Wohnkultur
Sind Kerzenlaternen sicher?
Camping is fun without a doubt. That is why people often find themselves in the wilderness for a good time outdoors. However, how do you keep yourself warm just in case the outdoors gets cold at night? Some might carry heaters, while others simply use a candle lantern.
It can be surprising to know that candle lanterns can come in handy to keep you warm while outdoor camping. All you need is the right candle type and size too. Of course, keep safety in mind as a candle mishandled can be a fire hazard.
What Is a Candle Lantern?
If you want to heat your tent safely while camping, you need to use a candle lantern. This is simply a device that helps you keep the inside of a tent warm safely since it will hold the candle and keep it from being a potential fire hazard. The best part is that you get to experience larger amounts of heat than what you would expect to get from a candle.
So, many people might be intrigued to try out a candle lantern now that they know it would help in keeping them warm. However, how much heat should you expect from a candle?
Candles produce some heat, but the biggest factors determining how much heat are the candle type and size. So, some candles might have a lot more heat than others. Of course, the bigger the candle, the longer the burn time and more heat.
Heat is measured in terms of British Thermal Units or BTU. So, because you can buy a candle, it is important to know just how much BTU it can generate. Here is a quick example of what you can expect from different candles:
- A small candle with a burn time of 15 hours has 80 BTU/hr.
- A medium candle with an average burn time of 20 hours will have 120 BTU/hr.
- A large candle with a burn time of 30 hours can have 200BTU/hr.
Despite these huge numbers, there is the actual usable heat output too. This value is what you experience as heat, and it would be much lower from a candle.
This is where the candle lantern comes in handy. You might have seen it before as a home decor centerpiece, but you did not know it had more uses. The candle lantern work is to help concentrate the candle heat in a small room creating more heat that you can also experience in the tent.
Well, it might not get as hot as a room heater, but it will help keep you warm in a tent because of the size.


Is a Candle Lantern Safe?
You will quickly notice that candle lanterns are safe based on the number of people who have used them before. Several positive reviews show it is a safe product for campers and DIYers can use it all the time.
One of the reasons it is safe is that the instructions are easy to follow. So long as you follow the setup instructions and keep the flammable materials away from the lantern, you should be safe.
The candle lantern design is the biggest contributor to safety. It is designed to enclose the flame so that it does not have direct contact with these other materials. So, you can relax in the tent to enjoy the heat from the candle without the risk of burning down the tent.
We have predominantly mentioned that candle lanterns are safe for tents. Does that mean we cannot use them in other places? That is not the case. The candle lanterns will have plenty of applications both indoors and outdoors. Here are more uses of candle lanterns.
- House decorations
You can have suspended candle lanterns in the house to create a nice interior decor. Many people will love the soft candlelight coming out of the lantern. Other than setting up the lanterns in living rooms or bedrooms, you could also hang them on your patio too for evening decorations.
- Floor accessories
You may also like the candle lanterns as floor accessories. A good example is using the lanterns in front of a mantel or simply the empty space beside the sofa. A quick note about the lanterns is that they are available in many shapes and sizes. So, choose the one that works for the space available.
- Light fixtures
Not all the candle lanterns in the market will have fire-burning candles. You may also come across electric lanterns that have flameless candles. These candles would be great to work as light fixtures. Just ensure they are installed correctly since they can be heavy depending on the material used and other components.
These light fixtures can be good for creating candlelight without even having the candle. No more risks of starting a fire either way. This is when using flameless candles.
Safety Guide to Use a Candle Lantern Inside a Tent
As much as candle lanterns are generally safe, it also depends on how well you use them to avoid burning down the whole tent.
You need to understand that lighting a fire inside the tent is not safe, so follow all the instructions as given by the candle lantern manufacturer. Here are additional safety precautions to take:
- Keep the children and pets from accessing the lit candles.
- You should not leave your candles unattended.
- Make sure to put out these candles once you feel like sleeping.
- Place the candles in sturdy holders or a candle lantern for stability.
- Keep the candles away from flammable materials, or they can lead to huge fires unexpectedly.
Now that you have your candle lantern and candles in the tent, how best can you use the lantern? It is mostly simple, once you light the candle, insert it into the lantern and cover it as per instructions. Each lantern would come with specific instructions to follow, but you should find it mostly easy to do so.
Once the candle gets going, you are advised not to touch the heat shield. This is because it can get extremely hot with time making it unsafe. Yes, that small candle can generate enough heat to burn the skin.
As always, you should maintain the candle lantern in an upright position. This ensures that it works correctly and wax does not pour out. No one wants to deal with hot wax dripping out of the candle lantern.
In case you have young kids in the tent, keep them from accessing the candle lanterns. It is because it can get hot and the last thing you need is the kid touching the heat shield.
When buying a candle lantern, there are a few accessories you may want to consider. They include:
- A protective case protects your glass chimney from scratches during transportation.
- Reflectors can help concentrate light so that you have more light from your candle lantern.
- Get repair components of the candle lantern. Sometimes you never know when you might need some repairs. Well, having the parts and deploying them when necessary is good.
Abschluss
Candle lanterns are decorative and functional pieces you can have during your next camping trip. It is important to make sure that you use the candle lantern correctly, especially if you will be in a tent where open flames can be dangerous. If you can follow the manufacturer’s instructions, it should be easy to have a safe environment as you continue to camp.
You made a good point that childproofing is also an important thing to look into when it comes to using exotic metal candle lanterns. I’d like to look for a good one soon because I want to make my home a lot more aesthetically pleasing. Getting exotic decor will surely be great for its exterior.
You made a good point that protective casings should also be considered when planning to handle candle lanterns. I’d like to buy some for my lawn because I want to add a bit more personality to its aesthetics. I can imagine how pretty they would be when lit at night.