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Provost Vs Lotus - Which One Works Best?

So, you are looking for a hookah heat management system but can't decide which one to go with. What do you do? Well, you are here, on this page, reading this! You are on the right track to deciding which hookah HMD works best for your shisha session needs! Today we are going to compare the Provost and the Kaloud Lotus. Each individual smokes differently and requires different needs based on preference, so today we are going to discuss the advantages of using the AOT Provost or Kaloud Lotus. We will come to a conclusion of which HMD works best for your specific smoking needs at the end of this post! 

Lotus Vs Provost

Ok, so lets dive into it! The Lotus Vs Provost, which one should you choose? When comparing these 2 hookah heat management devices it all comes down to what you are trying to achieve during your smoke sessions and how you want to achieve it. For starters, the Kaloud Lotus is the original heat management device that started it all. It was designed about 6 years ago and has become a household brand for hookah smokers. The Apple On Top (AOT) HMD was designed specifically for the original AOT Bowl (which was also a revolutionary product) to manage heat properly but is now being used in various ways during smoke sessions. So which one of these do you choose? There are many factors that play when making this decision and so we've made a list of what you want to consider when purchasing one of these HMD's. 

What Kind Of Bowl Do You Use?

To determine what heat manager you should choose, you should first consider which hookah bowl accessory you currently own or plan on purchasing to make the ideal decision. Lets say for instance, you currently own a bowl with a lip to carry a heat management device, in this case the decision would be easy enough to say that your bowl is compatible with a Kaloud Lotus or Kaloud Lotus Plus and hence you would be best off with exactly that. The Kaloud company also makes its own bowl, the Samsaris Vitria II which is specifically designed for the two to work together. The same conclusion would go in regards to making the decision if you had an Apple On Top bowl and needed a heat manager, the provost would be the ideal choice. Now what if your hookah bowl didn't have a lip and was just a generic bowl without a matching accessory. Heres where it gets fun! Both hookah heat managers or hookah heat controllers will work on a majority of bowls available in the current hookah market but it comes down to how you want your sessions to perform along with a couple of other factors. Now that we are settled with the obvious stuff lets get down to the more technical aspect of the Provost Vs Lotus.

Which Shisha Brand Do You Smoke?

What shisha brand do you usually smoke? Choosing the right heat manager between the Provost Vs Lotus can make a big impact on the type of brand you are smoking. Some shisha tobacco's are more heat sensitive than others and using the wrong heat management system could alter your sessions and cause scorching or harshness resulting in an unsatisfactory experience. To make it simple we created a simple list on what we think is best to use for your sessions based on brand. This is just a simple list on how we like to smoke but in most cases, this is ideal based on how the heat management systems actually function and how heat sensitive the shisha tobacco may be. We've pretty much separated blond leaf tobaccos from dark leaf tobaccos for each heat management system. Using this method, the Kaloud Lotus would be ideal for blonde leaf while the provost on foil would be a better choice for dark to simplify it as much as possible.

Kaloud Lotus: 

• Haze
• Al-Fakher
• Fumari
• Trifecta Blonde Leaf
• Azure Blonde Leaf
• Ugly

AOT Provost With Foil:

• Tangiers
• Trifecta Dark Leaf
• Nakhla
• Azure Dark Leaf
• Alchemist
• Nirvana

How Long Do You Want To Smoke?

The ideal duration of a shisha smoke session is commonly around 1 hour to 1.5 hours. In the scenario of the Provost vs Lotus we can say that time may vary based on the functionality of each heat manager. In our scenario above we mentioned a simple method of using the Lotus for blonde leaf and the Provost for dark leaf based on heat sensitivity of each brand which generally speaking also factors on the duration of a hookah smoke session. Each hookah accessory functions differently in regards to where the Kaloud Lotus on a clay bowl doesn't require foil whereas the provost indeed needs a sheet of foil when using a standard clay bowl. The Kaloud Lotus is designed with vents that transfer heat from your charcoal to your shisha in order to provide an all around bake at an even pace. The Provost however sits on top of your poked foil which in a sense adds more resistance to heat from transferring over to your shisha. In simple terms, you'll probably get a longer session using the provost if your heat is managed properly due to the fact that there are multiple layers preventing heat from directly transferring over to your shisha, whereas the Kaloud Lotus directly transfers heat using its vents. Regardless, both will perform at an easy 1.5 hour mark with proper heat management. The AOT Provost however will help in prolong longevity past the 1.5 hour mark if used properly due to the multiple layers that prevents heat from travelling directly into your bowl.

Which HMD is Easier To Manage Heat With?

When it comes to comparing the Kaloud Lotus vs AOT Provost for simplicity in managing heat, they are both similar but still require basic heat management skills. The Lotus has a much more thick layered build than the Provost which helps with heat preservation and heat management. Using the Lotus is simple as you throw in the coals, add on the lid and smoke, whereas the provost needs a little more attention especially when managing dark leaf tobaccos. For hookah beginners, we recommend the Kaloud Lotus for heat management as the process of usability is a simple setup and smoke, whereas the Provost is more commonly used by hookah enthusiasts who have a general overall knowledge of how to properly manage shisha in different conditions. The Provost however comes in two separate pieces and can also act as a wind guard for outdoors use. The top portion of the provost can be removed if the bowl starts to overheat or added back on if vice versa. Regardless, both accessories still require basic knowledge on heat management and using the right amount of coal for your sessions based on preference. 

Conclusion of Provost Vs Lotus

So which one is better for your smoke session? It all comes down to your preference. As we mentioned above, each heat management system really has its advantages whether it is simplicity or longevity. When comparing the two, analyze which current hookah bowl you use and start off from there to determine which one you would use more frequently. Both however could be used for different types of tobaccos and for various results on how you would want to smoke. If you really want you could have both to use for different types of sessions. If your looking for simplicity and have those lazy chill nights, we'd recommend the Kaloud Lotus Heat Management Device whereas if you want to prolong your sessions and have the knowledge to manage your heat properly we'd say use the provost. Both of these heat managers can be used for any type of tobacco, we just gave you a simple strategy on using these heat manager for was of use and optimal performance. As hookah enthusiasts, we tend to use both depending on our preference for our sessions. Each individual smoker has their own unique preference, so determine how you like to smoke and go from there. If you are really unsure of which heat management device to purchase, figure out what you currently use as a bowl and go from there to determine your decision! We hope you enjoyed this post! Let us know what you think in the comments below on the Provost vs Lotus.

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