Do I have to buy a casket from the funeral home?

No. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, a funeral home must accept a casket you bought elsewhere, and it cannot charge you a handling fee for doing so. You're free to buy from a third-party or online retailer and have it delivered.

Do I need a casket for cremation?

Not a traditional one. Crematories require only a rigid, combustible, leak-resistant container. If you want a viewing first, a rental casket works well; otherwise a simple alternative container is enough. A direct cremation avoids the casket question almost entirely.

What's the difference between a casket and a coffin?

A casket is the rectangular, four-sided box common in the US today. A coffin is the older six-sided shape that tapers at the head and foot. The terms are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation.

Are sealed or 'protective' caskets worth the extra cost?

A sealing gasket is an optional feature, and no casket preserves a body indefinitely regardless of sealing. Whether it's worth the added cost is a personal choice — you're free to decline it.

Guides

Funeral caskets: a plain-English guide to types, materials, and costs

A casket is often the single largest line item on a funeral bill, and it's usually chosen during one of the hardest weeks of a family's life. This guide walks through the main types and materials in plain terms, explains what actually drives the price, and covers the rights you have as a buyer. The goal is simple: to help you make a calm, informed choice without paying for features that don't matter to you.

What a casket is (and what it isn't)

A casket is the container that holds the body for a viewing, a service, and burial. People often use the words 'casket' and 'coffin' interchangeably. Strictly speaking, a coffin is the older tapered, six-sided shape that is wider at the shoulders, while a casket is the rectangular box most common in the United States today. In everyday conversation the distinction rarely matters.

It also helps to separate two ideas that get blurred together at the funeral home. A casket is not the same as a burial vault or grave liner. The vault is a separate outer container, usually concrete, that some cemeteries require to keep the ground from settling. And a casket isn't required for every kind of service — how you plan to lay someone to rest changes what you actually need to buy.

Types of funeral caskets

Caskets are usually grouped by what they're made of. Material affects the look, the weight, the price, and how the casket holds up over time. Here are the main categories you'll come across.

Metal caskets

Metal is a common choice in the US. Steel caskets are described by gauge — a lower gauge number means thicker steel and a higher price. Stainless steel and premium metals like bronze and copper sit at the top of the range and resist corrosion better.

Many metal caskets are sold as 'sealer' or 'protective' caskets, with a rubber gasket meant to keep out air and moisture. It's worth knowing that no casket, sealed or not, preserves a body indefinitely, and the gasket is an optional feature you can decline.

Wood caskets

Wood caskets range from hardwoods like mahogany, cherry, walnut, and oak down to more affordable poplar, pine, and veneer over composite board. Hardwoods carry a natural warmth and are often chosen for their craftsmanship. Wood does not seal, which some families actually prefer.

Cloth-covered and fiberboard caskets

These are built from pressed wood or fiberboard covered in fabric. They are among the most affordable options and are a practical, dignified choice — especially when the casket will be cremated or when budget is a real concern.

Green and biodegradable caskets

For a natural or green burial, caskets are made from untreated wood, bamboo, wicker, willow, seagrass, or heavy cardboard, using no metal or synthetic finishes. Green burial grounds often require this kind of container. Our green burial guide covers the wider picture.

Rental caskets

A rental casket is a handsome outer shell used for a viewing or service, with a separate inner container that holds the body and is removed afterward for burial or cremation. Renting can meaningfully lower cost when you want a traditional-looking service but don't need to buy a high-end casket outright.

Caskets for cremation

You do not need an expensive casket for cremation. Crematories require only a rigid, combustible, leak-resistant container — not a traditional casket. This is one of the most common places families overspend, simply because no one told them there was a choice.

If you want a viewing before the cremation, a rental casket lets you have that service without buying a casket that will be burned. If there's no viewing, a simple cremation casket or an alternative container made of cardboard or unfinished wood is entirely appropriate. Our cremation caskets page goes deeper on these options, and a direct cremation removes the casket question almost entirely.

Simple ways to keep cremation casket costs down

A few small choices make a real difference to the final bill.

✓Ask specifically about the 'alternative container' — providers must offer one and cannot require you to buy a casket for a direct cremation.
✓Consider a rental casket if you want a viewing but not a purchase.
✓Compare a couple of providers before deciding — pricing varies widely for the same basic service.

What drives the price

Casket prices span an enormous range, and the number on the tag reflects several things at once. Understanding the drivers helps you spend where it matters to you and skip what doesn't.

Material is the biggest factor — bronze, copper, and premium hardwoods sit at the top, while fiberboard and cloth-covered caskets sit at the bottom. Beyond material, the interior fabric, hardware, finish, and any 'protective' sealing gasket all add cost. Where you buy matters too: caskets bought directly from a funeral home are often marked up more than the same or similar models bought from a third-party retailer.

Cost factors at a glance

These are the elements that move a casket's price up or down.

✓Material — metal type and gauge, or wood species and whether it's solid or veneer
✓Interior — fabric quality, padding, and finish details
✓Hardware and features — handles, adjustable beds, and optional sealing gaskets
✓Where you buy — funeral home versus an outside retailer
✓New versus rental — a rental shell costs far less than an outright purchase

Your rights when buying a casket

The federal Funeral Rule, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, gives you clear protections. A funeral home must provide an itemized, written General Price List so you can compare and choose only what you want. You are also entitled to see a casket price list before being shown the caskets themselves.

Importantly, a funeral home cannot refuse to handle a casket you bought elsewhere, and it cannot charge you a fee for using an outside casket. That means you're free to buy from a third-party retailer — including large online sellers — and have it delivered to the funeral home. Embalming is another area worth knowing about: it is rarely required by law, and a provider generally cannot embalm without permission or charge for it without disclosure.

How to choose without overspending

The most reassuring thing to remember is that the price of a casket has nothing to do with how much someone was loved. A modest casket at a heartfelt service honors a person just as fully as an expensive one. Give yourself permission to choose based on your budget and what feels right, not on pressure or guilt.

Take a moment before you decide. Ask for the written price list, weigh a rental against a purchase if there's a viewing, and price the same or similar casket from an outside retailer. If cremation is the plan, confirm whether you need a casket at all or whether a simpler container will do.

A short checklist before you buy

Working through these steps calmly can save both money and second-guessing.

✓Decide first whether the service is burial or cremation — it changes what you need.
✓Ask for the itemized price list and review it calmly, ideally with a second person.
✓Consider a rental casket if you want a viewing but not a purchase.
✓Compare at least one outside retailer against the funeral home's price.
✓Decline optional features — like sealing gaskets — that you don't want to pay for.
✓Fold the casket into the full picture using our cremation costs and funeral costs guides.

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