Why Melts Over Candles?

[candlesspace]

I've read that a lot of you don't deal with candles anymore and only make melts/tarts. May I ask why the change for you?

 

[Obsidian]

faster, easier, no wicks to mess with and no flames to worry about.

 

[galaxyMLP]

My business insurance won't cover candles but it will cover tarts. I can't sell anything with a wick.

 

[dixiedragon]

Do you find a lot of customers for melts?

I'm a major candle junkie - just picked up 6 large Yankee candles yesterday at the sale at my local store. I don't want a melt or a plug in or a scent pot or whatever. More stuff I have to keep up with, store, and for the pets to break.

 

[snappyllama]

Sorry if this is a hijack, but it reminded me that I'm thinking of getting a tart warmer since I could easily make the tarts... any suggestions on an electric one? Do they really work? Do they get icky with dust - I live in a woodsy area with a lot of pollen.

I tried the commercial stick-in-jar-scent-thingie... they just made a mess and didn't put off any scent. I'm still working up to making my own candles but feel foolish buying them when I could whip up a gazillion with the FOs sitting in my closet.

 

[galaxyMLP]

I really like the warmers. I haven't been making them to sell for very long (I am testing all of my scents for throw, ect.) but for those that have passed the test and are for sale, people do seem to like them. A lot of people are moving away from candles it seems. I like that I can have the same device the size of a candle and change the scent really easily to suit my mood. I can just pop out the existing tart and put a new one in. I leave my warmer out. My favorite are actually the ones that plug directly into the wall and hang there. They are hidden and small. I put it in between furniture so you can't accidentally knock it over and my dogs never show any interest in it.

like this:

 

[nsmar4211]

I actually liked my tart melter so much I cleared a spot on the bathroom counter for it. It's one of the ridiculously priced Scentsy ones (a gift) but the convience of no soot and no flame outweighs my counter space loss. Cats haven't even given it a second glance! Been debating trying some of my great OOB fragrance oils in there.... it's the shape of a birdhouse so it only takes a second to wipe off dust.

 

[annalee2003]

I feel like tarts and melts have gained a lot of popularity over the last few years, compared to candles. Same with flameless candles (fake electric/battery powered candles). I think people just prefer the fact that they don't have to worry about an open flame.
Also, some of the warmers come in super neat designs.

 

[Obsidian]

I love my electric tart melter. I have a scentsy but I like my walmart one better and the bulbs are easier to find a replacement for. They can get a bit dusty if you don't change the wax out for a long time but its not something I really have a issue with and its dusty here.

 

[candlesspace]

We've decided that it's best we add a Melts-Tarts category

 

[navigator9]

Sorry if this is a hijack, but it reminded me that I'm thinking of getting a tart warmer since I could easily make the tarts... any suggestions on an electric one? Do they really work? Do they get icky with dust - I live in a woodsy area with a lot of pollen.

I tried the commercial stick-in-jar-scent-thingie... they just made a mess and didn't put off any scent. I'm still working up to making my own candles but feel foolish buying them when I could whip up a gazillion with the FOs sitting in my closet.

If you don't want to be bothered making anything, there's always a diffuser. I have a few, this is my favorite. Just put some water in the reservoir at the top, add a few drops of fragrance oil, and light a tea light underneath. They work really well. Sometimes, when I have an "empty" bottle of FO, I'll add a little water, shake it up, and then fill the diffuser with that. Not a drop of FO gets wasted! :-D

 

[Obsidian]

Another way to use every last drop of your FO is to take whatever container you measure your FO in when you soap and turn it upside down on your burner so any leftover FO runs out.

 

[Arimara]

faster, easier, no wicks to mess with and no flames to worry about.

Good enough for me.

 

[dibbles]

I use both candles and tarts. A few years ago, I tried making candles and I found it to be somewhat frustrating to match wax, fo, color, container size and wick. It was much easier for me to make tarts, and I still have people asking if I'm going to do it again. I have a warmers that are similar to Galaxy's, but are also night lights in the bathrooms. I really like the one Galaxy showed, though, with the cover on it.

 

[LisaAnne]

For personal use I bought a small table top (thrift store of course) Air cleaner 4" x4", it sits on a stainless steel tray on bottom shelf in living room out of the way. I put FO or EO on a cloth, set the cleaner on top of that. It works better than any thing I have made or bought. The tiny fan throws it all over that side of the house. When it quits I will definitely buy another, even if I have to buy new
I've always loved candles, but seldom burn one anymore.

 

[TBandCW]

We sell both candles and wax melts. I basically explain the difference as a wickless candle with all the benefits minus the flame. If there are kids in the house or someone on oxygen you might consider melts.
And yes, they are super easy to make!

 

[Navaria]

I use both. For everyday scent I use melts. For "special" I still love my candles. I make both for personal use. I actually keep my empty store bought melt forms and use them to make my melts. Then I pop them out, throw them in a baggie and have my forms ready for the next time I want to make some

 

[michealmike]

When you light a candle, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. The heat of the flame vaporizes the liquid wax (turns it into a hot gas), and starts to break down the hydrocarbons into molecules of hydrogen and carbon.