Let's remember the time when everyone smoked hookah only on foil and no one knew about the imminent appearance of kaloud. At that time, there were no other options for smoking hookah, except to cover the bowl with a double layer of foil, make holes with a toothpick and put charcoal on it. Then, the hookah industry took a huge step forward, and everyone forgot about using foil. Or not?
But what actually is the benefit of smoking on foil and whether or not foil is needed if there is a heatt keeper. Kaloud or foil, which is better?
Foil
It’s certainly universal – and this is the main advantage. Foil is absolutely suitable for any hookah, because you can easily adjust the size to the one you need, and there’ll be no problems with the shape. The only exceptions are the latest generation devices, the bowl of which was originally intended only for kaloud.
Undoubtedly, kaloud is convenient. It is reusable, the charcoal lies comfortably within the boundaries of the heat keeper without falling to the floor. But what does foil give instead of kaloud? The main thing is the transfer of taste. Why is this happening:
- The foil’s much thinner than the hookah kaloud. Thus, the tobacco in the bowl is much closer to the charcoals. There’s a risk of overheating and burning tobacco, but with proper heat control, tobacco will begin to reveal more actively.
- Heat distribution. When heating hookah on kaloud, the heat enters the bowl due to the heating of kaloud itself. When putting coals on the foil, on the edges of the bowl, it is a bowl that is heated and the tobacco warms up evenly with a stable temperature. The main mistake is to put charcoal on the center of the foil. So you heat the center of the tobacco, not the bowl itself, and the tobacco begins to burn.
- Disclosure of tastes. When packing the bowl by sectors, the palette of flavors is revealed gradually. By moving the coals to different corners of the bowl, you can smoke each flavor in turn.
Foil is traditional, and connoisseurs of the old school prefer it. There’s some charm here, the charm of the classics. Many hookah lovers note that it makes the taste richer and the aroma stays more pronounced. But here, of course, we are talking about the subjectivity of perception.
Why do many smokers still prefer the good old foil to the new development? There Are reasons for this. For example, strong tobacco that needs a high level of heat. A couple of charcoals, barely able to fit in a cramped kaloud and are not able to give the right temperature. This, by the way, can be attributed to the complete tightness of the foil.
The thing is that tinkering with foil takes a lot of time. Plus, not every beginner can cope with it – if it’s incorrectly placed on the bowl, then the taste can be ruined due to tobacco burning or ashes spilled inside the bowl. Sometimes the problem may be the lack of a suitable tool for piercing holes or the absence of the foil itself. It has the unpleasant property of ending at the most inopportune moment. For example, in the evening, when all the shops are already closed. kaloud will be enough to buy just once.
But at the same time, the foil doesn’t need to be constantly washed, diligently cleaning the burnt tobacco...
Kaloud is the "Foil killer"
Indeed, that's what hookah enthusiasts call it. The heat keeper’s much more practical than foil – and this is the main advantage of kaloud. With it the hookah preparation time is significantly reduced, and the ease of use allows you to use such a device even outdoors. Plus, charcoals are used more rationally, the heat’s distributed as evenly as possible. It’s impossible to ignore the stylish look of the new device. It fully corresponds to modern fashion trends.
However, if you decide to buy a kaloud for a hookah, first make sure that the chosen model fits your bowl, otherwise you’ll waste money. In addition, remember that the device’s more expensive than foil, in addition, it heats up stronger and faster, so unpleasant sensations in the throat are possible, especially at first. But this rarely happens.
We have already written more about working with kaloud in this article.
Which is better for a hookah: foil or kaloud?
Choose according to your taste. Hookah can be smoked well, as in the case of kaloud, and with foil. It all depends on how skillfully the hookah is made. But, if you want to experience hookah smoking in a new way, then we advise you to smoke a hookah on foil in a professional hookah bar or with a kaloud at home..
The first thing you need to understand is that using kaloud, you’ll forget about the foil, and vice versa. In other words, both of these adaptations mutually exclude each other. You might think that, as a representative of the new generation, kaloud wins everything in front of the foil, but it isn’t quite true. Both options have their pros and cons.