10 Best Incense Stick Holders in 2022

After looking all over Amazon for incense stick holders, comparing characteristics, finding a variety of different burner types, and picking out amazing designs, these are our favorite incense stick holders that you can buy online.

Before you go and buy just any incense stick holder, you need to know what to look for. Make sure you know your preferred stick incense type, why you're burning incense, and the stick incense burner types. For a more detailed explanation of the previous points, read on.

The type of incense sticks you will be burning will influence what burner you buy, as some burners may not be compatible with the type of stick incense you want.

Stick incense is used by many different cultures - Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, and Indian, to name a few. Each has their own unique form and recipe of stick incense. However, stick incense types can be narrowed down to two main types.

Cored stick incense uses a thin bamboo reed as the core with the incense "wrapped" around this core. Almost all cored stick incense you can find uses a bamboo core but there are higher quality variations of cored stick incense that use sandalwood as the core.

This type of stick incense is also known as dhoop or spaghetti incense. This stick incense, unlike the cored type, is a solid stick of incense and can be either thick or thin, depending on the culture of origin. A feature of solid or spaghetti stick incense is that it can be easily broken for portion control.

The reason you're burning incense can influence what kind of holder you buy. Are you burning incense as part of a religious ceremony? Are you cleansing a room? Or are you burning incense for the aroma? 

Sometimes the purpose will require a specific type of holder. For example, Japanese tea ceremonies use an incense burner called a koro, which can come in the form of a globe with three feet and can be made from ceramic such as porcelain or enameled bronze.

An egoro, on the other hand, is used by some Japanese Buddhist sects. It's usually made from brass and has a long handle. If you're just after a nice-smelling space, they may be interchangeable, but if you have a specific purpose, choose incense and a holder that suits it.

Once you know which type of stick incense you are buying and the reason you are burning incense it is time to buy the incense burner. But which one will you choose? It turns out there are a few different types of stick incense burners. Let's have a look at the types of stick incense holders.

Also known as ash catchers, this type of stick incense burner is the incense burner that most people picture when thinking about incense. Boat burners are specifically made for stick incense and are most commonly used for cored stick incense.

Boat burners are usually a flat piece of wood with a curve at the end that has a hole to insert the stick incense into. Boat burners don't have to be made from wood, though. They can also be made from glass, aluminum, or ceramic.

Thanks to their simplicity and light weight, boat burners are great for someone who wants to take their incense burning on the go. Boat burners are usually very inexpensive, so you can have one in multiple rooms around your home. Their light weight does make them easy to bump or knock over, so be aware.

Bowl-shaped incense holders can range from simple to ornate and are made from materials like ceramic or brass. Bowl-shaped incense burners require ash or sand to be put in them to hold the incense stick and to add insulation. This type is used a lot in temples and shrines in East Asia and is commonly used for ritual incense burning.

Bowl-shaped incense burners are very versatile, as they can be used to hold not just stick incense, but also incense cones, powdered incense, and even incense coils if the bowl is large enough. These burners are great for those who want to burn a variety of incense types.

However, their need for ash and sand requires a little more maintenance than other incense burners. Their bulkier and heavier design also makes them less portable. 

Box burners are similar to boat burners but come with a storage box underneath the burner. They're typically made from wood and can range from plain and simple to highly decorated and ornate.

Box burners have a lot of the same advantages as boat burners plus the added benefit of storage. However, they are bulkier than boat burners.

These incense burners come in many different shapes, sizes, and designs. They offer some versatility in that they can also be used with incense cones as well. Some burners have holes so that you can burn two types of incense sticks together creating a mix of aromas.

The holes in these burners are usually made for cored incense with a bamboo reed and thin spaghetti-type incense sticks. These holes can be too narrow for thicker incense stick types such as dhoop sticks, so make sure you have incense sticks that fit.

These burners are often made in beautiful styles and come in compact sizes, which is great for moving the burner around. It also means that the burner may not catch all the ash from the incense stick, so these may require a little more cleanup. 

Combination incense burners are any type of incense burner that can handle more than one type of incense besides just stick incense. These can be made from a variety of materials such as ceramic, wood, glass, or brass. 

Some examples of combination burners are a flat disc with holes drilled in for burning multiple incense sticks simultaneously or an incense cone burner with a perforated lid. The bowl-shaped incense burner is an example of a combination burner and is also the most versatile combination burner.

You want an incense stick holder that will last a long time, work well, and is easy to clean. Check for durability first. Your incense stick holder will be dealing with hot ash and embers, so it is no good if your incense burner breaks, gets burnt, or stains after just a few uses.

Since the incense you burn will obviously leave ash, ensure that your incense burner is large enough to catch it all. There is no point in having an incense holder for catching ash if it doesn't do its job and you end up cleaning up ash every time you burn incense. 

In addition to ash, the ingredients in incense sticks can sometimes leave sticky stains when burned, so take into account whether the incense burner you want is easy to clean.

Incense isn't the only way to freshen up a room with an amazing aroma. Here are some other great options!

Author: Brett van Zijl

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