Are you looking for the best equipment and tools for candle making? If YES, here are 11 great equipment and tools for candle-making. Candles are a vital home décor item—an industry expected to clock $5 billion by 2026, according to industry reports. In recent years, the commercial use of candles has witnessed a massive increase with spa and massage parlors leveraging scented candles for their soothing effects, and restaurants using candles to make aromatic environments for customers.
In addition, a good number of people buy candles as centerpieces for their home décor, as well as for aromatherapy like relaxation and stress reduction. And while candles may be used for numerous intents across the globe, most of the searches for homemade candles are concentrated around North America, the UK, and Australia. This is great intel for candle makers looking to find a market for their DIY products.
As with many trades, good equipment helps ensure a better result, but it is still possible to make amazing candles without investing lots of money into your tools. Aside from selling and making money, making candles not only allows you to create your very own unique style and finished product but also helps you to save some money on buying costly candles from the department store.
Although this process does not mean you have to buy or invest a lot of money on tools and equipment, however, some items will help make your candle-making journey a lot easier.
Best Types of Equipment and Tools for Candle Making
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Candle Wax
Wax is, without a doubt, the most vital thing you need for candle making. It is the substance that keeps your wicks burning, melting, and then vaporizing into the air. The main types of wax used for candle making are paraffin wax, soy wax, beeswax, and gel wax, and all of them can be found easily on Amazon and in your neighborhood stores.
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Candle Molds
Candle molds are very important components used during candle making. They tend to come in various shapes and sizes and are the ideal way to get cool and interesting shapes out of your candles. Candle molds are made of 3 different types of material: metal, plastic, and silicone.
According to experts, metal will provide you with the best finish, but plastic and silicone tend to offer more diverse shapes for you to experiment with. However, note that only certain types of wax are ideal for pouring into molds. Paraffin wax is notably your best choice for molds, although you can try beeswax or a paraffin-soy blend if you prefer. Pure soy and gel wax are completely unsuitable!
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Scales
Have it in mind that almost everything in candle making, from wax to fragrance oil, needs to be measured using a weight scale. A scale is very necessary to ensure accurate candle designs with few mistakes. If you are using a candle kit, then you probably have the upper hand with your wax coming in pre-measured sizes.
If you sourced your wax from a hobby store, they are expected to mark the weight of the material. Kits recommend a blanket “1 ounce of fragrance per pound of wax” which is easy to measure if your fragrance came in a 1-ounce container to start with. Being able to weigh materials is a requirement of candle making. Note that a food scale costs less than $20 and will last a long time if well handled.
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Thermometers
In candle making, a thermometer helps control the heating and cooling of wax. Candle making is more or less a process that involves managing the “thermal life cycle” of wax. Note that each stage of the life cycle is associated with a range of temperatures and a good and reliable thermometer is the only way to accurately track it.
According to experts, the best thermometer to use during candle making is an infrared thermometer. These thermometers work by bouncing infrared light off a surface and measuring how much heat it generates. It is more or less hands-off, reliable, quick, and requires zero cleaning up. You only have to vigorously stir the wax before taking the temperature, and always aim at the middle.
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Candle Wicks
This is quite as important as wax because without them no one can light candles. Note that immediately you light a wick, the candle wax starts to melt. With continued exposure to the flame, the wax vaporizes and the wick disintegrates as it burns. Wicks are known to come in a vast range of types and sizes, and the exact one you require has to depend on the type of candle you intend to make, as well as its size.
A good number of modern wicks come pre-waxed meaning that they’ve already been dipped in paraffin wax or beeswax. In addition, consider using ECO wicks when working with soy and LX wicks when working with paraffin.
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Pouring Pots
When candle-making, you will always need a container to melt wax in. Depending on what you choose for a heat source, your “wax melting container” can also be used as your “pouring pitcher”, but it isn’t a must. Experienced candle makers are known to melt the wax down in a specific area then transfer it to a pouring pot where the fragrance and dye are mixed in.
According to experts, aluminum pour pots are ideal because they can withstand high temperatures and accommodate a fair amount of wax. They are also easy to transfer liquid wax into if you are melting in a different container. Pour pots that come with candle-making kits are quite smaller than normal workshop pots. They carry 1 lb – 2 lb which is enough for about a few small candles or one large candle. If you want something bigger, consider acquiring at least a 4 pound for greater capacity.
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Heat Sources
Agreeably, a Presto Pot or deep fryer provides the most flexibility at a reasonable price point. A good number of candle makers prefer to install a spigot on their Presto Pots (or buy it with one already installed) to make it easy to move liquid candle wax into a pouring pitcher (or glass measuring cup).
If you don’t want the spigot, then consider using a ladle to transfer wax from the pot. But, if you are more experienced or hardcore, you can pour it from the deep fryer into a pouring pitcher, and if you love trouble, you can pour from the Presto Pot into your containers or molds.
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Double Boiler (Bain Marie)
The double boiler also referred to as bain-marie in Europe, is an ideal way to melt your wax without burning any off. Although you can purchase purpose-built double boiler pots from online stores like Amazon, most people already have the equipment necessary to put one together.
A double boiler is more or less a metal pan, filled with a few inches of water, with a metal or heatproof glass bowl well placed on top. When you place it on the stove, the water in the pan will boil and begin to heat the contents of the above bowl gradually, without subjecting it to direct heat.
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Wicking Needle
A wicking needle helps to take the stress out of threading your wick through molds; if you are making freestanding candles, then you must get one. Note that this tool comes in various sizes, but you only need one. Wicking needles are also crucial when you are working with a thick wick since they can be a nightmare to the thread (especially when the hole is a bit small).
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Wick Holders
Wick holders are very necessary for candle making especially when you intend to make jar or container candles. Have it in mind that they help to keep the wicks in place when you are pouring your wax, and while the wax is still cooling in the jars. Although you can purchase specialized wick holders, pencil or bamboo stick also works very well. You may not also need any if you are using pre-waxed wicks, or making candles in molds.
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Heat Gun
A heat gun is the most used tool by candle makers in the world these days. A good number of beginners try to use a hairdryer to produce the same results, but it just isn’t the same thing. A heat gun allows you to easily pre-heat containers, and do away with candle surface abnormalities, patch soy wax frosting, or even clean wax off equipment.
They are also used to re-melt tops to fill relief holes or even to remove wax from old candles. Howbeit, heat guns aren’t necessary for candle making, they are just useful as a handy side-piece to tackle miscellaneous candle-making tasks. And even though it is not a necessary component, it is a worthwhile investment if you intend to keep making candles long term.
In conclusion, mentioned above are essential pieces of candle-making tools and equipment you need to start your candle-making journey. Have in mind that there are many more elements you will need with time and you may choose to get more of some tools so you can make larger batches of candles at the same time.