HNB basics
Heated Tobacco vs Cigarettes vs Vapes Compared
By KOKEN Editorial Team · Published · 3 min read
Cigarettes burn tobacco, e-cigarettes heat a liquid, and heated tobacco products heat solid tobacco in a stick without burning it. The three categories differ in the material used, the device needed and, in most countries, the regulations that apply to them.
Comparison at a glance
| Cigarettes | Heated tobacco (HNB) | E-cigarettes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Cut tobacco | Processed tobacco in a stick | Liquid (e-liquid) |
| How it is used | Lit with a flame | Inserted into a heating device | Liquid heated by a coil or element |
| Combustion | Yes | No (designed to heat below combustion) | No |
| Device needed | No | Yes, an HNB heater | Yes, a vape device |
| Ash | Yes | No | No |
| Consumable format | Cigarette | Stick | Pod, cartridge or bottle |
How heated tobacco differs from cigarettes
Both use solid tobacco and both come as a paper-wrapped rod with a filter, which is why HNB sticks can look similar to short cigarettes. The difference is how the tobacco is used. A cigarette is lit and burns. An HNB stick is placed in a device that heats it in a controlled way, so the tobacco is warmed rather than burned. The tobacco in an HNB stick is also processed differently, usually into granules or a cast sheet, so that it releases flavour and aerosol at lower temperatures.
How heated tobacco differs from e-cigarettes
E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco leaf. They heat a liquid that typically contains propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings and, in many products, nicotine. HNB products use a solid stick. For buyers, this changes almost everything downstream: the manufacturing process, the packaging format, shelf life considerations, and which regulations apply.
Where herbal HNB sticks fit
Herbal sticks use the same heat-not-burn format but replace tobacco with plant material. KOKEN's herbal sticks contain 0 nicotine and no tobacco extract. This gives distributors a solid-format, tobacco-free product line that works with HNB devices.
Why the category matters for regulation
Regulators usually treat each category separately. A market might allow e-cigarettes but restrict heated tobacco, or tax heated tobacco differently from cigarettes. Herbal products may fall under another set of rules again. Before planning a launch, confirm which category your product falls into in each destination market, and what that means for registration, labelling and tax. See our compliance checklist.
None of these products is risk free. This comparison describes how the products work, not their health effects.