“Heat-not-burn” (HnB) has become a hot word in the tobacco industry in recent years. Here, the “heat-not-burn” refers to an innovative technology that is first applied to heating tobacco.
The tobacco products adopting heat-not-burn technology are popularly known as heated tobacco products (HTPs). When in use, HTPs require battery-power electronic devices to heat tobacco rather than burn it, producing nicotine-infused water vapors for users to inhale.
The most well-known heat-not-burn product should be IQOS with HEETS, which was launched by PM I(Philip Morris International) in 2014 in Japan. So far, IQOS has been promoted in more than 70 markets and has occupied about 70% market share in the HnB field.
While IQOS is the market leader of HnB, there are some new challengers emerging in the market, such as Ploom with Evo tobacco heated sticks. The Evo tobacco sticks are considered an alternative to IQOS and combustible tobacco.
What’s more, some manufacturers have invented heat-not-burn products based on herbal materials to satisfy the needs of those who intend to kick tobacco use and want to maintain nicotine habits and smoking rituals.
One popular brand is Neafs, a brand of tea-based herbal heated sticks, which was established in Orlando, Florida, in 2015. Like Evo heated sticks, Neafs heated sticks are also positioned as an alternative to tobacco-heated sticks like IQOS and traditional cigarettes.
This article will compare Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks to see which one will be the right choice for you when you decide to switch.
The working science behind Evo and Neafs
Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks work on the same principle, which is to heat the raw material without burning it. In other words, no combustion takes place when they are used. This is also the biggest difference between heat-not-burn products and traditional cigarettes.
When in use, traditional cigarettes burn to a high temperature of up to 900°C, releasing cigarette smoke and its residues, such as carbon monoxide, tar, ash, and other harmful chemicals.
These toxins caused by burning tobacco are considered to be the main causes of tobacco-related diseases, including lung cancer, respiratory disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke, heart disease, and more.
As Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks do not involve combustion, they do not produce cigarette smoke and its by-products. Instead, they release water vapor or aerosol without smoke, ash, and tar. Therefore, they can expose users to lower levels of toxins related to cigarette smoke.
Due to this, both Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks are promoted as less harmful alternatives to combustible cigarettes.
Offering a feeling similar to smoking
As we all know, nicotine dependence is the biggest obstacle to quitting smoking, but research also shows that besides craving for nicotine, smoking habits can also make it difficult to stop smoking.
In this respect, both Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks retain the habit similar to smoking by replicating traditional cigarettes.
For example, Evo tobacco sticks and neaf heated sticks are similar to traditional cigarettes in appearance. They are all specially designed sticks, although Evo heated sticks are longer and slightly thinner than Neafs heated sticks. The cigarette-like appearance reminds people of traditional cigarettes and makes them feel familiar or nostalgic.
In addition, they emulate the smoking behaviors, such as inhalation and exhalation, hand-to-mouth movement, and visible steam, which give users a sensory experience similar to smoking, and make them feel like they are smoking.
In short, both Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks are designed to be similar to traditional cigarettes in the appearance, smoking process, and sensory experience so that users can make a natural transition.
The essential difference between Evo and Neafs
The essential difference between Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks lies in the formula. Evo tobacco sticks use real tobacco as the main substance, which has two different cuts- micro-ground and fine cut. The tobacco is specially blended with other materials, such as propylene glycol and flavorings.
In contrast to Evo tobacco sticks, neaf heated sticks do not use real tobacco. Instead, they use tea and its varieties as basic raw materials, which are gently stepped into nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, mints, and edile essence.
But surprisingly, although Neafs use tea blend instead of tobacco as the raw material, all Neafs heated sticks are based on the taste of tobacco. It means that just as Evo tobacco sticks, Neafs heated sticks provide users with a tobacco experience, but they do not contain real tobacco!
Furthermore, as Neafs heated sticks are tobacco-free, they don’t have the harsh smell related to tobacco, which makes them more refreshing and enjoyable than tobacco-based heated sticks.
What about the heating method, compatibility, and nicotine content?
Although both Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks adopt heat-not-burn technologies, they are different in heating methods.
Evo tobacco sticks are exclusively designed for use with Ploom heat-not-burn devices. The Ploom heating devices use a convection system, which is known as HeatFlow™ technology.
During use, the Evo tobacco stick is inserted into the heating chamber of a Ploom heating device and is heated from the outside into the core by hot air, and the tobacco flavor is gently released.
According to the manufacturer, this heating method can create an effective release of flavor because the stick is surrounded by airflow and can be heated evenly. As a result, users can enjoy an enhanced experience of heated tobacco.
Moreover, since the tobacco inside the stick is not in direct contact with the heating element, this leads to minimal charring, and the stick delivers a purer flavor and a more pleasant tobacco taste.
On the other hand, Neafs heated sticks are designed to work with TEO heating devices. Unlike Ploom heating devices, Neafs TEO heating devices use a heating blade to pierce the end of a stick and heat the stick from the inside out. At present, most heat-not-burn devices in the market adopt this kind of heating system.
Therefore, Neafs heated sticks are more compatible than Evo tobacco sticks. Besides working with TEO heating devices, Neafs heated sticks can also be compatible with most of the popular heat-not-burn heating devices in the market, such as IQOS. However, Evo heated sticks can not be heated with other heat-not-burn heating devices except Ploom.
So, if you are currently an IQOS user and want to try something new, Neafs heated sticks will be the right choice because you only need to replace IQOS HEETS tobacco sticks with Neafs heated sticks and use them with your IQOS heating device. There is no need to prepare a TEO heating device, so it seems to be more convenient and cost-saving than choosing Evo tobacco sticks.
Besides, compared with Evo tobacco sticks, Neafs heated sticks can meet a wider range of users’ needs because they offer nicotine and nicotine-free varieties. In contrast, all Evo tobacco sticks contain nicotine, as they are based on real tobacco.
In Summary
It can be seen that Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated have something in common. For example, both of them have the potential to reduce harm, give people a feeling similar to smoking, and produce a tobacco experience.
The most significant difference between Evo tobacco sticks and Neafs heated sticks is that the former are tobacco-based heated sticks, while the latter are tobacco-free heated sticks that offer a unique tobacco experience.
So, which one will suit you better? Well, it depends on your preference. For example, if you want to give up conventional cigarettes and still want to enjoy nicotine hit or keep smoking rituals, both Evo heated sticks and Neafs heated sticks can satisfy your need. Still, if you intend to give up the use of tobacco or nicotine, Neafs heated sticks will be a right choice.
