Are they the same thing?

The Biosun candles follow the "traditional" long thin ear candle shape, while the Otosan cones are much as the name suggests:

You use them in more or less exactly the same way (cute kid optional):

And they are both available individually or in bulk:

So what's the difference?

Otosan are very keen to point out the safety features in their ear cones...

Each pair of ear cones comes with a disc to protect the ear area and hair from heat and any possibility of burning fragments (not that we have seen any fall during our own testing).

Unlike the Biosun candles, which rely on you extinguishing them when you reach the red line, the Otosan cones should extinguish themselves if they burn too low.

...and the fact that the cones carry EU quality and safety registration:

In addition, the Otosan cones contain a more sophisticated filter for preventing material falling down the inside of the cone (the "drop-stop device") than the Biosun candles' simple grid.

In terms of practical use, you will see immediately that the Otosan cones burn with a much more visible flame than the Biosun candles, which can be startling at first if you are used to Biosun. They are also faster-burning.

Both candles come with a small information leaflet. If you would like to download a copy of the information sheet for the Otosan cones in PDF format, click here.

So which do we recommend?

Here at Oxford School of Reflexology we have tested both of these products. We have long experience of the Biosun candles, and the Otosan cones are relatively new, but we feel that otherwise there is little to choose between them in terms of suitability for therapists or the general public.

The list of very sensible precautions and contra-indications for ear candling are very similar for both products, and we strongly recommend reading them carefully before considering self-administration. (Click here for the list of contraindications on our own Hopi Ear Candle page.)

So what we would suggest is that if you are used to Biosun, you give the Otosan candles a try and see if they suit, and if you are new to ear candling altogether, you consider first consulting a therapist with appropriate training to determine if you suffer from any contraindications for ear candling, who will then be able to advise you further.

Click here to order Biosun Hopi Ear Candles in small numbers, or here for bulk packs.

To order Otosan Ear Cones, click here.

We hope this information has helped, and we will be delighted to hear back from anyone who can share practical experience of using both products. Please do get in touch - you can find full contact details here.