Charcoal - Coconut Coal

Choosing coconut coals

Coconut coals are made from coconut shell or husk and must be fully lit on a coal burner before they go on your bowl. The main choice is the shape and size, which should suit your bowl and the device you put over it.

Cube size

• 25mm: a smaller cube. Narine say their 25mm coals give comparatively lower heat.
• 26mm: a popular size that suits most bowls and heat management devices. Makers include Narine, Cocoloco, Black Cocos, Cocobration and Fumari.
• 27mm: a larger cube that holds more heat for bigger bowls. Cocoloco say their 27mm coals can be used on a Kaloud Lotus, and Black Cocos say theirs burn slightly longer and hotter than smaller cubes.

Other shapes

Not every coconut coal is a cube. Quarter-circles like Starbuzz Quad Cut are shaped to fit heat management devices. Flats, such as the HJ Titanium Flats, give even heat over foil. Smaller pieces like HJ Titanium Cubettes suit small bowls. Some coals are sold by piece count rather than weight, for example Murano in a box of 60.

How long do they last?

Each brand gives its own figure. For example, Cocoloco say over an hour, Black Cocos about 90 minutes, Cocobration about 100 minutes, and Shisko up to 2 hours. How you manage the heat changes this too.

Smoking a lot? Lounge packs such as the Narine 20kg save buying box after box. See more in lounge packs.

Questions

How many coals do I need?

Most bowls take 3 or 4 cubes. With a heat management device, start with fewer and add one if the bowl runs cold.

Can I light coconut coals with a lighter?

Not well. They need a steady heat, so light them on a coal burner until they glow all over.

Is a bigger cube always hotter?

A bigger cube holds more heat, so 27mm suits larger bowls. For a small bowl or a device made for smaller coals, 25mm or 26mm is easier to control.