What are wax warmers?

What are wax warmers?

Everyone deserves some peace and quiet after a long day. But you know what would really make the end of your day even more rewarding? If you were greeted with your favorite relaxing scents coming from your wax warmer.

If you are here reading this today, that means you aren't familiar with what a wax warmer is just yet. Well, we're here to give you a rundown of everything you need to know about wax warmers.

We'll explain why they're going to be your new favorite home fragrance essential. Then, we'll help you identify the right place to start your shopping journey so you can get a quality wax melt warmer without breaking the bank!

What Is A Wax Warmer?

Wax warmers, or wax melters, are functional decorative devices that you place inside your home or office space as a fragrance source.

They aren't diffusers. They're more similar to oil burners, in fact. They function as a more efficient and eco-friendly alternative to traditional candles. How so?

Most candles come in glass jars. Once you're done with a candle, you throw these jars away. Glass takes literally millions of years to decompose. So every time you finish a new candle you're just piling up landfills with more glass that'll take forever to degrade.

The solution to this problem? Wax warmers.

Although some wax melt warmers are also made from glass, they're still way more eco-friendly than traditional candles. We'll talk more about why they're eco-friendly in a bit, but first, you need to know what wax melts are.

What Are Wax Melts?

Wax melts (or wax tarts) are basically candle wax without a container and a wick. They're just scented wax that comes in cubes, beads, and a few other different shapes.

You place the wax melts on top of the wax warmer which then heats the wax melts. As they start to warm up and melt, the delicious aroma is released.

The great thing about using wax warmers and wax melts is that you don't have to keep buying a new candle jar once you run out. You just buy the wax melts and heat them on the wax warmer you have. This way you use less glass and you save even more money since wax melts are far cheaper than a traditional candle.

Are Wax Warmers and Candle Warmers The Same?

They are two separate things, but there are wax warmers that double as candle warmers as well. We'll talk more about that later on.

Candle warmers come in either lamp or plate form and are used to melt traditional candles in glass jars. Most of these are not recommended for wax melts. They are really built for melting wax in traditional candle jars.

Using a candle warmer without some form of container to hold your wax melt might damage the device.

The Different Kinds of Wax Warmers

Wax warmers come in all shapes and sizes, but they rely on only two different heating instruments. You can find either tealight warmers or electric warmers.

Tealight Wax Warmer

Tealight wax warmers are very similar to oil burners. In fact, most tealight wax warmers can be used as an oil burner—but not all oil burners can be used to heat wax melts.

All tealight wax warmers come with a dish on top where you can set your wax melts or fragrance oils. Underneath, there is an opening where you place your tealight so that it heats the dish and warms the wax melt.

A tealight is basically a tiny little candle. This creates a beautiful ambiance that an electric warmer really cannot replicate. However, tealight warmers can be a bit more of a hassle sometimes.

Electric Wax Warmer

Electric wax warmers are completely flameless and rely on electricity to heat the wax melts. There are two kinds of electric wax warmers. Some use light bulbs as the source of heat, while others have a heating element built in the plate. Electric wax warmers that come in plate form can also be used as a candle warmer.

And no, you don't have to worry about taking the candle wax out of the jar. Most wax warmers that double as a candle warmer have enough surface area to fit a regular-sized candle jar. Just put the candle jar on top and the plate will melt it for you.

Are Wax Warmers Better Than Traditional Candles?

Aside from being more eco-friendly, wax warmers are becoming more popular than traditional candles for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that they're flame-free.

Between 2014 and 2018, candle fires have caused around $278 million worth of direct property damage. That's because candles have an open flame.

But wait, didn't we just say that some wax warmers use tealights to heat the wax melts? Yes, we did.

But unlike candles that are completely exposed, the tea lights are inside the wax warmer and are covered by the wax melt dish. So the risk of starting a fire is far lower. Electric wax warmers are obviously flameless so there's nothing to worry about there.

Another reason why people love wax warmers so much is the diversity they offer. You can try a scent in the morning, and if you don't love it, scrape it out and try something new that evening. With candles, you're stuck with just that one scent, and you'll have to buy even more candles if you want to change up the mood.

With wax warmers, you can buy as many wax melt scents as you'd like and switch them out every 12-18 hours (average time for two wax melt cubes to burn up). You could even have fun with it and mix different wax melt scents into one.

How To Use A Wax Warmer

Wax melts and wax warmers are pretty easy to use. But it can get confusing, especially when it comes to how many wax melts you should put in the dish. But don't worry, because we'll teach you how to use a wax warmer properly.

Pick Your Wax Melt

You can't use your wax warmer without picking out some wax melts.

Wax melts come in all kinds of scents, from refreshing and fruity to deep and musky. All you have to do is find the scent that's perfect for you. The great thing with wax melts is that you don't just have to stick to one scent. You can choose as many or as few scents as you'd like.

Just keep in mind that when you're picking out wax melts that it's not just all about the scent. You've got to take into consideration the type of wax used for the wax melts. Is it paraffin wax, soy wax, palm wax, or beeswax?

We highly suggest avoiding paraffin wax melts as these are known to contain harmful chemicals and carcinogens that are poisonous if inhaled.

Out of the four types of wax commonly used for candles and wax tarts, soy wax melts are by far the safest, most affordable, and sustainable. That's exactly the kind of wax we use at Devon Wick.

Place It In the Wax Warmer

Once you've picked out your favorite wax melts you can now place them in your wax warmer.

Depending on the kind of wax melt you choose there will be different instructions on how many wax melts you should place into your dish. The size of your wax warmer is also a factor.

For Devon Wick wax melts we suggest using only one to two cubes. Do not use more than two cubes or the melted wax might overflow.

Turn On Your Wax Warmer

If you're using a tealight wax warmer, grab a tealight and place it inside your warmer. Light it under the dish and watch as your wax tarts melt.

If you're using an electric wax warmer, either press the button to turn it on or twist the on-off dial. If you're using a wax warmer with a dial you can even control how hot you want the warmer to be. This allows you to slowly release the scent or fill the room with fragrance fast.

Clean Wax Warmer

If you no longer smell the wax melts it's time to take it out of the burner. Cleaning your wax warmer can be a bit tricky and there are a couple of ways to do it.

The first way is by dropping cotton balls into your wax dish before the wax even hardens. Once the wax melts are all soaked up you can wipe off any residue with another cotton ball and toss them into a bin.

The second technique—and probably the most efficient way to do it—is to stick your dish in the freezer, wait for the wax to completely harden, and pop it out in one piece.

Replace Used Wax Melts

Once your wax warmer is all clean, repeat the process with your favorite wax melts or try out some new scents.

Devon Wick - Luxury Wax Warmers For Luxury Wax Melts

When it comes to wax warmers quality is everything. You want to look for a wax warmer that is not only stylish but functional, and incredibly durable too. And, that's exactly what you can expect from Devon Wick Wax Warmers!

Our collection of wax warmers is the best you'll find online. We offer both tealight and electrical wax warmers that are either made from glass or ceramic. They come in tons of different sizes and unique designs that are sure to brighten up any setting.

No wax melt kit is complete without the wax melts, but don't worry cause we've got everything you need. We've got scented wax melts, wax tarts, and wax tub galore. 

Choose from over a hundred different kinds of scents. Looking for something fruity? Floral? Sweet? Just name it—we're pretty sure we have it.

And if you'd still rather stick to scented candles, we've got that too! Both our scented candles and wax melts are made from soy wax. So you don't have to worry about inhaling any of the harmful chemicals present in paraffin.

Not to mention soy wax lasts way longer than paraffin too. Our candles and wax melts can keep your home smelling amazing for an average of 60 to 90 hours.

Just make sure not to leave your candles or wax warmers on for too long, or you might burn out the wax way faster than it should. And remember: never leave anything that conducts heat unattended for long periods. 

Wax warmers and candles make our homes feel way cozier. But if used without following proper instructions, they could be dangerous. 

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