Candlestick holder designers: You had one job!

It has taken us many, many years, but my husband and I have finally made an important purchase: Shabbat candlestick holders.

We got them while on a trip to Minneapolis this past weekend, in a little boutique shop. We loved their uniqueness and look forward to the sparkle they will add to our Shabbat table.

They are absolutely perfect -- except for one thing. We bought them with full knowledge of this, but we were surprised by the candlestick holders' warning label:

"Caution: Do not allow the candle to burn within one inch (25.4 mm) of the candle holder otherwise this may result in damage to the candle holder."

I know this is not unique to these candlesticks holders -- many have that same warning. But why oh why do candlestick holder makers make products that do not successfully perform their one task? As the internet likes to say, you had ONE job.

I understand when pajamas say that they are not fire resistant; they are designed to be sleepwear for babies who sleep in cribs and do not double as firefighters. But candlestick holders have no other purpose. There's no other reason you buy them. They are made for you to put candles inside of them and let them flicker and sizzle and burn. Is there some kind of dark magic that engineers haven't yet been able to crack that would allow for candlestick holders to do this one thing?

And yes, I know about those little inserts that go inside of the holders to be our little Shabbat heroes, and I will be collecting those for us to use. I just think that some inventor somewhere along the line overlooked one crucial functionality detail.

Well, anyway, end of rant, and I wish everyone a Shabbat filled with light and very little damage to your candlestick holders.