Article by Rebecca Wright
What's there to choose? Just buy some kerosene, pour it in your lamp and you are done, right? Well, if we were living in the 19th century then yes, you only had the option of kerosene or coal oil for your lamp. But things have changed and you can now choose from a number of different oils to suit your budget and needs.If you want to use the lamp in your garden where it will just sit on a table with no one around then you can go for the cheapest option available, Kerosene (aka Paraffin in South Africa and England). Kerosene can be used in almost any kind of lamp. It is cheap and easily available in the market.However, one of the biggest disadvantages of Kerosene is that it produces a lot of smoke and smell when it burns. Because kerosene is a petroleum-based oil its fumes can lead to Carbon Monoxide poisoning the symptoms of which include chest pain, fatigue and dizziness. This should not be taken lightly as Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be fatal and each year a number of people die because of it. In the long-term these fumes can cause blood clots and damage the body's organs. Hence, Kerosene is a viable option only for lamps and heaters that are placed outside in the open.The next best option available in the market is Paraffin oil. Now, a lesson in etymology that will help you to buy paraffin oil that is actually better than kerosene. As I mentioned earlier, kerosene in England is known as Paraffin which in the US refers to a solid waxy substance (Paraffin wax). Marketing experts caught upon this etymological discrepancy and decided to introduce "Liquid Paraffin" in the market which is basically clear kerosene with a different name but priced 10 times higher. Liquid Paraffin oil is not the same as other high-quality-low-odor mineral oils available in the market. Therefore, it is not worth buying "Liquid paraffin" unless it is has been further processed and made into ultra-pure or ultra-clean paraffin oil. These oils are cleaner than kerosene and burn with the least amount of smoke and smell. However, they do produce fumes and it is not advisable to burn them in a closed room for long periods of time.A very recent new invention is Green Bio oil. There aren't many companies making this stuff but it does have certain advantages that will make it worth your time to look for a store or website that sells this oil. First of all, the oil is made from vegetable oil which means that it produces considerably less harmful fumes as compared to petroleum-based oils. Its makers claim that the oil is completely smokeless, odorless and partially CO2 neutral. Since the oil is made from vegetable oil it will definitely not smell as bad as petroleum-based oils. All these properties make this oil a good option for indoor use.In a nutshell, use kerosene if you want cheap oil for an outdoor heater or lamp. Go for ultra-pure/ultra-clean paraffin oil or low-odor-mineral oils if you want to use the lamp indoors for short periods of time and use Bio oil if you want to burn the lamp indoors for a long period or time and do not mind spending those extra bucks.