What are Candle Warmers and are they worth buying?

Candle warmers are the newest trend - but are they worth buying?

When it comes to candles there aren't too many new innovations and this is largely due to the simplicity to the product but also but legal regulations and safety concerns. However in recent months electric candle warmer have been marketed all over social media as the new big thing in the market. Not sure what they are and how they work? We are here to explain.

What is a candle warmer lamp?

Golden candle warmer lamp with yellow and pink candle from Handmade by J-Gold in front of white background
Generally there are two types:
1) Candle warmers which most likely remind you of lamps or lantern like the one above often with a wooden base - displayed here with our gorgeous hand-poured Oh, Honey 100% soy wax candle (Find ours on Amazon *) &
2) Candle burners which warm up from the bottom which can also be used for wax melts (you will always find this one in our social media stories & we love it!)

How do you use a candle warmer?

The way a candle warmer works is with heat directed towards a candle either from above or below. The general idea is the same as a wax burner works (find out more here).

Depending on the heat source, the heat will either come from the top from the light bulb or from below through a heating pad. Both get activated by turning on the electric device (they are always electronic) and can be turned off by simply switching them off once done.

How long does it take for a candle warmer to work?

Just like boiling a kettle, once the candle lamps have been switched on, the light bulb heats up and shortly releases the warm to its environment. With the candle standing underneath, this warms up the wax and the fragrance starts to evaporate into the air. Generally it only takes a few minutes for the full effect.

How hot do candle warmers get?

Very! They are intended to just like a radiator - you should wait several minutes after you turn off your warmer to touch the lamp part. Depending on the wax used, wax starts melting at around 60C - it will depend on the light bulb used but most likely it will be at least 70C.

How long do candles last on candle warmers and how do you get the wax out once the smell subsides?

As mentioned above, a candle warmer essentially is a wax melt burner therefore the main purpose is to heat the wax which releases the fragrance.

If you burn a candle regularly the heat source is the wick it applies enough warmth to melt the wax including the fragrance/ essential oil (short explanation about this process can be found here) however as the heat is coming from the outside just like with wax tarts, the wax itself will not melt, only the scent will evaporate over time. Once the smell gets weaker, the wax will have to be poured out, revealing a new part of the candle which can then be heated up again.

There is no general rule on how long this takes but it will be several hours and depend on your sense of smell when you feel it will not be smelling strong enough.

Are wax warmers safe?

Candle warmers are being marketed as the safer alternative to classic candles. The main arguments are:
1) They can be timed which will eliminate the need to remember to blow a candle out
2) They do not require fire - flipping a switch is safer than using a lighter or match
3) Due to the surface the chances of tipping a candle is smaller

What is not being mentioned is:
1) The light bulb gets very hot and should not be in reach of children or pets
2) Pouring out hot wax can be dangerous and cause burning
3) A regular candle can be impacted in its performance when switching between the classic burning method & wax warmer burning

Are candle warmers worth buying?

This might be the biggest question. Are they worth buying or not? As mentioned above there are advantages however there are also reasons why candle warmers are not a good investment. I did the test back when I first received mine. Watch the video for my honest feedback after several days of testing:

 

* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

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