Ploom EVO: How Does It Compare to Heated Tobacco Rivals?

As more smokers look for alternatives to traditional cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs) have emerged as a compelling middle ground between smoking and vaping. Brands like IQOS, glo, and Ploom have carved out their niches, offering innovative ways to consume real tobacco without combustion.

Among these, Ploom EVO sticks are gaining attention for their refined delivery and distinctive flavour profile. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at what makes EVO stand out from its heated tobacco rivals, exploring its technology, flavours, and whether it’s the right switch for you.

What Are EVO Tobacco Sticks?

EVO sticks are specially designed for use with Ploom devices, such as the Ploom X Advanced. They differ from the traditional cigarette model by heating, not burning, real tobacco. The result is vapour, not smoke, produced in a cleaner, more controlled way.

What makes EVO distinctive is its ActivBlend™ formulation, a blend of micro-ground and fine-cut tobacco engineered to work seamlessly with Ploom’s HeatFlow™ technology. Unlike other systems that apply direct heat or use internal blades, Ploom's technology heats the tobacco indirectly. This helps to preserve the delicate flavour compounds within the tobacco, leading to a smoother and more nuanced aromatic vapour.

Flavour Profile and Experience

EVO sticks are all about smooth delivery, clarity of flavour, and a refined experience. Because the tobacco is indirectly heated, the vapour is silkier and less harsh, with reduced throat hit compared to many other HTPs, allowing the inherent nuances of each blend to shine through. An open airflow system helps further enhance flavour delivery, making it easier to pick out subtle aromatic notes in both tobacco and flavoured blends.

To cater to a wide range of preferences, EVO offers a well-curated selection of tobacco, menthol, and fruit-infused options:

Tobacco Blends

• Gold: The mildest option, with woody and tea-inspired aromas. Great for first-time switchers or those who prefer light cigarettes.
• Amber: Slightly richer, with nutty and woody undertones. Balanced and aromatic.
• Tan: Warm, rounded, and slightly more robust, featuring hints of caramel and coffee.
• Bronze: The boldest tobacco variant - dark, toasted, and intense. Best suited to those who enjoy full-strength cigarettes.

Menthol Options

• Azure: Creamy and mild mint, offering a smooth, soft menthol finish.
• Green: Classic menthol-tobacco blend with a moderately cool hit.
• Cobalt: Sharper menthol with a zesty edge - cooler and more invigorating.
• Green Option: A capsule stick that begins mild but transforms into an icy peppermint blast when crushed.

Fruit & Flavoured Options

• Baize Option: Features pear as the main note, released via a flavour capsule.
• Magenta: Grape and mint with a touch of berry and florals - delicate but layered.
• Ruby: Apple and mint over a medium tobacco base - fruity and balanced.
• Purple Option: Evolves from subtle berry to bold fruit intensity after capsule activation - one of the most flavour-forward options.

The inclusion of flavour capsules in several variants introduces a dynamic element, empowering users to tailor the intensity of the flavour mid-session, adding a layer of personalisation to the EVO experience.

How Does EVO Compare to Heated Tobacco Rivals?

So, how does EVO stack up against its rivals in the heated tobacco market? Below, we break down how it compares across five key areas: Flavour delivery, heating technology, stick design, flavour range, and overall user experience.

Flavour Delivery

EVO sets itself apart with subtlety and clarity in flavour. Compared to the more direct and often bolder flavour profile of IQOS HEETS or TEREA sticks, EVO offers a mellower and more nuanced experience. This difference likely stems from Ploom's indirect heating method, which appears to gently coax the aromatic compounds from the tobacco rather than extracting them with the intensity of IQOS's direct heating blade.

Glo neo sticks, known for their dense vapour and stronger throat hit, can feel intense but sometimes less nuanced. EVO’s open airflow and smoother vapour place greater emphasis on flavour precision. This is especially noticeable in menthol and fruit blends, where EVO allows delicate notes to shine rather than overwhelm.

Think of the clean separation between the coolness of mint and the underlying tobacco in some EVO blends, versus a more blended and intense menthol blast in some competitors. EVO's approach suggests a preference for a more sophisticated and less aggressive flavour delivery.

Heating Technology

Unsurprisingly, the underlying heating technology plays a crucial role in the performance of a heated tobacco product. EVO’s HeatFlow™ system uses indirect heating, warming the tobacco from the outside, unlike IQOS, which pierces and heats the stick from within using a metal blade. Glo, too, applies external heating through induction.

This fundamental difference in heating approach has several implications. EVO's indirect method, by avoiding direct contact with a heating element, is less likely to cause scorching or charring of the tobacco. This can contribute to the cleaner taste we noted earlier and potentially reduce the amount of residue produced within the device, reducing the need for frequent cleaning.

While IQOS and glo both provide efficient heat transfer, EVO’s system favours gentler extraction - trading intensity for a cleaner, lower-maintenance experience.

Stick Design & Tobacco Quality

A key differentiator for EVO lies in its ActivBlend™ formulation, its fine-cut and micro-ground nature contrasting with the more traditional loose-cut tobacco found in IQOS HEETS and glo neo sticks. The finer particle size and the blend itself may contribute to a more uniform heating surface, ensuring that more of the tobacco is efficiently vaporised without hotspots or dry patches. This could explain why some users describe the EVO experience as less "gritty" or "dry" compared to the sensation they might get from looser tobacco arrangements.

While the loose-cut tobacco in HEETS and neo sticks might be more susceptible to uneven heating, some users may appreciate its resemblance to traditional cigarette tobacco and the potentially bolder flavour extraction that a looser pack might offer.

Range of Flavours

As explored earlier, EVO presents a compelling balance in its flavour range, offering both refined tobacco blends and a notable selection of more adventurous fruit and menthol options.

IQOS, particularly with its TEREA line designed for ILUMA devices, also boasts a broad spectrum of flavours, encompassing similar categories of tobacco, menthol, and fruit blends. Mirroring EVO's approach, TEREA also incorporates capsule technology in some of its sticks.

While glo's overall flavour count might not be as extensive as EVO or TEREA, it still offers a solid selection of tobacco and menthol options, alongside some fruit-infused choices. Importantly, glo also utilises click capsules in certain NEO sticks, allowing users to modify their flavour experience mid-session.

User Experience & Practicality

In terms of day-to-day usability, EVO performs admirably:

• Draw length and puff count are similar to that of a regular cigarette.
• No ash or lingering smoke smell - a feature shared with other HTPs but especially clean in EVO’s case due to the indirect heating.
• Less residue means less frequent device cleaning, a notable advantage over IQOS.
• The mouthfeel is lighter and smoother, with fewer lingering notes — especially beneficial in menthol or fruit blends, where aftertaste can sometimes be overpowering.

For users looking for a refined, discreet experience, EVO offers a noticeable step up in smoothness and flavour control.

Who Is EVO Best Suited For?

EVO sticks are particularly well-suited for:

• Smokers transitioning to heated tobacco for the first time.
• Users who prioritise smoothness, subtlety, and clean flavour over intensity or throat hit.
• Anyone sensitive to lingering tobacco aftertastes or harsh vapour delivery.
• Flavour-chasers who appreciate capsule innovation and refined blends.

Ultimately, if you've found the intensity of IQOS or the boldness of glo to be less appealing, EVO offers a well-balanced middle ground.

Final Verdict: Is EVO a Worthy Competitor?

Absolutely. EVO stands out not by mimicking the cigarette experience, but by elevating it. With its unique ActivBlend™ tobacco, indirect heating system, and well-rounded flavour range, EVO delivers a vaping-like smoothness while retaining the core satisfaction of real tobacco.

While it may not hit as hard as IQOS or be as flavour-heavy as glo, EVO carves out a distinctive niche for users who want clarity, smoothness, and control. And, EVO sticks offer a cost-effective way to explore a refined alternative to smoking.