The aim of this study was to demonstrate the impact on SE performance when using different material than filter paper as a possible substrate. NIST proposed to perform these tests on a thin metal sheet (0,2 mm) with one layer of filter paper. As the ISO 12863 allows the use of an alternative substrate, all tests have been conducted on Whatman No. 2 and LIPCan filter papers. NIST proposed to use a metal sheet of type “AISI 302” with one layer of substrate paper. To see if this proposal would be in contradiction with the aims of the regulators, we also included an old design cigarette without any LIP technology on the cigarette paper. The regulators consider the old design cigarettes as dangerous in relation to fires caused by these cigarettes. Two different cigarette / test pieces have been chosen for this study. A conventional FSC brand taken from the Austrian market and the CORESTA Monitor CM7 as a non-LIP cigarette. A clear study plan describes the different steps of testing. For each sample we performed three replicates. When the proposed metal plate is used for testing, the results should be compared and be in line with results from existing test methods with ten layers of substrate paper. The final conclusions would show the impact, when using a metal sheet as an alternative substrate instead of ten layers of filter paper. Does a metal plate really match the results from tests with substrate paper? The conclusion will also show that a non-LIP cigarette will have a percentage of self-extinguishment when performing these tests on a metal plate. When testing the CORESTA Monitor CM7 cigarette without LIP bands on ten layers of filter paper it is confirmed that these test pieces will not self-extinguish and will burn the whole tobacco rod. The metal plate could not be an alternative for testing the self-extinguishment performance of a cigarette.