I'm used to the hands-free, since I originally got it on mine. However, I did use the non-hands free during the week while I was waiting for the new heater cover to be sent, and I like the hands-free better. It gives a smoother, more mild and fairly evenly heated hit, only need a couple of stirs instead of after nearly every hit. I can make a small bowl (maybe 0.1g) last over an hour with it attached to my ice bong, stir the bud a couple of times, and once it seems done, I take some scissors and chop it up as fine as i possibly can while it is still in the bowl. the extra surface area by chopping it up again lets it hit almost like a fresh bowl.