The word “incense” is derived from the Laton word “to burn”. Incense has been around for centuries and was used in ritualistic and religious ceremonies. The practise of burning incense is known to be attached to the ancient societies in India, Egypt, and Japan.
In Egypt, for example, ancient priests would use incense sticks to “cleanse” tombs – this was supposed to protect the dead from evil. The ritual of burning incense sticks in ancient times also was seen as an offering to the gods.
In India, incense sticks have been burned in Hindu temples since 3300 BC. They were used to create a sacred and cleansed environment for prayer and meditation.
In Japan and China, the burning of incense sticks was signifying the annointment of the sacred shrines to nature gods, as people believed that the natural properties of incense are known to connect people to the natural world.
Which Incense Sticks Are the Best?
There are a lot of types of incense available on the market today. They come in different forms, but incense sticks are the most popular and common type.
Stick Incense
Stick incense is the most common type of incense due to its inexpensive price. In addition, incense sticks are very effective because of their form as they burn gradually, releasing the fragrance in a controlled way.
Coil Incense
Coil incense is a spiral-formed incense. It’s a better choice for large spaces, as coil incense has a longer burning time than incense sticks. Coil incense typically comes with a stand.
Cone Incense
Cone incense comes in one single solid piece and is usually lit at the top – the fragrance is more prominent as the cone incense burns, because of its form. This type of incense needs to be placed on a heat-resistance plate.
Sachet Incense
Sachet incense is one of the types of incense that does not require to be burned or heated. It’s aroma fades with time, and it is not very strong. This type of incense is typically placed in a car or a closet for a long-lasting smell.
Incense Holders
Since the majority of incense needs to be burned, incense holders are necessary to catch the ashes or complement the incense visually. There are several types of incense holders. They are also known as censers.
Waterfall Censers
This type of censers is made from ceramic and is used with cone or stick incense. When used with cone incense, waterfall censers become a centrepiece with smoke falling down the holder in a visually pleasing way.
Ash Catchers
Ash catchers are usually used for incense sticks. Sometimes called incense boats, these holders can be made from ceramic, wood or metal.
Special Type
These incense holders are usually either used with stick or cone incense. They come in various forms and shapes, such as Zen garden, lotus, or Buddha’s head.
Incense Burning Time
Incense burning time varies based on the type of incense. Cone and stick incense typically burn from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on their size.
What Is The Highest Quality Incense?
The highest quality incense typically contains resins, gums, woods, spices, and other natural ingredients. You’d want to stay away from “dipped” incense sticks, which can be made from charcoal combined with potassium nitrate and then dipped into some synthetic fragrance.
What Incense Smells the Best?
It really depends on individual preferences. But some of the most popular incense smells are sage, frankincense, patchouli, and sandalwood.
Are Incense Sticks Bad For You?
Since incense contains a mix of natural and artificial ingredients, when they burn, they create inhalable particles that can potentially be cancerogenic.
Best Incense Sticks In The World
Satya Incense Gift Set (4.6 out of 5) – $6.99
Satya Incense gift set is perfect for incense lovers in your life. The set contains incense sticks with different aromas, including lavender, patchouli, dragon’s blood, nag champa, super hit, and positive vibes.
A total of 84 sticks are included in the set, each one of them is 15 grams = 7 scents total. This set is perfect for someone that is new to incense sticks because it gives a lot of choice for quite a cheap price.
Alternative Imagination California White Sage Bundles for Smudging and Meditation (4.6 out of 5) – $5.99
White sage bundles for smudging and meditation are meant to help cleanse a house from negative energy. The ritual of burning bundles aims to promote mental clarity and a positive mindset.
Alternative Imagination Sage Sticks are sustainably grown on small family farms. They contain premium quality dried sage, which is hand-tied with 100% cotton string. Smudge bundles are slow-burning and release aroma in a gradual way.
Sai Baba, Satya, Nag Champa, Agarbatti Incense Sticks, 100 g (4.6 out of 5) – $10.85
These incense sticks have been traditionally hand-rolled in India on bamboo sticks and carry the necessary certification. They don’t contain harmful chemicals or metals and only consist of a masala mix and natural extracts.
Satya Sai Baba Nagchampa incense’s oriental aroma is spicy and flowery, with notes of wood and patchouli. The fragrance emitted from these incense sticks helps create a calm and soothing environment in the house.
Smokeless Incense – Ground (4.6 out of 5) – $35
Smokeless incense by Bodha is aimed at “grounding” your body, spirit, and mind with help of earthy notes of Cedarwood, Frankincense, and Hinoki.
Normally used with an incense holder, this smokeless incense is made in Japan using traditional methods. It contains organic woods and essential oils.
Each box contains 50 x 20-minute sticks.
Best Incense Sticks For Meditation
Utopia Scents Premium Quality Incense Sticks (4.1 out of 5) – $12.95
Natural incense sticks by Utopia are hand-rolled in India and are made from organic ingredients, including herbs, essential oils, and wood gums. This set contains a variety of popular incense aromas: Lavender, Vanilla, Rose, Jasmine, and Sandalwood. The set of 75 sticks also comes with 1 incense burner.
Utopia Scents incense sticks are known for their long-lasting scents and can help create a soothing environment for a prayer or a meditation.
Six Most Popular Hem Incense Scents of All Time (4.5 out of 5) – $7.55
Hem Incense’s incense sticks have been around for more than 20 years and this set contains six of their most popular aromas, including Dragon’s Blood, Frankincense & Myrrh, Patchouli, and Precious Lavender, First Rain, and White Sage. Each stick tube includes 20 incense sticks. The set also comes with an incense holder.
Best Incense Fragrance
SCENTORINI Incense Sticks (4.3 out of 5) – $10.99
This incense sticks set includes six different fragrances, including Lavender, Rose, Rainforest, Sandalwood, Amber, and Fragrance. Each stick tube has 20 sticks that were hand-blended and rolled in accordance with ancient traditions. The set comes with a holder and is very easy to use.
SPACEKEEPER Ceramic Backflow Incense Holder Waterfall Incense Burner (4 out of 5) – $17.99
This incense holder can be used with incense sticks or incense cones, which are included in the price. There are 120 incense cones and 30 incense sticks that have 7 different fragrances: Jasmine, Lavender, Rose, Green Tea, Apple, Sandalwood, and Osmanthus.
The waterfall design allows to create a soothing atmosphere and provides a long-lasting aroma. This incense holder is perfect for use in the office, meditation room, yoga room, or hotel.
Set of 12 Nag Champa Namaste Positive Vibes (4.6 out of 5) – $14.95
This set of 12 Nag Champa Namaste Positive Vibes is one of the most popular choices on the web thanks to its great abundance of aromas included. With this set, you will receive Nag Champa, Namaste, Positive Vibes, Tantra, Buddha’s Blessings, Aura Cleansing, Chakra, Pyramids, Reiki, Karma, Spiritual Healing, Traditional Ayurveda.
Hand-rolled in India, these incense sticks are made using a formulation of masala mix and natural extracts.
Best Incense Sticks For Cleansing
SHOYEIDO Plum Blossoms Incense (4.5 out of 5) – $19.25
With warming aromas of sandalwood, clove, and cinnamon, these incense sticks are a perfect companion for the winter months. Baika-ju is an incense that is made in the traditional Japanese style, as it features superior quality and provides a long-lasting aroma.
Frankincense Incense Sticks And Incense Stick Holder Bundle (4.5 out of 5) – $11.69
This set includes an incense holder and a box of Frankincense incense with 20 sticks. This aroma is ideal for stress relief, as a meditation aid, and is great for smudging. This might be a great companion for a cord-cutting mediation.
Palo Santo Incense Sticks – $14
This incense stick set comes in the “Palo Santo” scent.
Each set contains 12 minimalistic smudge incense sticks that can help purify the aura in your house, attract positive energy, and boost focus & concentration.
12AM – $30
This luxurious incense stick set includes 25 Japanese-style sticks, with each of them having a 25-minute burn time. Aromas including oakmoss, lavender, clove and amber can help create an intimate and relaxing atmosphere.