Glass casket price: Are clear-view glass burial caskets expensive?
By: Mr. Jeremy Lessaris / Read more about us.
If you aren’t looking for direct cremation for your lost relative; but rather want to arrange visitation and farewell, a glass casket might meet your needs. On average, one is supposed to spend more than $2,000 for a glass casket.
However, buyers are allowed to rent a casket from any funeral home instead of buying paying some additional charges. Even though renting one casket appears cheaper, it’s basically the expensive option offered by funeral homes.
Meanwhile, caskets made of wood or metals like bronze are quite expensive compared the glass ones as they can cost you up to $10,000. Now, let’s get into the details quickly.
What is a Glass casket?
A glass casket is a type of coffin or casket that is made entirely or partially of glass. It is designed to allow the deceased to be visible from the outside, providing a unique and visually striking way to display the body at a funeral or memorial service.
Glass caskets can be made from a variety of materials, including tempered glass, crystal, and acrylic. They may also include decorative elements such as etchings, engravings, or other embellishments.
While glass caskets are not a common choice for burials or funerals, they have been used in some cultures and traditions throughout history. They are often considered to be a symbol of luxury or opulence and may be used for high-profile or celebrity funerals.
However, there are some practical considerations to keep in mind when considering a glass casket. For example, glass caskets may be more fragile or delicate than traditional caskets, and may require special care and handling during transport and burial. Additionally, they may not be suitable for all climates or burial conditions, as extreme temperatures or moisture could potentially damage the glass.
How much does a glass casket cost?
Even if you have a tight budget, you can still arrange a funeral program without getting any funeral home service. Make sure to get a clear viewing glass casket for $2,000 or above and make visitation pleasant.
- Glass caskets have a clear viewing design
- It’s a worthy option for funeral and visitation
- Prevents from opening up the lid every time
- Easy to take out the body for cremation
- Has various lighting options inside
- Cheaper than high-end metal or wood caskets.
Meanwhile, any buyer of these caskets has two options for purchasing. One is to get the casket from the funeral home service and the other one is to purchase it on his own.
It’s pretty easy to get your cherished glass casket from a funeral home regarded that you pay the extra charges for funeral services. On the other hand, one has every right to decide the casket quality by choosing it by him.
Categorize different types of funeral caskets
Funeral caskets are available for less than $1,000 as well as these caskets can cost you more than $10,000. Now, here comes the most confusing part which type of casket should you go for.
Basically, it’s easy to categorize the caskets into low-end, mid-range, and high-end ones depending on the price. However, the construction quality is directly related to the pricing.
| Types of funeral caskets | Price |
| Steel casket | $1,200 to $5,000 |
| Glass casket | $2,300 to $5,500 |
| Copper casket | $3,500 to $6,000 |
| Bronze casket | $4,200 to $12,000 |
| Wooden casket | $1,000 to $7,000 |
| Cardboard casket | $400 to $2,000 |
| Cremation casket | $300 to $2,500 |
Which is the most expensive type of funeral casket?
If you are searching for the most robust type of casket for any funeral program, bronze is the right option. However, steel and copper are two more options you have for durability.
Meanwhile, steel caskets have three categories –
- Standard steel
- Stainless steel
- 16, 18, and 20-gauge steel.
Stainless steel caskets can cost 1 ½ time more than standard steel caskets. The cost of stainless steel can go up to $4,000 compared to the cost of $2,500 for a standard steel casket.
Another key factor that impacts the steel casket pricing is the gauge. The higher number of gauges, the thinner steel it is and the cheaper as well.
Therefore, a 16-gauge steel casket can cost you up to $5,000. Meanwhile, copper offers comparatively a cheaper option than steel and bronze.
When should you go for the cheapest type of casket?
Now, you must decide whether there will be any arrangement of a funeral program or straight-forward cremation of the body. It’s necessary to decide because cheaper caskets aren’t really meant for farewell functions or visitations.
Cardboard and fiberboard are the two cheapest options you have in the case, you are running out of money. However, specialized cremation caskets are also a handy option for those, who aren’t looking forward to arranging any farewell.
Why choose a glass casket over the other options?
It’s a tiresome job for the mortician to open up the lid whenever a visitor comes to have a final look at the dead body. Therefore, having a see-through casket for the visitors is the best option you have.
The only thing, you need to worry about in the casket is that it must hold the weight and size of the dead body.
Types of glass caskets
Glass caskets are the most worthy options for the visitors to have a last sight of the dead person. However, being a bit expensive, often people search for a cheaper option to meet the tight budget.
To solve the budget problem, we’ve categorized these caskets into two types.
- For farewell program
- For the burial
Glass caskets for the farewell programs are well designed, decorated, and colorful. Comparatively, these are the expensive options you have when buying glass caskets of coffins.
It stands on strong feet that hold the dead body’s weight through perfect weight distribution. On the other hand, cheaper glass caskets are more often used for burial purposes, not for visitors.
The rental cost of see-through caskets
Renting a see-through glass casket is a good option when it’s value for money. Renting it either online or from a funeral home are the two options you have. The renting charge can be somewhere from $600 to $1,500.
However, which type of casket you are going for is a key factor to decide the rent price. Meanwhile, the funeral home isn’t going to include the additional charges for displaying the body, cremation, carrying it, etc. with the renting cost.
The buyer needs to get these services by paying extra charges. In that case, you are free to decide whether you need a visitor casket or a burial casket. A burial casket is the cheaper option on any day.
Does the size of the glass casket impact the price?
Yes, the size of the glass casket does impact the pricing. Two types of caskets are there in terms of sizes.
- Standard size casket
- Oversized casket
Both length and width are comparable when it comes to the sizes. Typically, a standard size casket is 2 feet wide and 7 feet long. It can hold a standard size body that is no more than 6.5 feet and 300 pounds.
However, any dead body above these limitations might require a larger casket. An oversized casket can be 2.5 feet wide and up to 7.5 feet long.
No matter how big is an oversize glass casket, it’s going to cost you more than a typically sized casket.
How much is a used glass casket?
Even though you need to go for a used glass casket, it’s still a good option to cross-cut your total budget. Like most other used products in the market, glass caskets are subject to lose their value after using for once.
In that case, getting used caskets from $1,500 to $3,500 is quite a possible thing. The rule of thumb is, that it’s going to lose 15% to 40% of its value on average depending on how long it’s being used.
But according to our expert team’s suggestion, if you really want to save a few bucks, go to rent a casket instead of getting a used one.
Are clear-view glass burial caskets expensive?
The answer is yes and no at the same time because it depends on several things. The first and foremost job before selecting any casket is to decide the purpose of using it.
- Go for clear-view glass caskets for visitation
- Go for metal or wooden caskets for burial
Glass caskets aren’t going to cost you more than $6,000. On the other hand, if you are getting your hands on the most expensive bronze casket, you are supposed to spend double the amount of money that a glass casket.
However, if the bronze casket is used for the funeral program, it may not turn out a value for the money spent. Again, one needs to think about the difference between the weight distribution capacities of these two casket types.
Meanwhile, for direct burial, one can move towards the cheapest option of cardboard or fiberboard casket.
Glass casket vs. wooden casket: Which is better?
A glass casket is better as it provides a clear view to the visitors. And wooden casket is better as it can hold more weight with upgraded weight distribution.
One of these caskets is better than the other one depending on the situation it’s used.
Glass casket:
Glass caskets are made with clear viewing windows that keep the dead body in front of the visitors’ eyesight. It’s available both in standard and oversized versions.
No one has to open up the lid of the casket each time when someone arrives to have a last view of the dead. However, as it comes with a sensitive construction, it often can’t hold a heavyweight body.
Wooden casket:
The most annoying fact about a wooden casket is to open the lid whenever the dead body is displayed for the funeral program.
However, it’s a thicker casket that can bear the weight of the dead body. And in this term, it appears to be a better option than the glass one.
Alternatives to glass caskets:
Metal caskets including standard steel, stainless steel, bronze, and copper caskets are worthy alternatives to glass caskets. Moreover, cardboard caskets are a cheaper alternative as long as it’s not meant for display.
Where to buy funeral glass caskets?
There’s a huge amount of options in front of you when buying funeral glass caskets.
- Purchasing from a physical shop
- Online retail services
- From funeral homes
- Renting instead of buying.
Different manufacturers have made glass caskets to meet the customers’ demand for funeral programs. Get the information whether you have any physical shop for that particular manufacturer in your area or not.
In case, you don’t find one, the best you can do is to purchase one through online retail services. However, you will have to pay extra charges for shipping the casket to your residence.
The third but the most expensive option to get a glass casket is to rely on a funeral home. It’s the most expensive option because there are a lot of extra charges except for the casket price.
If someone isn’t willing to arrange any funeral, it may not be appropriate to make a deal with the funeral home. The reason is that they are going to charge you from the arrangement to the burial of the program.
How much does a casket spray cost?
Decorating the casket with flowers and floral smell is way known as casket spray. Depending on how intensely you decorate the casket lid, the cost will range from $150 to $500.
Compared to the cost of the casket, it’s a little amount of money you will spend on the funeral. However, it’s good to know that casket spray is usable for both funeral or visitation and burial programs.
What’s the funeral home cost?
A Funeral home service is the most expensive type of options one has to arrange the farewell of any dead person. Depending on the arrangement of the program, the service can charge you up to $5,000.
However, it doesn’t cover the cost of a glass casket and one must pay extra dollars for it. Meanwhile, the funeral home service covers the entire program from the visitation to the burial of the dead body.
Moreover, it provides you with the death certificate of the dead body including the permission for the burial as well.
Cost analysis
Here comes the final part of the entire discussion as you know when to purchase a glass casket and at what cost. These gaskets aren’t strong enough compared to metal or wooden caskets.
However, it’s the best type of casket you have for arranging any visitation program for the dead body.
- A glass casket is more expensive than standard steel and cardboard.
- Cheaper than stainless steel, copper, and bronze.
- Oversized caskets are expensive.
- Renting caskets is a good option.
- Funeral home services are expensive.