Best Candle Making Books Worth Reading
Updated How we research
Books still beat scattered video advice for the parts of candle making that need explaining once and properly: wax behaviour, fragrance load, wick sizing and why a candle tunnels. What varies is depth and currency. Some titles are project-led with recipes aimed at beginners, others read closer to a technical reference. Photography helps for container work, while a good troubleshooting section earns its keep the day a pour goes wrong. We weighed clarity for a first-time maker, how much space goes to troubleshooting rather than pretty projects, whether measurements are given by weight, and how well the content holds up as supplies change. Project-led books suit hobbyists who learn by making. Reference-style titles suit anyone moving toward selling and needing consistency. Illustrated guides suit makers focused on design, colour and styling.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 6.6 to 8.4 out of 10.
- Best overall:Basic Candle Making: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by Eric Ebeling. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.4/10.
- Also great value:Candle Making Basics: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by Sandy Allison. Value score of 8/10, overall 8.0/10.
- Solid build:Candle Making for Beginners: Step by Step Guide to Making Your Own Candles at Home: Simple and Easy! by Adrienne Haws. Build and materials score of 6/10, overall 7.4/10.
- Feature-rich:The Soy Candle Making Book by Melissa M. Hall. Features score of 7/10, overall 7.2/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
Basic Candle Making: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by Eric Ebeling
Basic Candle Making by Eric Ebeling, covering all the skills and tools you need to get started.
Our score8.4/10Budget
Candle Making Basics: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by Sandy Allison
Candle Making Basics by Sandy Allison, a skills and tools guide for new candle makers.
Our score8.0/10Budget
#1Basic Candle Making by Eric Ebeling, covering all the skills and tools you need to get started.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Established craft publisher title with clear structure
- + Explains both skills and the tools needed
- + Good reference for container and molded candles
- - Older book may not cover newer coconut blends
- - Some product references may be dated
#2Candle Making Basics by Sandy Allison, a skills and tools guide for new candle makers.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Covers fundamental techniques in an organized way
- + Tool focus helps beginners buy the right gear
- + Classic title often recommended to newcomers
- - Older content predates many modern wick series
- - Less focus on selling candles as a business
#3Candle Making for Beginners by Adrienne Haws, a simple step by step guide to making candles at home.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 8/10
- + Step by step structure suits total beginners
- + Focus on simple home methods without costly gear
- + Printed guide is handy to keep open at the bench
- - Beginner scope skips advanced wicking and blends
- - Self published style may lack detailed photos
#4The Soy Candle Making Book by Melissa M. Hall, focused on making candles with soy wax.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 7/10
- + Soy focus matches the most popular hobby wax
- + Dedicated coverage of soy quirks like frosting
- + Useful for makers building a natural candle line
- - Little help for paraffin, gel or beeswax projects
- - Printing and photo quality are unknown
#5The Soy Candle Making Book by Susmita Shil, a quick 8 step guide to scented, colored and massage candles.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 7/10
- + 8 step approach keeps the process simple
- + Covers scented, colored and massage candles
- + Massage candles add a less common project type
- - Quick guide format limits technical depth
- - Short book may repeat what free guides offer
#6Candle Making For Beginners by Ella Diamond, a step by step guide to creating homemade candles.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 7/10
- + Walks through the core steps from wax to finished candle
- + Aimed squarely at first time candle makers
- + Affordable intro before investing in supplies
- - Definitive claim oversells a beginner level book
- - Limited depth on troubleshooting burn problems
#7Candle Making for Beginners by Susan Jerry, an easy step-by-step guide to starting your own candles.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 7/10
- + Easy guide format keeps instructions short
- + Good for readers wanting a quick overview
- + Covers the basics of starting a candle hobby
- - Very similar to many other beginner candle titles
- - Unlikely to cover business or advanced topics
#8Candle Making for Beginners by Luke Quill, with step-by-step tutorials and expert tips.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 7/10
- + Tutorial format is easy to follow project by project
- + Expert tips promise help beyond the absolute basics
- + Useful for readers who like guided projects
- - Author credentials are not clear from the title
- - Self published quality may vary
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Older book may not cover newer coconut blends (Basic Candle Making: All the Skills and Tools...)
- Older content predates many modern wick series (Candle Making Basics: All the Skills and...)
- Beginner scope skips advanced wicking and blends (Candle Making for Beginners: Step by Step...)
- Little help for paraffin, gel or beeswax projects (The Soy Candle Making Book by Melissa M. Hall)
- Quick guide format limits technical depth (The Soy Candle Making Book: Quick and Easy 8...)
- Definitive claim oversells a beginner level book (Candle Making For Beginners: The Definitive...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among candle making books worth reading?
Basic Candle Making: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by Eric Ebeling is our top overall pick. Basic Candle Making by Eric Ebeling, covering all the skills and tools you need to get started. It earns our score of 8.4/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Candle Making Basics: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by Sandy Allison is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Candle Making Basics by Sandy Allison, a skills and tools guide for new candle makers.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span $ price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Candle Making Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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