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7 Best Caskets: Buyer’s Guide & How to Choose One [2023 Guide]

Funeral arrangements can be complex, and buying a casket can be an absolute headache.

Thankfully, under the Federal Trade Commission’s funeral rule, funeral directors must accept caskets purchased online without penalizing you. Most online casket sellers will ship in a couple of days. That means you can take the time to look at your options and ensure you get it right.

We’ve looked at many types of caskets across the web and at funeral homes to put together this complete casket buying guide, so you have all the information you need to make an informed purchase and buy the best casket for your specific circumstances. We’ve assessed them by types, prices, sizes, materials, and brands.

From our in-depth research, the Titan Casket Orion Series Steel Casket stood out as the clear overall winner, as a beautiful and elegant casket at an extremely affordable price. It checks every box on our list, coming in various colors (including bronze, navy blue, and rose gold), being available to be shipped urgently, and having a premium build.

Best Overall Pick

titan casket orion series steel casket Bronze

Titan Casket Orion Series

A beautiful casket, shipped fast, and the best value for money.

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The 7 Top-Rated Caskets

Editor’s PicksCasketOur Rating
1. Top Casket PickTitan Casket – Orion Series Steel Casket4.7/5
2. Best Budget CasketTitan Casket – Cloth Covered Casket4.3/5
3. Best Wooden CasketOvernight Caskets  – Lincoln Poplar Mahogany Finish Casket4.0/5
4. Best Eco-Friendly CasketCarnation Natural Caskets – Virtus Handcrafted Green Casket4.5/5
5. Best Premium OptionSatin Series Steel Casket4.8/5
6. Best Oversize CasketJupiter XL Series Steel Casket4.4/5
7. Best Casket for VeteransTitan Casket – Veteran Steel Casket4.5/5

Our Top Pick

Titan Casket’s made-in-America Orion Series 20 gauge steel caskets are perhaps the best value traditional casket you can find on the current market. They come in a vast range of colors, look great, have a sturdy build, and cost significantly less (think half) than you might expect to pay at a funeral home.

These half-couch metal caskets have a glossy finish, so they look good in all types of lighting. In terms of the casket’s interior, they have a very soft crepe-finished cloth lining material. The casket has a rubber gasket, so the interior will be well protected once the coffin is buried.

One significant concern with buying a casket is ensuring it arrives on time. Titan Casket gets another point in that regard, offering fast, kind, and easy service. They will work with you to ensure the casket arrives when you need it.

Personal preference is the only potential issue I can see anyone having with the Orion Series casket. The casket looks precisely as displayed in the images – so if you don’t like the style, you might want to look elsewhere. 

Furthermore, being made of steel, these caskets are certainly not a green or “eco-friendly” option.

Pros

  • Affordable option
  • High Quality
  • Great service and quick shipping (with guaranteed delivery date)
  • Available in a variety of colors

Cons

  • Not suitable for cremation
  • Not an eco-friendly option

Best Budget Casket

Best Budget Pick

titan casket cloth covered grey blue

Titan Casket Cloth Covered Grey/Blue

A solid, durable, attractive casket great for those on tighter budgets.

Titan Casket’s cloth-covered casket is a more affordable alternative to a typical metal casket or hardwood casket that doesn’t compromise on build quality.

The interior lining is made from the same materials as their traditional caskets, having a soft touch crepe finish.

On the outside, the casket has a very modest and low-key blue/grey patterned cloth that is also soft to the touch. It is nothing extravagant to look at, but if you want something simple and clean, it certainly doesn’t look bad.

Unlike most other caskets we reviewed, this casket is not available in different colors. What you see in the image above is what you will get.

The build quality is fine, and the casket is relatively light and easy to lift using the metal handles on the side. An oversized option is also available for a small price bump if you or your loved one is unlikely to fit the standard dimensions.

If you don’t want to break the bank but want something somewhat normal (as opposed to something like a cardboard or wicker coffin), this is a solid choice.

Pros

  • Great budget option
  • High quality considering the price
  • As with all Titan Caskets, excellent service and guaranteed shipping times
  • Simple and modest looking
  • Light-weight

Cons

  • Not “premium”
  • Available only in blue/grey color

Best Wooden Casket

Best Wood Casket

overnight caskets poplar mahogany wood casket

Overnight Caskets Lincoln Poplar Casket

A solid, durable, attractive casket great for those on tighter budgets.

Overnight Caskets produce high-quality caskets that will ship in 1 – 2 days, for free, to almost any funeral home in the USA.

Their Lincoln Solid Poplar Casket is no exception. This is an incredibly high-quality wooden casket with a beautiful glossy varnished finish. Honestly, it looks fit for a royal. Thankfully, you don’t have to be a royal to afford one.

While this is not a gasketed casket because it is made from wood, it still has all the features you would expect to see on a higher-end metal casket, including premium swing bars, a half-couch design, and an adjustable bed.

Like all the caskets in our buying guide, this one will fit in a standard burial vault and is large enough for most average-sized people. 

One major downside with this option is that the color in the image doesn’t entirely reflect the color of the casket when seen in person. The model we viewed was a slightly brighter shade of brown rather than the deep mahogany casket the marketing shows. 

Furthermore, compared to the metal options we reviewed, we noticed more (minor) imperfections with this casket.

However, it’s still the best of all the wood caskets we reviewed and will save you $1,000+ compared to what you would pay at a funeral home for the same product quality.

Pros

  • Better value than typical retail options
  • A beautiful, regal wooden design
  • Easy to carry with sturdy handles
  • Quick and free shipping to most funeral homes
  • Comes with a memory drawer/tube

Cons

  • Color not exactly as expected
  • No gasket seal

Best Eco-Friendly Casket

Best “Green” Casket

carnation virtus natural wicker biodegradable casket

Carnation Natural Caskets – Virtus Handcrafted Green Casket

An impressive and simple hand-woven wicker casket from a socially conscious company. An excellent option for a natural burial.

This is one of the best caskets if you’re looking for something more eco-friendly.

Carnation Natural Casket’s biodegradable Virtus full-couch caskets are great for those who want a burial with a minimal environmental impact, at a very reasonable price.

Despite being free of glue and metal, the build quality of this casket is surprisingly high. The coffin itself is rated for up to 400lbs, which is beyond the point at which we would recommend an oversized casket in any case. This weight is supported by rope handles.

The casket is built from woven rattan wicker. It is about the same size as most other caskets in our guide, so it fits perfectly into US standard burial vaults or a less conventional burial site if you are looking for natural cemetery options. The corners of this casket are rounded and smooth.

All of that said, if you are really committed to a green funeral, you may want to consider building your own casket or commissioning a personalized casket from someone closer to you. While Carnation Natural will deliver fast (and can offer guaranteed shipping times), the product will still be shipped from California, and there might be better local options.

Pros

  • Reasonable price
  • Looks beautiful
  • Biodegradable
  • Better for the environment than most other caskets
  • Fast shipping
  • Strong and sturdy build quality
  • Also suitable for cremation as built out of combustible materials

Cons

  • Based in California – you may want to consider local options if minimizing pollution/emissions is a priority
  • Customer service was perfectly fine, but not the best of all companies we reviewed

Best Premium Casket

Best Premium Casket

premium white gold casket satin series

Titan Casket Satin Series Steel Casket

An excellent, high quality casket made with 20 gauge steel for those who want to go “all out” with their final goodbye.

If money was no object, a Satin Series Steel Casket in white and gold is the casket I would choose. They are luxurious and exquisite, with reinforced bars on the side and a universal locking mechanism to ensure the casket is truly sealed shut before burial.

Unlike many other caskets in our guide, this one is upgradable in several ways (Note: All these will cost extra):

  • You can choose 18 gauge steel rather than 20 gauge standard steel,
  • A velvet material interior is available,
  • A full-couch casket lid rather than a half-couch lid is an option.

All these factors come together to really make the Satin Series casket my personal favorite. 

However, that doesn’t mean it is the best value. For most people, these upgrades will be unnecessary. The other caskets in our buying guide serve most of the same functions, and they serve them well.

Whether you’re pre-buying for your own funeral, or buying for a loved one, this is an impeccable option that does not require you to spend nearly ten thousand dollars at a funeral home. For me, this is one of the best caskets on the market.

Pros

  • Exceptional customer service and prompt, reliable shipping
  • A very premium looking and feeling option at a reasonable price
  • Impeccable build quality
  • Upgradable

Cons

  • There are other options that are better value for money

Best Oversized Casket

Best Oversized Casket

jupiter xl best casket oversized

Jupiter XL Series Steel Casket

A robust and excellent value option for bodies that are unsuitable for standard-sized caskets.

This casket is almost the same casket as our top pick, the Orion Series Steel option.

The main difference is that it’s bigger.

Besides being available in 10 different colors, the Jupiter XL casket is available in widths ranging from 28 inches up to 36 inches. This should undoubtedly do the job if you won’t fit in a standard-sized coffin.

There’s not much to say in terms of quality and features other than it has all the fittings you would expect from a premium casket: A nice finish, a gasketed design, and reinforced handles to ensure it can be transported safely.

From the outside, it looks clean, solid, and simple. 

You can’t go wrong with this if you need something bigger than a regular casket. We are particularly fond of the white color option.

Pros

  • A solid, good-quality oversized casket for those who need something bigger
  • Many color options to choose from
  • Good customer service and support

Cons

  • More expensive than standard-sized caskets – but that makes sense
  • May take longer to ship due to their weight than standard-sized caskets

Best Casket for Veterans

Best Military Casket

best military casket from titan casket

Titan Casket – Veteran Steel Casket

The best casket we could find on the market for those who want to honor a deceased veteran.

Finally, we have the Veteran Steel Casket in silver from Titan Casket.

If you’re looking for a casket for a deceased military member, you can’t go wrong with this. 

It is built with 20-gauge steel, has a modest silver finish, sharp casket corners, and customizable insignia based on the branch of the military the deceased served to add a personal touch.

It is another excellent quality casket from this vendor.

Pros

  • Made from high quality 20 gauge steel
  • Great customer service from the vendor
  • Solid and sturdy build quality
  • Customizable insignia to honor the deceased and add a personal touch

Cons

  • More expensive than we would have hoped
  • Only appropriate for veterans

Buyer’s Guide

Types of Casket

There are many types of caskets, but most people will be best suited to traditional wooden coffins or more modern steel caskets like the ones featured above. These are the most popular types and what most people are ultimately buried in.

Their primary design benefits beyond looking respectable and traditional are that they are typically accepted by most cemeteries and do a good job of protecting the body in the short term.

In terms of less traditional options, biodegradable caskets are used for natural burials. These are usually made from materials like wicker and cloth, with handles made from rope or bamboo. These can be good options if a green burial is what you are looking for.

wicker casket in natural burial grave

Another type of casket to consider is a cremation casket. These are what you need to be looking for if you intend to be cremated, as people increasingly are

Related Article: Cremation Diamonds Buyer’s Guide: Prices, Tips, & Options

Unlike burial caskets, cremation caskets need to be built entirely out of combustible materials, so they are usually made solely out of things like wood. Cremation caskets don’t usually look the best – so I wouldn’t bother with this type unless you intend to be cremated.

Once you’ve chosen the type of casket you want, you can also start thinking about style and color. Most people choose a simple brown, navy blue, or black for the exterior, while white is the most common interior lining color. If you want something more lighthearted, pink and silver are also decent hues you can choose from.

Casket Price

With all the types, styles, and colors of caskets available, it is easy to forget another significant consideration when shopping for a casket: Your budget. 

At funeral homes, the best-priced caskets usually start at $2,500 and only go up in price from there, with some of the most premium options costing close to (or even over) $10,000. For most, the casket is one of the highest funeral costs.

But caskets don’t have to be that expensive. You can minimize your funeral expenses by purchasing a casket online. The most costly casket in our guide is around $2,000, with the cheapest being around $1,000. If you’re okay with a simple wood or cardboard casket, you can go even cheaper than that.

We recommend having a budget in mind before you start looking for a casket and working around that. It’s easy to end up paying much more than you first intended because you want to ensure your loved one receives the best option, but this really isn’t necessary:

High-quality caskets don’t have to be expensive. Anything from a reputable brand like Trusted Caskets, Titan Casket, or even Costco will be of decent quality, no matter the option you choose. 

I recommend setting a budget of around $2,000 and working from there. This should ensure you get something good without getting ripped off.

Size & Weight

Naturally, the casket needs to be large enough to hold the deceased’s body.

There are two parts to this: The casket’s dimensions and the weight the casket is rated for.

Standard-sized caskets usually have dimensions around 84 inches long, 23 inches tall, and 28 inches wide. Regarding weight rating, most caskets can hold a body weighing up to 400 pounds.

For most, this will suffice.

standard casket dimensions infographic showing casket overlayed with usual measurements of width, height, and length

It’s not until you are looking at a person weighing over 340 pounds or over 6 foot 7 tall that we recommend considering an “oversized casket.”

However, before doing that, it is worth contacting the manufacturer of a casket you’re interested in if you have any concerns. A lot of the time a standard-sized coffin might suffice even if the official dimensions don’t quite line up.

If you do need something larger, you should be searching for what’s called an “oversized casket.” These can go up to 40+ inches wide and hold pretty much any weight you can throw at them. 

Most casket makers have oversized options, so they’re not that hard to find. Our favorites is the Jupiter XL Series Steel Casket we reviewed in our guide above.

In terms of weight, most caskets weigh around 150 to 225 pounds. Metal caskets are usually on the upper end of that range, and 18 gauge steel caskets can weigh 30 pounds on top of that. In any case, even with a body inside, this is easy for six pallbearers to carry. As long as the casket weighs less than 300 pounds, I wouldn’t give this much thought.

Where to Buy a Casket

We recommend buying a basket online because, simply put, it will save you a lot of money. 

You can buy a casket from a funeral home – but the markup will be significant. A casket that costs a funeral home $2,000 might be sold for $8,000. Upsells are common. Make sure you request a Casket Price List from your funeral director; you are entitled to see a copy of this.

Also, remember, the FTC’s consumer protection regulations require that funeral homes must accept caskets purchased online – they cannot legally refuse you. It is essential to let your funeral director know you intend to have a casket delivered as early as possible, so they can be prepared. 

The most important thing when buying caskets online is looking at your chosen brand’s shipping timeframes and policies. The last thing you want is a casket not showing up on time. 

All of the brands below offer swift shipping with guaranteed arrival times.

Titan Casket:

Titan Casket offers premium caskets at reasonable prices. We featured them multiple times in our guide, which says all you need to know about our thoughts on them. For metal caskets, they are our go to recommendation, potentially offering the best options in the funeral industry. They provide free shipping and guarantee timely delivery of your purchase. 

Trusted Caskets:

Trusted Caskets is a very similar brand to Titan Casket. They sell caskets of comparable quality at similar prices. The primary reason we favor Titan Casket is because of their customer service and easy-to-navigate website. Trusted Caskets are still a perfectly good option.

Overnight Caskets: 

Overnight Caskets are another solid option. They offer free overnight shipping to most funeral homes in the USA and have 4.5 stars on TrustPilot. We really liked their Lincoln Poplar Casket featured in our buyer’s guide. They also offer other wood caskets we quite liked.

We’re not a fan of Best Price Caskets, Thacker Caskets, or Fast Caskets, primarily due to their customer service and prices. If you find another brand you’re interested in, look them up with the Better Business Bureau to get an idea of their trustworthiness.

If you don’t want to buy online but also don’t want to spend the exorbitant funeral homes prices, Costco and Walmart also offer caskets at reasonable prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Type of Casket Lasts the Longest?

I’ve effectively written an entire article on this question.

In short, the type of casket that lasts the longest is one made out of thick, stainless steel. However, any metal casket including ones made out of bronze and copper can last for decades underground. The exact amount of time a casket will last also depends on the environmental and soil conditions. 

What is The Difference Between 18 and 20 Gauge Steel Caskets?

“Gauge” refers to thickness, with a lower number representing a thicker material. This means that 18 gauge caskets are slightly thicker than 20 gauge steel caskets. For most people, the difference is immaterial. However, if you want to ensure your casket lasts underground for as long as possible, then a lower gauge casket is better.

What’s the Best Material for a Casket or Coffin?

The best material for a casket or coffin will entirely depend on personal desires and preferences.

For someone that wants a biodegradable material that will decompose in the ground in under five years, then a wicker coffin or cloth burial shroud would be the best option.

For people who want heavy duty caskets that provide protection for bodies for decades, then 18 gauge steel caskets placed in a plastic lined concrete burial vaults might be the best option.

Then for people who care about having a coffin that looks classy and elegant? Hardwood caskets with mahogany or oak veneers might be the “best material”. 

In short, it depends.

What’s the Difference Between Funeral Caskets and Coffins?

The key difference between caskets and coffins is their shape: While caskets are rectangular, coffins are tapered towards the top and bottom. Caskets are more common in the USA, while coffins are the preferred burial casket in countries like the UK. At the end of the day, they both serve the same purpose.

Example of a wooden coffin:

Face Covered Casket Closed Header Image

Example of a metal casket:

metal casket type

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James Peacock
James Peacock
Hey, I'm James, the founder of After Your Time. I'm a lawyer specializing in trusts, wills, and estates. I help clients dealing with death everyday, and I hope the content on our site can do something similar for you.
James Peacock
James Peacock
Hey, I'm James, the founder of After Your Time. I'm a lawyer specializing in trusts, wills, and estates. I help clients dealing with death everyday, and I hope the content on our site can do something similar for you.

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