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Best Lye Calculators for Soap Making in 2024

We analyzed top picks from leading reviewers to find the best for every need

By ShopSavvy Team

Published: February 15th, 2024

🧼Making homemade soap is super satisfying, but precision is key, especially when dealing with lye. A reliable lye calculator ensures your soap recipes are spot-on.

We dug into the top picks for 2024 to bring you the best lye calculators, whether you're just starting out or have been making soap for years. From all-around champions to wallet-friendly options, we've got something for everyone.

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Overall Best: SoapCalc

SoapCalc stands out as the overall best lye calculator due to its comprehensive features and user-friendly interface. This versatile tool allows you to input various oils and provides detailed calculations for lye and water, along with critical soap properties like hardness, cleansing, and conditioning. SoapCalc is favored by both beginners and advanced soap makers for its accuracy and adaptability. Moreover, it offers the convenience of saving your recipes for future use, making it a top choice for any soap maker looking for reliability and flexibility.

Available at Amazon

View at Amazon

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Runner-up: SBM Advanced Soap Calculator

The Soapmaker's Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How (Natural Body Series - The Natural Way to Enhance Your Life)

The SBM Advanced Soap Calculator is our runner-up pick, known for its precise calculations and unique ability to account for lye impurities. This tool allows users to add glycerin as part of the liquid in their recipes, which is particularly beneficial for crafting liquid and cream soaps. SBM provides detailed property breakdowns and lets you fine-tune your soap-making process with advanced features. It’s an excellent choice for experienced soap makers aiming to refine their craft and achieve specific soap characteristics.

Lowest at any Popular Retailer

$14.99 at Amazon

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Best Budget Option: Lye Calculator by Rustic Escentuals

For those on a budget, the Lye Calculator by Rustic Escentuals offers simplicity without sacrificing accuracy. Its straightforward interface and database of common oils make it easy to use, perfect for hobbyists and beginners. Despite its minimalist design, this calculator delivers reliable lye calculations, ensuring your soap recipes turn out just right. It’s a cost-effective solution that proves you don’t need to spend a lot to get quality results.

Available at Amazon

View at Amazon

Best for Beginners: Bramble Berry Lye Calculator

The Bramble Berry Lye Calculator is perfect for beginners, thanks to its intuitive design and detailed guidance on lye safety. This tool allows you to customize your recipes with a variety of oils and fats, striking a balance between simplicity and depth. It's an excellent starting point for novice soap makers wanting to learn the basics without feeling overwhelmed. As you progress, the Bramble Berry calculator will continue to support more complex recipes, making it a versatile addition to your soap-making toolkit.

Available at Amazon

View at Amazon

Best Community Drive Tool: Soap Making Friend

Soap Making Kit with Melt & Pour Base, Cutting Box, Molds, Fragrances - for Adults & Kids by Prime Creations

Soap Making Friend is distinguished by its community-driven aspect, allowing users to share their recipes and experiences. This lye calculator provides detailed calculations and offers a platform for soap makers to interact and learn from one another. It’s an ideal choice for those who enjoy experimenting with various ingredients and being part of a vibrant soap-making community. The collaborative environment enhances your learning experience and opens up new possibilities in soap crafting.

Lowest at any Popular Retailer

$66.99 at Amazon

More Answers

Still curious about the Soap Making Kit by Prime Creations? Here are some answers you might find interesting:

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Is the Prime Creations Soap Making Kit good for beginners?

Yeah, the Prime Creations Soap Making Kit is a pretty solid pick for beginners—both adults and kids. It's designed with newcomers in mind, according to how the manufacturer describes it, and it's a fun way to dive into soap making. Inside the box, you'll find a melt & pour soap base, various molds, fragrances, a soap cutting box, and the tools you'll need. So, you won't have to run around getting extra supplies. It's kind of like everything you need to start is right there, making it pretty convenient if you just want to jump in. In terms of what's included: there's 4 lbs of soap base, six different fragrances, dye liquids, stirring sticks, stainless steel cutters, and a bunch of molds. The manufacturer provides detailed instructions, guiding you step by step, which makes things easier and more fun, especially if this is your first time making soap. According to our research, many folks say the kit is really friendly for beginners. It's comprehensive, covering all the basics and a bit more, making it a hit for anyone just starting out. People seem to appreciate how straightforward and well-thought-out it is. There are a few minor complaints here and there, like cracked pitchers or the soap base not being enough for bigger molds, but these seem rare. Most people really value it and recommend it as a great family activity. And just a little reminder—if kids are using it, adult supervision is definitely a good idea for safety. So, if you're keen on trying soap making, this kit could be a great way to get started!

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How much soap base comes with the Prime Creations Soap Making Kit?

The Prime Creations Soap Making Kit includes 4 lbs of soap base, according to the manufacturer's product description. This should give you plenty to work with for various projects, so you can get creative without worrying about running out right away. Besides the soap base, you'll find 6 fragrances, 6 dye liquids, stirring sticks, stainless steel cutters, and an assortment of molds in the kit. It's designed to offer beginners a full-on soap crafting experience. But, here's a heads up: our research shows that some folks have noticed they received less than the advertised 4 lbs of soap base. So, if you're planning to make bigger batches, you might need to keep an eye on that and consider getting extra soap base if needed. A lot of feedback has been positive, though. Many appreciate the quality and user-friendly materials, making it a good choice for families and those just starting out. The instructions are pretty straightforward, and the variety of scents and colors adds a fun touch to personalizing your soaps. A couple of things to watch out for: there have been some reports about quality control issues. Some people found things like cracked pouring pitchers in their kit, which can throw a wrench in your soap-making plans. And there were rare cases of the soap not melting right or even finding odd bits in the soap base, which isn't great. Overall, most people like the Prime Creations Soap Making Kit and see it as a solid option for diving into soap crafting. If you're trying it out, just double-check everything when it arrives so you can dive into your soap-making adventures without any unexpected hiccups!

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What's included in the Prime Creations Soap Making Kit?

The Prime Creations Soap Making Kit is a great way to dive into soap making at home, whether you're crafting for fun, starting a new hobby, or sharing the experience with kids. So, what's inside? Well, let's break it down: - **4 lbs of soap base**: This is your main ingredient, and you get both clear and opaque options. It's perfect for a bunch of projects, although if you find yourself using larger molds often, you might run out faster. - **Essential oils**: These are there to let you play around with different scents for your soaps, so you can make each bar uniquely yours. - **Vibrant dye liquids**: Want colorful soaps? These dyes will bring a splash of color to your creations. - **Stirring sticks**: For mixing your bases, colors, and scents smoothly. - **Various molds**: A selection of different shapes and sizes to make your soaps as interesting as you want. According to our research, people have made quite a few soap bars with what's provided. That said, if you're planning to make large batches or use the bigger molds, you might find the soap base runs out sooner than expected. Some folks got creative by mixing the clear and opaque bases to get different effects, but it does take a bit of measuring to stretch the materials for those larger projects. If you're thinking about diving into some big soap-making projects, you might want to grab some extra soap base. Especially if those big molds are calling your name, since they can eat up more of your supply pretty quickly. But for getting started or working on small projects with kids, this kit is spot on. Just keep in mind that you might need to stock up on more material if you really get into it!

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🥇 ShopSavvy Best Picks

Expert recommendations for the best overall, budget, and specialized product picks.

Our researchers bring you our top recommendations. Each article usually highlights the best overall choice, a budget-friendly option, and picks for specific needs, helping you shop smarter and with confidence.