These electronic devices eliminate the need for an open flame—so they’re technically safer than burning candles at the wick.
Candles can turn a room from cold to cozy with just one flick of a lighter or strike of a match. But using a candle warmer to heat up wax melts or a jarred candle instead of setting the wick aflame can boost the power of your favorite scent—and make the candle last longer.
Candle warmers are available in a range of aesthetics and styles; they’ll seamlessly blend into your décor while decreasing the risk of fire from an open flame. Find out more about these devices—including whether or not they’re safer than burning a wick—to decide if adding one to your home is right for you.
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What Is a Candle Warmer?
A candle warmer is a device that distributes the scent of a wax candle throughout a space without the use of an open flame. The device includes a light and/or heat source, an outlet plug or battery power switch, and an area at the top to hold wax melts, which are small pre-portioned bits of scented wax with a low boiling temperature. Another type of candle warmer, sometimes called a candle lamp, consists of a shaded light bulb that sits above a jarred candle to heat it without a flame.
The Benefits of Using a Candle Warmer
Using a candle warmer or a candle lamp has multiple benefits, including a more powerful scent and better cost efficiency. But all the pros of using a candle warmer stem from the essential difference between the two products: A candle warmer doesn’t need an open flame.
Stronger Fragrance
In the world of scented candles, the “throw” is the strength of the fragrance emitted by the candle as it burns. When you smell a candle in the store before you buy it, you’re testing the “cold throw,” which is the power of the scent when the candle isn’t lit, and this gives you an indication of the “hot throw,” or the lit scent.
Wax melts typically have a stronger throw, so when you opt for those, you’re likely to get a more powerful scent, says candlemaker Ki’ara Montgomery of Mind and Vibe Co. “When wax melts burn, the temperature isn’t as high as that of a candle with an open flame, and they absorb heat at a slower rate,” she says. “Because of that, the fragrance oil evaporates slower, giving you a stronger and longer-lasting scent.”
There’s a fragrance benefit to using a candle warmer with a jarred iteration, too: Blowing out a candle lit at the wick results in smoke, which disrupts the scent—a problem this electronic device eliminates entirely.
Better Cost Efficiency
Though the upfront cost a wax warmer may be higher than a single candle, in the long run, buying a model that utilizes wax melts is usually more cost-effective for both consumers and those manufacturing them. The lower heat used in a candle warmer allows the wax to last longer, meaning more time between refills.
Are Candle Warmers Safe?
Open flames, even when attended, pose risks to children and pets who come in contact with them, and can also start unintentional fires. Using a candle warmer or candle lamp negates that risk, though, as with any powered heat device, other accidents are possible. “From a safety standpoint, candle warmers need to be used and monitored carefully, since they generate heat from an electrical source,” says Susan McKelvey, a spokesperson for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). “Also, if they heat up to temperatures that melt wax, that presents a potential burn hazard, as well.”
Post time: Dec-15-2023