Nov 23 , 2021
7 Hookah Tips for Beginners
Hookahs have a learning curve. It is easy to understand the different parts and set up the essential pieces. However, everyone needs time to become familiar with the nitty-gritty of a flawless hookah setup. There is more to shisha than assembling the hookah parts and smoking.
This guide discusses the 7 quintessential hookah tips for beginners. These tips will assist your very first or the initial attempts at replicating the shisha experience of a hookah lounge.
- Try Samples Before Buying A Sizable Shisha Tobacco Pack
Shisha tobacco flavors are always a subjective experience. You may like a quaint flavor that doesn’t have many takers. Likewise, you may not grow fond of a phenomenally popular flavor. Always try samples before you buy any shisha tobacco flavor in bulk.
Use the same approach when you blend two or more shisha tobacco flavors for the first time. A popular combination may or may not work for you. No one knows your personal preferences better than you. Try samples before spending more money.
- Buy Natural Charcoal Made of Crushed Coconut Shells
Most beginners start with instant or quick-light charcoal. You don’t have to tread the trend. Avoid the chemical-laden smoke from the outset by using natural charcoal made of crushed coconut shells. You will have a vastly different experience from day one.
Natural charcoal is more expensive than instant or quick-light variants. However, you will make this switch sooner or later. You will probably regret using the accelerant-blended discs or briquettes when you experience the flavor quality with natural charcoal.
- Use 2 Layers of Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foils, or a Heat Management Device
You will eventually switch to a heat management device because aluminum foils are no match for its efficiency and efficacy. However, you may not want to invest in a heat management device straightaway. Use two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foils instead.
One layer of aluminum foil doesn’t offer the same experience as two sheets wrapped firmly around the bowl. Also, two layers provide better stability and can hold more charcoal pieces without you worrying about the foil sagging and touching the shisha tobacco inside the bowl.
- Get a Phunnel or Vortex Bowl for Your Hookah
All beginners upgrade to a phunnel or vortex bowl in due course. You can buy a hookah that includes such a bowl, so that you don’t have to purchase one separately. The standard bowls are not phunnel or vortex. Thus, check the hookah parts before you purchase.
A phunnel or vortex bowl will retain much of the juices flowing out of the shisha tobacco flavors. These juices would otherwise flow down into the hookah stem or pipe if you use a standard bowl that has the holes at the bottom. Get a phunnel or vortex bowl to feel the difference.
- Test Water Levels & Charcoal Pieces To Find the Ideal Balance
You have probably heard or read that the water in a hookah base or vase should submerge around an inch of the bottom end of the stem or pipe. This standard approach works, but you may not have a regular hookah with a typical base.
You have to experiment with the water level. Some hookah stems have diffusers at the bottom tip. These diffusers should be fully submerged into water. Also, shisha tobacco flavors may demand varying water levels, depending on their mildness or boldness.
Like water, you need to try different charcoal combinations. Some shisha flavors produce voluminous smoke with only two pieces, whereas many require three. Also, you have to add and remove charcoal pieces based on the real-time heat in the bowl.
Toggle the charcoal pieces, change water levels, try different tobacco packing techniques suited for the type of bowl you have, and then decide which combination delivers the best smoking experience for you.
- Choose a Washable Hose and Clean All Parts After Every Session
Hoses with metal coils inside are not washable. It is imperative to get a washable hose. Premium-quality hookahs available today generally have silicone hoses, which are washable. An old-school hose will retain flavor and have residue build-up in due course.
Another advantage of a washable hose is cleaning all the parts after every session. Cleaning all hookah parts will facilitate an immaculate smoking experience, the flavors will be rich, and your puffs will be truly aromatic, depending on the shisha tobacco quality.
- Avoid Rookie Mistakes While Preparing Your Hookah
Last but not the least, avoid rookie mistakes like poking large holes in the aluminum foil, packing too little or excess shisha tobacco in the bowl, not purging the hookah after a session to eliminate residual smoke, and not cleaning the parts post or before every use.