Note: This tutorial is for an electric wax melting pot for candle making. The top 5 best wax melters can be viewed here: https://thewaxcandles.com/best-wax-melter-review/
What exactly is a wax melting pot and why would you need one?
Well, if you're a home candlemaker like me, knowing how to properly use a wax melting pot can revolutionize your candle-making process and make it so much easier! Because it streamlines the most crucial step of candle making—the wax melting—and allows you to create an assembly line, a wax melting pot can radically reduce the time it takes you to make candles, as well as give you more room to experiment more easily with different techniques.
My hope is that this tutorial will simplify the instructions for you, without drowning you in the technical jargon found in most operation manuals.
What you will need in order to follow this tutorial
An electric wax melting pot
The instruction manual, if possible, for temperature and amount references
A pour pot or small aluminum pitcher with a plastic handle
Paraffin or other wax, including soy, coconut, or beeswax
Paraffin is the most commonly used and generally the least expensive. While it will “throw scent” the best of any of the options, it is not as clean-burning as the more natural waxes.
Beeswax probably burns the most cleanly but does not throw scent as well. Soy wax throws scent very well and is also clean-burning, but will be more expensive than paraffin. If scented candles are your primary focus, then go with paraffin or soy, especially if you are new to candle-making.
Wicks prepared according to the package instructions
Plastic or wooden spoon for mixing dye and fragrance
Essential oils or other fragrances
While there are many perfumes and other ways to scent your candles, essential oils and scents made specifically for candle making tend to be concentrated and mix the best with the wax.
As discussed above, not all waxes have the same ability to throw scent, and similarly, not all fragrances have the same ability to scent the wax.
Candle dye in one or more colors or wax crayons
While it is possible to dye wax with crayons, candle dye is really superior in terms of colorfastness. Dyed wax also tends to burn cleaner than candles colored with crayons.
Containers for pouring candles (unless you are making dip candles)
Please note that while there are many decorative jars and containers that you might think would be beautiful with candles in them, it is not a good idea to use just any glass container for candle making. When you are using a wax melting pot, which can allow the wax to reach temperatures of 400 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes even more dangerous.
Glass containers that are not made to withstand high temperatures can literally explode, not only when hot wax is poured in them, but later when they are being burned. Obviously this can result in severe injuries and burns, so please make sure the containers you intend to use are made specifically for candle making or are stated as being heat resistant up to the maximum temperature of your melting pot
Optional items:
Decorative items (glitter, shells, sand, rhinestones, etc)
A heat resistant glove (recommended) for turning the pour spout on and off, as the handle can get hot on some models
Cooking thermometer (recommended) useful when adding dyes and fragrances
A silicone mat to place candle containers on for pouring
A digital kitchen scale (recommended) for weighing out exact amounts of wax
Instructions
1. Prepare the wax
If your wax is in blocks, you will need to chop it up in order to put it into the pot. It doesn’t have to be in small pieces, as long as the pieces fit in the pot, but the smaller the pieces are, the less time the melting process will take.
2. Add the wax
Add the wax to the pot, using the amount specified in the instruction manual or adding wax up to the fill line.
3. Plug in the pot and adjust the temperature
Some pots will only have “warm” and “high/hot” settings, but others may have specific temperatures. Adjust for your needs and according to your pot’s specifications. Use “high/hot” if your pot only has two settings.
4. Ready your candle supplies
While you wait for the wax to melt, assemble your jars on the silicone mat, place your wicks inside the jars, and get your dyes and fragrances ready.
5. Pour the wax into the pour pot
When the wax has fully melted, put on the heat resistant glove and, with the pour pot under the spout, turn the handle to release the wax into the pot. When the pour pot is half full, turn off the spout. Measure with scale and add more if needed.
6. Reduce the temperature setting to “warm”
7. Add the dye and fragrance
Once the wax is in the pour pot and has reached the desired temperature, add in your dye and fragrance according to the package directions and stir until well blended.
8. Fill your candles
Carefully pour the melted, dyed, and scented wax into each candle container until the desired height is achieved and straighten the wicks as needed.
9. Turn it off and clean up
Repeat the pouring, mixing, and filling steps as needed, then turn off the pot. Since the wax melting pot is a one-use appliance, you can just leave any unused wax inside and reuse it when you make candles again. Clean the pour pot (see below).