..and now for something completely different! Today I’m taking a look at the NEAFS TEO heating device.
Don’t disappear just yet lol. I know the words ‘heat not burn‘ (HNB) very often go down like a lead balloon among vapers. It’s usually enough to send them running for the hills.
And I will get this out of the way early doors. This heating device is compatible with certain other HNB products out there but as I said. Don’t disappear just yet.
I personally feel that any product capable of helping a smoker quit is worthy of attention. I’ve seen first hand how newbie vapers often revert to smoking because of numerous factors.
One such factor is that vaping doesn’t provide them with the same ‘feel’ of smoking.
The NEAFS TEO is being touted for use with their own range of ‘sticks’. But instead of heating tobacco it heats tea leaves. Yup!
Hope that brings a few sighs of relief. (or re ‘leaf’!) Not one strand of cancer causing Tobacco to worry about.
NEAFS were created in 2015 in Orlando, Florida with a mission to provide a healthy alternative to combustible tobacco. The TEO heating device is designed to overcome the addiction to smoking.
Its compatibility with other HNB products has ensured popularity on a global scale.
What Can We Expect From the NEAFS TEO Heating Device?
Heating tea leaves, eh? That’s certainly a new one on me.
Here’s a quick science lesson. Traditional cigarettes heat up to around 900 degrees Celsius when burned / smoked. The NEAFS TEO electronic heating control system heats tea leaves to around 350 degrees Celsius.
Hence the heat not burn moniker.
So NEAFS suggest using their own product range with the TEO. Naturally..
Each flavour stick is comprised of Tea, Mint, edible essence (flavouring), VG (Vegetable Glycerine), PG (Propylene Glycol) and nicotine.
They’re available as packs of 20 or cartons of 200 either in 1.5% nicotine strength or totally nic free. Each stick is designed to last for up to 15 puffs.
There are six flavours in the range to choose from. Original Tobacco, Blueberry, Menthol, Coffee, Strawberry and Mojito.
The NEAFS TEO heating device is available in a few shops but predominantly on-line. You can pick it up in Rose, Blue, Green or Grey.
What’s In the BOX?
What’s In the BOX?- TEO device
- USB charging cable
- Instruction manual
Specifications
Specifications- Pre heating time: 20 seconds
- Charging time: 120 mins
- Battery capacity: 1700mAh
- Battery life: 20 sticks
NEAFS TEO Heating Device – Design and Build Quality
The device has a height of 116mm, a width of 28mm and a mere 16mm thick so that makes it quite pocket friendly. It also weighs very little and combined with the ergonomic design is very comfortable in the hand.
There’s a nice reflective trim running down one edge helping to give it a slick, polished appearance. It’s also where the heating button can be found. It’s slightly raised and in a comfortable position for the thumb.
The heating sticks are pushed down into the circular barrel on the top cap.
I was expecting to find the type C USB charging port on the side or bottom. The top cap needs to be removed to reveal it.
This also exposes the heating blade of the TEO. It’s easy enough to maintain and NEAFS suggest using a 75% alcohol solution when cleaning.
Heating Sticks
They measure 45 x 6mm and to all intents and purposes resemble mini cigarettes. Not such a good look for seasoned vapers but highly familiar to its target audience.
I’m actually impressed with the packaging. Again, they resemble a cigarette carton and a familiar sight for those still struggling to quit.
It’s quite clear that NEAFS have applied a lot of time and effort during the packaging process. Everything is sealed for freshness and the sticks come in dual compartments of ten.
Quick Start Guide
How To Use the NEAFS TEO Heating Device
- Turn the device on or off by pressing the heating button five times
- Gently insert a NEAF stick into the round barrel at the top until it can’t go any further
- Activate the TEO by holding the heating button for 2 seconds
- After 20 seconds a vibration will indicate the TEO is ready for use
The NEAFS TEO heating device will automatically stop heating after 5 minutes. It can be manually stopped by holding the heating button for 3 seconds until the device vibrates.
Armed with the knowledge of how to use the device, how effectively does it heat the tea? What flavour quality can we expect and how much ‘vapour’ is produced?
It’s important to note I’m reviewing the NEAFS TEO heating device from the perspective of a current smoker. That’s not going to be very easy because I’ve been an avid vaper for nine years now.
I’m completely out of my comfort zone!
So please bear with me. This isn’t a vape review – it’s a HNB product review. For this reason I’m opting to test the two most popular flavours among smokers.
These are the ones more likely to be important during early stages of transitioning to the device.
Before continuing I’d like to extend a huge thanks to NEAFS for sending the device over for the purposes of review.
TEO – Original
NEAFS Says:
NEAFS Says:Realistic classic Virginia tobacco taste, without the smell.
I Say:
I have to go on record as stating that the aroma from these sticks is heavenly. A guilty pleasure if you like for someone that’s been vaping for almost nine years.
I’m instantly taken back to days of perusing local tobacconists in search of new and exotic blends. Those aromas alone often sold what was on offer.
So how does Original taste?
I take my first draw which lasts around three to four seconds. I can feel the warmth that’s generated by the blade as it passes up, reaching my lips.
There’s just the slightest tickle to the rear of the throat but otherwise it’s a very smooth and quiet inhale – not at all like that of a vaping device.
As for the flavour?
I can’t honestly say it resembles tobacco in any respect. The truth is, it’s more like attempting to smoke a cigarette that’s already been extinguished. It’s very dry tasting and my mouth simply feels like it’s been lined with ash.
There’s little if any indication of blended Virginian tobacco leaves. The smoke produced also falls slightly short of that from a traditional cigarette.
TEO – Menthol
NEAFS Says:
NEAFS Says:Classic crisp and refreshing menthol taste, anywhere.
Featuring a bold and refreshing menthol taste, with a clean aftertaste that is sure to refresh your day! Pure freshness, pure menthol, pure happiness.
I Say:
Once again the aroma seems to be very deceptive with faint traces of Menthol and Mint. As before, the packet of sticks smell divine!
The Menthol definitely appears on the initial exhale and does provide quite a refreshing taste. As before, I can feel the warmth generated by the blade as it works through those tea particles.
This time it’s possible to pick out flavour from the tea alongside those Menthol properties. Every inhale produces a soothing cool hit to the back of the throat.
Menthol seems to be the more effective flavour out of the two and towards the end of testing the cooling effect had made it onto my lips.
There’s not quite so much of the ash taste left in the mouth, either. It’s still there but masked by the overall flavour blending.
NEAFS TEO Heating Device – Final Review Verdict
In a few years time, New Zealand are banning smoking. Period. By 2030 the UK plans to do the same.
Time is running out for the smoker.
As a last ditch effort to quit, the NEAFS TEO heating device may just be the stepping stone for those who simply cannot or will not do it by vaping.
NEAFS are offering a viable alternative.
They’ve certainly gone all out to ease the transition in their own way. The packaging, the sticks and the simplicity of use all prove this.
Is it fair to describe the TEO as the modern way of smoking? That’s quite difficult for me, as a vaper to gauge. It’s been a very long time since I’ve smoked a cigarette but today it does feel like I’ve come incredibly close.
Put this device in the hands of a current smoker and the response will no doubt be more accurate.
So the design, build and ease of use all work in the device’s favour.
I must admit I didn’t get the suggested number of puffs per stick, less heat than I was expecting and the tip would sometimes free itself of the barrel yet the more I tested it, the more it felt like I had returned to smoking.
Yet still safe in the knowledge that there are no cancer causing carcinogens present within those little sticks.
I can only wish NEAFS the best of luck with the TEO and my utmost respect for the goals and ambitions they aspire to. The more ways of quitting the cigs, the better in my view.
