Best place to buy classic cremation urn?

February 13, 2023 5:29 AM

Most cremation urns on Amazon are breathtakingly tacky. The funeral home wants to charge $500 for an urn. If I put the ashes of the person who died in a $500 urn or a tacky urn, those ashes are gonna spin so hard the urn will levitate off the ground. Where do I find an urn that has a classic design and is also below $200?
posted by rednikki to Shopping (19 answers total)

Best answer: I just googled "Cremation Urn" (not in Amazon) and there seem to be some nice ones for less than $100.
One, Two, Three,Four?
posted by nkknkk at 5:40 AM on February 13, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Everyone has different definitions of classic vs. tacky, I think, but the (Canadian) Costco website has half a dozen options for urns at $199.99 or less that might fit the bill. I'm sorry for your loss.
posted by notquitejane at 5:41 AM on February 13, 2023

Best answer: There are some really nice urns on Etsy (also many breathtakingly tacky ones). Maybe you could provide a photo of what you think of as a "classic" urn? (Because a lot of the ones on Amazon seem fairly unobjectionable to me.)

Oh and when ordering online do keep an eye on the size of the urn - don't accidentally buy a pet urn or a mini-urn that won't fit your loved-one's cremains.
posted by mskyle at 5:58 AM on February 13, 2023

Response by poster: The first 8 results on Amazon (at least in my algorithm) are all thigns the deceased would consider tacky: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
posted by rednikki at 6:15 AM on February 13, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Stop looking for "funeral"? This Porcelain Ginger Pot is $70 and the correct size = 200 cu.in = 3.25 litres. The 'Chinese' design probably says too much but there will be similar sized containers in glass, china, steel; probably with better lids.
posted by BobTheScientist at 6:24 AM on February 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Any chance they were a film buff and would appreciate being scattered from a Folger's coffee can?

I really like nkknkk's second option. I can see myself in that.

Your links are all masterpieces for those I hate in this world. Everyone should see them. Flagged as excellent.
posted by biffa at 6:27 AM on February 13, 2023 [4 favorites]

Is there a potter you like, or that the person who died liked? Ask them what a commission would cost.
posted by pullayup at 6:33 AM on February 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Etsy has a good selection of urns. You can search for handmade, wood, porcelain any descriptor you would like.
posted by CleverClover at 6:54 AM on February 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

A. If you are going to scatter the ashes, any kind of container will do. I have participated in several scatterings where we just used the plastic bag inside a cardboard box that came from the crematorium. But if you want something fancier, a nice flower vase or the ginger jar linked or the Etsy choices above would do. It can be repurposed after the scattering is done.

B. If, instead, you want to keep the ashes on a shelf somewhere (which I have also known several people to do), the same idea applies — choose a container that fits the style both of the person to be contained in it, and the space where it will be displayed. It could be a vase, a jar, a box, a hollow sculpture, you name it. Second hand stores or antique shops are brimming (pun intended) with appropriate containers.

C. Third option, if you are going to bury the cremains somewhere, same solution: Nobody will ever see this object again, so just go with a nice but inexpensive container, sourced from any of the above avenues.
posted by beagle at 7:25 AM on February 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

I made a simple turned wood box for a dear friend's beloved's cremains. It looks like there are a few like this in the links above. It's a simple thing to make, so if you don't see one you like, you could perhaps reach out to people do sell them to specify something more in line with your desires and it shouldn't cost the earth. They can be painted, carved, laquered, pyrographed, or simply left plain.
posted by seanmpuckett at 8:02 AM on February 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Try Ebay-they have many choices.
I got one from there-nice price also.
posted by LOOKING at 8:10 AM on February 13, 2023

I was actually asking what you think is *not* tacky - like, what do you see on the funeral home site that you would like if it wasn't $500?

I like the "simple wooden box" look, myself, and that's pretty easy to find for under $100.
posted by mskyle at 8:13 AM on February 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: It's a container. As part of the memorial for someone, friends brought a clay vessel and extra clay and asked people to add decoration to it. My Mom's ashes were interred in a ginger jar my sister made in a pottery class. ginger jars. If it doesn't have a lid, a decorative stopper will work. I did not think to glue the lid in place, that would have been a slight improvement. example urn for dimensions.

When we were going to Mom's funeral, I took the job of putting the ashes (fine grit, really) into the jar. The jar was not quite large enough. I took some ashes and gave some to one brother, (zip lock bags) to scatter in places she loved. A nephew was visiting, my Mom's family was from Maine, so my nephew read a poem, and we scattered the ashes in the Atlantic at her favorite spot. It was an excellent resolution, but be prepared if you don't want to deal with that. We worked with a sort of DIY funeral company; your experience may vary.

I hope dealing with the logistics helps you with the grieving process; it did for me.
posted by theora55 at 9:00 AM on February 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Do you need to buy a container? The ashes will come in a container for free. In my experience, it is a black non-tacky plastic in a black velvety drawstring bag.

For one service, one funeral home let us use an urn for no fee. This sat on the table at the front of the service. I think they thought we might then buy it, but we left it with them and those ashes still live on a bookshelf in the black box they came in.

For another service, the two sets of ashes remained in their black boxes and accompanying black velvet drawstring bags provided by the funeral home. At the service, we leaned framed photos against the black boxes so they were essentially hidden. Further flowers could have been on the table if we wanted. These black boxes were transported to the cemetery and buried.

I felt the same about spending money on a container.
posted by RoadScholar at 9:10 AM on February 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Not sure what aesthetic you're going for, but adding "plain" to the amazon search seems to get at least a few things that look less tacky, or at least less twee. example
posted by rmd1023 at 9:27 AM on February 13, 2023

Best answer: I got my husband's urn from memorials.com. They have tons of urns and I found one that was completely non-traditional, non-tacky. I'm sorry for your loss.
posted by thatone at 10:13 AM on February 13, 2023

The ashes will come in a container for free. In my experience, it is a black non-tacky plastic in a black velvety drawstring bag.

This probably varies alot. The three provided containers that have come into my possession were a cardboard box, a plain unfinished pine box and a fake wood grain laminate over MDF box.
posted by Mitheral at 10:49 AM on February 13, 2023

My Brother's widow asked me to make a simple wooden box for his ashes. The funeral home specked the size. If that sort of container would work for you, maybe a carpenter friend would put one together for little or nothing.
posted by Hobgoblin at 11:39 AM on February 13, 2023

Best answer: In Amazon
Use search terms “urn adult (male or female)”
Don’t use “decorative “ in your search.
I found some nice ones for under $90–
One was polished wood, others had no decorative flourishes.
posted by calgirl at 2:23 PM on February 13, 2023