Screen Vs. Foil

[jamesh2]

i started out on a screen and recently switched to heavy duty foil (reynolds). what are the pros and cons of each, i feel like im getting a better taste with the foil, is that in my head?

[HookahPrincess]

well the screens that i've seen have much wider holes than the ones you would make in a sheet of foil. the foil also is able to wrap tightly around the entire top of the head but from what i've seen the screen has a few tabs or whatnot that fold over the sides of the head so it's not even really on there securely. I've personally only smoked through foils that i cut into squares and poke my holes in with small nails. works pretty well for me. I think the screen would just burn the head way too quickly

[OPD]

i started out on a screen and recently switched to heavy duty foil (reynolds). what are the pros and cons of each, i feel like im getting a better taste with the foil, is that in my head?

I personally like the glass screens, I hate the foil, the taste, the hassle all of it..
so I say screen

[hookah hippie]

This debate has been raged many a times
try the search feature
i think there was even a poll at one point

[stryet]

i started out with foil and quicklites, but switched to screens and naturals in an attempt to be more legit (sad, i know). The screen burned waay to easily for me (possibly because of the coals too), and let way too much air in making it hard to get good hits. I found a balance by putting foil over my screen, and this worked pretty good for a while. Now, however, I'm back to foil with about 50 tiny holes from a toothpick. It starts much easier, and with quicklites, lasts much longer for me.

I really do want to try the glass screens / bowls...the one hole concept seems harder to start, but a more consistent smoke.

[mrmonk7663]

No, it is not in your head. I have used about 3 different metal screens. I can say without a doubt that the burn is better and the flavor is better when I use FOIL. I have found that the Reynolds HEAVY DUTY foil works best for me, being superior to thinner foil. That's my .02. I refuse to use those metal screens now. I'm trying to see if I can make some kind of really thin aluminum screen with holes like I like them, but thinner than the metal ones on the market now. If I get it done i'll report my findings with it. Take care

Mike

[chinamon]

i first started off using a metal screen because thats what came with my hookah.
i tried foil not too long after using the screen but decided that i liked the screen better because it was more convenient.
after using foil a few more times, i havent touched the screen again.
i find that the metal screen is more of a 'toaster' effect whereas the foil is more of an 'oven'. with shisha you want to heat your tobacco, not burn it.

[Sonthert]

i started out on a screen and recently switched to heavy duty foil (reynolds). what are the pros and cons of each, i feel like im getting a better taste with the foil, is that in my head?

I personally like the glass screens, I hate the foil, the taste, the hassle all of it..
so I say screen

Taste from foil? That's in your head. Aluminum doesn't vaporize, which would be necessary for it to have a taste in hookah smoke. It may be that glass screens have a flavor (which I doubt) that you've become accustomed to. I don't think either one would have a flavor. A steel screen, on the other hand, does have some amount of vaporization, so it would have a flavor, in response to the original question, it would make sense that foil has slightly less metallic flavor than iron/metal screens.

[newsman]

I've used both and, except for my funnel bowl, I tend to prefer screens. They allow a little more heat control. I think that they are supposed to be placed so that the indented portion of the screen goes down into the bowl. I flip them the opposite way so that the metal never comes in contact with the shisha. I rarely have any burning that way. I can use more coal and get a thicker smoke. Try it.