Find the right wick
faster.

A pocket lab for candle makers. Tell us your jar, wax, and fragrance — we'll match you to the right wick family and a clean test plan.

Field guide

Common candle problems

Tunneling+

Likely cause — Wick is too small for the diameter — the melt pool never reaches the jar wall.

Possible fix — Size up one wick step, or burn at least 1 hour per inch of diameter on the first light.

Soot & black smoke+

Likely cause — Wick is too large, trimmed too long, or fragrance/dye load is too high.

Possible fix — Trim to 5 mm before every burn. Size down one wick. Reduce fragrance to 8–9%.

Drowning wick+

Likely cause — Wick is too small or fragrance oil pools around the flame.

Possible fix — Size up, switch to a stiffer family (CD or LX), or reduce fragrance load by 1–2%.

Weak scent throw+

Likely cause — Melt pool isn't reaching full diameter, or fragrance load is too low.

Possible fix — Increase wick size, increase fragrance to 8–10%, and cure candles 7–14 days before testing.

Uneven burn+

Likely cause — Wick is off-center, draft in the room, or wax has memory rings.

Possible fix — Re-center the wick while warm. Burn away from drafts. Allow full melt pool on first burn.

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