How to shop for candles with quality wicks is important when looking for a nice burning candle. A quality candle begins with its candlewick. There are certain characteristics that make for a good functioning candlewick. In this post, we are will explain what makes up a quality candlewick. And explain why better candlewick construction produces the ability for a candle to burn better.
The wick is the heart of the candle
Candle construction is pretty simple. The core of a candle is its wick. Surrounding the wick is the candle wax which is encased by a protective container. We like to refer to the wick as the heart of the candle. A well-constructed wick will give you a better candle burn experience.
How to shop for candles with quality wicks – A candlewick that doesn’t produce tunneling
How to shop for candles with quality wicks, you look for candles that don’t produce tunneling. You have probably had a candle produce tunneling without knowing what it was called. Tunneling happens because the ratio of wax to the burn area is off ratio. The result can leave a candle to burn straight down leaving a cylinder with deep wax buildup on the sides of the candle. Looks like there is a ledge around the container of the candle. This is where the wax build-up is accumulating.
Eventually, the wax will overtake the wick and you lose the ability to relight the wick. A candle is tunneling when the wick burns straight down the center of a candle without creating a full melt pool. This results in a faster candle burn time. Tunneling is typically an indication that the heat generated by that wick loses the ability to wick up the wax.
Southern Blaze Wood Wick Candles avoids the problem of tunneling because we use a dual wick design. We combined a solid wood wick with a solid cotton braided wick that engineered into a better quality candlewood. This dual wick design allows the wax to burn evenly and slowly generate enough heat to melt a large enough area of wax to avoid tunneling. This dual wick also helps to start the flame easier. 
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Avoiding mushroom candle wicks
Mushrooming wicks is that unsightly black ball that builds upon the end of the wick. Mushrooming can make the candle burn irregularly and form a burnt ball at the top of the wick. The burnt wick falls into the wax and makes the candle look dirty. It is an unsightly black ball that builds upon the end of the wick. It can make the candle burn irregularly fall off and make the candle look dirty. Poor quality wicks or poorly constructed candles cause mushrooming wicks.
How to shop for candles with quality wicks? Look for wood wick lotion candles that have a larger wooden wick size. A wood wick keeps its shape and does not disfigure due to the flame.
How to shop for Quality Candle Wicks?
- The wick should be easy to light.
- The wick flame should burn continuously and evenly.
- The wick should be flammable, but not burn too easily or quickly.
- It should have some fire resistance so that it burns slowly.
- The candle wick size should be the right ratio to the candle wax. When the wick size is the right ratio it maintains the right balance of stiffness and rigidity when the wick is burned.
- Braided cotton wicks are a higher quality wick
A 100% cotton braided wick is a higher-quality candlewick. Cotton braided wicks burn more evenly and slowly than twisted wicks. Twisted wicks are constructed “looser” and burn more quickly. An example of a twisted wick is birthday cake candles. Twisted constructed wicks are usually less costly and are found in many store-bought candles.
How to shop for Quality Candle Wicks? Avoid poorly constructed wick candles
When shopping for quality candles, look out for poorly constructed wicks and candles. These candles could also include poor wax blends, paraffin, or fragrance issues that create a candle with a mushrooming wick effect. You also want to make sure the wick thickness matches the size of the candle. Too small of a wick and the wax will tunnel around the wick allowing the wax to smother the flame.
Our 100% wood wick and 100% braided cotton wick luxury lotion candles contribute to the highest quality clean-burning candles that offer a beautiful, slow, and consistent flame. Our Southern Blaze Collection candles offer both the wood wick and cotton wicks for a natural soft crackle sound while the candle wick is burning. Our Northern Luminary Collection offers two high-end 100% cotton braided wicks that offer a bright burning luminary appearance through the frosted vessel. Both collections offer something special for your home or office.
Candles are very common gift for any occasion. Candles are present at every celebration and also give a great mood in the house.
Step by Step Guide how to make homemade candles
Candles are an excellent way to make your home feel cozier and more inviting. They also have the added benefit of making it easier to set a romantic mood for date night, or provide some light when you’re entertaining friends on game night. If you want to enjoy candles without spending a lot of money on store-bought candles, this how-to guide will show how easy it is to make them at home!