Cotton Wick vs Wooden Wick: What's the Difference?

Cotton wicks give a steady, quiet flame and are the most common choice for candles in jars. Wooden wicks crackle, burn with a wide, low flame and look good on social media. Neither is better in every way. The right one depends on whether you care more about the sound and the look or about a candle that lights first time and burns evenly.

Cotton wicks

A cotton wick is braided cotton, sometimes woven with paper threads to keep it standing straight. It burns with the familiar tall, teardrop flame. Cotton wicks come in many sizes, so a candle maker can match one closely to the jar, which helps the wax melt all the way to the edges. They light easily, relight easily and need trimming to about a quarter of an inch before each burn.

If you are worried about older candles: lead-core wicks were banned in the United States in 2003, so a candle sold here today should not have one.

Wooden wicks

A wooden wick is a thin, flat strip of wood. It burns with a wide, horizontal flame that sits low over the wax and makes a soft crackle, which is most of the appeal. The wide flame can melt a broad pool quickly. Wooden wicks are fussier, though. They can be hard to light, they go out if the wood gets too long or too short, and they need trimming to about an eighth of an inch, with the burnt tip snapped off before each burn.

How they compare

For reliability, cotton wins. It lights first time and keeps going. For atmosphere, wood wins: the crackle is the closest a candle gets to a fireplace. Scent is close to a tie. What matters more for scent is whether the wick is the right size for the jar, because a correctly sized wick of either kind makes a full melt pool. Soot depends mostly on trimming. An untrimmed wick of either type smokes.

Cotton is also more forgiving if you are not the trimming type. A wooden wick that is left long or short tends to go out or flicker, while a cotton wick that is a little long just burns brighter until you trim it.

Which should you choose?

Choose cotton if you want a candle you can light and forget about, or if you are buying a gift for someone who will not read the instructions. Choose wood if the crackle is the point and you do not mind a little extra care. We use cotton wicks in all our candles for that first reason: a gift should work the first time it is lit.

Frequently asked questions

Are wooden wicks safe?

Yes, when they are sized and trimmed properly. The same safety rules apply as for any candle: never leave it unattended and burn for no more than four hours at a time.

Why won't my wooden wick stay lit?

It is usually too long or too short. Snap off the charred tip, trim to about an eighth of an inch, and tilt the candle slightly while lighting so the flame catches the wood.

Do cotton wicks burn cleaner?

Both burn cleanly when trimmed. Most soot comes from a long wick or a draft, not from the wick material.

Do wooden wicks make a candle smell stronger?

Not by themselves. Wax type, fragrance load and the size of the melt pool matter more. See hot throw vs cold throw.

All our candles are 9 oz soy wax with a cotton wick, in clear or amber glass with a gold lid. Browse the labels.