Snuffers

Snuffers are tools used to extinguish flames or to manage candle wicks. In common usage, the term most often refers to a candle snuffer, a device with a long handle and a tapered bell or cap that is placed over a flame to suffocate it. The action quickly ends combustion with minimal wax splatter and smoke.

Another category is the wick trimmer, sometimes called a snuffer, a scissor-like tool that clips away the burnt tip of a wick and often includes a small metal box to collect the snipped wick. This helps reduce smoke, soot, and uneven burning, and keeps the wick at an optimal length.

Lamp snuffers exist for oil or kerosene lamps; these typically resemble a size-appropriate hood attached to a handle and are used to smother the flame or cover the wick to extinguish it without lifting the shade.

Historically snuffers were common in households and theatres in the pre-electric era, appearing in various designs across cultures; with the advent of electric lighting their use diminished, though wick trimmers and decorative candle snuffers remain as household tools and collectibles. Modern usage centers on candle care and safety—extinguishing flames after use, preventing flare-ups, and reducing soot—and are largely made of brass, steel, or plated metal.