Emergency Candles are specially made for outdoor activities and emergencies. It is made from durable material that can burn for long hours and adapt to weather conditions.
Candles have a long history, and their first documented use was around 200 BC in the Han Dynasty in China.
Since then, people have been using candles in their homes to light a room, especially when it's dark, cook food, and give warmth.
Nowadays, various designs, colors, sizes, and materials are used in making emergency candles.
Thus, this article will review the 10 Best Emergency Candles available today. Check this out now!
1. CandleLife Emergency Survival Candle
Apart from the traditional wax candle, you can buy this CandleLife Emergency Survival Candle! This product is available in a single product or pack of 6, which can accommodate the needs of its users.
Features of the CandleLife Emergency Survival Candle
It burns a wick and liquid paraffin to produce light. It is stored in a plastic jar with a cap to prevent spills, especially when transporting. Each candle measures 3" wide and 4" high. In addition, liquid paraffin is odorless and smoke-free; it can be used for up to 115 hours.
Cons of using the CandleLife Emergency Survival Candle
Meanwhile, some customers reveal that they experience liquid leakage with this product. There is a problem with packaging, and some don't have labels on it.
Moreover, the candle's light is small, and more is needed to cover an entire room. However, having a CandleLife Emergency Survival Candle is better than having no light. Thus, check out this product now!
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2. Coghlan's 36-Hour Survival Candle, 6-Ounce
Coghlan's Ltd. is an outdoor accessory company founded in 1959 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They have a wide range of gadgets, accessories, gears, and health and safety kits for their customers. One of its lighting products is the 36-Hour Survival Candle.
Features of the Coghlan's 36-Hour Survival Candle
This candle has three wicks, and each wick can work up to 36 hours. If you light the three wicks, then it can only work for 12 hours. It is stored in a tin container; its cover can be used to put out the flame when needed. It can provide light and warmth, mainly when used outdoors. Finally, the product includes a box of matches that can light the candle instantly.
Cons of the Coghlan's 36-Hour Survival Candle
This survival candle uses paraffin wax, which can produce odor and black fumes. If you use it in a closed room, you might suffer allergies to this candle. Second, the light from one wick is small and might need to be more for an individual.
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3. Emergency Essentials 115 Hour Plus Emergency Candle Clear Mist
If you are looking for smokeless and odorless emergency candles, then the Emergency Essentials 115-Hour Plus Emergency Candle must be on top of your list! The Emergency Essentials LLC provides food, water, storage, MRE meals, emergency gear, and emergency kits that civilians can use when disaster strikes. Among their various products offered is the 115-Hour Emergency Candle.
Features of the 115-Hour Plus Emergency Candle
Each candle can be used for 115 hours straight, indoors during power outages or outdoors camping. It uses liquid paraffin, which is smokeless and odorless. It is available in a pack of 6, and each product has a plastic storage cap to prevent spills. The candle measures 4.5" high, 3" in diameter, weighing about 12.2 ounces. Finally, the product is in plastic jars, which are shatterproof.
Cons of using the 115-Hour Plus Emergency Candle
The candle's flame is small and might need more to light the entire room. Second, since it uses liquid paraffin, one must use it in a well-ventilated area only. Nevertheless, this emergency candle is easy to use and durable, perfect for survivalists!
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4. Emergency Preparedness Lot of 2 - 120 Hour Emergency Survival Candle
Avoid letting winter sneak up on you without at least a pair of these! Each candle burns for 120 hours, an incredible five days nonstop! Usually, that is sufficient time to get you through any emergency caused by a hurricane, flood, tornado, or blackout. They are excellent additions to your camping and bug-out bags and supplies.
Features of the 120-Hour Emergency Survival Candle
If you are looking for a big candle that will last many days, try this 120-Hour Emergency Survival Candle now! This product is proudly made in the United States, and it has 120 hours or about five days of burn time. It is made of wax and stored in a thick glass jar. It measures 8 1/8" high and 2 3/8" in diameter. Furthermore, it is available in white color only, and it comes in two pieces of candles.
Cons of using the 120-Hour Emergency Survival Candle
The jars are very delicate since it is made of glass. Thus, you will have difficulty transporting it from one place to another because it might break and damage the candle.
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5. Emergency Ready (ER) by Quake Kare 6E Emergency Candles
Quake Kare created the Emergency Ready (ER) Brand, and they have been providing emergency supplies since 1982. Survivalists and outdoor enthusiasts usually buy their ER Candles.
Features of the ER 6E Emergency Candles
This product is available in a pack of 5. The candles are made of wax and it is white. It measures 5" tall and 3/4" in diameter. Meanwhile, the product weight is 5.6 ounces. The candle can last for up to 5 hours. Unlike other brands, it has bigger flames that are enough to light a room.
Cons of using the ER 6E Emergency Candles
The ER 6E Emergency Candles can be a little expensive compared to other brands available in the market. However, this is better than having no candles in your emergency bag! Thus, try these 6E Emergency Candles now!
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6. Exotac candleTIN Emergency Beeswax Slow Burn Candle
Exotac Inc. is based in Buford, Georgia, and concentrates on high-quality and unique outdoor gear. The company is family-owned and mainly composed of Engineers and outdoor survivalists. One of their many products is the candle Emergency Beeswax Candle.
Features of the candle Emergency Beeswax Slow Burn Candle
This candle is made of 100% beeswax and proudly made in the USA. Beeswax can produce a good smell indoors or outdoors, unlike plain wax.
Furthermore, beeswax is biodegradable, clean-burning, versatile, and has a long shelf life. It also features a triple wick design which is efficient and flexible. It can be used for cooking, lighting, warmth, or drying out. If you light the three wicks, then the candle will work for 4 hours.
But if you only light one wick, the candle will only work for 1 hour. The candle is stored in a durable, reusable tin container with a lid. In addition, it is also available in two sizes, which are Small-2.75" x 0.9" and Large- 2.95" x 1.85".
Cons of using the candle Emergency Beeswax Slow Burn Candle
Beeswax candles can be more expensive than any other brand. Some customers might not like the smell of beeswax; thus, it might be a problem when you use it, especially indoors or in a closed room. Finally, the burning hours of this product are short and limited.
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7. Luminessence Emergency Candles
Another must-have during outdoor activities and emergencies is the Luminessence Emergency Candles. The Luminescence Company is based in Margaret River, Western Australia; however, they now offer their products in the United States. They specialize in creating eco-friendly soy candles, luxury reed diffusers, and hand and body wash products.
Features of the Luminescence Emergency Candles
This candle is made of wax, which measures 3.75" tall, and its diameter is 0.7". It is available in white color, and it can be used in camping and even inside the house. It is available in a pack of 7 pieces, which is just enough during a tragedy.
Cons of using the Luminessence Emergency Candles
The product is smaller than other emergency candles, and it only lasts for up to 2 1/2 hours maximum.
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8. SE OD-3WSC100 3-Wick 36-Hour Emergency Candle
The SE Company provides a wide range of products for the home. One of which is this 36-Hour Emergency Candle.
Features of SE OD-3WSC100 3-Wick 36-Hour Emergency Candle
This candle is made of palm and soy wax and stored in an aluminum reusable tin packaging. The palm and the soy can burn clean, which means you can use this candle even in rooms with minimal ventilation.
It features three wicks which can work for 36 hours. When users light the three wicks, it can last up to 12 hours. The three wicks will allow the users to modify the light they will use based on their needs.
Furthermore, the candle measures 2.75" x 3.13" x 2.75" and weighs about 3.6 oz which is very lightweight.
Cons of using the SE OD-3WSC100 3-Wick 36-Hour Emergency Candle
The product is made of palm and soy wax, which can cause allergies for some people. In addition, the light produced by the candle may need to be more to light the whole room. Thus, you need to use all three wicks at the same time. Finally, the package does not include any matches on it, unlike other products.
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9. Stansport Survival Candle
Another must-have emergency candle is the Stansport Survival Candle. The Stansport Company is located in Los Angeles, California, and they have focused on creating outdoor emergency products for almost 65 years. They provide camping and outdoor recreation products such as lighting, emergency kits, rainwear, and first aid kits.
Features of Stansport Survival Candle
This candle has a three-wick feature. If you light only one wick, the candle can last up to 36 hours, but it can only last for 12 hours if you light three.
Apart from the light, the product can also give you warmth, especially on cold nights. It is also stored in a metal case to protect the candle from damage. The candle weighs about 5.6 ounces only. There is also a box of wooden matches.
Thus, you can use this candle in cases of disasters immediately.
Cons of using the Stansport Survival Candle
The Stansport Survival Candle is designed for outdoor use and should not be utilized inside because of the toxic output. However, the Stansport Survival Candle is an excellent emergency candle that you can include on your Bug-Out Bag content list, Boy Scout kit, and others!
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10. Sterno 30278 100-Hour Emergency Liquid Wax Candles
Sterno Products is one of the trusted brands in food heating and warming. Their catalogs have a wide range of products, including flameless candles, tabletop lighting, and soft-light liquid candles.
Features of the Sterno 30278 100-Hour Emergency Liquid Wax Candles
This product is available in 4 pieces. These are liquid paraffin wax candles, suitable for outdoor activities and emergencies. It has a 100-hour burn time for each candle and burns safe and clean, unlike other candles. Its flame and light are enough to light a dark room.
Furthermore, this liquid wax candle has no messy wax drippings, and its high-quality wick can prevent smoke. This product weighs about 13.6 fl oz or 403.6 mL. The liquid wax is in a glass jar with a long wick. Finally, you can use this both indoors and outdoors.
Cons of using the Sterno 30278 100-Hour Emergency Liquid Wax Candles
Since it is made of a glass jar, transportation can be challenging. Glass can break when proper handling is not observed, which might cause leakage of the liquid wax on your bags. Liquid paraffin candles' odor can cause allergies for some, so always use it in a well-ventilated room.
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Emergency Candles Pros and Cons
Having emergency candles on hand is a brilliant idea in case of a small or severe emergency. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to using them as opposed to other portable or emergency light sources.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Some types of wax are reusable.
- Never depend on batteries, electricity, or any other external source.
- It can be used in an emergency to generate heat.
- Fully operational even following an EMP incident
Cons
- If you suspect a gas leak of any type, you cannot use this.
- The potential danger of fire
- Avoid putting out a lot of light at once.
- It can blow away with the wind.
How Many Candles Does a Family Need?
Determining how many emergency candles or lights to buy for the family can be overwhelming. Indeed, you will not just use candles during emergencies. Sometimes, you need to use headlamps, glow sticks, and flashlights. As such, here is a guide to help you figure out how many candles you will use.
Hours of Lighting per Day
The first rule is to know how many hours of lighting you will need each day.
During winter, most power outages will likely occur. In addition, there are long hours of darkness since the sun sets earlier than in the other seasons.
Even if you open all your curtains, you will need a lot of lighting from 7 pm to 7 am. But since we get to bed around 10 p.m., you won't need that much lighting for the whole night. You can have around 3 to 6 hours of lighting each day and survive.
Number of Days to Prepare
When buying emergency lights, you should prepare for at least three days of lighting. Some emergencies or disasters last for a while. You can have your power back after three days.
Calculate the Number of Hours of Lighting
You can use this simple math to determine how many hours of lighting you will need:
Space to Illuminate
You can buy one candle with your choice of lighting hours and survive. However, producing enough lighting for your entire home will take over one candle. With this, you must determine how many candles you will buy for your house.
During emergencies and blackouts, you may not be using every room of your home. Your family will most likely gather in one area together, such as the living room or kitchen.
One tapered candle can produce one foot-candle of lighting. You must have around 10 to 20-foot candles to light a standard room. With this, you must have 5 to 10 candles in each room.
For bathrooms, you can have one to two candles. Typically, we don't put candles inside the comfort room; we bring them to such areas if we need to use them. But make sure you don't leave it unattended inside the bathroom.
To test your candles, light them to see how many you will need to light your space. It is smart to use various devices during emergencies. Have some lamps, flashlights, and headlamps around the house too.
Features of Candles to Consider
Many of us receive candles as gifts from friends. Sometimes, the whole shelf is filled with candles from the past holiday season. These candles can provide lighting, but they are inappropriate for emergencies. Moreover, the smell of all scented candles lit at once can be horrible. As such, here are the guidelines on what to look for when buying emergency candles:
Burn Time
Each candle's burn time varies due to the amount of wax utilized. You can have around 7 to 9 hours of candle burn time per ounce of wax.
Wicks
It is excellent to opt for candles with multiple wicks. With this, you can adjust the candle's brightness by lighting or extinguishing the wicks. However, be conscious that candles with multiple wicks calculate the burn time with one wick. As such, candles with three wicks can have a burn time of 36 hours. But if all three wicks are lit simultaneously, the burn time can be reduced to 12 hours.
Scented Candles
As much as possible, try to avoid using scented candles, especially during emergencies. The smell of this type of candle can be harmful to some members of the family. Imagine how the room will smell if all your scented candles are lit together. This will be a headache.
Stability
Choose candles that are stable and won't topple over you. Tapered candles are fine, but make sure you buy a candle holder.
Wax Type
One of the best candles during emergencies is soy wax. This type burns slowly and can last for long hours. Paraffin is another type that is common nowadays. However, it can be toxic. Paraffin can create a smoky residue once lit. Also, it can be harder to reuse it. Meanwhile, another alternative for paraffin is beeswax.
Features To Consider When Backpacking
Weight
The survival candle you bring on your backpacking journey must be light. If it weighs too much, you could decide not to bring it. You have to transport a lot of things. Therefore, a survival candle is not necessary. Sleeping bags, hammocks, tents, cookware, and other items are required. A large candle will only make things worse. You carry too much. Therefore, you want to stay energized in the bush.
Durability
It must be sturdy if you plan to carry the candle in your backpack. There will be a lot of equipment and other things in your backpack. If the candle is not exceptionally sturdy, there is a good chance that it will get squashed. You won't have a useful candle with you if it gets squashed.
Container
The container needs to be secure without obstructing the flame's illumination. The candle can be kept from falling over with the help of a sturdy container. Accidents and mishaps can be avoided with a container. Fires can be avoided with a proper container, which is crucial if you're going on a backpacking trip.
Compact
The better candles are those with longer burn times and smaller diameters. Simply put, you only have a little room inside your backpacks. It is best to use the space efficiently by purchasing small or compact hiking or survival equipment. The candle will be more beneficial to us if it is more compact. It will have more room in your backpacks for more survival supplies—signal mirrors, first aid, etc.
Price
The backpacking candle's cost is essential as well. There are many inexpensive candles available that work extremely well. There are many pricey candles available that you do not require. They most likely have a scent or other attribute that makes them pricey. Frequently, a regular candle with a long burn time is plenty to cover your backpacking needs.
Tricks in using the Emergency Lights
In using the emergency candles, it is best to place them in front of the mirrors or glass. With this, you can be able to produce more light. If you walk around your house during emergencies, use the headlamps instead.
Avoid using emergency lights. The tea lights can get hot when used. As such, you must be careful about what you put near it.
Moreover, you must put something under the candles because melted wax is hard to clean. You can put it inside the glass or jar. Keep the candles away from children or even your pets. With this, you can avoid untoward accidents with the candles. Use it whenever necessary, and don't keep the candles unattended to prevent fires.
How to Reuse the Emergency Candles
One of the many benefits of emergency candles is you can use them again. With the taper candles, you can save the wax from the candles as it drips off.
Meanwhile, it can be challenging with the tea and jar candles since you have to get the wax out of the holder.
When you get the wax out, melt it using the double boiler. The double boiler will help you prevent catching fire.
After that, pour the wax into the candle molds plus the wick. You can also use the toilet paper rolls as molds and cotton string for the wick.
Congrats, you now have your new candle! Make sure that you will not mix just any type of wax. These waxes can burn differently.
Conclusion
In sum, various candles are available today, and it varies depending on your need.
In buying the best one, make sure it is made of high-quality materials. You can buy candles made of beeswax, palm wax, or soy wax since these materials can burn for long hours.
Check as well the wick of the candle. You can have candles with wicks made of cotton and paper filament. Or you could try a zinc wick so it can burn longer.
In any way, remember to put a candle and some matches in your emergency kit because this can save your life anywhere you go!
According to experts, the average household can experience over two blackouts yearly. Each outage can last 200 minutes or more. As such, you must have emergency lighting inside your home whenever the power goes out. One of these is the emergency candles.
But apart from the candles, get the headlamps, flashlights, LED lamps, glow sticks, and others. It is best to have various lighting options during disasters. With this, you can get enough lighting for your whole house, and each family member can use it.
Candles can be a fire hazard. It must not be used after earthquakes, especially if there is a main gas break.
Even though the use of candles has risks, many people still use it since it is affordable. It produces heat, an excellent alternative if you don't have a heating option.
Moreover, candle wax can be reused, and you can make your candles too. Choose the product with the right features to make the most of your emergency candles.
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