Being eco-friendly is very important to many people in today’s society. This is especially true when it comes to addressing how much electricity we are using. Household appliances can be electricity hogs, with things like washers, dryers, and air conditioning units being the main culprits.
However, with so much plugged in these days with a tech ruled society, what else might use too much electricity in our homes? One item that comes to mind is candle warmers.
Do candle warmers use a lot of electricity? The short answer to this is no. Electricity is measured in kilowatts per hour or kWh, and in the case of candle warmers, this number can vary but does not use anywhere near the amount of electricity that other appliances use. While they are still using some electricity, they can still be useful devices in our homes.
Understanding the use of our electric devices helps us decide how to use them better. Even small appliances that may not use too much power can be altered for better electric usage. Any amount helps in the long run as those numbers do add up.
The biggest way to reduce how much power an electric device is using (in this case, the candle warmer), using it less is optimal. This might not be appealing to those who really love their candle warmers, however, if they are looking for small corners to cut electric costs, it can be helpful.
When deciding on what appliances to cut the usage of, the candle warmer is an easy solution. Perhaps only using it during a special occasion for a few hours is a good idea.
Another idea is to only use it in places where smells tend to build-up over time, still for shorter hours in the day, to gradually help the area smell better.
Candle burners are typically only used for the scents they emit. This is because they sit on the heated plate in their jars and get melted from the bottom up.
These typically do not have wicks in them and wicks are where candles are also used for lighting purposes.
How Much Electricity Do Candle Warmers Use?
Even though candle warmers do not use a lot of electricity, they do still use it. Determining just how much electricity that equates to is not as complicated as it may seem.
As expressed before, electricity usage is measured in kilowatts per hour or kWh. There is a simple math equation that this can be applied to that helps find the exact amount of electricity usage of an appliance or device.
Candle warmers come in two types: a hot plate burner and lamp style. The lamp stop uses a small bulb to heat the candle from the top and the hot plate obviously uses a hot plate to heat from the bottom. Hot plate styles are the most popular, however, both types use the wattage around 25 watts on average.
Using the average cost of electricity in the United States, said to be around $0.12 per kWh used, the wattage of the device, the hours used per day, and the number of days used helps calculate how much energy it is using.
Multiplying these together is the magic behind seeing the numbers of usage. In the case of candle warmers, the average wattage for them is 25 watts. If using it for 8 hours a day, every day, it is said to use about 73 kWh of electric energy and cost around $9.00 a year to operate.
This may not seem like much, and in reality, it isn’t, but once again it can add up! Think about usage that might be closer to 24 hours of every day. That would come out to 219 kWh of electric energy and cost almost $27 a year to run.
While it isn’t realistic to assume that a candle jar would be on every hour of the day, it helps really put some important perspective on the cost and energy usage if it did.
It is even more important to note that 25 watts are the average power behind a candle warmer. This number can be higher or lower depending on the brand or model of the candle warmer.
This would drastically change the cost to run it and the amount of electricity it may use. If using the math behind finding the energy usage is too much, there are plenty of online calculators to help input those numbers into reality. Every candle warmer box should indicate the watts of the appliance.
Once again, candle warmers may not use too much electricity, but in the long run, it does add up! Reducing use and only using if needed or targeted areas are the key to saving more electricity and putting more money in people’s pockets!
How Safe Are Candle Warmers?
Candle warmers are an electric hot plate that holds jarred candles to heat them from the bottom up. While this is the most common form of a candle warmer, anotAs expressed before, this is typically done with candles without any wicks.
Due to the lack of flames on a candle warmer, they are safer in that respect. However, as with anything that plugs into an outlet, there are important safety tips to follow.
These tips exist to ensure everyone stays safe and any accidents are prevented as much as possible. Below are the top tips for safety while using a candle warmer!
Safety Tips for Using a Candle Warmer
- Always plug into a grounded outlet – While grounded outlets are better for larger appliances, small appliances can benefit from them as well. It simply provides a safer means of transferring energy to the appliance.
- Never place a candle warmer near fabric – While there is not an open flame to these devices, it is still a safe idea to keep them away from curtains or couch arms that may have fabric hanging or close to the heating element of the device.
- Never place a candle warmer near water sources – Water and electricity never mix, always resulting in electrocution. Candle warmers should never be placed around water sources like sinks, bathtubs, fish tanks, etc. They should be placed on a flat, stable surface where no water can reach them!
- Keep candle warmers away from children and pets – Accidents happen and these devices can get warm. Prevent any burns or accidents by keeping the device away from pets and children.
- Keep the cord in check – The cords generally not too long, however, they can still pose a tripping hazard or be caught up in other cords. Trying to keep the cord free from any disturbances ensures that it will not be disturbed.
- Keep the warmer on a flat surface – Keeping the candle warmer on a flat surface doesn’t have to mean breaking out a leveling device to check the surface. It simply means the warmer should be flat, sturdy, and secure on the surface it sits on. If it appears to be leaning in any direction, the safest thing to do is move the candle warmer.
- Always watch for any smoke – Overheating can occur, though not always common. This can result in smoke coming from the candle warmer. Unplug the device immediately if smoke occurs.
These tips can be added to of course but these serve as the safest ways possible to operate a candle warmer!
How Hot Do Candle Warmers Get?
Even though candle warmers do not use very much electricity, it is important to know how hot these devices can get. There is no exact temperature ranges for a candle warmer. however, wax melt warmers are said to reach upwards of 110 degrees. It is critical to realize that heat is being emitted from candle warmers and touching them may cause burns.
Candle warmers can also overheat, though it is rare. Watching for smoke or strange smells can determine if a candle warmer is overheating. This is always due to a faulty device. Devices operating normally will not have this issue.
This is because they are not using too much electricity and are designed to operate at lower temperatures to burn candles low and slow. This method ensures the scent from the candle can really fill a room properly.
While candle warmers emit heat, they are more than just hot plates. The hot plate is generally in a built-in bowl that houses the jarred candle. These bowls are made of porcelain and decorative.
They can be neutral colors or more bold colors, all to suit whatever theme of a room it is in! Yes, they are super pretty and add some real-life to space they are placed in, however, they are still a hot plate! All precautions should be taken!
Save As Much Electricity as Possible!
As previously stated, candle warmers are not electricity hogs. They operate very minimally. However, cutting some small corners really adds up when it comes to saving on electricity.
As discussed, cutting back the amount of time a candle warmer is on can help reduce its electricity usage. But this isn’t the only way to reduce candle warmer usage!
Some models of candle warmers now come with timers on them. These timers allow the candle warmer to run for an allotted amount of time and auto-shuts off to save energy. This feature also serves as a means of safety.
As with regular methods of burning candles, leaving a candle on a burner with no supervision is never suggested. These timers really help with remembering to shut them off as well as saving some electricity!
Saving money and being eco-friendly is a great feeling for anyone. For those looking to use candle warmers, they can have peace of mind knowing that they do not use that much electricity.
However, they can be mindful of how they are using the warmers to ensure they are still being helpful to the environment and their own pockets!
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