I hate to bump such an old topic but it's probably better than starting a duplicate new one. I have the original UCO with the 9 hour candles and really love it (aside from the fact that it's flimsy- one of the three "posts" broke off within two weeks, but partly I am to blame for getting impatient while reassembling it). Lately I've been thinking of the Mini and/or Micro UCO. A week ago I bought some beeswax tealights to try, and although they're expensive I really like them and think they'd be good in the UCO.

But I wanted to ask one more question: Has anyone tried a liquid paraffin tealight for fit in either UCO? I read a few pages back about them being good items and they are, but are too large for the UCO. But in fact an 8 hour candle is an exact replacement for a wax tealight. I measured a few different brands of tealight candles and they're all 1.5" in diameter. My only issue is that I've been burned before relying on measurements provided by online vendors. The brand of 8 hour paraffin at Amazon lists them as being 13/16 High x 1 1/2 Diameter- if the measurements are accurate that should be exactly the size of a wax one. However, another 8 hour brand from a candle vendor is listed as 1.375"(D) x1.375"(H). That's probably close enough but I'm a bit leery of the fit.

Can anyone with either small UCO explain the candle holder? Like how it grips the candle and how much play there is?

I'm a chef and have worked with these paraffin dealies for 20 some odd years. I can't recall ever seeing one leak and they almost never fail before they run out of fuel. I think that sealed in something that would contain a possible spill they'd be great in the UCO...if they fit.