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It has been an eventful year for the nicotine pouch industry. Nic pouches are rapidly gaining in popularity, as they should since they are a much less harmfull alternative to smoking. Nicotine Pouches have turned illegal in The Netherlands, while the American market is catching on fast to this rapidly expanding market. In Europe, up and coming producers like Empire of Snus and Iceberg are churning out new flavors like there is no tomorrow. This does not mean all of these brands are worthy of your precious snusing time however!
This is a list of the brands we think deserve a place in the list of 9 best brands of 2022. We have a look at available flavors and strengths, branding, ecological choices the brand may or may not make. And of course quality. We do not get free samples from manufacturers, nor are we payed to include certain brands in this article. This is why you will not see many of the newest brands, fad-brands as we call them, on this list. These tend to dissapear after a few years, unlike some others that have been around for generations.
No idea what nicotine pouches are? Check our beginners article on nicotine pouches
So, in no particular order, here is our list of 9 best brands of 2022:
1: Empire of Snus (EOS)
EOS is a brand new nicotine pouch brand from Switserland. They offer the highest standard from ingrediënts all the way to packaging. The pouches come in a premium metal can, very different from the round plastic cans other manufacturers use. And better for the enviroment. They offer refill bags so you only need 1 can! The pouches themselves are flavored using actual organic natural fruit flavors. No synthetic flavoring.
One of EOS’s biggest strong points is a revolutionised formula that releases nicotine in 5 different stages. Every snus user knows nicotine pouches lose their strength much quicker than original tobacco snus. EOS manages to lengten the lifespan of their pouches up to 2 hours. They are the only brand in the industry that pulls this off.
EOS pouch strength is considered to be ideal for beginners and intermediate snusers
All flavors of EOS are fantastic. We like EOS Orange the most however. The natural orange flavor gives this nicotine pouch an ideal balance between zingy and sweet. We could use it all week.
2: LOOP
The Danish ‘Another Snus Company’ brings us LOOP. LOOP has been around for a number of years and is immensly popular in Sweden and Finland. They offer strong nicotine pouches with equally strong flavors.
LOOP aspires to contribute to sustainability with it’s ecologically friendly Plantcan. Their tin is produced with 100% plant based plastics. Another reason why they feature on our top 10.
Flavorwise LOOP really knows their score. You can expect flavor-hybrids like Habanero Mint or Jalapeno lime which really bring out their flavor by accentuating the main lead with spicyness. Every LOOP flavor is well thought out and unique.
There are nicotine strengths for every user in their range of products. The main focus lies on intermediate users however so be warned; These pouches are strong!
Our favourite LOOP flavor is LOOP Jalapeno Lime. All their spicy flavors are fantastic but this one just does it for us. The spicy pepper is not overwhelming but instead provides a constant stingy warmth under your lip. Meanwhile the lime provides the perfect counterbalance with it’s refreshing tartness. A devine flavor indeed.
3: LYFT > VELO
An old faithfull like LYFT cannot be ignored. With an enormous range of flavors, strenghts and pouch sizes they are one of the biggest players of the industry. By the way: LYFT changes it’s name to VELO this year so don’t be surprised if you get a can with a different print in the mail.
LYFT>VELO is a brand that will appeal to most users. From classic flavors like mint or liquorice all the way to the floral Tokyo Zing or fruity Carribbean Spirit. There is a taste to suit every pallete. So you can be sure you will find your favorite, while buying a tested and tried quality brand from an established producer.
LYFT>VELO has a lot of interesting flavors. If we have to choose one we choose Tokyo Zing. Ginger, lemon and floral undertones make this a flavor worthy of a God.
4: Skruf
If you are thinking mint, you are thinking Skruf. It’s as simple as that. Skruf offers a large range of mint/ menthol varieties in all possible strengths and pouch-sizes.
Skruf hails from the Swedish Smâland and is the lovechild of Adam and Jones, two names well known in the Scandinavian snus industry, who founded Skruf in 2002 as a modern tobacco-free alternative to traditional snus. Skruf is made by fusing traditional snus-making methods with modern technique to make a truly innovating product. The pouches are infused with rose-oil for a distinct feel and sting.
Enviromentally Skruf knows their score too. The paper and filling are made from locally grown trees and the cans themselves are manufactured with recycled plastics.
Our favourite is Skruf Frozen Shot. Not because of it’s flavor, since all Skruf Flavors are essentially a variation on mint. But because of it’s superslim pouch shape. It’s a rarity in the industry and very comfortable to wear under your lip.
5: ACE
The Danish ‘Ministry of Snus’ brings us ACE Superwhite. They offer a range of strong unique flavors with one thought in mind: they listen to consumer demand and bring out new flavors accordingly. With ACE you can expect the highest standards. The brand is founded on 4 generations of snus making expertise so expect quality brands with tried-and-tested methods.
If we look at the enviromental aspect, ACE makes it’s cans from recycled plastics. The paper of their pouches are made with locally sourced pine trees.
Our favourite ACE pouch is ACE Eucalyptus. It’s strong, but not overly so. And the flavor, which is a blend of strong mint and icy menthol with a smooth and herbal Eucalyptus, is eye wateringly good. It is simply the best herbal pouch we ever tried.
6: XQS
The Swedish Kings of bold flavor are on our list as well. If you are looking for a brand with an established reputation and a large range of intense, sweet and creative flavors. This is the stuff you want.
Alongside traditional Swedish snus, this company from Jämtaland Sweden started making All-White snus a.k.a. nicotine pouches in the early 2000’s and they were one of the first tobacco-free alternatives on the market. XQS has a passion for eccentric flavors. Their flavor melanges are exceedingly popular in a market that has been dominated by minty flavors in the past. All XQS pouch variaties are slim-sizes, moistened and work up to 45 minutes.
We like XQS a lot, but XQS Citrus Cooling is our favourite. An icy sweet marriage between lemon and mint. And in a cool looking can. What’s not to like.
7: ZYN
Designed and developed by Swedish Match, ZYN is one of the longest lived product lines in the industry. They originate in Scandinavia but moved to America were they are the biggest player on the market today. What makes them worthy of our list? They offer a plethora of different flavors, sizes and intensities. They often bring out Limited Editions for flavor chasers to collect. For these reasons we believe ZYN belongs in the weekly rotation of every quality-seeking snuser. Make sure to try them out.
It’s not easy to choose a favourite in the huge line of ZYN products. But if we have to, it’s gonna be a tie between ZYN Ginger Blood Orange and ZYN Lemon Spritz. Ginger Blood Orange has exactly the right amount of spice and sweet. Lemon Spritz on the other hand is sweet and succulent. An ideal summer pouch.
8: On!
On!, The oddball in our list. We’ve always had a soft spot for On! because they approach the market from a different perspective. They do not offer a wide variety of fancy flavors or outrageous strengths. Going against the grain, they offer dry, mini-sized portions in cute but functional square containers. If you choose On!, you choose mature, masterfully crafted flavors which last a long time and favor authenticity over sweetness. Discretionwise, the portions are so small they are completely invisible to unsuspecting onlookers. A mayor plus for people who want to enjoy their nicotine with discretion during work, meetings or anywere.
If we have to choose one, we like On! Coffee the most. It’s not overly sweet like coffee flavors of it’s competitors but actually tastes like roasted coffee beans. A very mature and tasty pouch.
9: ZAFARI
The Mogwai of the Nicotine pouch industry, Zafari is sure to take you along on one of their flavor-scapes. Zafari crafts it’s flavors with nature as it’s sole inspiration. Sounds nice right? Zafari is an ecological alternative to the more traditional brands. They use bioplastic cans, made of leftover pineoil. And the pouches themselves are made of local eucalyptus and pine tree paper. Their flavors try to activate senses, memories and emotions. Their flavors can be described as flavorscapes that take you away on a far-away journey. Sounds like a load of salesbull right? Their flavors do stand out though and are fresh and long-lasting. We will go more in dept on some of their flavors in the future but make sure to check them out.
Our favourite? Carribean Guava is an incredibly succulent mix of all kinds of exotic fruits and the rarely-seen guava. Very nice indeed!
That sums up our top 9 of best nicotine pouch Brands. For offers on these brands, other brands. If you want articles on nicotine pouches and much more be sure to check out Alpha Pouch.
Cheers,
Tom
