The process by which wood (or sawdust, coconut shells, bone meal, even dried buffalo dung!) is converted into charcoal is called carbonization. Essentially, wood is primarily hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon. Carbonization removes the hydrogen and oxygen (and trace impurities), leaving only the purified carbon. If burned in an open flame, the carbon would go up with the other elements, so charcoal is produced in environments of restricted oxygen. Typically, the wood (or other material) is loaded into a container, or in more traditional methods, simply buried under carefully arranged logs and soil, and a fire started within. Once the fire is going strongly, the main chimney is sealed up, leaving only selected vent holes which regulate the flow of oxygen into the burn.

The primary physics behind a hookah bowl involves drawing very hot air from around the coals through the shisha, vaporizing the sugars and oils into smoke, which is what makes the Hookah Flip Bowl so particularly efficient – hot air rises! Burned bowls will result from excessive heat – either too much charcoal, or charcoal which has sat so long in one spot on the shisha that it begins to cook and burn the shisha from the radiant heat. Minimizing contact with the bowl, as seen in the design of the new Fantasia Hookah Coals, also maximizes the flow of hot air while minimizing the proximity of the heat-emitting coal. Happy smokin!

This one’s for the ladies.

When people hear I work for a website that sells hookahs there are two reactions. One: How can they get such an awesome job? Two: But you’re a girl. Girls don’t smoke hookahs. Right?

Not so. We of the female persuasion are just as skilled in the art of hookahry as any other smoker. I would venture to say we are just as skilled…and maybe a tad harder to please.

The first hookah I ever smoked was a boyfriend’s Old School Rotator Hookah with a cobra hose. That was a great hookah, but a little bulky for my taste. When it came time to get a hookah of my own I knew it needed to be easy to use (no fussing with rotator hubs for me), sleek in appearance, and it had to smoke better than his. One of my first hookahs ended up being a Nammor Cleopatra Hookah. Out-smoking an Old School is hard to do, but bumping the hose to a Nammor did the trick. The Cleopatra is tall, the shaft is filled with fine detailing, and the emerald green base is stunning. Since then I have added a Khalil Mamoon Red Pear Hookah with the flower base and a few Mya Hookahs to my collection, the QT, Petite, and Vortex. The carrying cases, cages, and boxes that come with most Mya hookahs definitely score points for ease of use.

While working here has afforded me the opportunity to work with a variety of hookahs, and to load a bowl or two, I know not everyone gets to do this as frequently. Over the past couple years I have spoken to quite a few customers who, while they loved smoking hookah, were not entirely comfortable with the processes of loading a bowl, tending hookah coals, or cleaning a hookah. As is often the case, the gentlemen we smoke with are kind enough to take care of these less than exciting tasks. While it’s a nice gesture it can add to the notion that we are less skilled or interested in the finer points of hookah smoking. It’s time to put that to rest. There are some good articles and videos online about hookah basics to help you get started, or if you’re already a seasoned hookahrist it’s time to flex that muscle.

At your next hookah gathering, break out your own hookah and favorite shisha, and load your friends the best bowl they have ever smoked – high heels optional.

What is best in life?

Many customers ask us: “What is the best flavor of shisha tobacco you sell?” and “What is the best hookah?” Our answer is always the same, too: “Whatever YOU consider best!”. To put another perspective on it, consider the cigarette displays behind counters in convenience stores. Not only are there numerous brands, but each brand has within it numerous varieties and styles. Asking which shisha is best is as difficult as asking “Which cigarette is best?” Ice cream presents another example: some people shop for ice cream by price, looking at the brands that offer the greatest quantity for the smallest price. Others will shop by flavor – trying to find the chocolate-chip cookie dough that, to their own taste buds, surpasses any other. Many are creatures of habit – finding one brand that’s good enough, and sticking with it because they have no reason to try another brand. To continue on with the analogy, every brand of ice cream will have a Vanilla, and some form of Chocolate, but many brands also offer a flavor or two exclusive to their own brand (for example, baklava flavor by Tonic Hookah Tobacco): not every brand of ice cream carries a Cherry Garcia, or a Tin Lizzie. So, when shopping for shisha, rather than seek the elusive flavor that other people feel is best for them, think of it more like ice cream: Which flavor works best for you? If you like a flavor offered by many brands, such as Mango, who has the Mango flavored tobacco that appeals the most to you?

When asked which hookah is the best, we encourage people to think of it as shopping for a vehicle. Some people search for a rugged truck, one that can be driven off road and pick up some neat dents and scratches along the way. Others look for a luxury automobile, with overstuffed interior and seat warmers in a car that must tiptoe over the smallest bump in the road. Still more will look for a cheaper car that’s easier on the wallet – some prefer station wagons, others prefer sedans. Shopping for a hookah will be much like shopping for an automobile, there will be different “bests” depending on your needs. A person who always smokes with a large group in a large room might prefer something like the Mya Paragon Hookah with 4 hoses, while a student living in an efficiency apartment might need an Egyptian Furat Hookah for its convenient size and ease of portability. Fortunately, one needn’t worry about getting the ‘best-smoking’ hookah, as we proudly offer only hookahs we know will smoke absolutely fantastically. So, the next time you’re looking for a best, let us know how you define it, and we’ll help you select the item that best meets your preferences.

Happy smokin’!

I have a confession: I am a bit of a hookah nerd. You know that guy who hears someone whisper “hookah” from the other side of the room at a loud party and comes running over? That is me. I even carry around a hookah and a selection of shisha tobacco in my truck for those moments, ’cause everybody likes the guy that brings a hookah to the party. I should also confess that I like being that guy. I am what one person described as a “hookah ambassador” or a “master of hookahry.”

The role started out innocently enough. When I first started working here at Hookah-Shisha I spent a lot of time reading everything I could get my hands on about hookahs and the hookah culture. I smoked all the shisha I could get my hands on. I asked everybody I worked with questions until they tired of talking to me. Even after work hours I would find a way to work hookah into conversations just to get some practice explaining hookahs to my friends. Next thing I knew, people would approach me at parties asking me if I was the “hookah guy” with their questions about these crazy contraptions I had come to love. At one party in particular I found myself inviting a friend over to smoke with me some time and I realized that I was missing an opportunity. Inviting people over certainly let me share the hookah experience with them, but bringing one to a party let me share my passion with so many more people! I decided it was time to put some thought into the hookah and supplies that I wanted to carry with me… and now I would like to share them with you.

First, I choose the hookah itself. My desire was to have a hookah that had an impressive appearance, smoked well, and was easy to setup, clean and transport. I decided on a single hose Mya Vortex hookah, a long time best seller in its class. Why single hose if I planned on smoking at parties, you might ask? I considered multiple hoses, but I find that in most party situations only one person is actually smoking at a time, and generally the other people are discussing hookahs while they wait their turn. The single hose hookah is just less stuff to deal with and more user-friendly for first time smokers. In the interest of full disclosure I do usually have a second hose and two autoseal hose adapters in my “hookah kit,” but that is another benefit of Mya hookahs. With only a few moments of effort my single-hosed hookah can have up to four hoses, and then go back to a single hose just as quickly. I also like that the included Mya case has lots of room for shisha and coals, something else that I put a lot of thought into selecting.

“Taste is subjective” is a comment that I often make to customers asking for flavor recommendations. Just because I like something doesn’t mean that you will, and vice versa. I also keep this in mind when choosing shisha for my hookah kit. At any given time I typically have 5-7 different shisha options at my disposal. What I would recommend thinking about when putting together a kit of your own is choosing flavors that are accessible for new smokers. Nakhla Double Apple may be your favorite, but it is probably going to be a little intense for a first time smoker. I usually have a couple of my favorite Romman flavors like Good Times and Summer Crisp, as well as a selection or two from Starbuzz (Melon Blue is a good choice, and lately I have been really into Starbuzz Acid Purple). One shisha you can always count on me having on hand is Island Papaya by Fumari Shisha. In my experience these flavors are solid crowd pleasers. I have yet to load up some Island Papaya and have someone complain. In fact, among my friends that have heard the hookah speech before, they have begun to request it by name. If you are so inclined (as I am) to also keep one or two flavors of herbal shisha in your kit, I would recommend Kali Drizzle from Hydro Herbal Shisha. You never know when a non-smoker might be interested in trying out a hookah, and offering them a bowl of tobacco-free shisha shows them that the hookah community can be accommodating.

As for other accessories you will find in my hookah kit, I always have a supply of hookah mouthtips (practice safe smoking!), Easy Foil (saves having to hunt down a pin for making holes), a vortex bowl, extra hookah grommets (just in case) and Golden hookah coals. Why quicklight coals? Honestly, when I am at home I use natural coals, but when I am on the go I never know what the situation will be like. I would hate to pass up an opportunity to introduce someone to smoking just because I can’t find a stove to light my natural coals. Quicklights may not be your favorite, but you can’t ignore the convenience factor. An often overlooked item that you might consider is carrying some bottled water. I know it sounds silly, but you never know. I have only broken out my own water supply once, but my hookah kit is pretty self-sufficient as it is, so it only seemed natural to be truly prepared.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, you should pack a good attitude in your hookah kit. Being a hookah ambassador is your opportunity to spread a positive message about hookahs and hookah culture. Being snobbish about the shisha you smoke or the type of hookah you have only leads to alienating people. Hookah is about bringing people together and sharing an experience. Think of it as passing a peace pipe. I encourage new hookah smokers to ask questions, and I work very hard to offer patience and a thoughtful answer. You may have explained how a hookah works a thousand times (I know I probably have) but this is the first time the person who is asking has heard it. Answer with kindness and forgive mistakes. I like to remember that each person to whom I introduce hookah may be embarking on a journey of love as I have, and I want them to start the journey off with a positive feeling.

I hope this glimpse into my level of hookah-nerd has been an interesting experience for you. Like all of us here at Hookah-Shisha I love talking about hookahs, so if you have any questions about putting together your own master of hookahry kit, don’t hesitate to contact us.

As one of the newer employees here at Hookah-Shisha.com I have spent the last few months on the job acquiring a massive amount of information about hookahs, shisha tobacco, coals and every possible hookah accessory you could think of. Today I had to put all of that knowledge to the test. Today was the day I got my first hookah.

When people ask me what hookah they should buy, I never make a suggestion until I have asked them a couple of questions first. What type of smoker are you? Do you smoke every day? Do you often smoke alone or in a group? Do you want a single hose model, or a multi hose model? Are you looking for a showpiece hookah, or something that you will keep in your closet only to be brought out occasionally? Once I’ve gotten answers to these questions, I feel like I can make a recommendation that will be perfect for that particular customer. Although I help people make hookah buying decisions many times a day, I had never spent much time thinking about what my perfect hookah would be.

When choosing my own first hookah, I asked myself these same questions. I am not a daily smoker, so one of the things I was looking for was an easy and secure way to store my hookah when it was not being used. I immediately started looking at hookahs that come with cases. I also plan on bringing my hookah with me to parties, trips, camping, etc. so the case had to be sturdy enough to make those trips with me. I wasn’t interested in a big multi hose model for my first hookah, though I may opt for one down the line, so I decided on a single hose model. When I was done answering all of my own questions, I had narrowed my search down to a Small Mya Saray Hookah with a sturdy carrying case. All that was left was to pick the model that was most visually appealing to me.

In the end, I chose the Mya Chic Hookah with a black glass base. It’s small enough to be easily stored and comes with a great carrying case. It’s a single hose model, but can be upgraded to a 2 hose model in the future if I feel inclined to do so. Finally, and most importantly, I like the way it looks and I know that I will love it for a long time.

If you’re looking for your own first hookah, or even your tenth hookah, I recommend doing as I did and asking yourself a couple of questions about what type of smoker you are before making your purchase. I’m sure you’ll find that after doing so you will end up with the perfect hookah for you.

If you want to get the most out of your hookah experience, your first step should be deciding whether to use Natural Hookah Coals or Quicklight Hookah Coals. Natural Coals take a few minutes longer to get going, but your hookah tobacco will taste better and your smoking session will last much longer. And who doesn’t want that? Now let’s go over how to light natural coals for your hookah.

Lighting Natural Coals on a conventional oven stove top: THE BEST WAY!

Whether you’re using Romman Natural Lemonwood Coals, Coco Nara Natural Hookah Coals, or some other type of natural coals, the same basic principles apply to each one. If you have a stove, select which burner you’re going to use and turn it on HIGH. Open your box (or bag) of natural coals and place 2-4 coals on the burner — The number of coals depends on your personal preference. Each coal will need to be placed on the burner with enough room between each coal to heat all sides of the coal without interfering with the others. If they’re right next to each other, you may find that they don’t burn evenly. Ever notice how cupcake baking pans are evenly spaced apart?

The same logic applies to heating coals. You’ll want to let the coals heat until all sides of the coals have turned to a thin layer of ash (or completely gray on all sides). Make sure all of the black color is gone before placing them on your hookah bowl. How do you know when they’re ready? You’ll know when they are glowing red. This process usually takes anywhere between 12 and 15 minutes. Some people think it takes too long to heat natural coals, but by the time you clean your hookah and hoses, add ice, load your hookah bowl, and reassemble your hookah, your natural coals will be red hot and ready to go!

Coco Nara Natural Hookah Coals:

NOT READY!

READY!

Exotica Natural Hookah Coals:

NOT READY!

READY!

If you’re using a Portable Hookah Stove to heat your natural coals with, the same basic principles apply. Spread the coals out evenly (as shown) and wait until they’re burning red hot before you place them on your hookah bowl. Make sure the gas is off when you’re done!

IMPORTANT:

1. Turn your burner OFF immediately after your coals are done. If you wait until you’ve taken each coal off to move them to your hookah, you may forget to walk back and turn it off. Safety first!

2. Remember, only handle one coal at a time. We don’t need any accidents! We already know how fast your living room carpet burns and how bad it smells after you drop a coal on it!

3. Always grasp your coals with one side of your tongs underneath the coal. If there is no support under the coal, it’s more likely to slip out of the tongs:

For a few other fire safety tips, read my post on Fire Safety and Prevention. Now, go turn on the Bruce Willis flick Live Free or Die Hard, load some Starbuzz Sour Apple, and enjoy the longest, most tasty hookah bowl you’ve ever had! Spoiler: Bruce doesn’t die. Ever. Happy Smoking!

Though in music, a “fantasia” is a composition that sounds extemporaneous, we’ve found Fantasia Hookah Tobacco flavors to be polished and refined. While they have a flavor to suit every taste, here’s a list of our top 10 selling flavors with a description of what makes each one so phenomenal:

10. Orange Sherbet. Sherbets are desserts like a fruit sorbet, but containing a little dairy for a smooth consistency. Smooth is the key to this creamy orange flavor, similar in taste and velvety texture to the “push-up” frozen confections.

Like the art of growing the Bonsai tree, getting Tangiers Hookah Tobacco to smoke perfectly takes patience and craftiness. Because of its robust design and sensitivity to heat, several factors need to be taken into account — humidity acclimation, packing style, and coal rotation all need to be managed meticulously. Even though one customer left a review calling it a “man’s shisha,” with the proper preparation and heat maintenance, Tangiers can be enjoyed by adults of any gender!

Because of the diversity of hookahs smokers around the globe, there’s really not a single, correct way to smoke Tangiers – everyone will tell you something different. However, it is widely agreed that you’ll get the best results by using a non-traditional bowl (such as a Phunnel Hookah Bowl or a Vortex Hookah Bowl), one where the tobacco is allowed to marinate in its own juices instead of sluicing through holes at the bottom. A YouTube search for anything Tangiers related will yield many instructional “how to” videos on users’ packing techniques for you to follow if you’re not getting the desired results. Once you get it right, you’ll finally see what all the rave is!

Tangiers comes in 2 lines; the “OG” or “noir” style, which is the original, unwashed hookah tobacco, and the “lucid” style, which is lighter and less “buzzy.” Here we present to you the top 10 most popular Tangiers Hookah Tobacco flavors:

	10. It’s Like That One Breakfast Cereal. There’s been some debate as to exactly which “one” breakfast cereal this flavor is emulating, but the general consensus has it down to 2 possibilities (which I won’t name): one with a cartoon toucan as its mascot, and the other with the slogan “The great taste of apples and cinnamon make the great taste that’s always the winna-mon.” (Seriously, I didn’t make that up). This flavor is available in the “lucid” line, and will have you reminiscing of the brightly colored fruity puffs that always left the milk pink.
	9. Iced Peach Tea. A refreshing, cool brewed iced tea taste with a splash of orchard-fresh peach puts this robust flavor in the top 10. The “earthy” taste of the tea flavor makes this a popular mixer to add some zing to your bowl!
	8. Kashmir Apple. Apples grown in the orchards of the Kashmir region of northern India benefit from its lush and fertile environment, resulting in a longer shelf life, smooth red skin, and a distinct, crisp aroma. While one of dozens of apple flavored shisha tobaccos, Kashmir apple from Tangiers is spicy and delicious, and is reportedly the “buzziest” of all the apple flavors.
	7. Tropical Revenge. It’s the revenge…of the tropical fruits! I don’t know who or what wronged them to invoke their wrath, but this flavor is a dish best served…hot! Tropical revenge is a tangy medley of exotic fruit flavors (with a noticeable grapefruit twang) that remind me of the sugary fruit juice boxes I got in my Ninja Turtles lunchbox.
	6. Green Apple Candy. Despite green apples having a sour reputation, this flavor is surprisingly sweet and tastes like more like a green Jolly Rancher. The flavor is lengthy and luscious, and many have experienced a small anise (black licorice) aftertaste.
	5. Orange Soda. A super strong orange flavor that will knock you six ways from Sunday if you’re not prepared for it! Fans of this flavor have commented on an almost “carbonated” taste at the onset, staying true to its name and separating it from plain orange flavored shishas. Give “lucid” orange soda a try if the “OG” packs a little too much punch.
	4. New Lime. New lime is like New Coke, but doesn’t suck (ha!). Based on customer feedback (and from personal experience), this is by far the most spot-on lime flavor, period. You’ll notice a more acidic and “heavy” sour smoke than lemon, and a properly packed bowl with punctilios coal rotation will yield un-dwindling flavor for 2 hours or more.
	3. Blue Gumball. A strong blueberry taste with a raspberry overtone is what makes this flavor a must-try for berry-heads (available in both regular and “lucid”). Unlike an actual gumball that will lose its flavor after chewing it for only a few minutes (don’t you hate that?), Tangiers blue gumball will keep its palatable piquancy for the duration of the bowl.
	2. Horchata. This flavor is based on the traditional Spanish drink made of rice, barley, sesame seeds, tigernuts, and ground almonds. Many have noticed a distinct light sugary vanilla taste starting out, with a denouement of sweet cinnamon towards the end. Add some milk to the base if you so dare for the most velvety of smoke clouds. Horchata is available in both the regular and “lucid” line as well.
	1. (Tie) Kashmir Peach and Juicy Peach. Two fantastic peach flavors share the #1 spot on this list, and rightfully so. Tangiers has harnessed the savory flavors of the Prunus persica flawlessly with Kashmir Peach (a more floral and “airy” peach taste with a spicy buzz similar to the Kashmir apple) and Juicy Peach (a more “fresh” peach taste akin to biting into the actual fruit itself).

Remember, it may take several tries to get Tangiers to smoke to your liking, so don’t give up!  Happy Smoking!

Honorable Mention: Schnozberry. Never heard of a schnozberry? We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.

Some call them grommets, others call them gaskets. While these little rubbery curios are some of the smallest components of a hookah, it can be argued that they’re the most important – a true hookah aficionado knows that the first key step of a great smoke is a completely air-tight seal.  We’ve broken down the various hookah grommets individually in the hopes that you’ll find the right one for your hookah.  Let’s start from the top:

Hookah Bowl Grommets: The bottom opening of your average hookah bowl measures about 1 inch (2.54 cm) in diameter. These vary in thickness, from the thin Mya bowl grommet to the thick Mod bowl grommet. If you start noticing the bowl start to slide up the bowl stem in the middle of your smoking session, or if the bowl leans to one side, try the ol’ paper towel trick.

It’s no secret that Coco Nara Natural Hookah Charcoals are some of our favorite hookah coals to use here in the office. While they take a bit longer to light than quick-light coals, the results are well worth the wait. An electric stove top is the easiest method of getting them “hot and heavy,” however we use portable heating coil because, well, there isn’t a stove top in between the filing cabinets and the fax machine…

Now, for the best hookah bowl possible, you’re going to want to use at least 3 coals per session – 2 to start out with, and then 1 more to finish off the bowl. Take a gander at our Hookah Heat Maintenance and Coal Rotation blog for our preferred way to smoke a hookah using these coals. To sum up that post in 2 words it would be thus: observe and rotate! A well tended, evenly heated hookah bowl is a happy hookah bowl. This method of hookah smoking is merely a suggestion of course, as no 2 smoking sessions are the same. Feel free to experiment by using less or more coals depending on the quality of the tobacco, number of people participating, desired session length, etc. As of today, Coco Nara coals now come in 3 different sized boxes!

A sampler-sized 16 piece box will last you about 5 hookah bowls. This is great for folks wanting to try them out first before plunging into a larger coal commitment. This is also the perfect size to use for a single 50g box of shisha tobacco.

Our newest size that just arrived is a 45 piece box, which will last around 15 hookah bowls. This size compliments well with shisha tobacco that comes in 100g sizes (such as Starbuzz) to 125g sizes (such as Romman).

Lastly, our jumbo-sized 108 piece box is going to net you about 35 bowls, and is enough to last an entire 250g container of shisha tobacco, with probably a little left over to spare!

Don’t forget about our Super Packs of 3 boxes (for 16 piece, 45 piece, and 108 piece sizes) as well as our Monster Packs of 5 boxes (16 piece, 45 piece, and 108 piece) for those looking to stock up and save for the winter!