HNBC Automatic Cleaner Review

Cleaning made easy

At heatnotburn.co.uk we get the chance to test and review some great products. We get the occasional dud but then, the heated tobacco market is still relatively new, so the occasional hiccup is to be expected. However, one constant with heat-not-burn is cleaning. It does not matter what device you have, be it an IQOS2.4, a Lambda T3 or an IQOS3 Duo they all need to be cleaned regularly to get the best out of them. We have never reviewed a mechanical heat not burn device cleaner and were not even aware that there was one, so imagine our surprise when we were offered the chance to review this HNBC Automatic Cleaner.

Some devices are starting to feature a self-cleaning function, which is a good step as it helps keep the heating element (usually a blade for self clean, I’ve yet to come across a spike that has self-cleaning) reasonably free from residue. But what about the heating chamber?

That is where the HNBC automatic cleaner comes in. Most heated tobacco devices will come with a cleaning brush and, if you are lucky, some alcohol-infused swabs. The brush is used to clean up the debris, followed by upending the device and tapping it on a hard surface, while the swabs are used for the element itself.

Truth be told, cleaning your chosen heat-not-burn device is, quite frankly, a royal pain in the posterior. But it comes with the territory. Fact is that cleaning should not be a chore. It should be easy and, fortunately, the folks at HNBC have come up with a device that makes it easy so you can enjoy the best flavour from whatever HEETS you choose. It is called the HNBC automatic cleaner and here is our review of it.

What is in the Box?

Nestled in the foam tray is the device itself, two cleaning brushes (one tough nylon brush and one soft brush) and two adaptor rings. The device itself is not much bigger than an IQOS holder or the Lambda CC.

I was fortunate enough to be sent additional brush sets of both types, although the brushes can be washed which can either be a boon or a burden dependant on how often you consume a HEET. HNBC recommend cleaning at least once a day which, naturally, depends on your usage.

How does it Work?

Using the device is simplicity itself, which is one of the reasons I have been so surprised at the lack of such cleaning devices available. Sure, it is relatively straightforward to use the kit provided brush and swabs even if it can be somewhat fiddly. However, I am all for making life as easy as possible.

The HnB Cleaner has two adaptor rings, or brush covers, for use with IQOS, Lil, JOUZ and most heat-not-burn devices. Fortunately, I have a few devices laying around so I have been able to see which of those this device can work with.

Pictured left are the heated tobacco devices I have. Three IQOS, a 2.4, an IQOS3 Multi and the DUO. As IQOS is one of the most popular heat-not-burn devices, it was a given that the cleaner would work with those. For the IQOS 2.4 and DUO, you will need the full brush cover. For the Multi, you will need the partial cover.

I also have two Lambda devices, the T3 and the CC. For these two devices, the partial brush cover is needed.

Sadly, the HNBC automatic cleaner is not compatible with the SLS CP or the iBuddy. However, given the simple nature of the device, it probably will not take much to make it compatible.

The HnB automatic cleaner has two buttons on the side and a USB-C charging slot on the bottom. The two buttons provide either a fast or a slow speed. For the most part, the harder brush should be used with the fast speed (top button) and the soft brush with the slower speed (bottom button) for polishing.

The brush covers are easy to attach as they are notched. Line up the notches by feel and a quarter-turn clockwise to lock them in and a quarter-turn anti-clockwise to take them off.

The brushes are easy to attach to the main body with the latched, and magnetised, base. Just hold the brush close to the top of the device and the magnets will do the rest.

Then, add your chosen brush cover and you are good to go. HNBC recommend approximately five seconds to clean using either brush but, that does depend on how full of gunk your device is. For me and my light-to-medium usage, I found that 2-3 seconds was enough.

I had cleaned the Lambda CC recently and had only been using it for just under a day – around ¾ of a pack of HEETS – for it to look like this. It is not the dirtiest it has been, just the dirtiest I could get a decent photo of.

Given that the CC was not as mucky as it could have been, the HNBC automatic cleaner still did a good job of getting rid of any debris that was in the chamber, and the polishing brush took care of any left-over residue.

Conclusion

Given the broad array of heated tobacco devices on the market now, having something that makes cleaning them substantially easier is not to be sniffed at. The Cleaner is no bigger than an IQOS, and not particularly heavy so it is convenient to carry or keep in a pocket. The battery is, of course, tiny – only 300mAh. However, this is more than sufficient for regular daily cleaning of your chosen device. Plus, being only 300mAh, it is quick to charge taking around 30 minutes from near-flat to full. The LEDs on the top button provide a rough indication of remaining charge with three lights indicating 75-100%, two being 50-75%, one being 25-50% and flashing means the unit should be put on charge PDQ.

If, like me, you find cleaning your chosen heat-not-burn device to be a chore then this HNBC automatic cleaner should be on your “must have” list.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

UPDATE 13th October 2020: We are now selling this HNB cleaner right here for just £29.95! Make cleaning your IQOS simple.

Related posts:

Lambda EH Review HnB UK Review – The Uwoo Y2 HNB Cleaner (IQOS cleaner) now for sale!