models, an automatic mode adds one light every 24 hours from the moment it is activated, so the display keeps pace with the holiday without a nightly visit. Set it at the hour you want it to advance.

Convertible models

Some display menorahs take both. The Menorah.net 12-inch LED menorah accepts a pre-filled oil vial or a candle in each branch for the blessing, and the included LED bulbs go in afterward so the window stays lit. For the 18-inch, 24-inch and 3-foot electric models there are oil and candle adapters, and for the 6 to 12 foot models there are candle conversion kits with glass chimneys, and tiki torch kits, that fit the bulb sockets. This is how a public lighting ceremony can be held over a real flame on a menorah that otherwise runs on electricity. The candle kits work outdoors except in high wind.

Step 3: Check that the design is kosher

For a menorah used for the blessing, the requirements are short:

• Eight lights in a straight row, all at the same height.
• A ninth holder for the shamash, set apart from the row, usually higher.
• Enough fuel in each light to burn until at least half an hour after nightfall.
• Lights far enough apart that the flames do not merge.

Menorahs with curved, staggered or circular arrangements are decorative. If you are unsure about a particular design, ask your rabbi before buying.

Step 4: Choose the size by viewing distance

Size should follow how far away the menorah will be seen from, not the budget or the size of the room. The dimensions and weights below are the published figures for Menorah.net’s standard LED display menorahs.

LUX models, which illuminate the whole menorah in color, are heavier than the standard LED versions; the 12-foot LUX ships at 80 lbs. Above 12 feet, sculptural public art menorahs run to 15 feet.

Two rules of thumb help. First, a menorah in an upper-floor window needs to be larger to read the same from the street: a 24-inch menorah on the second floor looks about like a 12-inch one at ground level. Second, measure width as well as height. A 9-foot menorah is 7.5 feet wide and needs clear space on both sides. For more on fitting a menorah to a window, see window menorahs and indoor display menorahs.

Step 5: Indoor vs outdoor

Indoor

Indoors, the questions are floor space, an outlet within reach, and stability. Menorahs up to 3 feet sit on a sill, counter or pedestal. The 6 to 12 foot display menorahs stand on an indoor base measuring 35 x 24 x 2 inches with suction cups that grip a hard floor. For a flame menorah at home, Chabad custom places it in a doorway opposite the mezuzah; others use a windowsill facing the street, which should be no more than about 29 feet above street level.

Outdoor

Outdoors, the material and the base matter more than the lighting. Menorah.net’s 6, 9 and 12 foot models are aluminum with a silver finish, so they do not rust in rain, snow or cold. The 3-foot model is steel and meant for indoor use. Wind is the main risk, and there are two ways to deal with it:

• In-ground base: a permanent sleeve set into grass or soil. The menorah lifts out after Hanukkah and drops back in the next year.
• Indoor base plus outdoor base cover: for pavement, rooftops and parking lots. The cover lets you add sandbags or cinder blocks as ballast. The indoor base alone is not recommended outside.

Power is a standard 110v outlet; a transformer is needed where the supply is 220v. Our page on outdoor Hanukkah lights and display menorahs covers bases, bulbs and installation timing in more detail.

A quick decision path

1. Lighting at home with the blessing: oil or candle menorah, straight row, any size that fits your doorway or sill.
2. Home window that stays lit: 12-inch convertible or LED menorah.
3. Shop, office or lobby: 24-inch or 3-foot electric menorah.
4. Courtyard, entrance or atrium: 6 or 9 foot aluminum menorah, base chosen for the surface.
5. Plaza, park or civic site: 12-foot aluminum menorah, in-ground base where possible, candle or torch kit if the ceremony will use a flame.

If you are buying for Hanukkah 2026, which begins the evening of Friday, December 4, the Hanukkah Judaica shopping guide for 2026 lists quantities and an ordering timeline. Menorah.net is operated by the Lubavitch Center of Essex County, New Jersey, and is the world’s largest manufacturer of public display menorahs; its menorahs carry a 3-year warranty, and answers on bases, bulbs and parts are in the FAQ.

Frequently asked questions

Is an LED menorah kosher for Hanukkah?

For display, yes. For the mitzvah, mainstream Chabad practice requires a real flame from oil or wax, so the blessing is not said over electric lights. Where flame is not permitted, consult a rabbi about your situation.

Is oil better than candles?

Olive oil is the preferred way to perform the mitzvah because it recalls the original miracle. Candles are fully valid, and many families use them for convenience.

What size menorah do I need for a storefront?

A 24-inch or 3-foot electric menorah suits most shop windows. Go to 3 feet for a wide shopfront or a window set back from the sidewalk.

What size menorah is right for a synagogue or public square?

A 9-foot menorah fits most synagogue entrances, malls and town halls. A 12-foot menorah is the usual choice for city squares and parks.

Can an indoor menorah be used outdoors?

Small steel models are for indoor use. The 6 to 12 foot aluminum models work in both settings, but outdoors they need an in-ground base or a ballasted base cover to resist wind.

How long do the lights need to burn?

At least until half an hour after nightfall. On Friday, when the menorah is lit before Shabbat, plan for about an hour and a half.