Swedish snus is sold in loose and portion form. A can of loose snus contains moist, finely ground tobacco which you can simply pinch with your fingers to make a portion of your desired size. Snusers commonly use names like pres, prilla, buga, or prell to describe a handmade portion.

Portion snus, on the other hand, makes the job easier as the same type of tobacco is prepackaged in tiny bags which you can conveniently enjoy wherever you want in a clean and discreet way.

Snus: Loose vs Portion

Whether one form of consumption is better than the other is a hot debate among snus users. People who consume their snus loose swear by it while those who like the cleaner portion form generally avoid it.

Then again, many just don’t care about which is better and enjoy both types equally. If you’re confused about which is right for you, here are some benefits of each type.

Loose

Consuming snus loose is a more authentic way of enjoying smokeless tobacco — that’s how it was originally intended. It allows you to really appreciate the full-bodied flavour and taste. The best part is that you get to decide how much you want to consume in one dose.

It requires a bit of dexterity to consume properly and you might get some under your nails, but that’s the price many are willing to pay for a good prilla.

Portion

Portion snus is cleaner and easier to consume when on the fly. It is more about convenience and discretion. One of the most notable benefits is the ease with which you can dispose of your used portions.

How to Use Loose Snus

There’s no right or wrong way to bake a good pres. Every snuser has their own preferred way of doing so, and they all work just fine. Some of these include:

Hand-bake Method

To hand-bake loose snus, all you have to do is place your desired quantity in your palm and gently knead it into a cylindrical form. Then you can place this under your upper lip and enjoy.

Ice Tool Method

If you like your prillas packed tight, you can buy a specialized tool designed for this purpose. All you have to do is load up your desired quantity of snus into the tool and then it’s pretty straightforward. The end result is a perfect cylinder that holds its form really well when in use.

Classic Swedish Method

Making a prilla doesn’t have to take long, and doesn’t have to be perfect. You can simply pinch a small chunk out of the box using its sides for support, and then pop it right in — it’ll sort itself out. This is how they do it in Sweden.