Hookah Love Blog

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.

 There are important stages of evolution in every person’s life where lessons learned allow you to take a giant step forward and live your life to greater fulfillment; getting your driver’s license, traveling abroad for the first time, learning a new language, riding a mechanical bull (ok, the last one may just be me). An important step in my hookah smoking evolution was the discovery of Coco Nara Natural Hookah Coals. In my genesis, I was seduced by the convenience of low-quality quick-lighting coals I would purchase at my local lounge. The taste of accelerant seemed to be a necessary evil, tolerated as there was no viable alternative in my limited scope. But after being surrounded by shisha junkies it was not long before the earth shifted on its axis and I was introduced to natural light, Coco Nara Hookah Charcoals. These coals burned far more evenly, with less heat (coals are like golf scores, less is more) and any trace of the taste of coal was absent. The difference was like drinking faucet water that had been filtered, if filtered faucet water tasted like angel’s tears. Right then and there I began to walk erect.

The one drawback of natural coals is they cannot be lit with a standard lighter; they need a more direct source of heat. The easiest way to light the coals is on a standard electric stove top, but unfortunately we do not have a stove in the office and I have a gas stove at home, so necessity being the mother of invention, we used this: the Single Coil Electric Hookah Charcoal Heater. All you need to do is plug it in, crank the heat up to eleven, place 2 or 3 natural coals on the coil, flip after 5 minutes and let them sit until the coals are a nice, ashy gray. I keep one under my desk at work and one next to the stove at home but they are light enough to carry in the pocket of your pants (if you shop at the same pants store as M.C. Hammer). Pants aside, the Hookah Charcoal Heater allows you light natural hookah charcoal just about everywhere and as a tool, it is close behind the wheel and fire in global impact.

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.

Howdy Hookah Friends! We asked our Facebook friends for pictures of your hookah “lairs” and you guys definitely delivered! Personally, I spend most of my time either smoking at work (life is rough, I know) or smoking with friends while being a hookah ambassador. As a result, I don’t really have a hookah lair of my own. Looking at all the awesome pictures submitted for this contest made me jealous for sure. I think if I was going to have an in-home hookah lounge I would want lots of plush comfortable seating for me and all my friends. I have always thought it would great to have an excuse for lots of enormous bean bag chairs, so maybe this is my chance!

We would like to thank all the awesome Facebook users who submitted photos of their personal smoking areas. Without further delay, here are our favorites:

Gavin B.

Is that a trident AND a sombrero?!  These guys know how to party! (nice Abyss Hookah by the way)

Julian C.

That’s a lot of hookahs… I think that plant in the corner even has its own.

Christopher B.

A hookah wedding cake?! I’m totally stealing that idea for my wedding.

Kameron A.

I just hope that no one interprets “break” to mean one of the hookahs

Hannah V.

I smoked hookah with Hello Kitty once. What?

In the past few months, I have adopted a new nickname, “Shakes.” One of the reasons this nickname has stuck is my talent as a shisha tobacco mixologist. It is my distinguished honor and great pleasure to share my top ten hookah tobacco mixes with you!

10.  The Parisian Latte:  Starbuzz Carmel Macciato, Romman Cappucino and Romman Vanilla. Great for the morning, or after dinner. Sweet coffee with vanilla and carmel hints.

9. The Farmers Daughter: Al Fakher Watermelon and Al Fakher Mint. Perfect for the country and city alike. Sweet watermelon offset by dry mint.

8. Cherry Lemonade: Fumari Cherry and Fumari Lemon: Good substitute for a popsicle. Real cherry and lemon juice.

7. The Gypsy: Fumari Rose and Fumari Jasmine. Best when riding in a covered wagon while wearing scarves. Heavy floral notes.

6. The Good Doctor: Romman Cola and Romman Plum. A perfect substitute for soft drink. Two flavors that taste like 23!

5. The Scorpion Bowl: Romman Guava, Romman Pineapple, Romman Peach, Romman Mango. Good for making your taste buds limbo. A cornucopia of tropical fruit!

4. The Back Porch: Al Tawareg Sweet Honey. Al Tawareg Mint and Al Tawareg Lemon. Good on lazy afternoon. A light iced tea flavor.

3. The Disco Fog: Romman Strawberry, Romman Mint and Romman Lemon. Great for the dance floor. Mint with a sweet citrus blend.

2. The Himalayas: Al Tawareg Fresh Mint and Al Tawareg Dark Chocolate: Perfect for after dinner or on a pillow. Similar to the Thin Mints those girls in brown made popular.

1. The Georgia Berry: Fumari White Peach and Romman Melonberry. DELICIOUS.

Please add any hookah mixes of your own in the customer comments as we are always looking for the next great cocktail!

 It happens to the best of us. You’re ready to set up your hookah and smoke your favorite shisha tobacco flavor, but to your horror you discover that a key component is missing or broken: Perhaps you left your hookah stem at your friend’s house, or your glass hookah base has been tragically reduced to a pile of shards at your feet. Do you throw in the towel and call it a night? Do you sob uncontrollably while cursing the heavens? Not if you’re able to “MacGyver” a working hookah from common household items!

For those of you not familiar with this iconic 80s TV show, MacGyver was a crafty scientist and secret agent that usually got out of sticky situations using everyday materials he finds on hand (I highly recommend doing a YouTube search to see some awesome “MacGyverisms”).

Inspired by Christopher’s Post about how he “MacGyvered” his hookah after setting it up and realizing that he didn’t have a hookah bowl or hookah grommets (see Hookah Worst Case Scenario: No Bowl or Grommets), we asked our Facebook fans to give us their best “MacGyver” Hookah moments. Here are the best one’s that were submitted. Enjoy!

When Robert W. accidentally broke his hookah base, was that the end of hookah time? Nonsense! A liquor bottle quickly doubled as a DIY hookah base.

Anthony C. forgot his hookah base and stem, and thusly went MacGyver TO THE EXTREME! A lemonade pitcher, an empty saran wrap tube, and a can of Red Bull came together to make this awesome makeshift hookah (and “smoked like a champ” according to Anthony!).

No hookah base or stem? No problem! Oscar R. concocted a working hookah out of a cardboard box, some rolled-up newspapers, and some packaging tape. You’d make MacGyver proud!

Adam O. built this hookah apparently out of parts he found on a boat dock. Now THAT’S a MacGyver Hookah! (Oh, and there’s a video too!). Nice one Adam!

Do you have a “MacGyver” Hookah moment that you’d like to share? Post it on our Facebook wall so all of our fans can see it! Great job guys, these were some fantastic ideas. Happy Smoking!

Howdy Hookah Friends! Last week we held a contest on our Facebook page to Photoshop a hookah into any famous work of art (by the way, if you haven’t “liked” us on Facebook yet, you’re missing out on some awesome promotions and a chance to enter our weekly “Weird Wednesday” contests such as this one!).  Here’s a “best of” list of entries from our talented fans. Enjoy!

“Nighthawks Hookah” by Kyle R.

“The Scream” by Chip H.

“And On the 7th day, God Seriously Chilled Out” by Chris W.

“Miracle Rings” by Munkee F.

“Calling of St. Hookah” by Greg B.

“Card Sharks” by Greg B.

“The Last Hookah Session” by Duell N.

“American Hookah” by Michael K.

“Portrait of Dr. Gachet” by Jake W.

Thanks again to all that entered! Happy Smoking!

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.

Update 09/07/11 : The 2011 Back-to-School Promotion has come to an end. Good luck to all of our college student friends, and happy smoking!

Howdy Hookah Friends!  It’s that time of the year for all of our college student friends to begin the Fall 2011 semester, so to give you all (and anyone else) a helping hand financially, you can take 15% off of any non-sale item in our store. Hooray! There’s no minimum purchase, all you have to do is shop to your heart’s content then once you’ve reached the “summary” page during the checkout process, enter the following coupon code in the “Discount or Gift Certificate Code” box and click on the “recalculate” button:

BTS2011

Make sure that you verify that the coupon code was applied and complete the checkout process!

The above coupon code can only be applied to non-sale items (products that aren’t already discounted, that is) however if you’re looking for an additional discount on items that are on sale (such as Romman 250g Tins, tobacco and charcoal Super Packs, or any of our clearance products) we’re offering a 10% off coupon for our Facebook friends that can be applied to ANYTHING in our store! Just head on over to our Facebook page to get the coupon code. If you haven’t been keeping up with us on Facebook, you’re missing out on some awesome weekly contests and promotions!

Also, we’re lowering the minimum purchase to get a free Furat Hookah from $100 to $75 (While supplies last). Woo hoo!

 Also check out our current featured product, the Mya Chic (1 hose) Hookah, which makes the perfect College Hookah!

Remember that you can only use one coupon code per order, so make sure to use the one that is most beneficial to you! The 15% off all non-sale items and the free Furat Hookah on orders over $75 will end on September 5th, 2011. Good luck to all of our college student friends out there, and as always, happy smoking!