Every shisha enthusiast, who wishes to graduate from a beginner to an intermediate or an expert, must switch from aluminum foils to a heat management device.

6 Reasons to Buy a Heat Management Device

1.    A heat management device is convenient. You don’t have to take an aluminum foil or two, methodically wrap it around the bowl, poke the holes perfectly, and then deal with the charcoal pieces in a completely open setting. Save time, effort, and energy by switching to a heat management device.

2.  Heat management devices empower you to control the airflow precisely. You can increase or decrease the airflow depending on the needs in real time. This improves the burn rate of charcoal, which means you will have the pieces lasting much longer than when they are placed atop an aluminum foil.

3.    Aluminum foils are not really safe. Charcoal pieces may fall off and you may have ash flying around when you toggle the charcoal. Heat management devices with an enclosed chamber are safe, even when you are dealing with red hot charcoal.

4.    It is effortlessly simple and easy to move the charcoal pieces around in a good quality heat management device. You can conveniently prevent emerging hotspots. There is no risk of accidentally dropping a piece or two of burning charcoal.

5.    Charcoal pieces can get blacked out if there is excessive ash buildup and when you don’t flip or rotate them at the right time. This possibility is negated in some heat management devices due to the raised grilles, rings, or nubs at the bases.

6.    Raised charcoal in a heat management device facilitates better and smoother airflow underneath the pieces. This is a nonstarter if you are using aluminum foils. Also, the heat distribution inside the bowl is uniform and well regulated. This enriches the smoke with more of the flavor.

5 Types of Heat Management Devices

Many companies are making heat management devices nowadays but everything started with Kaloud’s Lotus. Let us do a quick comparison of the five most popular types of heat management devices.  

1.    Lotus style heat management devices come in myriad styles based on the original design and with similar features. There is a cylindrical base with appropriate pores or slots to enable airflow. There is a lid that you can open, close, and rotate. The lid has three vents in the shape of a lotus leaf. The base has a ring of nubs to raise or lower the slots depending on real-time needs. The cast zinc alloy used for Lotus devices is thick. Hence, the charcoal pieces take longer to heat the shisha tobacco inside the bowl. However, the device also retains the heat for much longer due to the thick enclosure.

2.    Razor style heat management devices have a cylindrical base with slots and a lid featuring a top that rotates, just like the ones made by Kaloud. The vents can be regulated but not as much as those in the Lotus devices. The base of Razor models is slightly raised compared to the Lotus designs. Razor heat management devices are made from aluminum, which facilitates faster heating but also retains the heat for a much shorter period in contrast with Kaloud’s Lotus. While Lotus works best with charcoal flats, Razor can accommodate cubes too.

3.    Ignis heat management devices made by Oduman are heavily inspired by Kaloud’s Lotus, with the only subtle distinction being the fan-shaped vents. The base of Ignis is larger so you can use more pieces of charcoal. The aluminum in Ignis devices makes them similar to Razor models that heat up quickly but don’t retain much in due course.

4.    Shishabucks makes Stratus style heat management devices. In addition to the standard features, these models have vents on the side. These side vents can be adjusted to improve airflow, if needed. The lid has a locking feature to provide additional safety when you are using red hot charcoal pieces.

5.    The last type of heat management device on our list is actually a charcoal holder. The Flavor Saver doesn’t have any enclosed chamber and adjustable vents to manage the airflow or heat. However, it can sit atop almost all types of clay bowls. The charcoal pieces are effectively raised and not in direct contact with a foil. This gap prevents burning of the shisha tobacco. Thus, you derive better flavors and a packing lasts longer. The Flavor Saver simplifies rotating, replacing, or just toggling the charcoal pieces.