Cremation caskets are fully combustible caskets used in the cremation process. The main thing distinguishing cremation caskets from traditional burial caskets is that cremation caskets do not contain parts that cannot burn, such as metal. Cremation caskets can come in a range of materials like wood, or wicker made from bamboo, willow, rattan or seagrass. Cremation caskets are more elaborate than cremation containers, which are made from heavy duty cardboard or fiberboard.
Here we are talking about caskets used for the deceased’s body. If a casket is bought, usually there will be a public viewing or traditional funeral service with the body on display. There are also wooden urns in the style of caskets used to hold ashes but that’s not what we are covering here.
In this article we go further into the kinds of cremation caskets and how they differ from other options.
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What Kinds of Cremation Caskets are There?
There are five main types of cremation casket designs. The one thing that cremation caskets have in common is that they are all made of material that will burn completely in the cremation chamber.
Here are the five types of cremation casket:
- Fiberboard (bare or covered with cloth)
- Simple pine box (i.e. made from simple planks without molding)
- Wicker casket (made from bamboo, willow, seagrass or rattan)
- Wood veneer (thin hardwood strip over fiberboard)5. Solid wood
How Much Do Cremation Caskets Cost?
Cremation caskets can cost between $500 and $5,000 depending on the materials used and if you buy from a funeral home or retailer. For example, a reasonably nice looking, solid oak cremation casket costs around $2,500 through an online retailer. A similar specification casket bought directly from a funeral home is likely to cost around $3,500.
The price savings from buying online are much greater the more elaborate and higher priced the casket. There generally isn’t much savings to be had online for simple pine boxes for example.
What Affects the Price of Cremation Caskets?
There are two main factors impacting the price of cremation caskets:
- The materials used in the construction of the casket.
- Where you buy it from.
Materials
The main driver of cost of a cremation casket is the material it is made from. Common materials from most affordable to most expensive:
- Fiberboard / wood composite
- Basic solid pine box
- Cloth covered fiberboard / wood composite
- Pine veneer over fiberboard
- Solid pine
- Poplar
- Wicker (bamboo, seagrass, willow, rattan)
- Mid-range wood veneer (e.g. oak, birch, maple, cedar)
- Solid mid-range wood
- Premium wood veneer (e.g. mahogany, walnut and cherry)
- Solid premium wood
At the bottom of this range, caskets cost around $400-$500. At the top end they can cost over $5,000.
Where You Buy It From
Caskets purchased from funeral homes tend to have the highest markup. You can generally save at least 20%-50% buying a casket from another retailer. Funeral homes have a lot of overhead they need to cover (rent, specialist staff wages) and one way they cover this through casket sales. Funeral homes must accept any casket you buy from another retailer (even if they aren’t happy about it).
When looking outside of your funeral home you have several options for buying a casket:
- Specialist online casket retailers
- The most popular retailers include Trusted Caskets, Titan Casket and Overnight Caskets. Each of these ships nationwide.
- Bulk retailers such as Costco and Walmart
- Amazon
- Etsy
- Local casket manufacturer and retailer
Do You Need To Buy A Cremation Casket?
No, you do not need to buy a cremation casket to be cremated. Funeral homes and crematories must offer what’s called an alternative container. If you don’t plan on having a viewing or traditional funeral with the body present there is especially no need to have a buy a cremation casket because few people will ever see it. Even if you do plan to have the body on display you have other alternatives like renting a casket.
Cremation Caskets Vs Cremation Containers
Cremation caskets differ from cremation containers mainly in that caskets are intended for public display, for example at the viewing or funeral service, while containers are designed purely for functional purposes. Cremation caskets are more ornate and usually include lining, molding and special handles. Containers are basically just a rectangular box with holes cut out for handles.
A cremation container is a basic, rigid, leak-proof box used to hold the body prior to and during cremation. Also known as cremation trays, they are typically made from more affordable materials such as heavy-duty cardboard or fiberboard.
Cremation containers are much cheaper than cremation caskets. Funeral homes sometimes refer to cremation containers as “alternative containers”. Alternative containers are sometimes included in the price of cremation services. Cremation containers cost $50-$200 if purchased separately.
Both caskets and containers can handle heavy weights. Some cremation containers can carry weights up to 500 lb. despite being made of cardboard.
Cremation Caskets Vs Jewish Kosher Caskets
Cremation caskets have a lot in common with Jewish caskets (“aron” in Hebrew) because they are made entirely of wood. But while all Jewish caskets would qualify as cremation caskets, not all cremation caskets would qualify as Jewish caskets. It’s worth noting that Orthodox Jews do not permit cremation, so a Jewish coffin or casket is unlikely to be used in cremation.
Jewish caskets have additional requirements that would exclude some cremation caskets being used, for example: they can’t have been constructed on the sabbath; they can’t be lined.
Do They Burn the Casket During Cremation?
Yes, the casket is burned together with the body during cremation. For this reason, cremation caskets and containers must be made of material that will burn completely, and not include metal parts such as hinges or handles. Housing the body in the casket means the crematory workers do not need to directly handle the body.
During water cremation (alkaline hydrolysis) the casket or container is not cremated with the body. It is disposed of separately.
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