5 Best Wicks for Soy Candles In 2023 (Buying Guide & Review)

If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best wicks for soy candles are, then we recommend the EricX Light Cotton Candle Pre-Tabbed 6 as the best one.

One of the more challenging parts of making candles is choosing the best wicks for soy candles; I know I struggled. You can subject your candle to improper burning or no scent throw without a suitable wick.

What makes the best wick for soy candles is the right size and if it burns your candle evenly and cleanly. 

I will review the following 5 wicks:

A Review of 5 Wicks for Soy Cndles

1. Best Overall: EricX Light Cotton Candle Pre-Tabbed 6″ Wicks  

In my experience and opinion, the best wick is the EricX Light Cotton Candle Wick. This wick has all the qualities you need for a great wick, from being pre-tabbed to having a clean burn. They are convenient and easy to use.

My favorite part is these wicks are 100% cotton with no metals like zinc or lead. With no metals, you do not have to worry about harmful chemicals or black soot from your candle. The 2.5 mm wide wick and 12.5 mm metal tab provides a sturdy and clean burning wick.

One of the best things about this wick is that there is no smoke with a consistent burn, melting the wax to each side of the container as it should. I will be repurchasing these wicks in the future. 

Pros:

• These wicks are ideal for almost all waxes, not just soy wax. 
• They are made with 100% cotton threads, containing no zinc, lead, or other harmful chemicals.
• It is tightly constructed with 40 threads. 
• I found it ideal for container or pillar candles! 

Cons: 

• There are occasional dud wicks in the bag. 
• Sometimes the flame gets too small, burying the wick in wax and making the next lighting difficult. 
• Periodically the wick causes tunneling; however, this could be due to user error and improper sizing. 

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2. Most Affordable: Buluker Natural Cotton Wick 3.5″, 6″ or 8″ Wicks

A more affordable option is always great for your wallet. However, quality issues may come with cheaper wicks as they are commonly made with cheap, low-quality products. That is not the case for the Buluker natural cotton wicks.

I loved these wicks when I first started candle making. They are superb quality with just as great of a price, perfect for starting your candle business. Containing no metals, this makes for a healthier option while burning longer with no smoke or putrid odors.

We highly recommend you try these wicks out if you are a newbie to the candle-making fad and want to save a chunk of change. Being inexpensive and easy to use, they are the perfect wick for beginner candle makers. 

Pros: 

• Buluker wicks are great if you’re starting out, as they are affordable, quality, and easy to use. 
• This option comes with 3 size options, 3.5-inch, 6-inch, or 8-inch. If you have numerous sizes of containers, like me, multiple choices of size are helpful.
• 100% cotton with no metals makes for no worries about your health. 

Cons: 

• The wick sometimes pulls out of the metal base, though this can easily be fixed by using pliers to crimp it back into place.
• Occasionally, the wick pulls from the base when pouring hot wax. This can be inconvenient and a hassle to fix. 

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3. Most Compatible: EUPNHY 6″ Pretabbed, Cotton & Paper Wicks

The most compatible wicks with soy wax candles are these EUPNHY cotton and paper wicks. Due to their reinforced construction from the flat braided cotton wick with interwoven paper threads, these wicks provide an excellent burn for your candle. The wick’s construction has been developed to ensure an even burn with higher scent loads.

I enjoy no zinc, lead, or other harmful chemicals in my candles; it’s safe to say many would agree with me. With these wicks and none of those toxic metals, you don’t need to worry about black smoke or soot forming on the sides of your candle container.

With several sizes (widths) to choose from, like CD6 or CD24, these wicks are the perfect option for someone like me, who has several candle size options. 

Pros: 

• These wicks come pre-tabbed and waxed, dipped in all-natural soy wax, providing the best burn with little effort.
• The pleated cotton and paper provide a rigid wick, allowing it to stand up straighter while pouring and lighting. 
• A versatile option, ideal for all types of candles, from pillars to votives, due to the paper and cotton mix. 

Cons: 

• Some wicks in the package were slightly too small, from 1/2 mm to 1 mm too small, which caused a poor burn. 
• A few of the wicks provided a small flame, which caused tunneling. 

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4. Healthiest Option: Wood Candle Wicks 5.1 x 0.5 in

Candle wicks emit fragrance into the air, but what else? Many wicks made with metals like zinc can put off hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. Hydrocarbons are a mixture of hydrogen and carbon atoms. These hydrocarbons can be harmful when inhaled. They may cause lung irritation, coughing, shortness of breath, choking, or neurological issue.

Wood is a non-toxic and eco-friendly option that will soothe your health concerns. What I love most about this wick is it’s easy to use and assemble. Simply stick the wood wick(s) into the iron stand, center in your container, pour, and you’re done! I have had no issues with any candles I have used this wick in; they are my favorite candles too! 

Pros: 

• No harmful chemicals from harsh metals. 
• The wood wick gives a perfect ambiance in appearance and sound; I love the soothing, gentle crackling. 
• The iron holders for the wicks are sturdy and robust, which keeps your wick in place and lessens the likelihood of it falling over during pouring. 
• These are eco-friendly due to the use of natural wood. 
• These wicks are of superb quality. 

Cons: 

• The manufacturer of this wick recommends a combustion improver for soy wax candles. 
• They also recommend soaking the wicks in your aroma oil overnight before use, which can be time-consuming. 
• This wick is not suitable for smaller candles as it is too big (or perhaps, wide,) causing too large of a flame. This results in the wax melting too rapidly, resulting in no scent throw and little burn time.

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5. Best Quality: EricX Organic 8″ Cotton & Paper Core Wick

I love these wicks because they have the best quality. What makes them such excellent quality? They are made with 100% natural cotton threads intertwined with paper threads. I have never had any problem with candles using these wicks.

Their tight construction and materials make these wicks the best quality wick. Every candle I have used these wicks in has burned evenly, melting to each side of the jar. They are the perfect length of 8 inches and 19 mm in diameter for almost any candle!

As well as being an ideal size, they are easily trimmed if needed. When high-quality materials, like 100% cotton, are used, you get a quality product. That is what makes this wick so great! This one is already in my cart for next time! 

Pros: 

• 100% organic is always a plus! 
• Due to their sizing, they are ideal for large-size candles. 
• They come pre-waxed in soy wax which provides easy use. 
• Paper and cotton core wicks are the best material for soy wax candles. 

Cons: 

• These wicks are spendy. After all, you get what you pay for, right? 
• The larger diameter can sometimes cause too large of a flame for small candles, like tealights. 

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How to Choose the Best Wick for a Soy Wax Candle

When choosing the best wick for your soy candles, you may feel lost in the myriad options available; you may need clarity on choosing the best wick.

No need to fret; choosing a wick can be easy once you learn the main factors. 

The main factors you should consider when choosing a wick: 

• Size: The proper size ensures the wick melts the wax properly, affecting your burn quality. 
• Materials: The material used to make the wick matter, as they can impact the candle’s burn time, scent throw, or the health of people and pets around it. 
• Cost of the wick: The price is vital; know how much you can spend on your wicks. Try creating a budget to prevent overspending! 
• Quality of the wick: Quality is the main factor. With a quality wick, your candle will burn correctly. 

These factors can broadly impact your candle, from burn quality to scent load. 

What Wick Materials to Use for Soy Wax  

The best wick materials for soy wax are paper and cotton wicks. The paper and cotton threads entwined provides a robust and stiff wick. This strength offers a softer burn and a self-trimming wick. You’ll commonly hear these cotton and paper interwoven wicks known as HTP or high-tension paper wicks.

A tightly constructed wick is perfect for almost any candle as it provides a soft burn, not burning too fast or slow. The tight construction of the wick makes it easy for the wax to melt and the wick to burn. Many size charts from manufacturers will refer to wicks by their series, like HTP or CD.

These serial numbers will be followed by a number which is the size. HTP wicks are perfect for all candles and waxes, especially soy. The second-best material is braided or knitted 100% cotton wicks due to their tight construction.  

What Wick Materials Not to Use for Soy Wax

Wicks with a metal core or containing metals like lead are not best for soy wax candles or any candle, frankly.

Once heated, these metals release a black smoke of chemicals known as hydrocarbons, which can affect your and your family’s health. As mentioned above, when inhaled or ingested, hydrocarbons can cause coughing, lung irritation, and in severe cases, fatality.

Though, it would take a bit of effort as it is said burning four candles in a room for two hours could pose threats. We want to ensure we are keeping ourselves and our families safe from harm; ensure when choosing a wick, you take precautions on the material.

As well as harm your health, metal-cored wicks can put off a dreadful aroma while leaving black soot or smoke on your wax and the insides of your container. This impacts not only the smell but the appearance of your candle, two main aspects of a candle.   

Can a Wick Affect the Burn Time of a Soy Candle?

The wick used will significantly impact your candle’s burn time. The size is a crucial element when it comes to burning time. Obviously, the bigger the candle, the longer the burn time. However, if the wick is too large or small for the candle container, it will impact the burn time in other ways.

Too large of a wick causes the candle to burn too quickly, melting the wax too fast and shortening your candle’s burn time. Too small of a wick will not have a large enough flame to melt the wax to all sides of the container, resulting in tunneling.

Tunneling is when only the wax directly around the wick melts, looking like a tunnel. Since there is little wax to melt, your wick will burn too fast, resulting in a short burn time.

An ideal-sized wick allows your candle to burn clean and even. In turn, it lengthens the burn time of your candle. 

How to Size a Wick for a Soy Wax Candle

Sizing your wick can be challenging; manufacturers provide several size charts. Using this table is your best option when choosing a wick size. However, we recommend always going for the large (L) or extra large (XL) size.

Wicks are sized by series, such as CD or HTP. The series number is usually followed by a number that determines its size. The greater the number, the larger the wick is. 

The series of wicks can include but are not limited to: 

• CD. 
• ECO. 
• HTP. 
• LX. 

The best way to size your wick is by testing and experimenting. Start with the suggested size (according to the chart) and if that size doesn’t give you desired results, go up or down one size.

Experiment with different wick sizes and your candles to find the best for your product. 

Conclusion 

The best overall wick, EricX Light Cotton Wicks, is a clear winner due to checking every box on the requirement list. It has every quality you can ask for, all-natural, no metals, perfect size, and don’t forget; it gives the cleanest burn. Compared to its competitors, who cannot check every box.

In a close second, Buluker Natural Cotton Wick burns a lengthy time with no black or stinky smoke. Compared to the other wick choices, this wick checks off almost all the boxes but only some of them.

With every wick on this list being perfect in its own way, if you are looking for the best overall wick, check out the EricX Light Cotton Wicks.