Whether you use incense as a part of a ceremony, meditation, or just for the pleasant smell, the perfect holder is a must-have. The best incense holders have a style that you love and a design that can hold your favorite type of incense.
There are a variety of incense types, including stick, coil, cone, and resin. If you only burn stick incense, you can choose a holder that supports the stick straight or at an angle for a simple and classic look, or opt for a coffin-style holder to shield the incense from drafts. Some holders are designed to support coil incense, while others have grates for lighting charcoal and resin incense. There are also holders designed for backflow incense cones, which create smoke that flows downward. These specialty holders usually have cascading designs, which direct the smoke into a calming, waterfall-inspired display.
Incense holders also come in a variety of materials, including wood, ceramic, and brass. Wood holders are usually more budget-friendly and have a natural look, but are not heat-resistant and should only be spot-cleaned. Ceramic holders tend to come in more intricate designs and can easily be washed by hand with a mild dish soap and some can even be cleaned in boiling water. Brass holders are the best choice for resin incense because they can withstand high heats without cracking, but ceramic can also be used with resin when filled with sand first.
Finally, consider what style you prefer for your incense holder. Some holders have a modern style with a minimalist design and color palette, while others have a more ornate look with ceramic figurines or bold patterns. You might want to pair your incense holder with your collection of scented candles and other small home decor items for a cohesive look.
Take a deep breath, then check out this list of the best incense holders below.
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1. This Dual Stick Holder With An Agate Pattern
With two holes on opposite ends, this dual incense holder can be used to burn up to two sticks at once. The wooden trough base catches any falling ash and is decorated with a beautiful blue agate pattern that looks great as part of a mantle, coffee table, or vanity display. If the blue doesn't match your aesthetic, you can choose between other color options, which include a chic plain white and a cosmic pattern.
One fan raved: “Excellent quality product! I would recommend this to any incense lover! The colors on mine look exactly like the pictures. I am very impressed with how vivid they are in person. A beautiful addition to any home.”
- Available colors: 5
2. A Ceramic Backflow Holder With Almost 10,000 Fans On Amazon
With this backdraft incense holder, it's not only the scent that calms you, but also the visuals. Crafted from ceramic, it can be used with both stick and backdraft cone incense, and it has a waterfall-style design that guides the backdraft smoke through a mesmerizing display. Perfect for anyone just getting started with incense, this holder comes with 30 incense sticks and 120 cones in jasmine, lavender, rose, green tea, apple, sandalwood, and Osmanthus scents, so you can try a few and find your new favorite. This one has a beautiful blue marble finish, but it's also available in red, brown, and navy.
One fan raved: “I absolutely love this! To watch the smoke flow down and the relaxing smell is so very relaxing ! It looks great in so many different locations in my home. It’s very easy to keep clean, just a simple wipe down when I do my weekly cleaning. There are also no ashes all over the place like other incense burners I have used. This is a great gift for anyone you know that likes something unique or incense and it’s a great conversation piece!”
- Available colors: 4
3. A Sleek Bamboo Stick Holder That's Just $5
Filling your home with a calming scent doesn't have to be expensive. This stick incense holder costs just $5 and is crafted from bamboo with a trough base for a stylishly simple design. It holds one incense stick at a time, and the end is adjustable so you can change the angle. If you want to create a peaceful atmosphere throughout your home, you can choose the set of two or three bamboo holders so you can have one in every room.
One fan raved: “Super simple and cute, doesn’t rob too much space and the little thing at the end is adjustable so it catches all the ashes of the incense. Super affordable too”
- Available options: 3
4. This Ceramic Holder With A Soothing Lotus Design
Bring delicate style to your home with this floral incense holder. Designed to support one incense stick, it has a simple bowl design with a beautiful ceramic lotus flower at the center. Because the incense stick is supported vertically, all the ash will fall directly in the bowl, which has a simple, speckled blue finish. Although this holder has a delicate aesthetic, it is crafted entirely from ceramic, making it sturdy as well as easy to clean — so it can last for years.
One fan raved: “I love this flower incense holder. I had a horizontal one for awhile and the ash got everywhere but the fact that the incense is vertical the ash just falls into the flower and the surrounding dish. It works so well.”
- Available colors: 3
5. A Wooden Holder With An Adorable Cat Figurine
Whether you're a cat lover or just fond of adorable things, look no further than this cute incense holder, which comes with a sleeping cat figurine. The base of this holder is crafted from wood, and it supports the copper incense holder and the ceramic figurine. The holder has nine holes in three different sizes of 1.8, 2.5, and 3.5 millimeters, so no matter which stick incense you use, it's sure to fit securely. While the sleeping cat figurine is delightful, if you're looking for a different energy, you can also try the happy, squatting, or staring cat options.
One fan raved: “I love burning incense and have burners in majority of the rooms in my house. This one in particular has 9 different sized holes so you can burn a variety of incense in it. They stay in place once stuck in the hole and the ash falls down to the wood. This is well made and looks perfect in my bathroom!”
- Available styles: 4
6. This Sleek, Modern Holder Made From Brass
This modern incense holder is made from brass and adds an instant touch of elegance to your home decor. It has a rounded base design measuring 5.5 inches, and it includes two holders — one for stick incense and one for coil incense. The holders are simply placed on top of the base, which makes them super easy to switch out as you need. For even more versatility, the stick holder has nine holes in three different sizes, so you can fit sticks measuring 0.13, 0.09, and 0.07 inches in diameter.
One fan raved: “Very well made, beautiful to look at, extremely easy to clean (simple wipe). At $10 for the set it is a very good deal. Looks like it'll last many years. Very pleased with this product.”
7. This 2-Pack Of Coffin-Style Holders
These coffin-style incense holders are the perfect choice for anyone who likes to leave the windows open, which can sometimes cause incense to go out. To use these holders, simply open the perforated top, insert a 1-millimeter thick stick, light it, and close the lid. These holders even have a secret base compartment for storing sticks, so they'll always be at the ready when you need them. As beautiful as it is functional, this holder is made from sheesham wood with moon- and sun-shaped brass inlays.
One fan raved: “ really was not sure what to expect when I ordered these, but I figured that I would take a chance because they looked good online. When they arrived, I was surprised by the quality of the craftmanship. The have a good feel and are solid. And they look good sitting on the dresser, the mantle, the counter or the bookshelf. The design allows air to flow through so the entire room is filled with the scent. And they are certainly a lot safer to use than the standard incense tray holders. Excellent value.”
8. A Dragon Holder That Comes With Backdraft Cones
Another great choice for backdraft incense, this mythical incense holder is crafted from ceramic with an ornate dragon design. When used with backdraft incense, the smoke will come out of the dragon's mouth and pool in the base, but it can be used with stick incense as well. Ready to use as soon as it arrives, this holder comes with 50 sandalwood sticks and 40 cones in a variety of scents. Cones can often leave behind a residue on holders, so when you're ready to clean this one, simply flush it with boiling water and it will be good as new.
One fan raved: “I love it so much!! When the smoke really starts going it looks so cool coming out of the dragons mouth and the scent is pretty strong. This is definitely worth the buy for any dragon/incense lovers out there.”
9. A Ceramic Holder That Works With Several Types Of Incense
If you like to swap between different incense varieties, this calabash incense holder is a great choice. Crafted from ceramic with a beautiful marbled finish, it has a bowl design and includes a removable stick and coil incense holder as well as a perforated top with a floral pattern. The manufacturer warns that this holder can crack when it comes in contact with burning charcoal, but some users commented that it works fine with charcoal and resin when a protective layer of salt or sand is added first. If you're not a fan of the blue color, you can also check out the other marbled finishes in gray, green, and yellow.
One fan raved: "This little guy is super cute! Color is beautiful (blue) just as pictured. Lid has enough holes that you can burn a cone with the lid on. Came with a small felt pad to sit the burner on so it won't scratch furniture or otherwise mar furniture if you use an incense cone that gets hot. Excellent quality."
- Available colors: 4
10. This Resin And Stick Incense Holder Made From Brass
Prefer the smell and ceremony of resin incense? This small incense holder is made from brass, so it can withstand the higher temperatures needed to burn resin incense over a charcoal briquette. Because this metal holder does retain heat, it comes with a convenient wooden coaster that you can use to protect your table or mantel. This palm-sized holder is small enough to be added to any arrangement, and it's accented with decorative etchings in brass and black tones.
One fan raved: “I love it I’ve already used it like 30 times in the past three days! Lol! Thank you it’s perfect and I can burn charcoal on the top several times before I even have to change it! Yay!”
