Picking a Cosmo bowl
Cosmo makes clay bowls in Russia. Most of its designs are made for dark Russian tobacco as well as blonde leaf, so the choice is mainly about shape, size and how you heat the bowl.
The main families
- Turkish: the traditional Turkish shape, in designs such as Classic, White, Bolt, Mummy and Meteora. The A-Shot, for example, is milk-fired clay, holds 20 to 25g and stands 8.5cm tall, so it suits long sessions.
- Dead and Future: Cosmo's own shapes, for example the Dead Mummy or Future Predator, also made for dark and blonde tobacco.
- HoReCa: put through a milk curing process that seals the pores in the clay. The Horeca Killer is one version.
- Phunnel: a raised centre spout keeps the juices in the bowl instead of running down the stem. The Phunnel Horeca takes 18 to 25g and is designed for a heat management device, while the Mixology Phunnel has a matte glaze and four even sections.
- Shot: a small killer bowl in handmade red clay that holds 11 to 14g, for a shorter, more intense session. It has six holes and a flat top for a heat management device.
- Amotion Valve Tobacco Bowl: Turkish-based but flatter in the centre, with larger holes spaced further apart for better airflow.
Bowl on its own or a set?
Many Cosmo bowls come as a bowl alone or as a set, each with a grommet. Lite adds a tray. Pro comes with an AOT heat management system instead. Max adds the AOT system, foil and 1kg of coconut charcoal. Kaloud pairs the bowl with a Kaloud Lotus HMD and 1kg of coconut charcoal. Already have a heat device? Lite is enough. Otherwise add foil or choose from heat management devices.
Questions
Can I use foil on a Cosmo Turkish bowl?
Yes. The Turkish A-Shot, for example, works with foil, a Provost or a Kaloud-style heat management device.
What is the difference between a Shot and a full-size Cosmo?
The Shot has a smaller chamber, holding 11 to 14g, for a shorter, more intense session. Full-size Turkish and Phunnel bowls take around 20 to 25g.
What does milk curing do?
On the HoReCa bowls, it seals up the pores in the clay.