5 Best Incense Burners & Holders In 2023 (Buying Guide & Review)


If you’re in a hurry and just want to know which incense burners or holders would be the best, then I would recommend,Seedwave Wooden holder, as your best choice. 

Selecting the best incense burners and holders for your needs is a matter of function and preference. With regards to function, there are a couple things to keep in mind, like the size of your incense stick and whether you can burn other things inside of it. 

Beyond that, you can consider personal preferences, like what material it’s made with, its size, and whether it matches your décor.

In this article, we’ll review 5 incense burners and holders:

Best Incense Burners and Holders

My Top 5 Incense Burner and Holder Picks

1. Best Value: Kaizen Casa Incense Burner Plate

  • Dimensions: 11 x 4 x 1 inches
  • Fit: Indian style incense sticks
  • Holds: 2 incense sticks
  • Material: mango wood
Kaizen Casa Incense Burner Plate Wooden Incense Sticks Stand Ash Catcher Candle Holder Home Decor Accessory and Housewarming Gift
  • Dimensions: (LxBxH) 11 x 4 x 1
  • Crafted to purify your home, the aroma of incense lit on this holder, narrates the story of pure Indian traditions
  • Made of natural Mango wood with Brown finish. It holds up to 2 incense sticks.
  • Inspired from the holy and sacred smokes of the Indian temples, the aroma of the incense sticks brings alive the sanctity of your home.
  • Made by the skilled artisans from Saharanpur, it is designed for wellness and wholesome living.

Sometimes the simplest design can be the best solution. Also called an ash catcher, this burner plate was handcrafted by wood carvers from the renowned Saharanpur district in northern India. Although minimal in design, this burner is a unique work of art as it is the result of a skilled artisan practice that began centuries ago in this region.

It is made with mango wood, then stained dark brown. Once a mango tree can no longer bear fruit, it is then able to expand in size, also growing in quality necessary to be cultivated for wood production. A tree common to India, it grows quickly in comparison to most trees that are used for lumber. 

Mango wood is a dense, beautiful, durable, textural, and strong hardwood. It naturally repels water, especially when polished. Being that it’s doubly resistant to water, this incense burner is a valuable purchasing option as it will likely last for years, maybe even decades.

Two narrow holes are drilled on either end of the plate, making this a useful item when burning Indian incense. This burner plate was designed to hold dipped incense securely.

While you can certainly burn only one stick at a time, burning two incense sticks at once can have its advantages. You can intensify softer fragrances by burning two of the same scents. And you can also burn two different fragrances in order to customize an aroma. At four inches wide, you won’t have to worry about ashes falling onto the surface below the plate. 

Considering its shape, you may also want to place fine sand or charcoal in the center of the plate in order to burn incense cones. So this item is optionally multifunctional as well. 

Pros

  • Sturdy wood
  • Aesthetically pleasing, decorative art
  • Highly rated incense holder (5 stars)
  • Compliments masculine or feminine décor
  • Water resistant
  • Option to mix incense fragrances
  • Option to intensify incense aroma

Cons

  • May appear basic at first glance

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2. Easiest to Use Cone Option: Govinda Incense Cone Burner Temple

  • Dimensions: 5 x 4.9 x 3.3 inches
  • Fit: standard incense cones
  • Holds: incense cones or resin
  • Material: stained wood
Govinda - 5 Inch Temple Wooden Charcoal/Cone Burner
  • Hand carved wooden temple burner for cone incense.
  • Can also be used with incense charcoal for resin incense.
  • Approximately 5 inches high overall.
  • Govinda brand

A triangle on an octagon base, this little wooden treasure is basic but convenient. Handcrafted with decorative carvings to allow for smoke release, it’s also beautiful to look at as smoke rises through the vents. This burner does double duty – burning both incense cones and resins.

Similar to sticks, incense cones are fragranced natural materials that smolder once lit. Once the cone has finished, you will find a nice soft pile of ash in the pan. And this is one benefit of burning cones instead of ashes. When done, all of the ashes are left in one place. There’s no wiping or searching for fallen ash, you can simply dump the pan, and you’re ready for the next cone. 

But another benefit to this cone burner temple is that you can warm resins in it. As I covered a little in this post , fragrance isn’t released from resins in the same way as it’s released from incense cones or sticks because there isn’t any combustible material in resin. Resin incense has to be placed on lit charcoal to be burned indirectly. As the charcoal burns, it releases the resin fragrance.

Using tongs, you would safely light the block of coal, ensuring that the entire briquette burns. If only the edges get hot, heat will fizzle out in moments. Once the coal has begun to smolder, you can place it on the tray and then spoon pieces of resin on top of the charcoal. Place the lid back on the temple to watch the smoke rise and have the aroma overtake you. 

I think this burner is a good enough size to function well without taking up too much space within your home. 

Pros

  • Fits standard flat bottomed incense cones
  • Can be used to warm resins
  • Handcrafted appeal
  • Comes with a metal tray to protect the wood

Cons

  • Items vary slightly from one to the other because they’re carved by hand

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3. Most Minimal & Elegant: Seedwave Wooden Incense Holder

  • Dimensions: 3.5 inches in diameter and 1 inch tall
  • Fit: three incense stick size options
  • Holds: incense sticks
  • Materials: black walnut wood and polished brass

This exquisite incense stick holder was hand carved from black walnut wood and protected with wax oil. Walnut wood has a beautiful color and elegant grain that accepts polish and stains well.

There is an engraved crane illustration on the tray that is as graceful as the overall piece.

It’s natural dark hue from the center of the tree makes it an attractive wood to carve. Black walnut wood is more resistant to dents and scratches than all of the other more common woods, like maple, oak, birch, or ash.

There’s an indentation in the center of the tray that fits a brushed brass incense holder. Also durable, the matte surface of brushed brass is fingerprint-resistant, corrosive-resistant, and oxidation-resistant. In this case, I think it is the perfect finishing touch.

In a number of ways, this incense holder is multifunctional. Firstly, it holds three sizes of incense. Sizes of the three openings are:

  • 1.6 mm / 0.06 in
  • 2.2 mm / 0.08 in
  • 3.0 mm / 0.1 in

With these size offerings, you can burn dipped incense, which is usually made in India, and you can also burn traditional Japanese incense that doesn’t taper at one end. The different sizes also account for slight variations in incense stick size whether dipped or not. 

Another point is that you can choose to burn more than one stick at a time to combine fragrances or to create a stronger scent. 

Thirdly, because it’s heavyweight, you can remove the brass holder from its base and use it to burn incense on a flame-resistant surface.

Side note: It seems that shorter sticks, like three to six inches long work well but for longer sticks, like the ones that are nine inches, the dish may not catch all of the ashes.

Lastly, this black walnut tray can be used on its own to hold potpourri, jewelry, trinkets, or anything else you’d like it to display.

Bonus use: You may also try burning incense cones on top of the brass holder. Ashes might fall below onto the wooden base, but they can still be dumped fairly easily.

Pros

  • Holds multiple sizes of incense sticks
  • Made with durable materials
  • Exquisite craftsmanship
  • Elegant modern design
  • Compact size
  • Opportunity to experiment with fragrances

Cons

  • May not catch all the ash of longer incense sticks

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4. Best Extra Features: ZWCIBN Backflow Waterfall Incense Holder

  • Dimensions: 12.4 x 8.9 x 4 inches
  • Weight: 3 lbs
  • Holds: backflow incense cones
  • Material: ceramic resin
  • Includes: tweezers, non-slip mat, backflow incense cones
ZWCIBN Incense Burner,Backflow Incense Fountain Waterfall Stick Holder,Incece Falls Meditation Decor for Your Room with Cones Clips and Cushions
  • Imported
  • Material: Resin
  • DESIGN:The product is shaped like a huge egg. The inside of the egg is a beautiful landscape with smoke passing through it. It is very unique and...
  • For :A nice decoration for buddhist places or temples, or your home, living room, bedroom, yoga room, tea house etc,Home Ornamental Yoga Meditation
  • The incense holder is wrapped in polyfoam and super safely packed in mailbox. If the product is broken once you received, please contact us for a new...

This oval-shaped resin mold is a beautiful mountainous landscape with what appears to be bamboo trees, a cloud, and possibly a pagoda to the right and another structure at the bottom. There are also bridges, additional foliage, and stairs that remind me of Japanese stroll gardens. 

When a lit backflow incense cone is placed in its seat at the top, smoke thickens and makes its way to the base of the waterfall, its mist pouring out of the object. 

I labeled this one “best extra features” because none of this is necessary for burning incense, it’s just an alternative way to enjoy your incense lighting experience. If you engage in meditation, watching the mist flow down to the bottom can help you focus inward and relax. 

Beyond spiritual reasons, it’s a beautiful process and amazing how the smoke defies gravity simply because the cone is made slightly different and it’s cool instead of hot.

Backflow incense cones are shaped the same way that flat-bottomed incense cones are, with their pointy top tip. But backflow incense cones are hollow from a small hole at the bottom, causing their smoke to flow downward instead of up like common incense cones. 

There are backflow cones included to get you started, and here is another option.

To create the waterfall effects, you would use the included tweezers to light the incense cone at the top as usual.

Let the flame remain for a few moments before blowing it out. To test this, I usually gently blow the tip and look for a glow. If the glow is present, then I blow out the flame. If it isn’t, then I let the flame go for a few moments longer.

Paying attention at this stage makes all the difference because your cone won’t smolder properly if it doesn’t get hot enough in the very beginning. 

At this point, you want to keep holding it with the tweezers and check the bottom. If smoke is beginning to flow down, then you are ready to place this cone on top of the burner. If not, and if there isn’t a glow, then you might have to restart the process. 

When you’re ready, place the cone in its seat, still using the tweezers, and watch for the flow. Smoke travels down through the hollow space and becomes increasingly denser as it cools.

Pros

  • Calming experience
  • Nice addition to home décor
  • Handcrafted details

Cons

  • Requires backflow incense cones
  • You may not like the included incense
  • Takes up a lot of space

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5. Most Complete Multifunctional Overall: LAMDAWN Ceramic Incense Burner and Holder

  • Dimensions: 4 x 2.91 x 2.83 inches
  • Fit: three incense stick size options
  • Holds: incense sticks, cones, coils, and resin
  • Materials: ceramic and brushed metal
  • Weight: 225 g / 7.9 oz
  • Includes: fire cotton, cover, burner, incense holder, incense coil sample
LAMDAWN Ceramic Incense Burner with Incense Stick Holder + Insulation use for Stick or Coil Incense, Sage Cones and Frankincense (Fambe Blue)
  • The piece is beautiful, elegant and timeless. Construction and durability is good, super cute and excellent quality! It’s simplistic Design in...
  • Every piece is going to be unique! Vibrant color and design on the lid, It is aesthetically pleasing.
  • The smoke looks lovely as it wafts out, and works great with either stick or cone incense. It's perfect for carrying around, easy to store or move...
  • This little incense burner is the perfect gift. It’s as big as a basically two hands cupped together. The finish is nice - feels sturdy.
  • Application scope: Living room, bedroom, study, office, meditation room, yoga room, hotel, library, etc. Can be a classical furnishings, with...

Also called a censer, each one of these incense burners is a special work of art because it’s a handmade ceramic container fired in the ground. Firing the pot this way creates textural and color differences.  Ornamental floral carvings adorn the metal cover that also has hollow spaces for smoke to flow through. 

Even though it’s solid and well-made, it’s also portable and won’t take up too much space on the shelf or table.

To use, you can remove the lid, and then line the fire cotton (felt side up) on the bottom of the censer. If you are burning stick incense, place the copper gourd incense holder in the center base of the pot, and then sit the incense stick inside. After lighting and blowing out the flame, you can allow it to burn. 

In most cases, you can place the lid back on and allow the smoke to drift out of the top. You would use the same gourd-shaped holder if burning an incense coil. There’s a slit at the top for the coil to slide right in.

Alternatively, you can place an incense cone on top of the fire cotton and light it as you normally would before putting the lid back on.

For resin, you would safely place a burning charcoal tablet on the fire cotton and then put your resins on top of that. To prevent the censer from overheating from the charcoal, you may want to first place sand inside the pot, and then put the charcoal tablet on top and proceed as normal. 

Pros

  • Can be used for all types of incense
  • Beautiful ceramic glaze
  • Nice size without being too large
  • Handcrafted with unique markings

Cons

  • Exact color might vary
  • Slightly more difficult to use

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What Should I Look For In An Incense Burner or Holder?

What Is It Made Of?

If you want a long lasting burner, make sure it’s made of a nice grade of wood, or that it’s ceramic. Most of the suggestions above are made with durable materials.

What Can Be Burned In It?

It helps to know if what you’re buying can burn the kind of incense you normally purchase.

Incense Sticks

If you burn incense sticks, consider whether your ash catcher holds the stick upright or at an angle. It should not move easily but be held securely without wobbling. This prevents it from falling over or down, and it also helps direct fallen ash onto the plate or holder instead of the surface around your incense holder . 

Dipped incense sticks fit into narrower holes while a wider diameter is needed for traditional Japanese incense sticks. 

Cones, Coils, Resins

Consider whether the burner can accommodate what you burn most. For example, I wouldn’t warm resins on the Seedwave Wooden Incense Holder.

Accessories

Are there additional accessories needed to properly use your burner? Are they included? If not, do you want to order those items as well? If not, maybe select a different item on your list. 

For instance, you must use backflow incense cones with backflow incense burners. If you’re not too keen on buying and restocking these specific cones, then consider an alternative.  

Assembly

Is assembly required? Some censers can be complex with options to hang them or suspend them on an apparatus. Do your research to fully understand what you’ll be getting.

Container Size & Color

You may want to choose a burner that looks well with other items in your home. How much space can you lend to it? Would you like for it to match your decor or are you comfortable with a more eclectic approach? 

A Few Reminders

Whichever route you choose, always remember to place your incense burner or holder on a non-flammable surface to avoid creating a fire hazard.

Once lit, don’t leave your smoldering incense unattended; make sure you’re nearby.

And you don’t have to be so quick to clean up once your incense is done. It may still be hot, so just let it cool off a bit before handling anything.  

If you ever need to leave the house before your incense has finished, then you can place the tip of an incense stick or cone under running water to extinguish it. Backflow cones will need to be immersed in a cup of water.

Final Thoughts

If I had to pick a winner, then Seedwave Wooden holder is my absolute favorite. It’s made with durable black walnut wood and brushed brass, and it can hold incense sticks of multiple widths. Burning incense cones on the metal insert is optional.

LAMDAWN Ceramic burner gives you the most incense burning options – sticks, cones, coils, and resins.

Keep at the forefront of your mind how you will be using the burner, and then consider aesthetics in order to find the best incense burner for you.

Grace Young

I love candles! I have personally tried over 100 brands of candles. The total burn time of these candles is over 5000 hours. I also talk about essential oil diffusers and reed diffusers. Essential oil diffusers and diffusers are also an important part of the scent in my home.

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