The Best Hookahs for Beginners - Under $100
This post was updated on 03/15/2019
Starting out in the hookah world and trying to decide which hookah you want for your first is difficult. Which one is right for you? With so many things to consider, such as the brand, the price, the size, and the materials used, this can be a tough decision. To make things easier for you we've come up with a list of hookahs, in order of least expensive to most expensive, that will be a perfect choice to start your collection. These hookahs won't break the bank, they look nice, and you can expect great smoking quality from each one. Find the right one for you, and get started on your own hookah journey!
Khalil Mamoon Mini-Classic (1 Hose) Hookah - $49.99
The first hookah on our list comes from the Egyptian hookah manufacturers, Khalil Mamoon, who make all their hookahs by hand and are widely respected for putting out high quality products. The Khalil Mamoon Mini Classic stands 17 inches tall and is made of stainless-steel that will keep it from ever rusting or corroding; if treated well, this hookah should last you a very long time. At just under $50 the Mini Classic is the least expensive hookah on our list, but you can still expect a great smoke session from this piece! Khalil Mamoon uses stainless-steel on the downstem of this hookah (the pipe that channels the smoke from the bowl to the glass base) and is designed to give you a traditional smoking experience similar to what you might experience at a hookah lounge in Cairo, Egypt. This hookah will come included with an Egyptian hookah bowl, a coal tray, the glass base, an Egyptian hookah hose (non-washable), a tin foil pack, hookah charcoals, coal tongs, and some shisha tobacco.
Mya QT (1 Hose) $52.99
Easily one of the longest running crowd favorite hookahs due to it's easy to use design and cloud production, the Mya QT is an excellent choice for a first hookah or for a compact addition to any hookah pro's collection. Standing at 10" the QT is a fantastic table top hookah using a stainless steel stem and a beautiful yet sturdy cut glass base available in a variety of colors. This hookah also comes in a unique metal wire cage making it very easy to pack up for storage or for taking with you on the go!
Amira Orion (1 Hose) Hookah - $64.99
Coming in at 17 1/2" the Amira Orion comes ready to rumble with several very cool features including a wide gauge downstem to give this hookah a surprisingly easy pull, a built in diffuser on the lower end of downstem to minimize the rumble, a washable Amira hose matching the color of the hookah, and a twist-to-lock stem to base connection meaning you won't need to worry about using or replacing base grommets.
Mya Bambino (1 Hose) Hookah - $68.99
So much detail and smoking quality in such a small hookah! The Mya Bambino stands just 12 inches tall, but do not let its size fool you - this hookah can put out some clouds! Its size does make this hookah able to fit pretty much wherever you want, giving you the freedom to smoke anywhere! The Bambino is made of stainless-steel, making it durable and with a long lifespan, and the shaft is packed with as much fine detailing as possible, decorated in the ancient Cloisonne technique, that you can enjoy with every smoke session. The circular "grenade" style base is extremely stable, so you won't have to worry about the Bambino wobbling or moving as you smoke. It will come with a custom designed carrying case to make carrying the Bambino quick and easy. It will also come with shisha tobacco, hookah charcoals, a tin foil pack, coal tongs, the Mya ceramic hookah bowl, a coal tray, and a 60 inch Mya Saray hookah hose (non-washable).
Pharaoh's Horus (1 Hose) Hookah - $74.99
The Pharaoh's Horus is a solid option for a 1 or 2 hose set up without breaking the bank. Featuring a unique color swirl glass base to bring the crowds and a wide gauge downstem to bring the clouds this 21" hookah comes ready to rock as a single hose option but can easily be converted to a 2 hose hookah with the addition of an extra Pharaoh's Autoseal Hose Adapter.
Shika Vaza (1 Hose) Hookah - $84.99
Known for their superb handmade Egyptian style hookahs featuring copper downstems the Shika brand has become a favorite of both experienced hookah smokers and hookah lounges as well. Coming in at 28" the Shika Vaza immediately turns heads with it's elegant tri-metal style design, but beneath that glowing exterior lies a wide gauge copper downstem which is the real hidden gem here. Not only does the wide gauge downstem provide excellent and effortless air flow through the hookah, but copper does not easily retain or ghost flavors so cleaning this hookah out between sessions is a breeze. This hookah also comes paired with a Shika Oblivion Bowl and a washable Shika Typhoon hose making this one of the best bang for your buck hookahs out there.
Khalil Mamoon Mini Shamadan (1 hose) Hookah - $87.99
When you hear that something is handmade, with loads of time put into the details and design, you would expect that product to be a bit pricey. Khalil Mamoon provides the world with affordable, top notch, handmade hookah pipes that are packed with craftsmanship and provide users with awesome smoke quality. The Khalil Mamoon Mini Shamadan hookah stands 18" tall and, like many Khalil Mamoon's, is made with high quality stainless-steel that makes it incredibly durable and long-lasting. This hookah comes with either a gold, silver, or black oxidized wash shaft; the black oxidized version has not gone through an oxidization process, so don't use polishing agents or powerful cleaners on it. Khalil Mamoon designs their hookahs to give you a traditional style smoking experience, inspired by what you'd find in hookah lounges around Egypt. The Mini Shamadan will come with a 72 inch Khalil Mamoon hookah hose, an Egyptian hookah bowl, hookah charcoals, coal tongs, a tin foil pack, a coal tray, and a package of shisha tobacco.
Sahara Smoke Genie (1 hose) Hookah - $89.99
The Sahara Smoke Genie hookah is a 15 inch tall stainless-steel hookah pipe that combines a portable size with a smooth pull and a base large enough to help you create room-filling clouds. Made from stainless-steel, this hookah pipe is strong and durable enough to last you a long time. One awesome feature of the Genie Bubble is that it can turn from a one hose hookah into a two hose by using a Sahara Hookah Hose Adapter, so you can enjoy the great smoke quality of this hookah with a friend! The Genie Bubble hookah comes with an ultra-wide wood handle synthetic leather hookah hose that measure 66 inches long, as well as a Vortex Hookah Bowl, hookah charcoals, a tin foil pack, coal tongs, a package of shisha tobacco, and a convenient specially designed carrying bag with a side pouch for all the accessories for your set-up!
Pharaoh's Amon (1 hose) Hookah - $89.99
The 30" Pharaoh's Amon features a threaded base and shaft design which eliminates the need for base grommets while ensuring an airtight seal and easy assembly and dis-assembly for cleaning. This wide gauge stem paired up with a large volume base comes configured as a single hose hookah but makes an excellent option if you are looking for a multi hose hookah by picking up extra Pharaoh's Autoseal Hose Adapters to configure this bad boy up to a maximum of 4 hoses.
Nammor Monolith (1 Hose) Hookah - $99.99
This beautiful behemoth towers above all of the hookahs on our list at 41" and delivers a truly excellent hookah lounge experience at home! The Nammor Monolith is a handmade Egyptian style hookah complete with a stainless steel stem decorated with a black bulb in the middle of the stem, a wide gauge hose port, and is accentuated with a gorgeous black and gold "Jumbo" style base offering a large volume well of smoke to pull from. This bad boy is sure to turn heads and impress wherever it goes!
The Next Step
Once you've decided which hookah you want to make your own, make sure you read up on all the other little details to help you get going. Read our "Hookah Education" blog, with tips on how to set up your hookah, how to clean it, and much more! Check out our Ultimate Shisha Brand Breakdown to help you figure out which shisha tobacco to pick up for your first smoke session! Once you get the hang of things, check out ways to trick out your hookah set-up: new bowls, hoses, wind covers, and more!