When I first learned how to make melt and pour soap, I learned to melt the soap base with a microwave oven. I have tried it in a "Soap Kettle" by Life of the Party which is a glorified rice cooker. I found it to be messy to use and the clean up was impossible. Then I tried using a crock pot. It took forever to melt the soap and like the Soap Kettle it was messy to transfer the melted soap. But it was alot easier to clean. By accident I found this piece of equipment that may solve the problem of melting large amounts of soap without making a messy. It is a Presto Kitchen Kettle which has been converted to melt soap or wax. Basically it is a electric stock pot (I am guessing 4-5 quarts) with a brass spigot mounted on the side for easy transfer of melted soap.
I found this melting pot on Ebay by doing a search on soap melting pots. The average cost is between $48 to $50. Here is the description provided:
THIS IS A NEW PRESTO MELTING POT CONVERTED FOR CANDLE OR SOAP MAKING .
IT IS EQUIPPED WITH A BRASS SPIGOT MOUNTED ON THE SIDE TO HELP KEEP OUT DIRT AND DEBRIS FROM GETTING INTO YOUR CANDLES OR SOAP CREATIONS.
HAS TEMP CONTROL TO KEEP WAX OR SOAP AT DESIRED TEMP.
THE BRASS SPIGOT HELPS WITH AN EVEN AND SMOOTH FLOW OF WAX OR SOAP.IT WILL HOLD APX 6-7lbs OF WAX. WE TEST ALL OF THE POTS BEFORE WE SHIP TO MAKE SURE THEY HEAT UP AND FOR CHECK FOR LEAK'S. WE USE WATER TO TEST THEM.
IF SPIGOT IS MOUNTED ON THE BOTTOM DIRT WILL GET INTO YOUR CANDLES OR SOAP CREATIONS UNLESS IT IS FILTERED.THEN THE FILTER WILL GET CLOGGED. SO WHY TAKE THE CHANCE?
I HAVE SEEN OTHER MELTERS ON HERE THAT DO NOT HAVE A TURN DOWN FROM THE NIPPLE AT THE END OF THE SPIGOT. TO WHERE WILL CAUSE THE WAX TO FAN AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE A SMOOTH EVEN FLOW.
Now, I have not personally tried this pot but it may be a great alternative to a crock pot or soap kettle if you need to melt large quanities of soap for your homebased soap business. So all of you melt and pour soapmakers that sell online like on Etsy this is perfect for you.
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11 comments:
Can i have the link to where this melter is please..
Thank you for inquirying in the products. I happen to find this on Ebay. My suggestion is to go to Ebay and do a search on soap melter with spigot.
I have actually found that the Life of the Party Soap kettle is a very good appliance. I make a lot of soap and I've tried the microwave (doesn't melt fast enough) but I can plug the kettle in, put the soap base in and set to melt and i can come back and have 3-5lbs of soap base ready to mix. I only use the kettle to melt the clear or white base and then I use another melting pot, the one you get kids for Christmas from Soap creations to mix the soap base w/ the scents and colors. This way, I can easily pour my finished base into the molds through the pour spout and the kettle keeps the remaining soap base that i haven't used yet, warm, so as not to harden. And i find that the kettle is very easy to clean, as all you have to do is pull out the inner metal bowl.
I have used the Life of the Party Soap Kettle when I was employee at Michaels.
I will tell you that I really did not like it. For one thing, I found it very messy to deal with ie getting the soap out of the kettle and into the soap mold. If I was mixing colors often times the soap would harden and I would have to go to the microwave and remelt it.
I found it very difficult to clean. Yes, you can remove the inner lining but since it is metal and the soap seemed to adhere to it. I had to soak for several days.
Plus I found alot of wastage. If you had a small amount of soap that could be used, it was difficult to get out.
I really refer the Presto Soap and Candle Melter with Spigot over the Life of the Party Soap Kettle (which is basically a rice cooker) any day!!!!
Also, there is a temp control on the Presto. Whereas, there is only hot and warm functions on the Life of the Party Soap Kettle.
I do not like the presto pot only because after a short while the liner peels off the bottom. Then at that point you must throw it away. I think it is tefflon coated and it peels away. I have brought 4 Presto pots because i can not find anything else affortable. But at this point Iam going to have to invest in a more expensive melter as i cant find anything else.
And I also would add I liked the Life of the party melter better but cant find one. I think they are discontiued
Pame - I never heard of your problem of the coating coming off. So I am surprised of that.
Michaels and Joann used to carry the life of the party pot. But they got rid of them. I do not think they sold very well.
I did not like the Life of the Party melting pot because I could not control the heating. If it was on hot the soap would over boil and burn the soap. If I kept it on warm, the soap got to cool to get out of the pot.
I have just stuck with the microwave.
If you are interested in trying to get the Life of the Party melting pot try the following:
(1) Ebay
(2) http://soapplace.com/our-products.html
Basically, the life of the party melting pot is the same as a rice cooker. So you can find that item where ever those items are sold (ie Target, Walmart etc.)
I bought two of the Presto pots, one for clear and one for opaque. I loved them when I first got them - for the first few batches. In a short time, my soap appeared cloudy and I noticed a greying of the colors. It was then that I discovered that the inside was peeling off, and worse, the metal that was exposed had a grey powder that wouldn't quit. Wish I had bit the bullet, put the money spent into something better and bought a professional soap melter. I do enough soap that I need something dependable. This isn't it!
Oasis Soap, Sorry to hear what happened to you with this product. Never heard of that before. Thanks for letting us know your experience.
I have been using the Presto Pot with spigot for a while but recently I left soap residue in it and yes, the teflon has peeled off. So frustrating that there isn't something else like it with a spigot but no teflon...
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