Heat management

Managing heat can be boring unless...

We've all been there: you meet up with friends to try out your new hookah bought from 1001 Cachimbas, place the coals on the burner, prepare your bowl with your favorite flavor, and when you go to try it... It tastes burnt! You try to fix it by moving the coals, purge the hookah a thousand times, and on top of that, you have to keep an eye on the coals to avoid ruining the bowl. These are first-world hookah problems, true, but also problems of the past thanks to heat management devices.

Along with the market, we hookah enthusiasts have also evolved and discovered efficient ways to enjoy a hookah without having to constantly monitor the heat that the bowl receives, all thanks to heat management devices. These are generally metal accessories where the coals rest, facilitating controlled and efficient combustion throughout the session. But which heat management device should we choose?

Main differences between heat management devices

Perfect, we want to stop using our hookah the old-fashioned way, placing the coals on aluminum foil, and we want to choose a new heat management device, but we don't know which one to pick. Innovation is continuous in this sector, but let's look at the main types of heat management devices currently available: the provost, the kaloud, and the screen.

The famous apple: the provost

Let's start with the most classic, the provost. This well-known and widely used heat management device in our world began to gain fame by being used differently from its original design.

This heat management device was originally made for a specific bowl called "Apple on Top," and it became popular because it could be used with different bowls, even though it wasn't designed for that purpose. The provost consists of a metal plate that rests on the bowl and a second plate that acts as a lid with holes that allow air to enter. Both plates have leaf-shaped handles, which, along with its intended bowl, form the shape of an apple.

However, this accessory works perfectly on a bowl with pierced aluminum foil and provides optimal, proportional combustion that allows you to relax and enjoy your hookah. It is the most widely used heat management device due to its versatility and convenience, making it the preferred choice in most cases if you're looking for a uniform and long-lasting combustion.

[photo of provost with bowl]

As you can see in our catalog, we sell not only this device but also evolved versions and even cheaper replica versions. At 1001 Cachimbas, we recommend using it with two coals and placing the lid on one of them like a seesaw for standard sessions. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a longer session and have flavors that can withstand the heat, you can use three coals and do without the lid. It’s an accessory that easily adapts to almost any bowl and is absolutely essential if you want to become a true hookah enthusiast, but there’s more.

Stronger sessions thanks to the kaloud

Of course, true hookah enthusiasts can't stick to just one method of managing the heat of their bowl, and that's why the kaloud exists. This is a Russian-origin heat management device characterized by thicker metal parts than the provost and the fact that it's designed to be used without aluminum foil.

Kaloud-type heat management devices offer much more intense hookah sessions than other methods, at the cost of session duration. While the provost provides uniform heat management throughout the combustion of the coals, the kaloud has a peak of intensity at the beginning that gradually decreases throughout the session. This is because, by being in more direct contact with the bowl's content, it cooks faster.

[photo of kaloud in action]

The kaloud-type heat management device is ideal for flavors with high heat resistance or dark leaf tobacco, making it an excellent option if you prefer more flavor or intensity over a prolonged session. The only downside compared to the provost is that you have to be more careful when preparing the bowl, as without aluminum foil, the device can more easily come into contact with the flavor and burn it quickly, and it may not fit the diameter of certain bowls.

In our store, we have several versions of this heat management device, replica versions, and even models from different manufacturers. So, if you'd like to try it on your hookah, don't hesitate any longer and choose from our wide variety.

The often forgotten: the screen

Lastly, there’s the screen. This heat management device comes from a traditional heat management device and is used differently from its original design, similar to the provost. This heat management device consists of the mentioned screen, a metal plate that wraps around the bowl, and a small cylindrical chimney. The screen heat management device is known for preventing overcooking of the bowl thanks to its chimney, which makes it difficult to burn the flavor. Designed for traditional bowls, this heat management device provides a session where the flavor is greatly intensified at the cost of performance and smoke production.

[photo of screen with grid]

However, the screen is increasingly falling out of use for several reasons, mainly due to its design, as it fits very few bowls and doesn't offer many differences compared to other heat management devices. Even so, one of its components, the grid, is still widely used.

This is because, even though with the grid you still have to move the coals around from time to time to prevent the sides resting on it from going out, it provides heat management distributed evenly across the bowl.

The big question: Which one should I choose?

In short, heat management is an important aspect of enjoying a good hookah, but with several options available, it can be difficult to decide which one to choose for your next smoke session. However, at 1001 Cachimbas, we encourage you not to stick to just one and alternate between different methods to continue progressing in this hobby we love so much.

The beauty of this hobby is that it allows us to experiment and try new alternative methods. That's how some of the mentioned heat management devices were born, and other combinations, such as using fruits as bowls or covering the kaloud with aluminum foil to create a hot air chamber, are also tested. In the end, the goal is to learn and discover your own style, so get out there and find yours!