No, it is only for smudging dried herbs... (just learned from @citizenzero that the German räuchern in this case translates to smudging). It's hard to see, but underneath the herbs is a metal-net (like in a kitchen sieve), for essential oils I have a closed claybowl which is then heated over a little candle. I prefer the smudging - and with this devise, I can vary between "heavy smudging with the herbs really starting to create smoke", or just heating them so the smell of the herbs fills the house.... it might be an idea to do a post on this devise in detail :-) Cheers from the Seven Mountains in Germany