CANDLE WARMER & LAMP GUIDE

Candle warmers/lamps have become popular in recent years. We often get questions from people who use these, and we quickly realized that most people were running into the same issues. We did several tests with five different warmers using candles of our own and candles from other brands. 

If you can’t smell your candle under a candle warmer, or if the smell isn’t strong, we have a few tips and tricks that can help! 

NOTE: THESE ARE ONLY SUGGESTIONS. WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND FOLLOWING THE MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS ON ANY WARMER/LAMP. IF OUR GUIDE DIFFERS IN ANY WAY TO WHAT THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTS, THEN PLEASE FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AND NOT OURS.

 

SAFETY

First and foremost, make sure your candle warmer is safe! A lot of candle warmers on the market have not been properly tested for safety. This is especially true with some (not all) that are sold on online marketplaces.

 

AIRFLOW

Our first tip is to consider airflow. Airflow is always your friend! A candle warmer heating a candle in the corner of a stuffy or humid room will always be less noticeable than a candle in the middle of an open room. We find that most people put their warmers on side tables or bookshelves. Reconsidering placement can make a huge difference. Make sure the lamp/bulb on your candle warmer isn't too close to your candle. Not only does this reduce airflow but it can also make your candle too hot. We recommend adjustable height warmers for this reason.

 

SURFACE AREA

Like airflow, surface area is your friend. Don't expect a one-inch diameter candle to fill a room even if it smells great when it's not lit. A two-inch diameter candle might be great for most bedrooms and bathrooms, but you won't get as much out of it in a large living room. Consider a candle that is large enough for the room size you're in.

 

TEMPERATURE 

Turn it down, turn it down, turn it down! It may seem counterintuitive, but higher heat will not give you a better result. The highest heat setting on all of the adjustable temperature candle warmers we tested was too hot for every candle we tried. Some people may disagree with us and swear that higher heat works better. To be fair, it does work better initially, but it doesn't last long. 

When people can't smell their candle under their warmer right away, they turn it up. This works fast and suddenly they can smell it. The problem is as time goes on it gets too hot too fast and you're essentially burning through your fragrance before it even has time to disperse properly in the air. Be patient if your candle is new. It might take a little longer to get a good scent throw at a lower temperature, but trust us, your candle will perform better. If you must use high heat, use it sparingly and only at the start of a new candle. If you can get a full melt pool on the lowest heat setting, then there is no need to turn your candle warmer up.