If you're thinking about selling wax melts, or whether you already have a wax melt / fragrance oil business, there are lots of things to consider....

How to get your wax melts CLP certified, for example, is a key consideration, as well as more light-hearted decision-making, such as which scents to sell.

One question that we are asked frequently however, is whether our burners are suitable for use with wax melts - which is why we decided to write this article, to try to help provide some clarification.

As far as we are aware, ALL of the oil burners that we sell on our website are suitable for use with wax melts.

In fact, the only restriction is actually in reverse - ie. there are some burners (electric burners) which are suitable for use only with wax melts, and NOT with oils. But, all of our burners should be perfectly safe to use with wax melts, provided wax is added in small increments and the dish is not overfilled.

To the best of our knowledge, there is only one reason why some manufacturers are sometimes 'on the fence' as to whether their products are suitable for use with wax, and as such you can sometimes find little paper advice slips inside the packaging of oil burners which have statements such as 'it is not recommended to use wax melt products with this item'.

The reason, as far as we are aware, boils down to (excuse the pun) the size of the bowl, or dish.

• The burners that we sell vary in size, and the size and depth of the bowls therefore also vary in size.
• When filling a bowl with oil, it is clear to see when enough oil has been added, and therefore it is easy to see when to stop adding more liquid, so that the bowl/dish does not overflow.
• Wax melts however, are not in a liquid state when added to the bowl, and they also vary in shape, size and volume.
• Some manufacturers therefore steer clear of recommending use with wax melts because, only once the wax has melted can you see if you've added too much.
• If the bowl/dish is small (as with some of the burners we sell), then a medium or large wax melt, once melted, may overfill the bowl with wax, and cause the wax to overspill.
• Now - and we cannot make this clear enough - overfilling your burner with wax is dangerous, and is a serious safety concern! Overflowing wax can cause fire!
• However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no reason why any burner cannot be used with wax melts, so long as the wax is added gradually, and with care.
• By adding small chunks of wax gradually, and by monitoring the fill level in the bowl once each piece has melted, your customers should be advised to use their burners in this way to avoid any overspills.
• As far as we are aware, there are no other reasons why any of our burners cannot be used with wax melt products.

Please also note: It is essential that an appropriate size tealight is used when operating any of our burners (particularly smaller ones). A larger tealight in a small burner can mean that the naked flame is too close to the bottom of the bowl / dish, and this must be avoided, as it could potentially cause the bowl or dish to overheat and crack. Provided that small tealights are used in small burners, there is no safety issue that we are aware of concerning overheating.

However, please find below some further general advice.

It is important to note that we consider the following points to denote 'proper and appropriate usage':

1) Ensure that whilst heat is being applied from below, there is sufficient oil or wax in the glass dish at ALL times. Heating the bowl from below whilst there is no oil/wax in it could cause the bowl or dish to crack, as there is nothing absorbing the heat.
2) Ensure that you use a good quality tealight. Poorer quality tealights with high soot content can impair the heat exchange of your burner.
3) Ensure that the wick on the tealight is kept trimmed and that the flame does not come into direct contact with the bottom of the bowl or dish.
4) Similarly to the point above, you MUST always use an appropriate size tealight for the size of the burner. For example, a small tealight in a large burner may not sufficiently melt the wax. More importantly however, a larger tealight in a small burner can mean that the naked flame is too close to the bottom of the bowl / dish, and this (as stated above) must be avoided, as it can cause the bowl or dish to crack.
5) Never move the oil burner whilst the tealight is lit, or while the wax / oil is hot.
6) Always place your burner on a heatproof and fireproof surface.
7) Never use sharp or metallic objects (such as knives) to remove used wax, as this could scratch or damage the bowl, and potentially weaken it's structure, risking breakage when next used. We recommend applying a small amount of heat to loosen any solidified wax, and then popping the wax block out of the bowl using gentle pressure and a soft cloth or tissue.

Please note: the above text is intended to be general guidance for using our oil burner products, and is true to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. The above guidance does not constitute legal advice, and the selling decisions of our customers must be taken solely at one's own discretion, and fully in conjunction with one's own research on the subject.

Thank you for your custom and your cooperation in ensuring the safe and appropriate use of our oil burners.