Stuie Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 [center][color="#006400"][size="4"][b]Coconut Coalmageddon [/b][/size][/color][/center] Welcome all Hookah Smokers to the biggest bout this year. Coconut has come up as a popular coal now it's time to let them duke it out, and see which one well take the crown this year. Despite the fact that I have been using Coconaras for some time, this will not sway one way or the other. I am here to review and find the best all around Coconut Coals on the market comparing multiple factors. [color="#0000ff"][size="3"][b]Contender Criteria[/b][/size][/color] [list=1][*]Shaped Coconut Coals made specifically for hookah[*]Must be Natural with no chemical additives[*]Available at more than one U.S. online retailer[/list] [color="#0000ff"][size="3"][b]This Year's Contenders[/b][/size][/color] [list=1][*]Al Fakher[*]CH[*]Coconara[*]Shishaco[/list] There are more coconut coals showing up on the market, as soon as the meet the simple criteria the will be ready for the next Coconut Coalmaggedon. Love to see Al Aw'Awel come back on the market. Also hoping Krypton, Starlight and Tony's Square Coconut Coals make it to more online vendors. Hope aFire makes a more convenient size for hookah. Also hoping that Tom Cococha will make a splash on our shores. Also a small note I am using the newly released CH and Coconara coals with John's new formula and Coconara's new size. [color="#0000ff"][size="3"][b] Bios[/b][/size][/color] [color="#006400"][b] Al Fakher[/b][/color] [b]Hometown:[/b] Not specifically noted [b]Manufacturer:[/b] www.alfakher.com [b]Box Sizes:[/b] 30 piece, 60 piece [b]Average Coal Size:[/b] 2.8cm x 2.8cm x 1.6cm [b]Average Coal Weight:[/b] 11g [b]Smoking Temperature Peak:[/b] 402.8˚F [b]Vendors:[/b] hookah-shisha.com, hookahjohn.com, hookahcompany.com, nazarhookah.com, texashookah.com, hookahtown.com [color="#006400"][b]CH [/b][/color] [b]Hometown: [/b]Not specifically noted [b]Manufacturer:[/b] www.hookahjohn.com [b]Box Sizes: [/b]48 piece, 132 piece [b]Average Coal Size:[/b] 2.6cm x2.6cm x1.6cm [b]Average Coal Weight:[/b] 8.8g [b]Smoking Temperature Peak:[/b] 626.7˚F [b]Vendors: [/b]hookahjohn.com, hookah-shisha.com, hookahcompany.com, hookahkings.com, texashookah.com [color="#006400"][b]Coconara[/b][/color] [b]Hometown: [/b]Indonesia [b]Manufacturer: [/b] www.coco-nara.com [b]Box Sizes: [/b]16 piece, 45 piece, 108 piece [b]Average Coal Size:[/b] 2.1cm x 2.1cm x 2.2cm [b]Average Coal Weight:[/b] 8.4g [b]Smoking Temperature Peak: [/b]638.9˚F [b]Vendors:[/b] hookah-shisha.com, hookahjohn.com, hookahcompany.com, nazarhookah.com, texashookah.com, hookahkings.com, hookahtown.com [color="#006400"][b]Shishaco[/b][/color] [b]Hometown:[/b] Thailand [b]Manufacturer:[/b] www.shishaco.net [b]Box Sizes:[/b] 25 piece, 100 piece [b]Average Coal Size:[/b] 2.4cm x 2.4cm x 1.5cm [b]Average Coal Weight:[/b] 7.9g [b]Smoking Temperature Peak:[/b] 541.0˚F [b]Vendors:[/b] hookahjohn.com, hookahtown.com [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/GroupShot.jpg[/img] [color="#0000ff"][size="3"][b]Round 01 – Price [/b][/size][/color] First Round is simple pricing. Challenge will be based on the largest available box at average retail price. This does not include discount codes, specials, bulk orders or any other pricing. We all know we can get them cheaper buying 3 and 5 packs but let's just keep it simple for everyone, because not all people have access to discount codes and the like. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – $8.95 ÷ 60 = $0.149 per coal [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]CH[/b] – $14.95 ÷ 120 = $0.124 per coal [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Coconara[/b] – $14.95 ÷ 108 = $0.138 per coal [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – $12.50 ÷ 100 = $0.125 per coal [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] This is a close win. If you look at the figures the difference between first and last is 2.5 cents per coal. But that does add up, doesn't it? That equates to $2-3 more per 100 coals. [color="#0000ff"][size="3"][b]Round 02 – Packaging[/b][/size][/color] Second Round is the Whole Package. (Yeah that was a pun) I considered how well the packaging is from the box, to the wrap and other little things. I am looking at the design if it will prevent accidental water damage. Like what happened to those Exotica Batches way back when. And quality of packaging in general. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – Thin Cardboard Box, all the coals are wrapped in a thick plastic and taped shut. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]CH[/b] – Thick Cardboard Box, all the coals are wrapped in very thin plastic, taped shut. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] [b]Coconara[/b] – Thick Cardboard Box, all the coals are wrapped in a thick plastic and taped shut. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – Thin Cardboard Box, Every 25 coals wrapped and taped shut in a thin plastic. [b][color="#800080"]+2 Points[/color][/b] I really don't think this is a huge category to make a coal decision on but it's interesting to compare. Coconara's box is just thick and thick wrapping plastic pretty sure I can drop these in a bucket of water and not get wet coals. [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/AlFakherPackaging.jpg[/img] [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/ChronicPackaging.jpg[/img] [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/CoconaraPackaging.jpg[/img] [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/ShishacoPackaging.jpg[/img] [color="#0000ff"][size="3"][b]Round 03 – Consistency[/b][/size][/color] This is an important category in my opinion because once you figure out how many coals per the bowls you use and your packing method for different shishas getting that odd coal can throw you off. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – Least consistent, very non uniform with lots of nicks and divots. Contains brown specs throughout the coals [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]CH [/b]– Near Perfect. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Coconara [/b]– Near Perfect. Sizes very slightly. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – Near Perfect, but a lot of nicks on each the corners. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] Top 3 are very close in consistency. Al Fakher is the only one that stands out as the most inconsistent. Great track record for all coconut charcoals, 3 out of 4 ain't bad at all. [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/CoalConsistency.jpg[/img] [color="#0000ff"][size="3"][b]Round 04 – Cutting Ease[/b][/size][/color] Using Craftsman Handi-Cut method, I cut the coals to see the ease of cutting them. Other people may cut coals differently and that's great but I am more consistent with the Handi-Cuts over any other method of cutting coals. [b]Al Fakher [/b]– A little force is needed to cut them. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points [/b][/color] [b]CH[/b] – Almost effortless when cutting. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points [/b][/color] [b]Coconara [/b]– A little force is needed not a great deal but more than the others. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – Effortless to cut, little pressure was needed to cut. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] With the exception of Coconaras almost all of them require just a squeeze with the Handi-Cuts and light type of the hammer. [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/CutCoals.jpg[/img] [color="#0000ff"][size="3"][b]Round 05 – Cutting Strength[/b][/size][/color] During Round 04, this is the comparison of the coals on how they handle being cut. Whether or not you lose a lot coal, get clean cuts, and create much mess [b]Al Fakher[/b] – Very little ash hard to get a straight cut. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] [b]CH [/b]– A lot of ash, a little breakage, jagged cuts. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]Coconara[/b] – Very Little ash and almost a perfect cut. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – A little ash, a little breakage, jagged cuts. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] I cut 10 coals of each, and there is always a little ash each time you cut or break one. Coconara and Al Fakher are very good, but Shishaco and CH you have to pay very special care to get them perfect. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuie Posted May 14, 2010 Author Share Posted May 14, 2010 [size="3"][color="#0000FF"][b]Round 06 – Lighting[/b][/color][/size] This round is to compare lighting times and the lighting process. All coals where lit on my stove coil burner. The lighting test has been over several days. I wanted each set of coals to be the first lit of the day. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – Flipped when lighting at 4:30 minutes; done at 7:20 minutes. Coals sent floating sparks when flipping. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] [b]CH [/b]– Flipped when lighting at 4 minutes; done at 6:10 minutes. Coals sparked when flipping. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] [b]Coconara[/b] – Flipped when lighting at 5:10 minutes; done at 8:15 minutes. No sparking. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – Flipped when lighting at 3:45 minutes; done at 5:50 minutes. Coals sparked when flipping. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] Shishaco is a fast lighting coal for coconut coals. CHis a close second but those new cocos take a lot longer, because of the new cube shape. [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/0Min.jpg[/img] 0 Minutes [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/4Min.jpg[/img] 4 Minutes [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/7Min.jpg[/img] 7 Minutes [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/8min.jpg[/img] 8 Minutes [color="#0000FF"][size="3"][b]Round 07 – Smell – During Lighting[/b][/size][/color] This compares the smell of the coal when lighting. Smell of lighting is important to me. Don’t want my house smelling like coal. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – Smells like quicklights when lighting. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] [b]CH[/b] – Just awful. Smells like something from my days in the oil field. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]Coconara [/b]– Slight coal smell. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – Smells like Exoticas. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] Coconara’s are the clear winner on this one. CH is the very worst. They just smell completely awful. Al Fakher isn’t much better. [size="3"][color="#0000FF"][b] Round 08 – Smell – During Smoking[/b][/color][/size] This compares the smell of the coals during the session. I like to smell the shisha not the coal. I like it when people come over and can smell what I am smoking not what I am using to cook the shisha. [b]Al Fakher [/b]– There is slight smell throughout the session. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]CH [/b]– Little smell, but not much, disappeared after 10 minutes or so. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] [b]Coconara [/b]– No smell. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco [/b]– There is a slight smell but it disappears after I flipped the coals. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] Really most of the smells while smoking isn’t bad at all, but Coconara has none so they are the clear winner. [size="3"][color="#0000FF"][b] Round 09 – Taste[/b][/color][/size] This is an obvious one. One of the main reasons I switched to natural coals was to get rid of the coal taste when I smoke. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – You know for a coconut coal it has a very coal taste. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]CH [/b]– There is slight taste, but less than compared to the best quicklights. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] [b]Coconara[/b] – No taste. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco [/b]– There is a slight taste like exoticas have at the end of the bowl. But it starts off there and get’s lighter through the session. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] I know my taste buds are a little more in tune to coal taste. Especially after smoking quicklights for 5 years. Some may not even notice what I taste. Coconaras is a clear winner. CH is my second best. Al Fakher was a sever disappointment for coconut coals. [color="#0000FF"][b][size="3"]Round 10 – Longevity[/size][/b][/color] One of the key elements of any coal to compare, how long will they last? This round is for full coals on a normal session of normal heat management. [b]Al Fakher [/b]– Lasted 61 minutes before the coals became too small to smoke well. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] [b]CH[/b] – Lasted 59 minutes before the coals became too small to smoke well. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]Coconara [/b]– Lasted 90 minutes before the coals became too small to smoke well. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – Lasted 62 minutes before the coals became too small to smoke well. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] Despite their new size Coconara’s is a clear front runner. The rest are very close race as you can see. [color="#0000FF"][size="3"][b] Round 11 – Ash[/b][/size][/color] This compares the ash. White ash (Lighter Ash) means less fillers, the darker the ash and color tint mean more fillers. Also how the ash acts on the bowl, falling off or staying in place and insulating the heat. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – Marble Gray with greenish tint. Ash falls all over the bowl. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]CH[/b]– Stone Gray. Ash stays in place with the coals. [color="#800080"][b]+3 Points[/b][/color] [b]Coconara[/b] – Very Light Gray. Ash stays in place with the coals. [color="#800080"][b]+4 Points[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – Concrete Gray with Dark Colors. Ash falls off sporadically. [color="#800080"][b]+2 Points[/b][/color] Coconara wins this round again, but by a narrow margin if the ash was a little lighter it would have won. Al Fakher is the worse of the lot, they ash like crazy and get all over the bowl, Shishaco are not much better in my opinion. [size="3"][color="#0000FF"][b]Round 12 – Heat Management[/b][/color][/size] This round is to determine the ease of heat management. When do you normal do the flip coals and a windcover and the overall ease of managing the coals to keep good consistent smoke going throughout the session. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – Flipped at 17 minutes. Flipped at 28 minutes. Windcover at 35 minutes. A little work. +1 Point [b]CH[/b] – Flipped at 20 minutes. Windcover at 30 minutes. Flipped at 40 minutes. All in all pretty effortless. +3 Points [b]Coconara[/b] – Flipped at 40 minutes. Added Windcover at 55 minutes. All in all a complete breeze. +4 Points [b]Shishaco –[/b] Flipped at 20 minutes. Flipped at 40 minutes and added windcover. All in all pretty effortless. +2 Points Well Coconara wins the prize, which is great for me because I forget about the coals sometime. [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/Smoke0.jpg[/img] 0 Minutes [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/Smoke10.jpg[/img] 10 Minutes [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/Smoke30.jpg[/img] 30 Minutes [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/Smoke50.jpg[/img] 50 Minutes [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/Smoke65.jpg[/img] 65 Minutes [color="#0000FF"][size="3"][b]Additional Consideration[/b][/size][/color] [b]Al Fakher [/b]– Used a Mya Saray Hookah for their picture of a hookah on the package instead of their own. Even took it a step further and Photoshopped Al Fakher on the top of the base. [color="#FF0000"][b]–1 Point (should make it -2 for the double whammy) [/b][/color] [img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm126/tunes4x/Coconut%20Coalmageddon/AFCloseUp.jpg[/img] [b]CH [/b]– Got a take off a point for the name, prevents talk on some forums, and gives a negative connotation to hookah smoking. [color="#FF0000"][b]–1 Point [/b][/color]CH offers a quicklight version of their Coconut Charcoals which is an exclusive to this brand. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [b]Coconara[/b] – First to market with coconut coals. Got to give credit to the pioneers. [color="#800080"][b]+1 Point[/b][/color] [color="#0000FF"][size="3"][b]Final Tally[/b][/size][/color] This finally tally is the comparison of all the factors I think are important in comparison. Some of these rounds may not even come into the factoring of your choice of coals. Some may look at Longevity as a deciding factor, or price, or smell may be off putting. My additional considerations may also not factor into your decision also, but I think they are worth noting. So my FINAL TALLY is the culmination. I hope this whole experiment may help you make the choice of Coconut coals for you. [b]Al Fakher[/b] – 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 +2 +2 +1 +1 +2 +1 +1 –1 = [color="#006400"][b]17[/b][/color] [b]CH[/b] – 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 + 1 +3 +1 +3 +3 +1 +3 +3 – 1 +1 = [color="#006400"][b]32[/b][/color] [b]Coconara[/b] – 2 + 4 + 3 + 1 + 4 +1 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 + 1 = [color="#006400"][b]40[/b][/color] [b]Shishaco[/b] – 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 +4 +3 +2 +2 +3 +2 +2 = [color="#006400"][b]29[/b][/color] [center][color="#2E8B57"][size="4"][b]COCONARA IS THIS YEARS WINNER![/b][/size][/color][/center] [color="#0000FF"][size="3"][b]Coal Recommendations[/b][/size][/color] [b]Budget Coals [/b]– CH [b]Support a Bud[/b] – CH [b]Don’t want my Landlord to know I Smoke[/b] – Coconaras [b]Too Drunk for Heat Management[/b] – Coconara [b]OCD or Neat Freak[/b] – Shishaco [b]Impatient[/b] – Shishaco [b]Desperate[/b] – Al Fakher 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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