What are heated tobacco products?

^{Updated Apr 7, 2023}

A cigarette has to be lit in order to be smoked. It burns at 600°C at the tip but can reach above 800°C during a puff. It is the action of burning or the presence of combustion / fire that causes a lot of inconveniences for our legal age adult smokers - such as cigarette smoke smell on and around them, cigarette smoke and ashes flying around. 

On the contrary, PMI’s heat-not-burn device IQOS heats processed tobacco at temperatures of up to 350°C, releasing tobacco flavor with no fire, no ash, and no cigarette smoke. By heating instead of burning the tobacco, the IQOS tobacco heating system doesn’t create smoke and produces less smell compared to cigarettes. It is important to note that this product is not risk free and is addictive. 

Heated tobacco products, or heat-not-burn products, do exactly what their name suggests: they heat tobacco instead of burning it.  

There are many heat-not-burn products out there, but IQOS is the brand with the number one heated tobacco product in the world*. Equipped with innovative HeatControl™ Technology, IQOS heats tobacco up to 350°C without burning it. This delivers a high-quality tobacco experience, without any fire or ash and with less lingering smell on your hands, hair, and clothes than cigarettes. 

^{*PMI global estimate of total In-Market Sales of Heated Tobacco Units as of December 2022 (excluding Russia and Ukraine).}

IQOS heat-not-burn devices

Currently, there are three IQOS devices available in two different formats. The first version has two main components – a holder and a charger. The second type is an integrated, all-in-one device which combines the holder and the charger. IQOS is for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use other nicotine products. 

Compare all devices to know more about them.

How do IQOS heat-not-burn devices work?

All IQOS heat-not-burn devices work in the same way: first, insert the HEETS™ stick into the holder. Next, push a button to turn on the heater and then puff on the heated tobacco stick. Once the HEETS™ stick is finished, simply remove it from the holder and dispose of it. 

Our commitment to high quality

Providing IQOS legal age users (18+) with a high-quality tobacco experience is our key focus and the way we prepare tobacco is what makes the difference. The tobacco inside every HEETS™ is specially prepared using a unique patented processing method called ‘cast leaf process,’ necessary to optimize the tobacco for heating. In this process, tobacco leaves of the highest quality are grounded into powder and then reconstituted into tobacco sheets. These sheets are crimped and made into a tobacco plug which, when combined with all the other parts, creates a HEETS™ stick.  

HEETS™ tobacco sticks for IQOS devices provide taste experience close to a cigarette and come in different tobacco flavors ranging from rich to refined, including tobacco with menthol and new aromatic blends. We’re sure that among our HEETS™ selection, each IQOS legal age user (18+) will discover the HEETS™ flavor that matches their taste. 

Explore the IQOS devices.

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Important Information: This product is not risk free and provides nicotine, which is addictive. Only for use by adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use other nicotine products.

_{IQOS are only for adult smokers who otherwise wish to continue to use tobacco or nicotine containing products.}

_{This article is for general information and educational purposes. Some of the information in this article is based on external, third-party sources and we make no representations or warranties of any kind regarding the accuracy, validity or completeness of such information.}