The 10 Best Wax Melts
This wiki has been updated 22 times since it was first published in April of 2018. Wax melts are a good alternative to candles and come in an extensive range of appealing scents, so whether you prefer musky, fruity, tropical, or floral notes, you're bound to find the perfect match for your tastes. We've included a wide variety of different tarts, including some organic and vegan options, to ensure there is something in our selection to suit every need. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. One Fur All Pet House
2. Bridgewater Sweet Grace
3. Farm Raised Candles Bakery
Editor's Notes
July 30, 2020:
Today's update saw the removal of Gentle Bees Philippine Queen, which became unavailable, as well as Aira Hand Poured, which can be hit or miss when they arrive, either smelling intensely fragrant or barely at all. We also swapped the old Swan Creek offering with Swan Creek Drizzle, an option with an impressive variety of distinctive fragrances available. These bars are triple-scented and contain ingredients like herbs and flower petals that add an aesthetic appeal and can enhance the scent. If you're sensitive to potent smells, you'll want to skip this one, as most people select this brand for its powerful, enduring aromas.
Joining the ranks today is The Candle Daddy Nag Champa, which should satisfy incense-lovers who want to go smokeless. The smell is strong and lingering, making it ideal for bathrooms and areas with litter boxes or other intense odors. These are hand-poured in Indiana to ensure that each batch maintains consistent quality.
We also brought Farm Raised Candles Bakery to our selections today. This is another hand-poured, small batch option made from soy wax culled from beans farmed here in the US. Aside from being a natural, renewable wax, soy tends to burn longer than paraffin as well. This bakery medley includes delectable scents meant to complement the fall season, like sugar and spice and pecan waffles, but still smell great any time of year.
Other than striking a balance between paraffin and soy choices, we also wanted to supply a diverse range of fragrances and long-lasting tarts. Depending on their size, many of these will work just fine in most wax burners, but always check the manufacturer's instructions to make sure. Remember to never leave hot wax unattended or near children or pets, and turn electric warmers off when not in use.
June 20, 2019:
Sometimes it takes more than mopping the floor or vacuuming the carpet to keep your house smelling fresh and clean. If you are looking for something to make your home smell like a candle store, consider one of these wax melts. For the pet owners, there is no better choice than One Fur All Pet House, which is powerful enough to mask unpleasant litter box odors or a wet dog smell.
Wax melts generally come in two varieties — soy or paraffin. While there have been some claims that paraffin can release harmful fumes into the air, there aren't many, if any, conclusive studies, and they are still considered safe. For those who prefer the better scent throw paraffin offers, we have included options like Febreze Unstopables and Shortie's Candle Company Variety Pack. Some of the soy wax choices on our list include One Fur All Pet House, Happy Wax Cocktail Mix, and Aira Hand Poured. Gentle Bees Philippine Queen is an interesting choice that deserves a special mention. It is actually made from beeswax, which some claim offers some therapeutic benefits when melted.
If you already have your favorite essential oils and want to use them as a fragrance for your whole house, you can get the unscented Madeline Island Candles Purity. They can also be a helpful way to dilute some wax melts you bought previously that have an overpowering scent.
Special Honors
The Flaming Candle Tart Molds If you're looking to create some DIY tarts, you'll need molds for your creations. The Flaming Candle has a variety of items in charming shapes, like apples, seashells, pinecones, pumpkins, and more. Each tray has eight cavities, can tolerate temperatures of 135-145 degrees F, and releases wax easily after it has cooled for 12-24 hours. theflamingcandle.com
Gypsy Moon LLC at Etsy Gypsy Moon LLC is a vendor on Etsy that offers, among other things, uniquely scented hand-poured candles and homemade wax melts. Made from a paraffin-soy blend, these tarts can include anything from added herbs, essential oil blends, and even crystals such as selenite. There is an impressive array of scents to choose from, including distinctive aromas like fizzy pop, mountaintop lake, and midnight margarita, to more conventional ones like sweet strawberry and cranberry orange. etsy.com
4. Swan Creek Drizzle
5. Febreze Unstopables
6. Madeline Island Candles Purity
7. Happy Wax Cocktail Mix
8. ScentSationals Wickless Cubes
9. The Candle Daddy Nag Champa
10. Shortie's Candle Company Variety Pack
Born in Arizona, Gia is a writer and autodidact who fled the heat of the desert for California, where she enjoys drinking beer, overanalyzing the minutiae of life, and channeling Rick Steves. After arriving in Los Angeles a decade ago, she quickly nabbed a copywriting job at a major clothing company and derived years of editing and proofreading experience from her tenure there, all while sharpening her skills further with myriad freelance projects. In her spare time, she teaches herself French and Italian, has earned an ESL teaching certificate, traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States, and unashamedly devours television shows and books. The result of these pursuits is expertise in fashion, travel, beauty, literature, textbooks, and pop culture, in addition to whatever obsession consumes her next.