Modern Menorahs: How to Choose the Best Menorah (2026 Picks)

Updated October 2026 with our 2026 picks.

Shopping for a menorah and not sure where to start? You're in the right place.

A menorah (also called a hanukkiah, or a Chanukah menorah) is the one Hanukkah object almost every family owns, and many families own several. This guide walks you through the choices that actually matter, then shares our favorite modern, unique, travel and oil menorahs for 2026. For everything else about the holiday, start with our Hanukkah guide, and if you're wondering how a hanukkiah differs from the seven-branched Temple menorah, read what is a menorah?

How to Choose a Menorah: 5 Questions to Ask

1. Who's lighting it? A menorah for a family dinner table, a grandparent's mantel and a college freshman are three different menorahs. Kids may want their own (see the best menorahs for kids).
2. Where will it go? Tradition puts the menorah in a window or by the front door to share the light. Measure your windowsill before you fall for a long one.
3. Candles, oil or electric? Most menorahs take wax candles. Some also take oil, and dorms and offices often need electric menorahs.
4. What size? Check the overall length and the candle cups (more on that below).
5. What will you love in July? A menorah is out for eight nights and on the shelf for the rest of the year. Pick something you'll want to look at.

What Makes a Menorah Kosher?

The rules are short. A Hanukkah menorah needs eight lights in a straight row, all at the same height, so no single light stands out. The ninth light, the shamash, is set apart: higher, lower or off to the side. That's it. Shape, material and theme are up to you, so a pickle, a bagel or a T-Rex counts as long as the lights line up. Not sure about a particular design? Many families simply ask their rabbi.

Candles, Oil or Electric?

• Wax candles are the default. A box of 44 covers all eight nights (45 gives you a spare). Shop Hanukkah candles.
• Oil recalls the original Hanukkah miracle, and many people find it the most beautiful light. You need a menorah with cups that hold oil or oil candles. Our pre-filled olive oil Hanukkah candles come ready to light and burn for about 2.5 hours each, which helps on Friday night, when the menorah is lit before Shabbat and has to keep going past dark. See oil menorahs.
• Electric and LED menorahs are great for dorms, hospitals, offices and windows that glow all night. Most rabbis say an electric menorah doesn't fulfill the mitzvah of lighting, so the blessings aren't said over it. Plenty of families keep one as a second menorah.

Need a refresher on candle order and blessings? Our guide to how to light the Hanukkah candles has the full 2026 schedule.

Menorah Size and Candle Size

Most standard Hanukkah candles are about 9mm across (roughly 3/8"), and most menorahs are built for them. Here's what to check before you buy:

• Cup size. Look for "fits standard Hanukkah candles" in the description. Shabbat candles and tapers are too thick for most menorahs.
• Length. Menorahs run from palm-sized travel pieces to statement pieces nearly two feet long. A row of nine candles needs some breathing room, since candles set too close together drip more.
• Height and footprint. A tall, branched menorah reads well in a window. A long, low one suits a table or mantel. Browse large menorahs and small menorahs.
• Wax. Eight nights of drips add up. A menorah drip tray protects your table, and our post on how to clean a menorah handles the rest.

Menorah Materials, Compared

Best Classic and Traditional Menorahs

If you want the menorah you picture when you close your eyes, start here. The Traditional Menorah in Satin Gold is aluminum with a classic branched shape for $30. Israeli designer Yair Emanuel's Large Classic Menorah adds candle holders in shades of blue. And the Brass Menorah from Poland, made in Israel for the Israel Museum, is based on a 20th-century Hanukkah lamp from Poland, Star of David and all.

Traditional Menorah - Satin Gold Finish · $30 Large Classic Menorah by Yair Emanuel - Blue · $45 Brass Menorah from Poland by Israel Museum · $150

More: traditional menorahs and menorahs from Israel.

Best Modern Menorahs

Clean lines, good materials, and nothing you'd want to hide in a closet come January. The Nosh Menorah by Modern Mensch is shaped like a bagel and sits on cork feet that protect your table. The Unity Menorah by Nambé pairs acacia wood with Nambé alloy. The Knotty Dane's Modern Hardwood Menorah is handmade in the USA in your choice of wood, with a shamash set slightly off and taller than the rest. And pretti.cool's Terrazzo Concrete Menorah is hand cast in the USA, so no two look exactly alike.

Nosh Menorah - Brass · $200 Unity Menorah by Nambé · $150 Modern Hardwood Menorah · from $85 Terrazzo Concrete Menorah - Cobalt · $125

Shop all modern menorahs, or go even simpler with minimalist menorahs.

Best Unique and Funny Menorahs

Hanukkah is a joyful holiday, and a menorah that makes everyone laugh is a great way to show it. Our Handmade Pickle Menorah is exclusive to ModernTribe: solid aluminum, hand-painted, and handmade by artisans in India. The Banorah is a ceramic banana menorah for $25. The Mahjong Tile Menorah lines up real mahjong tiles in number order, with a Joker on the shamash. And Jonathan Adler's Elephant Menorah is high-fired stoneware, sculpted first in his Soho studio.

Handmade Pickle Menorah · $98 Banorah - The Ceramic Banana Menorah · $25 Mahjong Tile Menorah · $77.50 Elephant Menorah by Jonathan Adler · $135

See all unique menorahs, funny menorahs and animal menorahs.

Best Handmade and Artist Menorahs

A handmade menorah carries a little of its maker into every Hanukkah. Melissa "Feldi" Felderman makes the Swiggle Menorah by hand in her home studio in the USA, in a rainbow sherbet glaze. The Rainbow Floral Fused Glass Menorah by Shevi B is made in Israel, with aluminum cups and a raised shamash off to the side. Because both are handmade, each one is a little different.

Handmade Swiggle Menorah - Rainbow Sherbet · $196 Rainbow Floral Fused Glass Menorah · $170

Browse handmade menorahs, menorahs made in the USA and designer menorahs.

Best Travel and Dorm Menorahs

Going to the in-laws, off to college, or spending a night of Hanukkah in a hotel? A travel menorah packs small. Laura Cowan's Thinking Out of the Box Menorah is a magnetic menorah you can arrange however you like, and it comes with 44 candles in the box. Joy Stember's pewter Sarah Traveling Menorah has a 3D-printed Star of David. Yair Emanuel's Folding Travel Menorah is just 4" long when packed, for $32.

For dorms that ban open flames, the Go Menorah runs on two AA batteries or micro-USB (not included) and lights one bulb per night at the push of a button.

Thinking Out of the Box Menorah by Laura Cowan · $250 Sarah Traveling Menorah by Joy Stember · $210 Folding Travel Menorah by Yair Emanuel · $32 Go Menorah™ - Light It Anywhere, Navy · $16

Plan ahead: the Thinking Out of the Box Menorah ships from Israel (allow 10–15 business days), and the Sarah is made to order (allow 2–3 weeks). Shop all travel menorahs and electric menorahs.

Best Oil Menorahs

Want to light with oil? The Blossom Menorah is made in Israel of laser-cut printed metal, shaped like a blooming tree, and works with oil or wax candles. Yair Emanuel's Laser Cut Butterflies and Flowers Menorah, painted by hand, also fits standard Hanukkah candles or oil candles.

Blossom Menorah - Oil or Wax Candles · $110 Laser Cut Butterflies and Flowers Menorah by Yair Emanuel · $118

Shop oil menorahs.

What About Menorahs for Kids?

Many families give each child their own menorah, and kids love picking one that's all theirs: dinosaurs, construction trucks, unicorns and personalized name menorahs. For little ones there are plush and wooden pretend menorahs with no flame at all. Our guide to the best menorahs for kids covers safety and ages, or shop menorahs for kids and personalized menorahs.

Menorah Buying FAQ

How do I choose a menorah?

Start with who will light it, where it will sit, and whether you'll use candles, oil or electric lights. Make sure the eight lights are in a straight row at the same height with the shamash set apart, and that the cups fit standard Hanukkah candles. Then choose a material and style you'll enjoy displaying.

What is the difference between a menorah and a hanukkiah?

A hanukkiah is the nine-branched Hanukkah menorah: eight lights plus the shamash. "Menorah" also refers to the seven-branched lamp from the ancient Temple. In everyday English, most people call the Hanukkah lamp a menorah.

What size candles fit a menorah?

Most menorahs are made for standard Hanukkah candles, about 9mm (roughly 3/8") wide. Shabbat candles and dinner tapers are usually too thick.

Does each person need their own menorah?

Customs differ. In many Ashkenazi homes, each family member lights their own menorah. In many Sephardic homes, one menorah is lit for the whole household. Either way, kids often love having one of their own.

Can I use an electric menorah instead of candles?

An electric menorah is a great choice for a dorm, office or window. Most rabbis say it doesn't fulfill the mitzvah of lighting, so the blessings aren't said over it. If you can, light candles or oil too.

Can a menorah be any shape?

Yes. As long as the eight lights are level and in a row and the shamash is set apart, a menorah can be a bagel, a pickle or a dinosaur.

Where should I put my menorah?

Traditionally in a window facing the street or near the front door, to share the light. Put it on a heat-safe surface, away from curtains, and never leave lit candles unattended.

Chag Sameach, and happy menorah hunting!