What does your dh use to light?

amother

Caramel

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 12:13 am

amother OP wrote:

See poll

Is my dh the only one that will relight the cups after they go out, until all the oil is gone?

No, he's not the only one that does this.

tryinghard

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 12:34 am

I do this. I’m very makpid that if we are leaving the house, we blow them out (after minimum 30 minutes), but I like to relight when we get home.

amother

Tanzanite

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 4:05 am

In my house its not just my husband.

Small children get candles, which are easier to handle. Anyone over Bar/Bat Mitzvah has oil and wicks, which I think are much more fun!

amother

Bronze

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 4:55 am

Every year I ask if he wants to try the pre-filled ones, because setting up the oil and wicks is always a time-consuming experience, but he is very sure of his decision. He also relights.

amother

Seafoam

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:09 am

amother Bronze wrote:

Every year I ask if he wants to try the pre-filled ones, because setting up the oil and wicks is always a time-consuming experience, but he is very sure of his decision. He also relights.

Is it an extra hiddur to prepare them yourself?

My dh was super excited when the prefilled cups came available.

amother

Oak

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:22 am

amother Bronze wrote:

Every year I ask if he wants to try the pre-filled ones, because setting up the oil and wicks is always a time-consuming experience, but he is very sure of his decision. He also relights.

What does this mean?

amother

Yarrow

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:25 am

amother Seafoam wrote:

Is it an extra hiddur to prepare them yourself?

My dh was super excited when the prefilled cups came available.

Hachana:)
Also, I don't know what they put in the gelled oil, bit it can't be pure Evo. We use the prefilled on vacation though.

Bnei Berak 10

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:29 am

amother OP wrote:

See poll

Is my dh the only one that will relight the cups after they go out, until all the oil is gone?

We use oil and floating wicks. There isn't a need to relight anything.

Bnei Berak 10

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:34 am

amother Seafoam wrote:

Is it an extra hiddur to prepare them yourself?

My dh was super excited when the prefilled cups came available.

I'll be super exited when a self-cleaning feature in my home will be installed and available before Pesach.

amother

Honey

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 10:22 am

Preparing the wicks is the part the men in my household enjoy the most, it also makes the biggest mess but that's a different story Smile

amother

Lightblue

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 10:55 am

Since I'm the only one who sets up the lights, and more importantly cleans up the whole mess afterwards, I prefer wax candles. This despite the fact that I introduced the idea of lighting with oil in the first place. I hate the glass cups, which never fit right, break, and get coated with burnt-on oil that is impossible to remove. I hate fussing with the wicks and the little aluminum holders. The floating ones always drown.

Give me nice clean uncomplicated wax candles. They drip, but pop the menorah in the freezer, most of the wax breaks off or scrapes off with a plastic card, and boiling water melts off whatever is left.

I wouldn't touch the pre filled. The compound that makes them gel makes them much more flammable and hence dangerous. Plus in our small menorah the units would be close together and therefore an even greater fire hazard since the heat is more concentrated.

mommyhood

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 10:59 am

amother Seafoam wrote:

Is it an extra hiddur to prepare them yourself?

My dh was super excited when the prefilled cups came available.

I don't know that it's a hiddur but it's an integral part of Chanukah for dh and my bigger boys. They really enjoy it and it doesn't make a mess or if it does they're good about cleaning up so I'm happy to save some money and let them have fun. We have used the prefilled ones if we go away for Shabbos Chanukah because it's just so much easier but that's not common for us.

To answer the OP, dh will relight if we have to blow them out early otherwise if there's some left he just leaves it in the cup for the next night. Only on the last night he tries to get every last drop out because he burns the wicks and leftover oil after Chanukah.

amother

Lightblue

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 11:27 am

Those of you who says you blow out candles, do you actually blow or just extinguish? Isn't there an inyan of not blowing out a flame because it symbolizes a neshama? Isn't that why people do that annoying dance with matches, waving them around frantically in the air instead of just giving one good clean huff to put them out?

Bnei Berak 10

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 11:36 am

[quote="amother Lightblue"
I wouldn't touch the pre filled. The compound that makes them gel makes them much more flammable and hence dangerous. Plus in our small menorah the units would be close together and therefore an even greater fire hazard since the heat is more concentrated.[/quote]
Thank you for bringing up this topic! I don't think people are aware of this.

Bnei Berak 10

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 11:38 am

mommyhood wrote:

I saved them and burn them in biur chametz on erev Pesach

amother

Apricot

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 11:46 am

DH doesn't believe in the pre-filled, especially since it's a lot more expensive than a bottle of oil, plus a pack of wicks. He get the standing wicks, which are slightly more annoying than the floating wicks, but since we switched to the standing wicks, we don't get the burnt sides of the glass cups as they stay in the middle, not floating to the sides.
He likes to fill it up almost to the top and it lasts a few hours. Then we save all the wicks and burn them eruv pesach with biur chometz.
We usually host the chanukah parties, so we don't usually go out when the lights are still lit, otherwise I would be worried about leaving it burning. We do light it on a metal cabinet, which itself gets covered with layers of foil, and is standing far enough away from anything that it's pretty safe. Also the menorah is a low glass one, that is unlikely to fall over (one of my reasons for wanting to buy it)

amother

Mayflower

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 4:51 pm

We use the gleizelach with oil and floating wicks. Yes it gets messy, but that’s why we put foil down on the table first
And no, to previous poster, we never blow out a flame. We cover it to remove oxygen and it goes out automatically if we need to put it out

amother

DarkOrange

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 5:19 pm

amother Lightblue wrote:

...

I wouldn't touch the pre filled. The compound that makes them gel makes them much more flammable and hence dangerous. Plus in our small menorah the units would be close together and therefore an even greater fire hazard since the heat is more concentrated.

I dont believe this is true - at least not the ones they sell in NY/NJ. The Gel doesnt burn, it just melts & acts as oil.
The issue many have with the gel is that its not pure olive oil, it has an additive (wax?) to make it gel.
My DH uses oil, but will use the pre-filled if we are travelling. The gel stops it from leaking out & getting everything oily.