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Shoyeido - Baika-ju (Plum Blossoms) fits your price range and is an excellent first step into Japanese incense. It smells like cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven.
I ended up getting an electric burner for barks and resins. Works great and has adjustable settings. I am sure there are others cheaper, this is just the one i got.
AM Regulator Electric Incense Burner - Oud Frankincense Resin Burner with Adjustable Timer & Storage Drawer (Gold) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C1G469R/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_XCSYJ8BG8C9HNZ5YE5FX
I think it depends on the company. I've seen temple grade buddhist-style sticks which remind me of my family altar but are not 'refined,' they are functional for spiritual use (with the magenta sticks, thick yellow paste dhoop style).
However I've seen and read reviews for analogous japanese incense style, esp from this company:
So it probably does depend on the producer.
As a hybrid, the company Bosen is Taiwanese based (I'm Taiwanese American) and they make coils, and thicker Tibetan/Chinese style coreless stick incense, which I find very enjoyable. They range from things like Dakini to the standard Sandalwood. Their Meditation has something that is too potent for my small room so I have to use more ventilation with some (but not all) of their blends. So it may be a few ingredients more unique towards that type of Buddhist blend. They make coils, too, which I remember my family burning a lot of (mostly for mosquitos!) but I like watching them burn over the course of an evening.
Sekaido Jinko Gohitsu is pretty interesting. Can't really go wrong with Moss Garden. But if you're going to do the Shoyeido daily thing you could get like three or four of the smaller packs. Moss Garden, Eternal Treasure... White cloud... what else? If you have a couple more dollars there's a lot of great Baieido stuff on Amazon.
If you want LITERAL wood smoke scent, then Incienso de Santa Fe is definitely the way to go.
They're chunks of compressed sawdust that smolder out smoke. That's it. Your options are Alder, Pinon, Balsam Fir, Mesquite (my favorite), hickory, Cedar, and Juniper (or a sampler pack that contains a bit of each)
https://www.amazon.com/Scent-Sampler-Wood-Incenses-Holder/dp/B000W07CL8/ref=sr_1_1
I found this browsing on Amazon the other week and it comes from a Cambodian family running a agarwood farm. This is what I think:
1-7-21 3:35 pm - While I have had limited exposure to aloeswood from Cambodia, this is a interesting find. It has some of those muted, woodsy notes I have encountered in the oud oil/wood I've sampled as well as a strong amount of a 'burned chocolate' note that has a bit of salt and a sort of creaminess to it. All of this mutes a sweet, but rather thin central core.
This was $35 for a about 30-35 sticks(25g) and they burn for about an hour each so this ends up being a good deal. The company claims this is 100% agarwood so my guess is that they blend in a bit of bark and non-fragrant wood to hit these woody notes I don't usually associate with aloeswood, but the more time I spend with it the more I'm liking this burned chocolate smell that trades out with a salty and a sweet version of aloeswood.
I'm on my second stick already and finding there is a hit of spice right at the beginning that I don't get anywhere else during the burn. Excited to find this and share it!
My guess is it is just the bags that smell all the same and not the resins. I suggest putting resins in a separate small ball jars like these and toss the bags (be sure you label your jars).
https://www.amazon.com/Ball-1440080400-4-Ounce-Quilted-Crystal/dp/B07D4PRPVL/
It's been a few years, and I don't know if they are still even there. (was near the Pearl Market) But when I looked online Nine Regions seems similar to it in offerings.
I also found this box of agarwood stick, which is similar to the ones that I was readily finding in the expat markets there. I just purchased it...so we'll see.
Shoyeido sell a sample pack of their Horin line if you'd like to go that route. It's missing one, called Horikawa (River Path), which is a cinnamon blend.
Keep in mind that many (most?) Agarwood/Aloeswood you get in incense is a blend of one sort or another. Most commonly with Sandalwood, but could be any number of things. Always best to get as good a description as possible, so you know what you're investing in.
The selections you have on the way are excellent choices. I would like to suggest a Bosen incense. This is a middle Aloeswood: Superior Chin-Zhou Aloeswood Bosen have several different grades that take some getting used to, and we can help with that. Just ask. This one is not super fancy - no flowery or herbal scents - but it's a nice resinous woody Agarwood. Enjoy!
From just a couple of days ago, a similar inquiry:
>recommendations for an indian style fruity incense
Adding to that, there is one other I omitted that smells distinctly like grape. To me it smells like grape juice both in the package and when burning. Problem is, I can't find it available anywhere except Amazon India. I already have an inquiry posted to the company and will update here if there is a response.
This is very difficult for me to answer because, barring a few exceptions, all incenses are calming to me.
I also like different types of fragrance at different times of the day.
Earthy or grassy first thing in the morning - Flourish Fragrance Khus (Vetiver) or Cottage Industries Mattipal/Vetiver.
Post workout meditation - Balaji Chandan (Strong sandalwood), Cottage Industries Sandalwood (Mild), Tibetan meditation incense, Phool Oudh or resins (Frankincense, Copal, Dammar or Dragons blood).
The rest of the day I burn anything new I am trying out or unsure of. It only needs to be as low smoke as possible in case I need to be in a video call for work. Phool Lemongrass incense during my chai break.
Evenings and just before bed, I prefer Floral - Phool Nargis, Anything from Pondicherry collection, Cottage industries Rose, Ketaki (Nag Champa) or Jasmine.
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TLDR; 90% of my inventory at the moment.
I have an arc lighter (this one, specifically), and really like it, a lot! It recharges via USB, and lasts a super long time between charges. I’m not sure you could fit your incense between the points on the top, but I’m pretty sure you could still light it, simply by placing it just over/against the top of the incense. I have some Tibetan sticks that are pretty thick, and it lights them with no problem. I’m not 100% sure it would help with the issue you are having, but wanted to mention it.
You could try a set of tart cups from Bezos's Capitalist Wasteland. You'll likely have to fold them a bit smaller to work with most burners.
They have the ash on Amazon. I also use a pressing tool to pack it down so the stick stands up straight.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B61JXY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_CQHNY23BAC5XBNX8J6BH
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N5TR37W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_K9N2NE1DG9HA7FR1Y11Y
I have two of their Sandalwoods and two Agarwoods in stick form. They're perfectly OK; a lot of sticks for the dollar; but not certainly not Minorien quality either.
Link below:
The fact that they have Minorien's Kyara is mind-blowing to me. Not Minroien's absolute best scent, but one of their best for sure. Expensive but worth it. Have a look at their Kyara Ryugen for my all-time fave scent.
Thanks! I bought it on Amazon. There’s also an unglazed version available.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XRW4V12/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&th=1
I’ve also seen it on AliExpress.
One thing I haven't seen suggested yet is to try an electric incense warmer. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Incense-Burner-Heater-80-220degree/dp/B00UF82HMG
The idea is that you use that to heat the incense, you get the same smells, but produce only vapor and little actual smoke(some of the constituents of the incense might actually smoke at lower temperatures so you can still get a minimal amount of smoke depending on the incense and the heat level you choose.)
If you are worried about smoke, another way to enjoy incense is with an electric heater like the Golden Lotus sold at Mermade and similar. When you can adjust the heat level, you can figure out what setting works best. Once you have this, you can take incense sticks, even ones that have toxic chemicals, and enjoy them a bit more safely.
Additionally, you can start to explore the world of incense resins, things like myrrh, benzoin, storax, frankincense are all wonderful and non-toxic smells, especially when they aren't combusting.
Lastly, essential oils are another scenting option. There are cheap diffusers you can get on amazon that will take a few drops of oil and scent a room for you with infused water vapor.
The problem with that approach is that used ashes from a grill or fireplace can carry odors of their own, interfering with the incense. This is especially bad if you're trying to do the incense ceremony, as the ash scent will contaminate the smoldering wood chips. It'll do in a pinch, though.
Shoyeido makes a good one. You can buy it directly from them or on Amazon. If you live near an Asian district or Chinatown, you might be able to find it in the candle and incense aisle of an Asian grocery near you. It'll be light gray or white, and in bags often labeled 'Joss Material' with an image of a Chinese deity printed on it. That stuff is good, too.
You can reuse ash when it gets too many crumbs and little ends of sticks in it, too. Run it through a flour sifter to get the chunks out, then bake in a foil lined pan for about half an hour at 400F. The ash should flow freely once it cools.
Happy burning!
ETA: Of course you stick the burning end up if you use sticks. Ash can still smother an ember if it's packed too tightly. That's just common sense. Bamboo incense only has one lightable end anyway. As for sticks with no bamboo core, you just stick one end in the ash, light it, and enjoy.
In the same price bracket you have other options I have personally enjoyed a ton more. One of them is Shoyeido's Nokiba (Moss Garden) available on many websites including Amazon. But If you are looking for low-smoke incense, like the Ka-Fuh series, you could try Shoyeido's Honoka (Silhouette) also on Amazon. I find both options personally to be more enjoyable, higher quality and better performance.
Not a real answer but maybe a cheap washboard could substitute it?
I thought she was talking more about the gaps in quality? Is the difference between $50 box and $150 box as extreme as say a 99 cent packet of Hem and a box of Baieido Kai Un Koh which you can get for $11.71 shipped on Amazon?
The price difference is $11, but there are oceans of quality in between the two. In your opinion Mofaha, is it a similar situation with $50 vs $150 boxes? I don't doubt there is a difference, I'm just wondering if it as extreme.
Burn Palo Santo, shamans have traditionally used it to clear negative energy and increase love and prosperity. https://ecuadorianhands.com/en/incense-sticks-palo-santo-1096.html And just in case you don't want to burn anything...use Himalayan salt lamps. >> https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Spantik-Large-Salt-FireBowl-Dimmer/dp/B078SBZ4YR/
There are numerous resources around incense making, including this very subreddit. I can suggest this book as a starting point, it gives a good practical overview of materials, steps, tricks etc. The guy also has a youtube channel here.
Not sure about pine, but it seems you use the resin as the aromatic material and the wood as combustible base? In which case you need a binder as well - many people use Makko, which helps bind the end result together and provides a bit of combustible base, but there are others. One thing I realised myself is that your ingredients should be powdered as fine as possible to burn well, and if you are doing cones, a lot of friends here would share the advice of them not to have too large a base.
If you search this subreddit you will find lots of info, people here are very helpful and knowledgeable. I guess a back-n-forth of trying yourself, reading around and asking advice of power users here will probably be the best (and most entertaining) way to go!
I got some nice 2019 on Amazon, sold by Divineproducts: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074R2DQ7B
Have to make sure of the box. I contacted the seller to make damned sure.
And this box on Ebay, after contacting the seller:
I got a couple of these boxes on Amazon. They are intended to be for table game storage I think, but they work great for incense storage. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00695DFFC/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_.kYrFbTQ8PVFX
Japan Incense has the lovely little Matsuba Pine. Japanese incense is a lot less smoky than other burnt wood incenses, and Matsuba Pine is beautiful!
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Other than that, I will second the person who said Incensio de Santa Fe. These are some GOOD burning-wood scents. They have a sampler pack with all their scents, too. Really cheap on Amazon. Fir, Mesquite, and Pine are my favorites from Incensio. These aren't sticks, but cone...square...thingies. They sell cute little burners made specially for them, or you can stick to the burner that comes with the packs. The special burners are little teepees, adobe houses, cabins, etc. A really cute aesthetic to help enhance the campfire experience.
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This is a good one to try: Amazon: Bakhoor sampler
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Not all the scents are great, but you get to try a lot and you might find you enjoy them all. There are a lot of rose topnotes in most of them, but they really are nice to burn!
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Here's another sampler from Swiss Arabian. They're a pretty good Bakhoor company. Bakhoor Pack Collection
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If you want some handmade stuff, I can link a wonderful Etsy shop. It's UK-based and it has some damn fine bakhoor. The awesome Dan Riegler of Apothecary's Garden also sells some beautiful Uunsi (?) bakhoor. It doesn't have any rose fragrance and is incredibly unique.
Mortar and Pestle. Go to an Asian grocery store or a shop that sells restaurant equipment. Buying one online is expensive due to the heavy shipping weight in my experience. I got one at an Asian grocery store for $7 vs. $35 on Amazon.
Sieve #80 is a good start. (Link)
100G scale. Weight things, don't measure like you do in cooking. (Link)
The best book I've read and it's great for all levels is titled "Incense: Crafting & Use of Magickal Scents" by Carl F. Neal. I don't know that I am allowed to provide a link so I will not.
Face mask. Breathing in dry powdered plants is not safe.
Vinyl gloves are great for rolling/shaping incense cones. The incense dough is less likely to stick to your fingers.
You probably have these things... a bowl for mixing powder with water.. a stick for mixing the water and powder
Advice:
Read the book above. Also check out his videos on YouTube.
Read up on top/popular posts here on the subreddit.
Stick with incense cones at first. You don't need a mold. Just mimic cones you already have that you've bought or make them flat on the bottom, fat on the bottom getting skinnier up top making them about 1-2 grams each and 1.5 inches tall.
Makko powder is a very forgiving base and binder. Especially as a beginner, it's excellent!
Another, that may be out of production (OOP), is Parimal - Original Royal Oud.
And one more, similar to your description is Koya's - Oudh.
I enjoy the challenge of finding the difficult, but I don't recall the name Jaladi, which might be expected since there are thousands of brands out there. If these are a miss too then maybe a bit more description. More details on packaging, description of the incense - what it looks like and scent, and where it was purchased?
Happy to help a bit more, but keep in mind incense sometimes has a reputation of coming and going. What often happens is you search desperately for one you like, and end up finding others you like even more.
When you lift the mold:
If the incense has gaps in the shape, you're not filling it enough.
If the incense gets stuck in the shape, you're packing it too tightly.
My process: I put the mold down on a well-packed ash surface, take a spoon sized for the mold (probably 1/8tsp or less, came with the kit) and spread it with a flat tool until all of it is in the grooves (flat tool also from the kit). What I've learned is that after I fill all the grooves in the mold, I very gently tap on the entire mold with one of the tools (mainly the flat tool since that's what I use to "sweep" the incense with) which helps the incense to break free from the surface and "fall" through. When I am lifting the mold, I raise it just ever so slightly above the well-packed ash and if any incense is not starting to fall down, I very gently tap the brass mold. That usually does it for me.
I have this kit (shows you the two tools I use): https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Incense-Mold-Tool-Gift/dp/B07CR8XCXM
I find that this particular way of burning incense takes me about 5-10 minutes of pure zen meditation while I set it up and get it going. I enjoy the process so much! Keep at it, you'll get the hang of it!
You say you use a spice grinder, do you mean coffee grinder or spice mill? I have a spice mill made for turning cinnamon bark into powder. Honestly I haven't ever opened it but I have it sitting on the shelf.
https://www.amazon.com/Mexican-Incense-Sticks-Handmade-Mexico/dp/B00I6XV93U/ref=pd_bxgy_sccl_2/137-5536038-0427454?pd_rd_w=5OMSU&content-id=amzn1.sym.7757a8b5-874e-4a67-9d85-54ed32f01737&pf_rd_p=7757a8b5-874e-4a67-9d85-54ed32f01737&pf_... Here’s the link. it looks like they also sell them at Sears for about the same price which is weird.
Another possibility?
I use a lab ring stand for mine. Kinda like this: https://www.amazon.com/LabZhang-Chemistry-Laboratory-Support-Retort/dp/B085QKFX3H/
Mine came out of a dumpster on campus, but same basic thing. I use a drain strainer as a support in the ring, and foil or tealight cups to hold the resin.
Here's another one, much cheaper. I can't speak to the quality, you may have to just take a gamble: https://www.amazon.com/AM-Regulator-Electric-Incense-Burner/dp/B07Y3ZZ9JY/ref=asc_df_B07Y3ZZ9JY/?tag=&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385266257993&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5202294761137596202&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&am...
I use this one regularly, used at Eihei-ji.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Kunmeido-Incense-Sticks-Eiheiji-Filling/dp/B09634PNMQ
Other than that there aren't any "official" incenses at the temples I've been to. They'll use mostly sandalwoods but throw on some random ones as well here and there.
I have these and they're awesome. They last a while on a single charge, and with two, you can have one in use and one charging as needed.
The long necks make lighting things like glass-encased candles easy too, but just make sure the terminals stay clean or you won't get any spark. You can clean the terminals with a kleenex. They're great for lighting cones, sticks, and coils of incense too.
I got one of those as a gift, and it works well enough for lighting incense.
I store my boxes of sticks in these craft boxes.
They hold a decent number of boxes and they have a gasket and a nice latch so they seal up air tight which helps preserve the scent longer.
Electric burner for me. Can vary heat easily and just have to turn it on. I can use the same amount for a couple hours at a time for several days with only thing to do is occasionally I stir the resins around with couple popsicle sticks--one to stir, the other to push off any clinging resin. I use a bakhoor burner as the temp is higher and just plug a dimmer switch to adjust the temps. I've been using these 2 items for years and they've held up nicely. Just make a nice 2 layer folded foil square for easy cleanup. I go 2 layer with sides turned up to make sure no resin leaks thru as that's a disaster; takes a little practice pushing the foil in getting it nice and flat on the bottom and sealed over the top of burner but after awhile it's easy. Crush up resins, can go lower heat at first, then stir up, turn up heat; even can add some more to the mostly used up resin before changing. I use my good resins at first, then once they're pretty much done but still lots of liquid left I add some of my cheaper resin, usually Frankincense I got off eBay, Serrata mainly, doesn't last as long but a nice treat to add to already high temp liquid resin for a strong blast of scent for several hours, my living rooms stays saturated with it's scent for days after. Wouldn't suggest tea light burner, being able to crank up the temps with the electric is great for getting the most scent out, at first scent comes easily with low heat but then higher temps can get a lot more out of it. Took me quite awhile to get a working method, found that initially starting with a resin like elemi that liquifies easily first, then adding a crushed up resin helps it burn more easily instead of just sitting on the foil and scorching.
Yes, it is electric! I found it on amazon because mermade is temporarily out of the electric lotus and I didn’t want to wait 😅 It was about the same price, and it works beautifully. It has a timer function as well, which is nice.
So, I got some Satya incense from Amazon for about $6, pretty cool as there were 7 boxes, each with 12 sticks (check here).
Just for fun, after lighting one stick from each, here's what I came up with.
Nag Champa - this one just seemed like what I think of what I think of incense. It was sort of the perfect scent. I can't remember exactly what stood out, if there was anything in particular.
Sandalwood - this incense brings out the very best scents from a camp fire, but like even better. It smells very natural, like wood, and it might be my favorite, but I'll have to try each a few more times. Definitely just reminds me of camping.
Lavender - The actual lavender scent wasn't overpowering, and it was just a very pleasant scent. Whatever the base ingredients are really worked well.
Superhit - Not bad, but eventually it started to smell too sweet. I googled it, and it was unsurprisingly made that way.
Positive Vibes - Very much like superhit, but even sweeter. I personally am not a fan of sweet incense I've learned.
Dragon's Blood - Immediately reminded me of the scent of a seedy motel or something. Weird, like cherry mixed with cigarette smoke.
Patchouli - If sandalwood brought out the very best of a campfire, patchouli brought out the worst. It smelled very ashy. Hard to describe. Slight sweetness to it, but extremely ashy and unpleasant.
For a bit of an odd duck suggestion, I'd point you towards Incense House's Indo Laoshan Sandalwood.
It's basically pure sandalwood, but it has a very 'pumpkin'-y scent to it. Not like, pumpkin spice, but whole baked pumpkin. Warm and savory and... gourd-y.
It took me a bit to get used to it, but I'm quite fond of it these days.
https://www.amazon.com/Sandalwood-Incense-Coils-Levels-Mix-Pack/dp/B00VHLSLCK This is a sampler pack of their 3 flavors of sandalwood. It can also be found on Ebay and Etsy if you'd prefer those storefronts. (you can also buy the indo laoshan on its own for about 20$ a box)
In our culture we light sticks in odd numbers so we use these.
Here is what they look like. I never use a whole heart, I breake bits off. It's potent and enough for my rather small room. That way it lasts for a very long time.
One of my favorite brands of incense is literally just compressed blocks of sawdust. Juniper, Mesquite, and Cedar are personal favorites.
https://www.amazon.com/Scent-Sampler-Wood-Incenses-Holder/dp/B000W07CL8
I see no reason Cherrywood couldn't work in a similar fashion. Granted, Most folks don't have an industrial pill press to form their own blocks in that way, but you could experiment with other methods.
I always found these Goloka ones great. Hand rolled an organic. Doesn’t make the air feel too heavy like some other brands
Those stencils were traditionally used with powdered incense, often just straight sandalwood powder.
I'm fond of this brand out of Taiwan, but they are very... traditional, and probably underwhelming if one were to compare them to satya or similar: https://www.amazon.com/Indo-Shan-Sandalwood-Incense-Powder/dp/B00UN1DN9Q
There are also more modern blends that come in powder form, if you hunt a bit: https://www.incensewarehouse.com/Incense-Powder_c_796.html
And... honestly, you probably could grind up some cones if you wanted? I've never tried it personally but I doubt it would hurt anything to try!
For Campire-esque scents, one of my favorites is Incienso de Santa Fe's stuff.
It's literally just compressed chunks of sawdust of various woods. They offer a sampler of all of their varieties for under 20$: https://www.amazon.com/Scent-Sampler-Wood-Incenses-Holder/dp/B000W07CL8/
Rain is tricky, as the chemistry behind the scents isn't particularly heat friendly (at least in my experiments), but there are a few that can get you in the ballpark. Shoyeido's "Five Hills" (aka 'Gozan') has a cool, damp scent that I personally find reminiscent of walking outdoors after a rainstorm, but it's very much a blend. Similarly Fred Soll has a "Ceremonial Rain" scent that has a 'wet' note to it, but it's supported by floral and herbal scents as well.
Yes
If you can get ahold of a screen that small I say go for it
You essentially want 0.003925"
Here’s what I’m using 100 micron sieve
Amazon has them, but specialty stores most likely do as well.
Amazon kit, works nicely. The best burning stuff is what falls off of the Sataya sticks and is in the bottom of the bag.
I've definitely had a sandalwood sharbat before but I am sure they were using a ready-made synthetic syrup The sharbat was made with sandalwood and fennel. You could use a smoker or use a process called in Indian cuisine as 'dhungar' - ignite a piece of charcoal on the stove. Keep a metal bowl inside the food (the rim of the bowl should be just above the level of food to ensure the food doest spill into it), put the ignited charcoal in the bowl and add a tsp of ghee to it. Cover the pot of food with a lid with about 10 minutes. For a liquid Sharbat, you can use a large frying pan to increase the surface area of the liquid
Shoyeido has one. If you put it on ash it burns whole, usually one buries the coal in white ash and put a mica plate on top to place the incense on. Google Kodo ritual.
Ikr. You said that you wanted bulk pack of Parimal Yatra in the chat so Here it is it’s not 12 pack but 6 pack as it’s an economy pack.
Omg, they are cute! There's a hand for scale. I think that's the exact same one but for $119
How long are they? I found some that are 20cm long!
Hi and thanks for the comparison. I love the Goloka nag champa, Shantimalai nag champa, Satya nag champa and song of india nag champa. For me Song of india nag champa smells like Rooh Afza Sharbat than Meetha pan. Goloka Vrindavan Flower for me smells like meetha Pan. I saw a review from Om Incense Show about Goloka Nag champa and in the beginning she also noticed that the Goloka Vrindavan flower smelled like meetha pan or paan leaf. Anyway how you got Shantimalai nag champa. I can’t find it in Dubai so I’ll buy it in india
I bought it on Bezos' Capitalist Dystopia-Mart here. They're sold as insulating material for microwave ovens.
Unlike the first set I bought, these are large enough to span the ring of a tealight burner.
My local Unicef shop has a basket of free samples of this stuff as well. The one stick I tried had a distinct whiff of "urine" to it soooo... yeah, that went in the bin.
Apparently it's absurdly popular with some folks though: https://www.amazon.com/India-Temple-Incense-Stick-Large/dp/B001BKR5X8
u/SamsaSpoon has great recommendations. I'd also add LiaIncenses and Heyoka Frankincense on Etsy.
A tealight is pretty darn good. I got some sheets of mica from Amazon, and using them in my tealight burner is worlds better than using a metal/foil cup! I can see exactly where the resin is in relation to the flame and adjust accordingly.
Even when using charcoal, I'll go for a layer of salt on top and then a mica sheet, so that the resins and woods don't combust, but just get heated. No scorching, great scent!
These are the mica sheets I use. I also ordered some previously, but they're too small to use over the tealight burner or full-size charcoal tablets, though they do work on medium and small charcoal tabs.
https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Incense-Burner-Heater-80-220degree/dp/B00UF82HMG
I have a lot of different loose incense as well as just aromatic materials that I use in my warmer. Mixing them can be good fun too.
I save my stick incense for warmer weather when I can have windows open to minimize the impact of the smoke in the air.
You’re right - I just had a look on Amazon and there’s tonnes on there. Something like this to get started, perhaps?
I'd love to answer you any questions but my experiance with incense stick making is nearly Zero. (I did some experiments during the last 2 weeks, using Cassia powder as a binder but I never used Joss Powder or Makko.) I very rarely use essential oils but plan on doing some experiments in the nearer future. Ask me, but the chances I don't know the anser is high.
Here's a Link to a pdf I recently stumbled upon, maybe it is of use for you. (I'm not sure if you can save it via this link, it's on my google drive, I don't use that often.)
A book I can reccomend is this - the link is to German Amazon but it is an English book; for some reason amazon com doesn't provide a view inside the Book but .de does. The guy also has a Youtube channel, it's called Incense Dragon, I think.
I use these backflow cones (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097KRDP7M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) and they smell amazing. They have multiple scents but I can really only recommend the Palo Santo, which is the only one I have tried
That sounds like an oil diffuser. People put essential oils in them. Like this.
Thanks for the recommendations. Is a pack like this worth it?
Hotoido Incense Set of 6 Types of 6 Scents, 6 Types, 5 Sticks of Each 2.4 inches (6 cm), Fragrance https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00D74KQ7S/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_7YRCJWNM1XF2761DZQ6H?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I have no idea what any of them are.
Instead of the first 2 Nippon Kodo incenses I would go with [Baieido - Tokusen Kobunboku](https://www-amazon-co-jp.translate.goog/-/en/Baieido-Incense-Tokusen-Koubunboku-Package/dp/B001QUCQ3C/ and Baieido - Byakudan Kobunboku. Slightly more expensive, but far superior incense.
I trew it in my scenner and made you a PDF. It's page 18-24, including Wood as an aromatic; Bases and the parts of the Binder chapter, relevant for Sticks/Cones.
If you are interested in the book, there is (for whatever reason) a View The Book on German Amazon but not on the us page. It includes a ton of recipes - around 20 pages I think.
I mean this style.
I have to agree with u/SamsaSpoon - it's the number one complaint we get here, about the horrible smelling incense that comes with Backflow burners. The companies who make good incense try to make Backflow incense that smells better, but then I don't think they cascade as good.
You asked about the seller called Incense Universe. I haven't found many reviews on this company, which can be a red flag for being new. But the main thing I found is that they inflate their prices a lot. Many of their burners are fairly common and inexpensive, and the basic Backflow incense is extremely cheap. For instance, this $59 burner on Incense Universe can be purchased on Amazon for $19.
Many people are attracted to Backflow for the visual effect, but we can help you much more in getting high quality regular incense. Don't be afraid to ask if you have any other questions.
u/hisagiugashi Thanks for the tip! That's what I wanted, more or less. On that same page I found another product link which is even closer to what I hoped for.
I bought some on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0897FBSPY/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_E0HNKGXDTSD1FGG98QMF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I use the round disks in a round cone burner. It came with one in white (that I really liked), but I've only found new ones in black. I think you can buy in different shapes. Works great, I love that I can lay a short stick on it and the whole thing will burn.
I saw one listing on Amazon (U.S.) but it was under the branding of Stamford.
I also checked both Satya companies - Bangalore and Mumbai.
It's available on Amazon (UK) though. So the one you saw on Ebay is probably imported.
I have a similar one. This offer seems to be not available at the moment but I've seen them on etsy too.
Search for incense trail kit, here are a couple of examples from amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/LLMM-Incense-Backflow-Meditation-Fragrance/dp/B08Q2WXQL2
https://www.amazon.com/Brass-Incense-Making-Backflow-Meditation/dp/B093WQG3VL
Incense Sticks Gift Set Sandalwood, Jasmine, Lavender, Ocean, Lemon, Relaxing - 120 Sticks https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093FQNQPW/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_48PPP0M7GGDVQ5PZAJH0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
this is a really nice set for $10! super strong and burns for a long time I've only tried the set without the white tiger on it and all the smells are nice.
Quick review: Lavender: my absolute favorite in this box, smells s bit like baby powder with that "sting" that lavender leaves your nose with
lemon: very typical lemon, almost like somebody smoked a lemon
jasmine: it smells like when brewing jasmine tea, with a bit of wood wrapped in there. It's not as sweet as typical Jasmine incense smells
relaxing: citrisy, floral, and woodsy I'd say this is the 2nd best smell in the box
ocean: I haven't had a chance to take in the scent and smell it, but it's very similar to relaxing with a bit more citrus
sandalwood: I'm not the biggest sandalwood fan, but it smells woodsy like you'd expect it to lol
I bought this back in September and I still haven't gone through half of it, I typically light 1-3 sticks a day depending
white river. its sorta cheap but i love the smell of it.
You can find these anywhere, the long rectangular stands that hold the incense stick at an angle let the ashes fall straight down onto the holder which you can then just empty off pretty easily. Something like these if you are looking on Amazon but if there’s an incense store or anything near you they probably sell those for like a dollar each.
I do this with regular sticks in a horizontal incense holder. I started with wraping a strip of tin foil around it (like a collar) at the part I wanted it to go out but thats fiddly so I figured a metal clip would do the job just fine.
You could use something like this maybe?
I found this for Dubai but it's a pack of 180 sticks
Can't go wrong with the Shoyeido - Horin sampler which has 4 sticks each of 5 different scents. The sticks are short, but the scents are strong and last for hours after they're done burning. The sampler also comes with a tile to hold the stick up, which you then put on a plate or in a bowl to catch the ash.
I buy these are 'refills' for my coffin-style incense burners and cut them to size. Eventually the smoldering incense does wear down the carbon fiber. I'd still burn them in a somewhat insulated container or dish, though the burner I have is carved wood and is fine.
Ok, stopped by walmart and spent 89 cents to buy a pack of the Dragons Blood sticks (they were out of cones in that scent).
This is definitely a Daemonorops based scent, potent on the unburnt stick but not that loud in the smoke, with a fairly mild sweetness (perhaps a touch of vanilla) in the blend to tame it down. Not bad at all for under-a-buck generic stuff.
Knowing that, if you want something with Real Dragon's Blood resin on it, I'd recommend a sample stick of Fred Soll's. It's pricey (2$ per stick for the sampler) but they last for ages and are super potent (I tend to burn them for about 1-2 minutes at a time and the scent lingers for hours).
https://www.amazon.com/FRED-SOLLS-Resin-Dragons-Incense/dp/B07JYHH8MQ/
Just be aware that the real resin is a LOT more potent than what I'm getting off this walmart stick, so it may be a bit different than what you expect. Fred also offers a Dragons Blood + Patchouli stick, as well as a DB + Sage stick, if you want to see how those fare.
(the sticks come directly from Fred's place in New Mexico, the Amazon storefront just lets you get free shipping, but you can also buy directly from his site if you prefer: https://www.fredsoll.com/products-page/dragons-blood/dragons-blood/ just be aware there's a 6$ shipping charge that way)
Your mention of a little log cabin makes me think of Paine's or Knox brand incenses. Both have a focus on Wood-y scents (pinon pine, fir balsam, cedar, etc)
Paines uses a similar log shape for their stuff, though in most the sawdust is somewhat coarser. They also make them in cone shapes which are a little more homogeneous like what you have.
https://www.amazon.com/Balsam-Fir-Incense-Refills-Set/dp/B002670N9I/ (this is what they sell with their own log cabin burners)
Knox's stuff is mostly in cone form (they're meant for German christmas decoration burners) but have a similar pasty look to them. However the reviews suggest that their recipes have altered somewhat over the years and the scents may not be as nice these days.
https://www.amazon.com/KNOX-Scented-Incense-Burners-24-Piece/dp/B005TVT0NI/
Usually there is some kind of sculpture inside that the smoke flows down into for a cool effect. I think they are mostly for backflow cones. Like these ones for example.
The closest I can think of is dung cakes. Yes, they are quite common here and I've found at least one that claims to have Sandalwood fragrance.
Seems really ironic and unfair doesn't it?
Can you order from Flipkart, Itokri or Goabay in India? I've have fairly good luck ordering from them, and also directly from manufacturers in India with delivery to the US. Sometimes it takes a little extra negotiation to work out details, but might be easier for you since you live there.
Oh, and I see a 250 gram Shanthimalai - Nag Champa for only ₹1,092.00 on Amazon.in which is a good buy, but I'm not sure about shipping within India.
Well, not sure this is much help. But I wish you the best of luck in your quest for great incense. Enjoy!
Satya Nag Champa Om Shanti Dharma... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MCSX93L?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
And thank you for the advice! Definitely helped with my nerves a lot 😅 Are there any incense brands you’d recommend?
Good. Cheap. Available.