Candle Making Double Boilers

What is a Double Boiler?

A double boiler is a kitchen tool that is made from two fitted saucepans. The larger bottom saucepan is filled with simmering or boiling water, while the top saucepan is used to melt chocolate or cook custards.

Whether you’re making pillar candles or votive candles, a double boiler is a useful candle making tool because it keeps the boiling water at a low, steady temperature. This helps to keep your wax from scorching or solidifying between projects.

A double boiler makes candle making safer by reducing the risk of accidentally causing a fire. Heating your wax directly on a burner can cause it to get hot too quickly, which is a significant safety hazard. Melting wax in your microwave is even more dangerous.

Buying Candle Making Double Boilers

If you don’t have access to a double boiler, you can make a simple substitute with a large saucepan and a bowl. You can also try using two saucepans that are separated with a trivet. However, if you are serious about making homemade candles, a double boiler is an essential piece of candle making equipment.

When buying candle making double boilers, you’ll want to use the same criteria you’d use to select a double boiler used for cooking. Look for a high quality pan that can withstand regular use.

Double boilers can be purchased wherever kitchen items are sold. If you prefer to shop online, you can also buy candle making double boilers from the following websites:

• Amazon.com
• Cooking.com
• Fantes.com
• Chef’s Resource

Tips for Using a Double Boiler

When using a double boiler for candle making, remember the following tips:

• It’s best to have a double boiler that is used exclusively for candle making. This will prevent you from having to worry abut contaminating your food with wax or chemicals.
• Never leave a double boiler unattended. If your wax reaches its flash point, it will produce vapors that are extremely flammable. Safety should be a top priority for any candle maker.
• If you accidentally set your wax on fire, remember that a candle making fire should be treated the same way as a grease fire. Using water to try to put out the flames will only make the fire worse.
• If you’ve never used a double boiler, consider placing a few marbles in the bottom pan during your first project. If your water level gets too low, the marbles will start to rattle to remind you to check on your wax.
• You don’t need to have your water rapidly boiling to melt the wax. Keep the water simmering for best results.
• Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your wax before continuing with your project.

Additional Information

To learn more about how double boilers are used in candle making, check out the following helpful resources:

• Melting Candle Wax with Candle Making Double Boilers
• Safety Tips for Using Candle Making Double Boilers
• Making Handcrafted Candles with Candle Making Double Boilers
• Candle Making 101
• Making a Basic Pillar Candle
• Never Throw Away Old Wax
• How to Make Candles Using Old Crayons

You may also be interested in these candle making books:

• Basic Candle Making: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by Eric Ebeling
• The Everything Candle Making Book: Create Homemade Candles in House-Warming Colors, Interesting Shapes, and Appealing Scents by Marie-Jeanne Abadie
• The Candle Maker's Companion: A Complete Guide to Rolling, Pouring, Dipping, and Decorating Your Own Candles by Betty Oppenheimer
• Candle Making for Fun & Profit by Michelle Espino