Charcoal Cones are considered a premium product and carry a higher price.  They stay lit better than Natural Brown Wood Cones.  This is especially true for the 1 inch cones.  When the cone is first lit there is a flame.  This flame is the fragrance burning and not the cone itself.  After a short time the flame should be blown out and there should be noticed a glowing red area on the cone.  The flame should not be allowed to burn any longer than to let this glowing appear for maximum cone burn time.

 

This is now the cone itself burning.  If this area does not appear the cone should be re-lit until when blown out, the red glowing area does appear.

Now the burning cone has to supply not only the energy to continue burning it also must supply the energy to vaporize the fragrance.  Because the energy supplied  by wood cones is lower than  charcoal cones, the wood cones may not have enough energy to continue burning.  Because the 1 inch cones have a lower mass burning to supply energy they can be the most problematic staying lit.

 

Also it has been reported that the Charcoal Cones are less irritating to the eyes while burning.  This can be important to some people who may be more susceptible to irrigation or who burn a lot of incense.