How to Light Incense: Sticks, Coils, and Backflow Cones

If you are unsure how to light incense, the basic method is the same for sticks, coils, and backflow cones: place the incense in a suitable holder that catches ash, light its burning end, then gently blow out the flame. A glowing ember should remain. Light a stick at the top, a separated coil at its outer free end, and a backflow cone at its pointed tip.

An ember is the part that stays hot and glows after the open flame is gone. The incense should keep burning from this point. Blowing out the flame is one step in lighting incense; it does not mean the incense is completely extinguished.

This guide uses MORI TASTE’s three incense forms to explain the preparation, lighting, and checks. If you use another brand’s incense or holder, follow its own instructions as well.

Prepare the holder and ash tray before lighting

Have a lighter or matches ready, then check that your holder suits the incense. A stick needs a holder that keeps it secure. A coil needs a burner or stand that supports a single coil. A backflow cone needs a compatible burner with a smoke channel.

Place the holder on a level, stable surface that is heat-resistant and noncombustible. Keep it where an arm or loose clothing will not brush against it. Arrange the incense and ash-catching equipment before lighting, and do not move burning incense.

A small stick holder may support the incense without catching its ash. Put this type of holder inside a separate heat-resistant tray large enough to catch falling ash, and keep both the burning tip and the falling ash within the tray’s boundaries. This is an important part of MORI TASTE’s stick-incense care instructions.

How to light incense sticks, coils, and backflow cones

Light the tip of a secured stick

1. Insert the stick gently. Make sure it is secure and the burning tip is exposed. If the opening is the wrong size, use a compatible holder rather than forcing the stick into it.
2. Light the exposed tip. Hold the flame near the top of the stick. Once the tip catches, move the lighter or match away.
3. Gently blow out the flame. Leave a glowing ember at the tip rather than letting an open flame keep burning.
4. Check that it keeps burning. The ember should remain and the stick should continue releasing smoke. If the ember fades straight away and the smoke stops, it has not stayed alight.

Seeing a flame briefly is not enough to confirm that the stick is lit. You do not need the flame to spread along the whole stick. What matters is an ember at the tip that continues burning on its own.

Separate coils before lighting the outer end

Preparation is easy to overlook with coil incense. MORI TASTE Autumn Osmanthus coils, for example, come as a nested pair. Separate the pair into two individual coils before use, and burn only one at a time.

1. Remove the protective paper and separate the coils. Use dry hands and work gently. Do not bend, squeeze, or force them apart. The paper protects the incense during packaging; it is not a heat-resistant mat.
2. Place one coil on a compatible support. Check that it rests securely and that the burner underneath can catch the ash.
3. Light the outer free end. Find the exposed end on the outside of the spiral and light it with a match or lighter.
4. Blow out the flame and check the ember. Once the outer end keeps burning without an open flame, leave the coil in place.

Do not light the nested pair before separating it, or light both the inner and outer ends at once. The method described here starts at the outer end of one separated coil and follows the product’s instructions.

Align a backflow cone before lighting its tip

A backflow cone has two parts to distinguish. The pointed top is where you light it; the hole in the base connects to the burner’s smoke inlet. Do not try to light the base hole.

1. Check the cone and burner. Use a backflow cone with a hollow channel opening at the base and a compatible burner. Make sure old ash or residue is not blocking the burner’s inlet.
2. Position the cone before lighting. Align the hole in its base with the burner inlet, and make sure the cone sits steadily on its support.
3. Light the pointed tip. Once it catches, gently blow out the flame and leave a glowing ember.
4. Check the ember before judging the smoke flow. Confirm that the tip keeps burning, then watch for downward smoke. Do not repeatedly apply a flame just because the cascade has not appeared yet.

The MORI TASTE Island Oud care instructions explain that downward smoke may take a few minutes to begin. A tip that keeps burning and smoke that has begun flowing down the burner are two separate things to check.

Keep the burner away from direct airflow from fans and air-conditioning vents so you can observe the smoke flow, while still ventilating the room. For more about the connection between the cone’s base hole and the burner’s smoke path, read our guide to how backflow incense burners work.

What if the incense goes out soon after lighting

Identify what is happening before deciding whether to light it again.

If the incense repeatedly goes out after relighting, stop applying more heat and check the incense and holder instructions. Do not assume the incense is faulty before you have checked the cause.

Do these types of incense need a charcoal disc

The incense sticks, coils, and backflow cones described here do not need a separate charcoal disc. Light the burning end of the incense itself, then blow out the flame. This method applies to these three forms; other incense materials may require a different heating method.

Use incense safely after lighting

Incense is still burning even when there is no open flame. Keep it in sight, and keep the holder, ember, and ash away from curtains, paper, clothing, and other flammable materials, as well as children and pets.

Before leaving the room or going to sleep, extinguish the incense completely according to its instructions. Blowing out a visible flame is not enough. Let the holder and ash cool fully before cleaning. The Seattle Fire Department’s incense safety advice also calls for a sturdy surface where the holder will not be knocked over, and for extinguishing incense before leaving or going to bed.

Burning incense produces particles, so keep the room ventilated. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s guidance on indoor particles recommends proper ventilation when burning incense indoors. For backflow incense, avoid direct draughts while still allowing room ventilation. Do not close up the room just to make the downward smoke more visible. Stop using the incense if its smoke or fragrance makes you uncomfortable.

The clearest sign that incense is lit is an ember at the correct end that continues burning after the flame is out. Secure the incense, light the right end, and check the ember before leaving it to burn under supervision.

If you have chosen your incense and need a suitable holder or burner, MORI TASTE Incense + Burner Sets lets you choose equipment to match the incense form. This is a destination for MORI TASTE’s own products.

Are you using sticks, coils, or backflow cones? Does your incense go out shortly after lighting, or does your backflow cone burn without a downward cascade? Share the incense form and holder you use in the comments.