Natural Coconut Charcoal - Flats Vs Cubes

Suffering from order paralysis trying to decide between Coconut Flats, or Cube Charcoal? Not sure which size will work best for your business and customers? We wanted to break down all the differences, the pros and the cons for each size to help you make the most educated decision possible. 

What are Coconut Charcoal Flats?

Coconut flat Charcoal were the first real size of coconut charcoal to hit the market. They are usually 25mm x 25mm x 17mm in size and almost every charcoal brand on the market today offers their version of a flat. Having been the first coconut charcoal to the market, the flats are also the most common to see in retail stores and lounges alike. 

What are Coconut Charcoal Cubes?

Coconut Cube Charcoal are slightly newer to the market although they have been around here and there for quite some time. Cube Charcoal usually are measured 25mm x 25mm x 25mm.  Most Natural Charcoal Brands will offer a Flats and Cubes. There are different kind of cubes, so you may see things like Mini Cubes, Jumbo Cubes, Large Cubes, etc. but for the sake of generalities, we are talking about a standard Cube coal today. 

What are the main Differences Between Flats and Cubes?

Size and Surface Area: Just by looking at the 2 coal shapes you can see the Cubes have a bit larger surface area and overall size. 

Heating Time: The next big difference will be in the lighting or heating time. Being larger means the Cube coals will take a bit longer to heat up on the coil burner, whereas flats heat up a bit faster. We did a little test in the video attached to this blog and found the flats heated up about 1 minute faster than the Cube Coals. This can vary a bit depending on the strength and age of your burner. 

Coal Weight: Once the coals are heated up, the differences can get a bit technical. Cube coals, given their larger size are heavier and therefore will put more pressure down on the foil, so if you have trouble getting the foil nice and tight, you could run into an issue of the coals pushing the foil down and frying your bowl. Flat Charcoal don't weight as much, so there is less pressure on the foil making them a bit more fool proof when it comes to a standard foil Hookah. The Cubes work fantastic as well, it just sometimes is a bit more of a learning curve locking in what works best for you. 

Heat Output:  Similar to the weight difference, Cubes tend to output more heat than your typical flat(Disclaimer, this is not ALWAYS the case) This means when using Cube coals you don't always have to use as many. For instance, if maybe a bowl would need 3 flats to get going, a lot of times 2 cubes will do the trick. Again, this makes the Cube Coals a bit less forgiving but super solid once you get them down. 

Coal Longevity: One of the big advantages cube coals have for Hookah lounges comes in coal longevity. Natural Charcoal Cubes will last an hour to an hour and a half, whereas the traditional flats tend to last more in the 45 minute range. Having coals that last a little longer means you and your staff aren't having to run around changing coals as often which will free you up to serve your customers even better. Of course, every situation is different and flats may be what work best for you and your lounge and there are great options for both. 

Hopefully this little guide helped give a little more clarity as to what Charcoal Flats and Cubes do best. Thankfully there is a wide range of Natural Coconut Charcoal on the market today so there is something for everyone. If you still have questions as to which brand charcoal you should try, let us help info@hookahwholesalers.com 800-713-0915